Thinking of buying your own franchise? Before you take the dive, make sure to educate yourself about franchise ownership, especially if you’re a first-time franchisee. Don’t know where to start? Bloomin’ Blinds has a few suggestions as to what you should be asking when researching franchise opportunities.
Remember, you want to make sure this opportunity is mutually beneficial to both you and the franchisor – don’t be afraid to ask concrete questions and really get to know the management team and industry you’re researching.
How does the company support its franchisees?
When choosing a franchise, you want to make sure that as a franchisee you will be taken care of and have back-end support from the franchisor. This includes comprehensive training, financial management, branding and marketing support, access to other franchisees in the system and more.
Does this franchise make sense in your community?
Before signing a deal, consider whether your local market could benefit from this franchise and what area has the right conditions — research demographics, the commercial landscape, what products or services are in demand in your area, potential competitors and which franchise would make a good fit. Choosing the right location is one of the most important decisions you can make as a franchisee.
What are the benefits of being a franchisee?
Reach out to current franchisees to learn about their experience and hear first-hand the benefits of being a franchisee in their system. Not only will you build a relationship with a potential support system, but you’ll also find out what it’s like to be a franchisee from an honest and reliable source.
What problems has this franchise experienced and how did they overcome them?
Nobody is perfect. Issues arise in every business – but it’s how the issues are solved that makes a company stand out. You want to find out how good their support team is and how involved they are in their franchisees’ day-to-day business. You may even find some of the issues others have faced as helpful in your decision-making. Do these problems sound like ones you could face as a business owner?
What innovative or creative approaches is this franchise taking?
This question is not only important as a potential franchisee, but also as a consumer of this brand. You want to make sure the franchisor is staying up to date with new trends, investing in innovative technologies, etc. – this will result in a better chance of success down the line as a business owner.
Ready to explore Bloomin’ Blinds franchise opportunity?
After overcoming a trying year and coming out on top, expanding to 10 new markets last year and an additional 10-12 markets this year, our window covering franchise continues to be a steady, trusted resource for window covering sales, installation and repair in communities across the country.
The resilience of our franchisees and our recession-resistant business model are just a few of the reasons why we were recently listed No. 67 on Entrepreneur’s Top Low-Cost Franchises list. If you’re motivated and interested in joining a franchise that’s growing in sales and expanding across the country, Bloomin’ Blinds could be a fit for you!