Top tips for franchising
1. Make sure you engage with the right business partner for you. Look for someone who is not only financially secure but has the right knowledge, support, and experience for your venture.

2. Research, research, research. Make sure you understand your target market and that the product and business model will be accepted by the population and suits their habits and way of living.

Obtain concrete statistics to support your decisions. Trade publications as well as franchise events will provide opportunities to get information.

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3. Make sure that the new franchise has a competitive edge and can bring an added value to the market.

4. Always have a contingency plan and ensure that you over-estimate when it comes to the financial outlays so that there are no unpleasant surprises when you open.

5. Your employees will be the key to your success, as well as your brand ambassadors — so make sure you employ the best talent you can find to ensure a smooth operation, good communication, and ultimately, customer loyalty.

Find out more about franchising
There are several exhibitions coming up in the next few months that are dedicated to franchising.

Not only can the events provide you with a wealth of information, but they also provide opportunities to network and investigate different franchise concepts.

For the Middle Eastern region, The Franchising Middle East Exhibition 2011 runs from March 14 – 16 at Dubai World Trade Centre. Further afield, the International Franchise Expo in Washington, US will run from 1 – 3 April, 2011.

In Europe, the Franchise Expo Paris, which is recognised as one of the world’s largest and most varied franchise shows, will be held this year from 20 – 23 March at Porte de Versailles, Paris.

http://www.franchisingme.com
http://www.ifeinfo.com/ 
http://www.franchiseparis.com