Franchise Dreaming

Greetings from California,

If you own a franchise of some kind, you have dealt with a franchise represenative at some point. Do you think you are a field reps dream or a field reps nightmare?

I dream about the people I visit. I dream about things I need to tell them or teach them. I dream about things I wish I could say to them. I think that I dream about their businesses more than they do. I think I worry about their businesses more than some of them do.

In California, there are a lot of new franchises going in on every corner. When you think about buying a franchise you have to think about name recognition. If you put in a Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks, you already have the name recognition. If you put in an Islands (hamburgers mostly) in NY, you might have a long row to hoe to create enough name recognition for people to even know what you are selling or doing. Someone has to be first, but are you the right one to be first?

There are several new franchises that involve cleaning up dog poop in peoples yard. They charge by the dog and by the week of month. Good idea, but it may be hard to get your message out there to people who didn't even know there was such a franchise. Did you know there were franchises that put up Christmas lights, or put in dog fence, or even baby proof your house? Did you know you could buy a franchise where you bring giant blow-up toys to peoples houses and parties. How about a business driving over to peoples houses and cleaning their cars in their garages or driveways?

A field reps dream, is someone that cares as much about their own business as they do. Someone that puts out as much effort on their won behalf as the rep does for them. If you are a trail blazer and are trying to build up name recognition, then go the extra mile, work the extra hours, and be a dream to yourself and all the other franchises that will come after you and ride on what you have built. A franchise can be a dream or a nightmare. Dream a little dream of a successful franchise.

Fran