FINALWORD
10 things I know about franchisors
S
pecialising in franchise PR, I’ve met many franchisors in my time, some of whom share familiar traits, others who are rather more individual in their style. Below are some light-hearted observations
about the curious breed that is The Franchisor.
1. Franchisors LOVE their brands By varying degrees, franchisors love their brands. I mean REALLY LOVE their brands. The newer and smaller the franchise, the more passionate they are about the business they’ve created. If they could wear branded pyjamas to bed, they would (in fact, they probably do). It’s wonderful to see and if only the regular ‘working world’ could engender such passion and commitment, the British economy would look an awful lot better.
2. Franchisors work ridiculously long hours It is quite normal for me to be exchanging emails with a franchisor at 7.30 in the morning or 10 at night. They don’t know the meaning of ‘office hours’ and work when they can, as hard as they can, for as long as they can – families and friends simply have to learn to fit in around them. Their dedication to their businesses should never be underestimated and is an absolute credit to them.
3. Franchisors care deeply about their franchisees To some franchisors, their franchisees are like members of the family; they care deeply about their happiness and the success of their businesses. From running training at the franchisee’s homes to remembering their birthdays and the names of their children, I’ve met franchisors who go out of their way to
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embody the phrase ‘in business for yourself but not by yourself’.
4. Franchisors know best… always! When they’ve given years of their lives to building up a business, from designing the initial brand to writing ops manuals and marketing plans, it’s hardly surprising that some franchisors think they know best. The more astute realise that sometimes, just sometimes, other people might have a different view and, very occasionally, this other view might be as good as their own. Learning to loosen off the reins and listen to advice isn’t always easy for franchisors but for those who take the leap of faith, they are rewarded with new ideas, enthusiasm and a burst of energy when they discover that someone else loves their brand (almost) as much as they do.
5. Good franchisors know the value of PR! A good franchisor knows that PR opportunities don’t just appear overnight but are carefully crafted through a long-term, targeted strategy. Good quality, fresh content takes time to produce and a good franchisor knows that this is an integral part of their marketing mix.
6. Franchisors love exhibition coffee and Premiere Inns With the amount of exhibitions they attend each year, a franchisor’s knowledge of budget hotels nearby to the NEC are second to none. Add this to their body’s ability to cope with entire day standing on their feet and drinking gallons of ‘fresh’ coffee and it’s a wonder most of them make it through their first year of trading. Many is the franchisor who has needed a caffeine detox after a two-day exhibition.
7. Franchisors share information Franchisors are great at sharing best practice knowledge with other franchisors; what worked for them, what didn’t, who they would recommend, who they would avoid. Franchising in the UK is a relatively small industry; word travels fast and charlatans are soon ousted and on their way.
8. Franchisors learn – quickly A new franchisor will quickly learn when they need to adapt their recruitment methods. Sending out expensive brochures to all enquiries? No. Inviting all enquiries to discovery days? No. From being flattered by the apparent interest to sorting out the serious enquiries from the brochure collecting/time-wasters/ job-buyers, franchisors quickly learn how to recognise a good prospect from a bad.
9. Good franchisors love the bfa In an unregulated sector, the bfa does an outstanding job of ensuring franchise operations adhere to a set of standards, protecting franchisees and guiding franchisors. Being a member of the bfa shouldn’t be seen as a nicety but a necessity and all the best franchisors I’ve known are or have been members of the bfa.
10. Franchisors get rich very quickly, without doing any hard work at all. Ha! (See point 2). n
LOUISE BRUCE Louise Bruce is owner of Big Red Box PR and co-chair of EWIF (Encouraging Women Into Franchising)
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