A couple of weeks ago we talked about how a franchise consulting company can provide you with the support you need to take your business to the next level. Now that you’re familiar with some of the ways they can be of benefit to you, today we’re going to share some pointers on how to choose the right one. There are a good number of franchise consultants out there and weeding through them all can feel overwhelming, but hopefully these tips will help ease that burden a bit.
Experience
Experience is a currency of its own. You need to know what type of experience a franchise team is bringing to the table. The team should be well-rounded with a wide range of markets under their collective belts. The best way to determine a franchise team’s level of experience is to look at their portfolio and credentials. Who have they worked with in the past? Are those companies across a wide range of industries? Where are they now? Have they continued to grow and flourish or does google return void of options when you search for their names? Learn more about the franchise team as well. What are the credentials they bring to the table individually? Have they worked with clients of your caliber and higher? These are all good questions to ask in order to gauge the experience level of a franchise team.
Personality & Fit
Franchising your business isn’t a quick two week turn-around process. It can take some businesses 12 months or longer finalize all of their franchise documents. Whether it takes 3 months or 2 years to complete the process, it can feel a lot longer when you don’t have a great relationship with your franchise consultant. That’s why this is a bigger deal than it might seem at first glance. Observe how your consultation goes with a franchising group. Are they friendly and personable? Or do they talk over your head in a way that makes you feel like you didn’t pass first grade? Do you feel a positive connection with this person and do you believe that they have your best interest in mind? Of course, you want to work with the best and brightest, but if they use fear, condescending tactics of intimidation, or some other negative sales strategy you’ll always find yourself questioning whether they have your best interest at heart. The fact is, the better you’re able to mesh with one another, the more you’re able to trust that you and your business are in good, capable hands. If they don’t seem trustworthy, move on to the next team on your list! Ultimately you want to make sure that this company is the “right fit” for you and your company. That is an integral part of the process.
Vision
Does the franchise consultant you are considering see your big picture? Do they have the vision and foresight to further develop your vision? Challenge it? Make sure it is the best strategy for you? We have a saying at our company, “What’s Your Big Sky?” What we mean by that is, what are your big dreams and big goals? Why are you looking into franchising to begin with and what is your end goal? Beginning with the end in mind is important and having the right franchise team to support and develop your vision is critical.
Implementation
There are many stages to launching a franchise, but eventually there comes a time for implementation of strategies. Having a franchise consultancy on your side that is willing and able to walk with you through the implementation stage is highly desirable. Having a strategy is great and can prove quite helpful with implementation, but when you work with a franchise team that will continue with you once the planning is done, that’s where the rubber meets the road. In some ways, the implementation phase is the most vital in determining your success. As I mentioned in a previous post, if you don’t have any franchisees, you’re not a franchisor. Working with a consultancy that stays with you every step of the way helps ensure your success for the long haul.
Choosing the right franchise consultant and franchise consulting company is a vital initial step to franchising your business. While there are many other factors to consider when selecting the right franchise team for you, hopefully these tips will help guide you in the right direction. If you have any further questions though, don’t hesitate to reach out to us here at Big Sky Franchising Team.
