⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

Smart Tips for Growing Your Franchise Once you've launched your franchise, find out what more you can do to grow your business.

By Rick Grossmann

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

shironosov | Getty Images

The following excerpt is from Rick Grossman's book Franchise Bible.


Your franchisor has created a system for its franchise owners to follow and have made the costly mistakes that come with creating a business so you don't have to. As the franchise owner, it's your responsibility to apply the tools and techniques given to you to build your business. Here are a few key ways you can grow your business with help from your franchisor.

Related: The 28 Facts Franchisees Need to Know About Real Estate Leases

1. Growing and adding more units

Some of the most successful business owners are multi-unit franchise owners. It doesn't take long for a successful franchisee to determine that if one franchise works, two is twice as good. Many franchisors will offer incentives for franchise owners who want to add more units since they're already up and running and will need less training and support. Interested in this option? We'll cover this more in a bit.

2. Strive to become the "top producer"

Franchise organizations that are run well understand that building the franchise community is a critical strategy for large growth. These franchisors may have friendly competitions and award top producing franchise owners. Strive to be your company's top producing owner, and you'll win on all fronts.

3. Help your franchisor grow

The key to success with any franchise organization is a foundation that creates a win, win, win and win. When everyone works together, and looks out for each other, you'll see that the franchisor, franchisees, customers and employees all win! The give-more-than-you-receive philosophy can really pay off. Franchise owners who contribute to the overall effort of the franchise organization may also find growth opportunities as the company grows.

4. Become a great validator

The validation that you receive from existing franchise owners is a big part of your decision-making process when you're shopping for the right franchise. You probably talked to franchisees before you made your decision to buy your franchise. Due to the fact that this is a huge part of growing a successful franchise organization, it's in everyone's best interest to spend the time necessary to answer questions when prospective franchisees call you for validation.

5. Join the owner's advisory committee

Many franchise organizations will organize an owner's advisory committee or council (sometimes referred to as the OAC). This is a strategy to facilitate communication and participation between the franchisor's corporate team and the franchise community. Participating on the OAC gives you a voice, and even though most are advisory only, you can influence the direction of the company.

6. Take advantage of leadership opportunities

As you grow with the franchisor, you may find a variety of leadership opportunities available to you. These may take the form of the OAC, training, mentorships or speaking/coaching at corporate conventions and events. These opportunities can be very lucrative and may open doors for you. Be sure to balance your time with your franchise business to keep your core business thriving if you pursue these opportunities.

Related: 8 Online Methods to Attract Potential Franchisees

Multi-unit ownership

Your business portfolio can grow by first becoming a multi-unit franchise owner. Once you get the hang of your franchise, adding one or more units can make a lot of sense. Consider the following facts:

  • If you make money with one unit, you should be able to make more by adding units.
  • Banks are far more interested in lending money to operators who have a proven track record.
  • Your franchisor built a system of duplication in order to franchise across the country. You can use this same infrastructure on a smaller level to grow your network of franchised units.
  • Your franchisor may offer you incentives to add units since you're already successful within their franchise organization and will grow faster with less strain on their training and support staff.

The franchising business structure offers several options within this expansion model. Following are the different options and applications for each type.

Multi-unit. The multi-unit franchise buyer is usually an individual or business entity that contracts to purchase multiple franchise locations at the same time. Many franchisors require that prospects start by opening and growing one unit for a period of time before they're permitted to open more units.

Area developer. An area developer is an individual or business entity that signs an agreement to open a predetermined number of franchised units over a mutually agreed-upon timeline. The same entity owns all the units but is given a period of time in which to open all the units.

The area developer will usually sign an area developer agreement (ADA) as well as the franchise agreement(s). This strategy can enable you to secure the territory that best fits your long-term goals. You must have the appropriate infrastructure and financial capabilities for this model and only execute an ADA if you can follow through with all the obligations. You may lose certain rights as well as money in the event that you're unable to perform under the agreements.

Regional developer. A regional developer (RD), sometimes mistakenly referred to as a master franchise, is a hybrid between an area developer and a master franchise. The RD will usually sign a regional developer agreement as well as the corresponding franchise agreement(s).

The RD is an individual or business entity that usually runs their own franchise(s) as well as taking on some of the recruiting and support responsibilities of the franchisor in a region in exchange for a revenue share. In most cases, the revenue share with the franchisor will include a percentage of the initial franchise fees (IFFs) collected from franchises sold in the regional developer's region in the event that they were involved with the recruiting and/or onboarding process.

The RD may also share in the royalty stream of the respective franchisees in their region if agreed upon by their franchisor. This percentage is relative to the level of support and training that they provide to their regional franchise community.

The franchisor may see this option as a good way to spread out the recruiting, support and training aspects of the business. This can be a very lucrative opportunity due to the fact that you can "piggyback" on the franchisor's infrastructure. This is a benefit for the franchisor as well if it's a good fit for all parties.

Related: 9 Ways You Can Build a Strong Franchise Community

Master franchise. The term master franchise is often confused with the aforementioned area developer or regional developer models. A true master franchise is usually an individual or business entity that wants to own and operate a franchised organization in a different market than that of the franchisor. The master franchisee will take on the role of the franchisor in their assigned region. The master franchisee will usually sign a master franchise agreement with the franchisor. This is usually a good model for global expansion of a franchise organization. The master franchisee will need to comply with all applicable franchise and business laws within their country or region as well as agreements with the franchisor.

Rick Grossmann

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® VIP

Founder, Author, and Head Coach

Rick has been involved in the franchise industry since 1994. He franchised his first company and grew it to 49 locations in 19 states during the mid to late 1990s. He served as the Chief Executive Officer and primary trainer focusing on franchise owner relations and creating tools and technologies to increase franchisee success.

Rick developed and launched his second franchise organization in 2003. He led this company as the CEO and CMO growing to over 150 locations in less than three years. He developed the high-tech/high-touch franchise recruiting and sales system.

Both companies achieved rankings on Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 list. During this period, Rick served as a business and marketing consultant to small businesses and multimillion-dollar enterprises. He also consulted with franchise owners and prospective franchisees, franchisors, and companies seeking to franchise around the world.  Franchise Bible Coach has been voted a top franchise development firm in Entrepreneur's 2023 Top Franchise Suppliers ranking.

Rick is the author of Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise Bible series, and his 9th Edition was released worldwide in April of 2021. He is also a contributing author to Entrepreneur magazine and other industry publications on franchising and business.

He currently heads up the Entrepreneur Franchise Advisors program, serves as an executive coach and strategist for multiple franchise clients, has been voted as one of the Top Global Franchise Influencers consecutively since 2021, and is the co-host of the Franchise Bible Coach Radio Podcast.

 

 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Business News

Costco CFO Reveals Uncertain Fate of $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo

CFO Richard Galanti reveals that the price will stay the same — but only "for a while."

Business News

The Most Unexpectedly Popular Side Hustle of the Decade Has Low Startup Costs and High Markups

A new report shows that vending machines are a popular investment — and the industry is set to grow up to $3 billion by 2031.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.