Franchise Pick

AAFD Franchise Tip #5: Evaluate the Marketing Plan

by sean on January 17th, 2007

The American Association of Franchisees & Dealers (AAFD) is a non-profit organization that acts to educate the public regarding fair franchise practices, quality franchise opportunities, and to expose the unethical practices. The AAFD recommends that individuals considering franchise opportunities should look for 8 elements to consider in a franchise. They believe all 8 are critical in selecting a good franchise opportunity.

TIP #5: Evaluate the Marketing Plan.

According to the AAFD:

Evaluate your franchisor’s business plan and marketing system. A well-established, well-designed marketing system promises substantial and complete training and overall franchisee support.

* From “8 Things to Look for in a Franchise” by the American Association of Franchisees and Dealers.

It is critical to understand that if you are a business owner, whether franchised or independent, you are a marketer. And as a marketer, there are only three ways that you can build sales. You can increase the number of customers patronizing your business. You can increase the amount of the average purchase of each customer. And you can increase the frequency with which those customers return - and purchase.

I believe that the bottom line reason for purchasing any given franchise is that it clearly will enable you to get more customers, sell them more and get them to return more often. If the franchise won’t do that, why bother giving up the fees and the autonomy?

Too many franchise buyers are focused on the technical and operational aspects of a given franchise, and then are faced with too few customers, too few ways to keep in contact with them, and too few reasons they should come back. Fight the psychotic entrepreneurial optimism that assures you, in the voice of James Earl Jones: “If you build it, they will come.”

What if they don’t? Ask the franchisor. If they can’t give a concrete plan for marketing your franchise business, you better make darn sure customers are eagerly waiting to line up.

Franchise Opportunities: For a wealth of honest, straightforward information on choosing a franchise, and for reviews of some of today’s most promising franchise opportunities, visit FranBest.

Franchise Marketing: Are you a franchisor looking to attract the interest of serious, quality oriented franchise buyers? Find franchise marketing ideas, tips and recommendations and franchise marketing resources at Franchisor Marketing and Relentless Marketer.