Becoming a franchisee is one of the most streamlined ways to become your own boss. Depending on the type of franchise you decide to open, you may also become the boss of others. Read on as we share our top advice on how to build a great franchise team.

Determine Your Staffing Needs

Before you can start filling roles within your new business, you need to assess what those roles are. How many people will you need to get the business off the ground? Do you need to hire enough people to cover rotating shifts throughout the day? What about managers who can oversee daily functions when you aren’t around?

Make sure you have your bases covered before your big opening. Remember that you can always scale up to meet growing demands, but scaling down isn’t quite as simple. Avoid overstaffing before you know what your daily demands will look like.

Create a Clear Job Listing

Now that you know what roles you need to fill, it’s time to attract great candidates. Use clear, professional language to describe the business, covering your products or services as well as your values and goals as a franchisee. Then, describe the job requirements as well as the qualifications you’re looking for in a new hire.

Remember, recruitment isn’t just about evaluating what a potential employee has to offer. It’s also about positioning your business as an appealing place to work. Practice transparency regarding pay and highlight any perks, such as flexible scheduling, that your employees will enjoy.

Interview Your Candidates

As the applications start rolling in, it’s important to look at the experience and skills each applicant has to offer. However, you can’t learn everything you need to know about an employee from their resume. Make sure to schedule in-person or virtual interviews with your top contenders.

Interviews give you an opportunity to learn more about some of the intangible qualities an applicant would bring to your business. For example, if you’re filling customer service roles, a positive attitude and respectful demeanor will go a long way toward making customers feel valued.

Take Advantage of Franchise Training Support

Hiring is only the first phase of staffing a business. Once you’ve got your team assembled, it’s time to show them the ropes. Fortunately, franchises tend to provide a lot of support in this arena. Make sure to take advantage of all provided training materials. This may include handbooks and videos as well as product or service guides. Your parent franchise not only wants to help you succeed, but also to make sure that your branch upholds the reputation they’ve already built.

At All Dogs Unleashed, our goal is to help franchisees create a positive environment for employees and customers alike. From our competitively low startup costs to our ongoing support of each ADU branch, we’re here to ensure your success story. Learn more about ADU franchising opportunities today.

You’ve taken the plunge and invested in your own branch of a franchise. Now, it’s time to create excitement around the services or products you’re bringing to your community. How can you get started? Read on to learn how to hype up your new franchise and start building a loyal customer base.

Find Your Target Audience

Before you can put together a marketing strategy, you need to know who your target audience is. Think about who stands to benefit from your business. Once you know what demographic you’re hoping to reach, you need to figure out where and how to reach them, both online and off. For example, All Dogs Unleashed franchisees can find their target audience in places like animal shelters, pet supply stores, and dog-friendly restaurants. Ask about hanging fliers or leaving business cards at locations your potential customers might frequent.

Take to Social Media

One of the best ways to reach your target audience online is to turn to social media. Before you start creating your own profiles on platforms like Facebook or Instagram, doublecheck your franchise’s social media policy. At All Dogs Unleashed, we love to see the Instagram pages our franchisees create. Social media is a great place to share everything from business updates to customer success stories. You can even host the occasional giveaway to grow your list of local followers.

Host a Launch Party

If you’re still getting ready for opening day, make it a successful one by hosting a launch party. Advertise your opening date on social media and share some of the fun things you have planned for the day, whether that’s a discount on services or a table full of free snacks and beverages. Talk to other businesses on your street about advertising your launch party or even participating. Networking with other local business owners is a great way to build a strong sense of community.

Increase Your Location Reviews

When customers are looking for the right place to do business, they’re almost always going to turn to Google. Make sure to create a Google Business Profile that helps customers find your business and distinguish your branch of the franchise from others. Then, focus on generating reviews. In the early days, you can offer small incentives to customers who leave feedback on Google and Yelp. To keep reviews rolling, provide consistently stellar service and engage with your reviewers, both good and bad. When customers see that reviews actually matter to you, they’ll be more inclined to provide their own opinions.

Learn From Your Parent Company

One of the biggest benefits of opening a branch of an established franchise is that you’ll have access to their marketing materials and guidance. Some of your potential customers may even recognize your franchise branding before you start to build a local presence.

At All Dogs Unleashed, we provide ongoing support to all our franchisees. Learn more about our franchising opportunities today!

Starting a traditional business from the ground up demands a great deal of effort and capital, and there is little guarantee of success. It can take years to start turning a profit, which, for many people, isn’t an option. Opening a franchise can eliminate some of these barriers while allowing entrepreneurs to focus on their strengths. Let’s take a look at how franchising reduces new business risks.

Built-In Brand Reputation

Brand reputation is an important starting place for any business and has one of the biggest influences on customer decision-making. For example, over 90% of customers will read online reviews before deciding where to spend their money. When you’re starting from scratch, you’re asking customers to take a chance on a business they’ve never heard of and that has a small digital footprint.

Franchises have the advantage of built-in brand reputation. When local customers look up your business, they’ll access everything from your franchise’s parent website to positive reviews for other branches, inspiring instant trust.

Time-Tested Products and Services

One of the biggest financial drains for startups is the trial and error of new products and services. Making prototypes, conducting studies, and tweaking your business model will require further investment without yielding any income.

When you become a franchisee, you’re adopting a business model and products or services that your parent company already invested in. In exchange for an initial investment and royalty fees, you’ll access products and services that have been proven to appeal to customers and turn a profit.

Accessible Training Materials

As a business founder, you’re not just responsible for developing something customers will find valuable. You’re also responsible for developing internal procedures and training employees to do the job well and represent the brand. This can be a daunting process, especially when you’re new to the managerial side of business.

Franchises provide training support for both individual franchise owners and their employees. This can include everything from in-person or virtual training sessions to materials like videos and handbooks.

Dedication to Customer Service

One of the best parts about franchise risk reduction is that it allows franchisees to zero in on their individual strengths. Without having to spend years developing your business model, you can put more time and energy into developing the culture of your individual neighborhood business.

This can lead to outstanding customer service. You’ll have immediate access to everything you need to open a turnkey operation and can foster an environment of positivity and community. This is a great way to quickly build a loyal customer base and maximize profits.

Reliable Franchise Support

Franchises often grant their franchisees a good deal of independence to cater the business to local needs and desires. However, they have a vested interest in the success of each franchise location and offer ongoing support and troubleshooting to help franchisees navigate potential pitfalls.

At All Dogs Unleashed, we’re always thrilled to add another branch to our growing family tree. Learn more about ADU franchising opportunities today.