Franchise Focus
Express success
Recognition Express is one of the most successful business-to-business franchises in the UK, with more than 45 franchise owners in Europe
Investment level: £30,000
Franchise award Operating in the business-to-business sector, Recognition Express has been a full member of the British Franchise Association (bfa) since 1980 and is a past winner of the bfa Franchisor of the Year award. The company is renowned for its high level of ongoing franchisee support, advice and programmes in the areas of marketing, sales, product sourcing, technology and business planning.
“I have always found Recognition Express to be a model franchise. It is an outstanding example of a company which takes ethical franchising seriously”
Stuart Fisher took the plunge and Managing director Nigel Toplis B
rand awareness is crucial to any marketing strategy and to maintaining a position in today’s highly competitive marketplace. Supplying branded gifts and products,
plus posters, banners and signs to businesses and organisations in the UK, is a significant and growing market worth in excess of £3 billion in this country alone. Recognition Express has more than 30
years’ experience in the business, and its franchise owners who are hardworking, ambitious and driven, are well suited to the ethos of the company.
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Businessfranchise.com | February 2012
became a Recognition Express franchise owner in early 2008. A qualified accountant his whole working life, he spent the previous 11 years as finance director for an exhibition and conference venue. Stuart came across Recognition
Express and, after having a chat with the company’s managing director, Nigel Toplis, he thought the franchise had a good connection to the business he’d been involved in previously. The married father of two says: “After
discussing it with my wife, who thought I was having a mid-life crisis, I took a bungee jump out of my comfort zone and purchased a franchise with Recognition Express in December 2007. My first proper trading month was January 2008. “I started the business from home to
save on the overheads and it was a major culture shock for all the family. The kids actually see me in the mornings before
school. I used to be out of the house at 6.30am and not back home until 7pm.” Stuart hit his own performance
targets from the first year and now has a significant six figure business which he aims to further grow and develop. Alex Newman has been running
Recognition Express Coventry since 2005. He says: “Buying a Recognition Express franchise has given me a unique opportunity to become a business owner at such a young age. The market potential is massive, our product range extensive and the range of companies we access huge. We finished our third year at around £250,000, with a net margin of 25 per cent. I am aiming for £350,000 and then half a million.”
Support The managing director of Recognition Express, Nigel Toplis says: “It’s you who makes the key decisions in your franchise business, but you are not on your own because we are always on hand with help and advice, business planning, financial planning, marketing programmes, training and much more. “As part of the largest franchise
network for corporate merchandise and recognition products, our franchise owners also benefit from our considerable purchasing power. We get the very best products from the very best suppliers, keeping our network one step ahead of the competition.” Recognition Express has extensive
marketing experience in the business- to-business field, and also internally retains the services of both a marketing agency and specialist PR company to work alongside its head of marketing to coordinate activities. Constantly on the lookout for new
products and innovations, Recognition Express invests both time and money in new product development programmes and R&D across the whole product range. Sir Bernard Ingham, bfa president,
adds: “I have always found Recognition Express to be a model franchise. It is an outstanding example of a company which takes ethical franchising seriously.
The benefits are shared by Recognition Express, its franchisees and its customers and that is why it is successful.” n
recognItIon express
Website:
www.recognition-express.com email:
stoplis@recognition-express.com Phone: 01530 513 300 classification: Business-to-business
Investment: £20k-£50k
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