Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Appealing Characteristics of a Franchise

Being able to quickly identify the type of franchise business that meets your interests and objectives will save you time and money not to mention headaches. By understanding the basic franchise characteristics you will be able to make better choices.

Franchises types fall into five basic categories. Understanding what is involved with each category will help you target the type of business that appeals to your needs. Below are listed the categories with their attributes.

Home Based

Low overhead

Low initial investment

No Inventory

No Receivables

No/Little equipment needed

No/Or Few employees

High income potential

Good working hours/Possibly part-time

Direct Marketing of your Services Necessary

Business to Business

Do business with other businesses

9-5/Business hours

No consumers

Sales related

Face to Face

Professional experience needed

High Income Potential

Management/Consulting experience

Direct Marketing of your Services Necessary

Service

Skilled to Non Skilled/Blue collar

Lower Education Requirements

Craftsmanship Techniques and Training

Manual or Hands On Work

Maintenance Industry or Focused

Management of Unskilled/Low wage employees

Lower initial investment

Strong Marketing Programs Incorporated

Moderate to High Income Potential

Passive/Absentee

Simple Business Models

Investment Return Major Characteristic

Management of Few Unskilled/Low wage Employees

Moderate investment Moderate to Good Income

No need to be there/Part-time

Multiple Unit Potential

Continues Working Current Job/Running Current Business

Strong Marketing Programs Incorporated

Retail/Food

Looking for latest trends/Fad businesses

Brand name recognition

7 days a week/Long hours

Manage unskilled/Low wage employees/High turnover

Cash business

High initial investment

Building/Lease

Equipment/Fixtures

High ongoing overhead/Operating costs

Long start up process/Build out

Inventory/Spoilage

No selling/Open door customers come to you

Moderate/Good Income

Now that you know the basic categories and their main characteristics, you can make a better decision as to which franchise is best for you.

When conducting your franchise due diligence, keep in mind the free services of FranFinders expert franchise consultants.