BF April 2010 Issue

Franchises from £20,000 to £50,000
Recognition Express
99
Investment level:
£30,000
s
plus VAT
Website:
f
o
c
u
www.recognition-express.com
Email:
jmatthews@recognition-express.com
Phone:
n
c
h
i
s
e

01530 513 300
f
r
a
classification:
Business to business
Support
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,
ﬁ nancial planning, marketing programmes,
All about the brand
training and much more. As part of the
largest franchise network for corporate
merchandise and recognition products, our
franchise owners also beneﬁ t from our
Recognition Express provides corporate
considerable purchasing power. We get
the very best products from the very best
promotional products
suppliers, keeping our network one step
ahead of the competition.”
S
UPPLYING BRANDED ﬁ nance director for an exhibition and “We ﬁ nished Recognition Express has extensive
business gifts and personalised conference venue.
our third year
marketing experience in the business-
promotional products, Stuart came across Recognition to-business ﬁ eld, and also internally
personalised name badges, staff awards, Express and, after having a chat with
at around
retains the services of both a marketing
posters, banners and signs, plus a the company’s managing director, Nigel £250,000”… agency and specialist PR company to
full range of branded clothing, to Toplis, he thought the franchise had a work alongside its head of marketing to
businesses and organisations in the UK good connection to the business he’d coordinate activities.
is a signiﬁ cant, established and growing been involved in previously. Stuart says: Constantly on the lookout for new
market worth in excess of £3 billion in “After discussing it with my wife, who products and innovations, Recognition
the UK. thought I was having a mid-life crisis, I Express invests both time and money in
Franchise owners who are took a bungee jump out of my comfort new product development programmes
hardworking, ambitious and driven, and zone and purchased a franchise with and, research and development across the
who possess good people skills, are well Recognition Express in December 2007. whole product range.
suited to the ethos of the Recognition My ﬁ rst proper trading month was A Recognition Express franchise
Express. January 2008. owner from the early days, Paul Mitchell
Operating in the business-to-business “I started the business from home to of Slough has seen how the business
sector, Recognition Express has been save on the overheads and it was a major has gone from strength to strength. “I’ve
a full member of the British Franchise culture shock for all the family. The kids been a Recognition Express franchisee
Association since 1980 and is a past actually see me in the mornings before since 1981,” says Paul. “The business today
winner of the bfa Franchisor of the Year school. I used to be out of the house at is very different from when I launched.
Award. The company is renowned for its 6.30am and not back home until 7pm. There’s a huge emphasis on branding and
high level of ongoing franchisee support, “We hit our ﬁ rst-year target of marketing – a focus on making Recognition
advice and programmes in the areas £75,000-worth of sales and we’d like to Express the ﬁ rst choice for our customers.
of marketing, sales, product sourcing, double our turnover and our proﬁ t in the The market has also changed too, due to
technology and business planning. second year. the growing importance of branding to
Centrally designed, managed Franchisee Alex Newman took on any business. This means there’s a lot more
and implemented direct marketing Recognition Express Coventry in 2005. potential – any business can be considered
programmes form the backbone of the He says: “Buying a Recognition Express a potential client.”
company’s marketing systems and are franchise has given me in a unique The last word goes to Sir Bernard
augmented by high quality collateral, opportunity to become a business owner Ingham, bfa president: “I have always
marketing tools and ongoing training, at such a young age. found Recognition Express to be a
designed to drive business growth, client “The market potential is massive, our model franchise. It is an outstanding
contact and brand awareness. product range extensive and the range of example of a company, which takes
Stuart Fisher became a Recognition companies we access huge. We ﬁ nished ethical franchising seriously. The beneﬁ ts
Express franchise owner in early 2008. A our third year at around £250,000, with a are shared by Recognition Express, its
qualiﬁ ed accountant his whole working net margin of 25 per cent. I am aiming for franchisees and its customers. And that
life, he spent the previous 11 years as £350,000 and then half a million.” is why it is successful.” ■
www.businessfranchise.co m April 2010
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