Planning to open a franchise of your own, but think you’re short of funds? Don’t worry – just follow these simple tips which can help you get good results from your franchise investment.

1) Thorough research
It is always essential to thoroughly research a franchise that you have chosen to be a part of. The trading performance of any business is directly linked with the commitment that you bring to the business.

2) British Franchise Association
If possible, attend the British Franchise Association’s seminar and purchase their franchise guide which can help you to research whether your chosen franchise is the right option for you or not.

3) Take your time
Don’t rush to make a commitment until you are completely prepared for it. If a franchisor tries to convince you by saying that you may miss a golden opportunity unless you sign today then just walk away. You should always have a discussion with your family as to what would happen if things do not go as planned.

5) Prepare your business plan
Before you approach any of the finance providers you are required to have a properly justified business plan. The proper way of presenting your plan is very important as it creates a positive impact.

These are some tips that can help you when setting up your own franchise.

If you are fed up of working under someone and want to become your own boss then this is the right time. Visiting the National Franchise Exhibition (NFE) may make you wonder whether investing in a new business can be profitable or not. GreenThumb is one excellent opportunity that you could consider.

GreenThumb is currently Britain’s biggest and best-known franchise for lawn treatment and has been beating the credit crunch. GreenThumb has recorded an amazing 30% growth this year. While other business sectors are struggling, GreenThumb is looking out for more franchisees that can drive their business forward and help the company to touch new heights. This is good news among the company’s 180 franchisees that are benefiting from a 22-year-old tried and tested franchise model.

More 270,000 lawns throughout the UK are being fed and weeded by GreenThumb who help keep the grass looking lush, green and also weed free for its delighted customers. GreenThumb has nearly 200 outlets nationwide. With its immense buying power it can provide materials to customers at a lower price than a DIY store. This is a unique advantage and even during the downturn, customers are signing up to have their lawns treated. Each lawn is treated four times during the growing period. GreenThumb provides a great opportunity to make money from their experienced business which has been profitable for 22 years.

To make their business successful, franchisee Rafakat Ali and his wife Safeena work hard. Having a passion for entertainment goods as well as previous experience of running his own franchise, Rafakat Ali decided to invest in the CeX franchise.

Rafakat Ali says that he has been a franchisee with the mobile phone company for the past 18 months. He says that he really enjoys being his own boss and was keen on investing in some another area within the franchise market to replicate his previous success. He had seen the CeX advertisement online and thought that becomiong a franchisee was a great opportunity. As a CeX customer, he felt he had enough product knowledge along with his previous retail experience and that this could help him to run the business successfully.

CeX is a retailer which deals in entertainment and electronic goods. CeX offers its customers an opportunity to buy, sell and exchange second-hand goods for their main products: DVDs, video games, computing, electronics, mobile phones and CDs.

Rafakat Ali said that the real benefit of investing in a franchise is the support package. Right from day one, CeX sent a support manager with a small team to help him in opening the store and to support him during the first three weeks of trading.

Bluebird Care has had an exceptional year so far. Bluebird Care has maintained strong network growth, featured on BBC television and also won awards. The company has seen growth in many ways with an increase in franchisees to provide special care to all of its customers throughout the UK. They have also moved into larger offices.

Bluebird Care has also won an award for being Franchise Recruitment Team of the Year. Bluebird Care have a superb team and with the help of the award are now recognised as a quality franchise that attracts high calibre franchisees who in turn are developing successful businesses.

BBC2`s Working Lunch recently visited Bluebird Care head office for an interview with the team. Bluebird Care was featured in the program as they wanted speak to one of the UK market leaders to know how the ageing population is affecting care provision. The feature has received a fantastic response and huge interest has been generated in the Bluebird Care franchise. The BBC feature can be found on the Bluebird Care website.

The director of Bluebird Care said that they have outgrown their previous office as they were expanding their franchise support team and needed larger training space for franchisees and their staff.

Gone are the days when people had to search for the nearest pizza outlet. In order to make the pizza ordering process simpler and faster, Papa John’s Pizza, the leading pizza franchise, has recently launched its new website. This website is designed to have better navigation and usability features. Now you can easily locate the nearest Papa John’s branch through your computer, while sipping cappuccino or doing some important work. 

Simon Wallis, the marketing director of Papa John’s stated that they are always trying to provide the best possible service to all their customers. They want 100 percent consumer satisfaction which is why they wanted to provide the quickest and easiest website to the customer.

The new website also provides images, details about the pizzas and any combo offers which may help you to save some money. The images of pizza are clear and sharp which conveys the message of Papa John’s Pizza – ‘Better Ingredients, Better Pizza’. Their new website has helped them to increase their sales by 20 percent. They strongly believe that over the next 12 months this site will help them to improve even further on these initial online sales. 

Springfield and Cortefiel concessions in Debenhams stores was started in Guildford and London’s Oxford Street in the second week of September, 2008. This was their first store to start in the UK, although they are spread through many countries around the world.

Alex Cara is the general manager of the franchise division of Cortefiel. This division operates a number of franchises as well as owning companies all round the world. Alex Cara said that after having a discussion with a property agent, they decided to start a chain in the coming year. They want to use separate cities for the chain.  

Cara is thrilled and excited to start a new franchise in the UK. She is working hard and is taking a personal interest so that the franchise can begin without any problems. She is hunting fo ideal places like the Metro Centre in Gateshead, the Arndale Centre in Manchester and Lakeside in Essex for the franchise. She would be delighted to get stores near the M25. She is also interested in opening company-owned stores.    

In 37 different countries across the world, Cortefiel has about 345 franchises and 970 standalone units. It is very well established. Upmarket suiting chain, Milano, and womenswear chain, Pedro Del Hierro, are also included in its franchise.

My Time is an award-winning counselling and psychotherapy franchise in the UK. My Time’s national counselling network and access programmes have been tried, tested and approved across 10 European countries and the UK.
 
My Time, with its head office in the Midlands, is an innovative counselling service. One to one counselling and unique yet tried and tested therapeutic learning programmes are included in its service.

To become more readily available in cities throughout the UK, the franchise package responds to new government legislation. This is a programme for massive expansion.

My Time aims to overcome language barriers and bridge cultures, since the UK is becoming so multicultural – religion and ethnicity does not matter.

An individual who has been depressed for one reason or another is supported by My Time’s programmes. Inspirational group sessions and one to one counselling are included. Group sessions include activities like gardening, art, music and IT. Development of new skills in the client is encouraged by My Time’s specialised programmes.

My Time helps you to be an optimist and to get along with other people so that you can live your life to its fullest. My Time believes in ‘taking time out for you’. It is an organisation that believes in forward thinking.

According to the recent Sewell’s Dealer Attitude Survey, the demand for the Kia franchise has significantly improved amongst dealers with the brand rising to rank 15th amongst 34 marques.

The Managing Director of Kia Motors (UK) Limited, Paul Philpot, said that the company had improved over the last two years from being one of the least appealing marques. The focus on developing support for the network and building the strength of the brand in the market had paid off. 

According to Mr Philpot, Kia is an example of sheer hard work. Over the past 18 months, the franchise has improved its profit and professionalism. Considering this, the entire franchise is now seen with more respect. It has become one of the most attractive franchises and dealers say that this is a result of improvement of their services in every area.  

To make the brand a success, Kia knows that they need the support and belief of their dealers in this current challenging market. The dealers ranked Kia in the top 10 for understanding and acting on the issues they faced. Mr Philpot was particularly happy and encouraged by this achievement. There has been a drastic improvement in the performance of Kia over a period of time.

A successful local firm has said that in the current credit crunch, franchising could be the right solution for potential business owners.

Despite the difficult financial conditions, from the start of the year Bromsgrove-based Mr Electric has seen plenty of franchisees joining the electrical services group.

Many people are starting their business under a parent company to see the advantages of it. According to national franchise developer, June Falvey, the people who are worried by the financial pressure of the credit crunch can go for a franchise to be safe. She said that the credit crunch encourages people to go for franchise as there is less risk involved when compared to an ordinary business.

According to the British Franchise Association (BFA), voluntary body for UK franchises, many people are successful in the country because of the franchisers defying the credit crunch. This has affected many sectors of the business world. They said that franchising is one of the most successful businesses in recent times.

According to a NatWest/BFA survey in the UK, last year the economic contribution of franchises grew by 15 percent. In the current trading business, many new entrepreneurs and companies are succeeding as a franchise.

Clive Houston, the managing director of Mr Electric UK and Ireland said that they provide support and training and pass on their expertise and knowledge to those who are looking to start a new franchise business.

Spoton.net which launched its self-help service ‘It’seeze’ appears to have constantly grown over the last 4 years, selling around 500 websites. The system is a tool that helps build and edit websites, whilst also giving customers full reign of their marketing, sales and promotion strategies. It’seeze provides website solutions that are new and it adds updated functions and tools to all the customer sites for free. With the help of these tools, customers can add pages and sections to their websites and introduce new services and products as and when they please.

It is difficult for web designers to design different websites for companies that offer the same kinds of products all the time. This limitation leads to low selling points of many business websites. Since the websites do not have any competitors, it acts as a tremendous advantage to its customers.

With It’seeze, any customer can have their own up-to-date website that would usually cost a fortune, without having to rely on a website company and spending money every time they need to edit the website. It also allows the customers to market and sell their business, change the look of their website to keep it fresh at their own leisure.

Every franchisee of the company that makes a sale earns an income instantly. The company provides a comprehensive training kit for the business that helps the franchisee start the business at once.