How can Franchise Consultants Support a Better Franchise Investment Decision?

There are several types of franchise consultants on the market, you should understand the differences between the types of franchise consultants and what value each franchise consultant offers to the market.

First, you should understand where you as a potential consumer fit into the franchise market.  Do you own a business, are you considering investing in a business or are you looking for ways to improve upon your existing franchise model?  Each of these scenarios would mean that you need a different franchise consultant who has a specific set of skills and experience in the franchise market.

1.       You own a business that you would like to turn into a franchise.  You are a potential franchise development client engagement where you need the support of a franchise consultant who can help you access a good franchise attorney and manage the process of building your franchise concept.  This process entails creating the franchise business plan, doing the franchise industry research to create the franchise fee structure, cash flow analysis and realistic franchise SWOT analysis to understand where your brand will fit into the franchise market.  Franchise consultants in this space would include a firm such as Franchise Marketing Systems (www.FranchiseMarketingSystems.com) which is a group managed by Christopher Conner.  This organization helps businesses get into franchising and create the necessary documentation to support scaled growth through franchising.

2.       You are a potential franchise buyer who is considering buying a franchise and needs help to evaluate the market.  There are literally thousands of franchise options on the market, some of which are not necessarily great investment options for any given franchise investor.  Knowing how to navigate the market and understand which brands present the best possible options is enormously valuable to a new franchisee.  Great consultants are out in the market in large numbers, but only a few truly understand the dynamics of the franchise category and have the client base to be able to leverage a true knowledge base.  These buyer consultants are typically supported by a commission paid by the franchisor when you choose a franchise to invest in that they have helped negotiate and select.  FranFinders (http://www.franfinders.com/company/about-us), a company founded by Sue Bennett, is a leading franchise consulting organization on the buyer side of the transaction.

3.       As an existing franchisor, there are many ways that a franchise consultant could add value to your system and the growth of your brand.  Marketing, sales, operations, technology or HR to name a few could each be categories that with the right consultant could be improved and drive increased profitability and greater growth through franchising.  Franchise consultants in this space tend to work in outsourced positions within the organization and have extremely impressive resumes built within the franchise industry and with substantial franchise brands.  Franchise consultants in this category will typically work alone and may have a company, but they are more of a work-for-hire professional who will focus on projects for a 1-2 year time period and command a high price tag for their guidance.

By knowing your position in the market, you should be able to better assess which type of franchise consultant will add the most value to your business decision.  For information on franchise industry news, visit here:  https://franchiseconduit.com/franchise-resources/