There are a few very important areas of concentration when it comes to choosing what franchise is right for you to invest in. Some of these areas of focus are personal, while others are directly related to the franchise itself and its franchisor.
Purchasing a Franchise FAQ’s:
Q: What are the costs? – Purchasing a franchise is a large investment. Important things to evaluate when choosing a franchise is how much will the franchise cost and can you afford it? Does the ROI look good as compared to the time and energy it will take to get it up and running and fully functioning? How much will your product or services cost in your area?
A: Brothers Gutters Franchise Answer: We allow potential franchisees to speak with any and all of our existing franchisees for information on costs and what prices are in their division. Costs can be impacted by the size of the territory and location. When it comes to investing in a Brothers Gutters Franchise, our business plan and system is SBA (Small Business Association) Certified, making it much easier to be approved for a loan.
Q: What are your skills? – What you are bringing to the table is very important during the decision process. Do you have the management and business skills needed to own and manage your own business and your own employees? Do you have skills specific to the field of the franchise you’re looking to enter that can help jump start the training process? Do you have the entrepreneurial spirit and drive?
A: Brothers Gutters Franchise Answer: Brothers Gutters franchisees often have construction experience or management and finance experience or better, both. Knowing the gutter business and the sales industry would be a solid starting point, however it is not a requirement. We look for those with leadership skills, a strong work ethic, and passion. “If your fear is, ‘I don’t know anything about the trades,’ the philosophy at The Brothers that just do Gutters really is that they are a marketing company, and a trades business just happens to be the vehicle,” said Randy Garrett, Houston, TX Franchisee.
Q: Is this service/product in demand? – Is this product or service the franchise provides in demand? Is this demand seasonal and long lasting? Will the demand grow in the future or wither out and will it generate repeat business?
A: Brothers Gutters Franchise Answer: For us, yes we are a seasonal business, but our product and service will always be in demand and will always be a necessary service. Because we have created a business model that is centered around the client and their needs, not only are repeat customers a large source of leads for us, but so are referrals.
Q: How is your location for this business? – Is the location you are currently living in and/or are looking to open up shop in a prolific area? Does the location make sense with the services or products you will be offering? Is there an excessive amount of reputable competition servicing the same area? Who are the potential buyers in the area, and are they the demographic you’re looking to service?
A: Brothers Gutters Franchise Answer: We service large territories with the ideal market consisting of 150,000-250,000 owner-occupied dwellings. This allows for the franchisee to have multiple markets in the same territory, allowing for the best growth potential. To answer these questions, we ask new franchisees to review their territory in 4 main areas; potential buyers, competitors, costs, and location.
Q: How is the brand name? – Is this brand’s name already well known, and if it is, how is their reputation?
A: Brothers Gutters Franchise Answer: The Brothers that just do Gutters is a well-known and reputable gutter brand. People absolutely love the name, the service, and the products we stand behind, as well as the branding, logo, and website design.
Q: How is the training and support system? – Is there a training system already laid out? Are the franchisors providing support? What kind of training is available and how much of it? How do existing franchisees feel about the franchisor support provided?
A: Brothers Gutters Franchise Answer: At The Brothers that just do Gutters, we provided two weeks of training in the NY headquarters following the signing of the FDD, as well as continued support throughout the systems. “The training has been phenomenal, and I feel fully confident that it will continue,” said our TX franchisee, Randy Garret upon completion of his two week of training in NY. “The integrity and the values that are built into the business, the support system, the call center, the technology… you can see the effort that they’ve put behind all of that, and it gave me confidence that it would be the right choice,” he said.
Researching and thoroughly considering all of these areas when choosing which franchise to purchase is very important. Make sure that the franchisor is providing value added support for you up until the day you sell your business. Make sure your location is suited for the business you will be opening, and make sure your franchisor CARES about your success and believes in and invests in their employees. “The first thing that really grabbed my attention was their concern for, and importance they placed on the training and support of the actual guys who are in the field doing the work,” said Garrett, “If they took that much time to focus on the guys that would be working for me in my franchise, then that just spoke to me about how much more effort they were going to put into me and making sure I’m a success.”