Doesn’t it seem counterintuitive to BUY an existing business that already has a well-established brand, and then try to make it feel like your own? Watch the video below and read on to learn how to be the business owner you want to be while still following the proven franchise system.
Many entrepreneurs worry that if they own a franchise business, they’re going to be forced into a box that they don’t want to be in. They want to bring their own ideas to the business. And yes, the number one factor to success in a franchise business is following the proven system of the franchise. But that doesn’t mean that you, the owner, play no role. In fact, you, the owner, are the biggest influence on the success of your business. So, what does that actually mean? Well, there are many ways that you can make the business your own while still following the franchise system.
Do you want to be invested and/or need to be invested in a more proven brand that will give you that extra level of support with every I dotted and every T crossed and processes for processes? Or does that environment feel like it’s going to strangle you? Does that just feel like big Corporate America all over again—the very thing that you’re trying to run away from? In that case, a more pioneering brand could be the better option for you if that’s your personality. So, we have proven brands, and we have pioneering brands. Let’s make sure that the business that you’re considering investing in matches the level of support that you are looking for. Often, people who come from a big corporate background that are used to having several layers do enjoy and find comfort in the more proven established franchises that have all of those processes and layers. On the flip side, investors, people who own other businesses, or people who just have more entrepreneurial tendencies feel like they are going to suffocate in that environment that made the other candidates feel quite content.
Let’s assume that that’s a given, and you’re looking at the right business. What does it mean to invest in a proven business but make it your own? The way that you make it your own is to bring your personality to the business. A brand has a brand identity. But behind the brand is the Brand Ambassador, the owner of the business who wears the shirt, is part of the community, attends networking events, joins the Chamber of Commerce, and finds those synergistic relationships in the community that could build the right types of preferred leads for the business.
Let’s say you have a flooring business, and you want to get referred leads from real estate agents. The way that you make this proven franchise your own is by being creative in how you go about building relationships with realtors in your area. In my business, FranChoice provided the basic system of how to move a candidate through the franchise investigation process. They go out, and they form the relationship with the franchisors that I can work with. But they tell me it’s my job to find YOU, the people that I want to work with. So, no one told me to host live events; that’s just something that I wanted to do on my own. But the more that I did it, the better I got at it. The more people would show up and the better results I would get. Eventually, my life events became how I generated all of my best candidates! Then I started asking all of my candidates for referrals. When you know that you’re delivering something of value to people, why not ask for a referral?
You just have to be willing to think outside the box. At the end of the day, in franchising, we are all here to follow the proven system. This isn’t about reinventing the wheel, but the system only goes so far. You, the owner, are the biggest influence on your business. And the bigger you build your network, the more you put into being the brand ambassador. The person who wears the shirt, the better your business will do in your local community and the happier you will be as the business owner. You’ll be proud to say that you own that business because you will fully own the business. And that’s the difference. That’s how we follow the proven system, but we make it our own.
Are you ready to begin exploring your future in franchising? Send me an e-mail using the form below right now! I can’t wait to hear from you.