Franchise Direct is a great resource for advice on starting a franchise.
It’s a difficult decision and we will guide you every step of the way until you get your business off the ground. For people with questions about owning a franchise, every question you’ve ever needed answering is here. We also like to pass on pertinent advice when we come across it, which is why we thought this story in the Idaho Statesmen was of particular importance. Pete Gombart, CEO of Ballihoo, a marketing automation solutions business to franchise-based companies provided some of his experiences on working with the franchising industry. He had this bit of insight for new franchisees:
[T]he most important observation I've made in working with franchisees is that a franchise's success is most highly correlated to the people who run it, and not necessarily to the national brand or system.
Gombart’s advice is to focus on the local market instead of getting too caught up in trying to implement a national system. That’s sound advice, and to that end, franchisees might be interested in some research on advertising in the soft economy. A new study by Ad-ology says that 48% of Americans think that a business's failure to advertise is an indicator that the business struggling. We all know that success is a contagious, and perhaps this study shows that keeping a presence in public advertising spaces does a lot to spread positivity. It's an important thing for small franchisees to consider as budgets tighten. If you have any questions about franchising, don't be afraid to ask in the Comments section below. [Hat tip to the Franchise King]