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You are interested in a franchise business opportunity, and would like to own, operate and
manage your franchise business, or looking at a franchise as an investment opportunity. Yes,
you have read the brochures and literature. They all sound like the ideal franchise. We all know
that all franchises are not the same. How does one really narrow down the details and ask the
right questions to be able to successfully evaluate which franchise is really right for you? Is a
more expensive franchise better? Or, are there really good value priced franchises that would be
a profitable business decision for you? Those are just a few example questions that are on the
minds of each Franchisee as they go through the decision process. To make your evaluation
process more insightful, here are thirteen “Must Ask” questions every potential franchisee should
ask the franchisor/seller before you buy the franchise:

  1. Is this a franchise business I can successfully open, operate, and make it a success?
    Whatever franchise you choose, be sure it is something you are interested in and like
    doing. Discuss this with your franchisor to find out the “in’s and out’s” owning and
    operating their franchise. For instance, if you like working indoors, you should not be
    buying a franchise that requires working outside, such as a landscaping business.
  2. Does the seller/franchisor own and operate one or more of their own stores? This seems
    like a simple question, but it is an important one. A really good indication of the success
    factor and business profitability of the franchise is if the owner(s) operate one or more of
    their own franchise businesses.
  3. What is the sellers/franchisors experience in developing this franchise business, and/or
    any other businesses? An entrepreneur that has had franchise success in business
    usually has multiple successes in other businesses they have launched. Understand the
    franchisors motivation and drive to ensure your franchise is a success.
  4. What are your customer’s reaction and satisfaction with the quality and price of the
    products sold by your franchises? It is always important to understand if the customers you
    will serve really do like the products being sold, and they are high quality products offered
    at a competitive price.
  5. How many franchise stores are currently operating, and where? This gives you an idea of
    the overall success of the franchise operation, and where they are located. This also gives
    you an idea of locations that you might want to consider for your franchise where none
    exist.
  6. Do you provide references from existing franchisees? Talking first hand with a franchisee
    of the franchise business you are interested in is invaluable.
  7. Have any of your franchisee’s bought more than one of your franchises? If so, how many?
    If the franchise is really successful, many times there will be business entrepreneurs that
    know the value and market of a successful franchise and open multiple profitable stores
    and manage them.
  8. Is your franchise a “turnkey” business, i.e., does it include the franchise signage and logo
    for your store? Does it include any special display stand fixtures needed to sell the
    products? Often franchisors sell a franchise without the franchisee fully understanding any
    “hidden costs” of opening their store.
  9. What are the terms and conditions of the franchise license fee? It is a very important to
    understand if the franchise fee is a one time charge or are there other fee’s in addition to
    the franchise license fee.
  10. Is there any monthly or annual percent of sales commission charge in addition to the
    franchise license fee? Many franchises do require that a percent of sales commission if
    paid back to the franchisor for a specified period of time.
  11. Are there any royalty fees to any of the manufacturers of the products you sell? Many
    franchises require you to pay royalty fees on top of their franchise fee. These fees are
    royalty fees that are required to be able to sell the licensed products from the
    manufacturer.
  12. Are there advertising fee’s associated with the brand name of your franchise that I must
    pay in addition to the franchise license fee? In many large franchise businesses, they
    require you to contribute a percent of sales, or a monthly set fee amount to cover the
    companies advertising of their products for the areas they serve.
  13. Do you provide hands on training in one of your Corporate owned franchise stores, and for
    how long? Having hands on training in a real franchise store environment is invaluable.
    Understand if there are charges for the training, how long the training is conducted, and
    the level of support that will be provided up through and after your grand opening of your
    new franchise.
The questions above are not exhaustive by any means, and of course, provide no guarantee that
your franchise endeavor will be a success. However, being equipped with these questions will
give you a valuable insight on whether or not a franchise opportunity under $50,000, or for any
dollar amount will be a profitable business opportunity that you can own, manage, and run
successfully!

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Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_P_Peterson
Buying a Franchise under $50,000? Thirteen "Must Ask" Questions
Before You Buy
By Susan P Peterson