Start by asking the right questions and getting answers you understand. Once you know the kind of business you\u2019d like to run, simply reach out to a franchise representative. It\u2019s easy to find contact information online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you\u2019ve introduced yourself, here are some of the key questions to ask before buying a franchise.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"couple](\"https:\/\/www.freewayfranchise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/11\/couple-doing-questions-to-franchisor-before-investment-1024x684.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nHow Much Independence Will I Have?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019re through with bosses \u2014 remember? You want to be on your own. Maybe with one of the easy companies to open as a first-time business owner<\/a>. That\u2019s one of the most important reasons you\u2019re considering the franchise model in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAs a franchisee, you will have bought your own business. The company is yours. But in adding an already established logo, branding, and way of doing business, you\u2019ve also added a built-in customer base. That\u2019s the advantage of this model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Consider this: If you owned a fast food franchise in New Orleans, you might have Indianapolis tourists stopping in because your eatery carries a name, look, menu, and other details that are already familiar to them. They\u2019re 800 miles from home, and they\u2019ve never even been in your state before, but the Indianapolis visitors know your business and feel very comfortable patronizing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contrast this with a situation in which you start a burger joint with our own name and a self-designed logo. Do you think those out-of-towners would stop in? They\u2019d know nothing about the quality or cost of your menu and might consider it too big a risk to try the unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your franchisor\u2019s representative should be able to answer all your questions related to the policies and procedures you\u2019ll be expected to follow in order to meet your customers\u2019 expectations and maximize your profit potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the day-to-day decisions are yours to make. The business is truly yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can I Talk With Other Franchise Owners?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s a red flag: The franchisor won\u2019t give you contact information for other franchisees and doesn\u2019t want you to seek them out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the rep tells you that you could expect to make a shockingly high annual income, is that fairly typical, or does it happen about as frequently as Halley\u2019s Comet is visible in the night sky? The only way you\u2019ll know is by asking around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t just rely on the names your rep gives you, either. That might be the cream of the crop, the \u201cHalley\u2019s Comet\u201d level of franchisees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Call up random franchisees. Strike up a conversation. Ask them how many hours a week they put into the business. What their main challenges and obstacles are. Ask about the brand\u2019s reputation with its customer base. Would they join that franchisor again if they could hit the reset button on life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These are just some of the critical franchising questions to ask to get honest, in-the-trenches answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Will My Franchise Cost?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Now, there\u2019s an important question to get into from the get-go. Your rep will set your franchise fee at a few thousand dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or several million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or somewhere in between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, that\u2019s pretty widespread. But that\u2019s because you have so delightfully many options when it comes to choosing a franchise to purchase. If you must lease and remodel \u2014 or even build from the ground up \u2014 a restaurant, hotel, or other building, that cost will be reflected in your franchise fee. So will the gear, equipment, inventory, and other must-haves of your operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll also pay licensing fees for the branded products or services you\u2019ll sell. That tends to be charged as a percentage of your revenue or profits. It works in different ways for different franchise operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then, there are the miscellaneous charges that every business must undertake. That\u2019s everything from the cost of utilities to the various taxes you\u2019ll pay. And if you must have 100 full-time and part-time employees before your grand opening, don\u2019t forget to put that in your budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the other end of the cost spectrum are the solo franchise ventures with low overhead. Consider running a commercial window washing operation or an insurance company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take a closer look. If you become a franchisee of an established, highly reputable insurance company, you might not need much more than business cards, a cell phone, a laptop, and your kitchen table to start. You\u2019ll already own a familiar name with prospective policyholders. As your business grows, you can add employees and move into larger and more impressive quarters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The point is that these companies come in all sizes, structures, and complexities, and at all entry cost levels. So, how much does a franchise cost<\/a>? You\u2019ll only get all the details by knowing the right questions to ask franchise owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCan I Get It in Writing?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Of course you can. It\u2019s the law. Every franchise operation has what\u2019s known as a franchise disclosure document. Your FDD includes all details, including your startup and ongoing costs, the policies and procedures that should be followed, and the expectations of the company and brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take your FDD to your lawyer and accountant for their review. You want to feel confident that the opportunity makes financial and business sense. If you still have questions or doubts, share them with your franchise rep. Only sign legal documents when all questions have been answered to your satisfaction and doubts have been erased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At Freeway Insurance, You Can Ask Us Anything<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
We are actively offering opportunities all over the nation. We welcome all franchise questions and vow to provide clear-cut answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At Freeway Insurance, we\u2019ve long established productive relationships with major insurance carriers \u2014 the brands your customers already know and trust. In that way, we\u2019ve built an impressive inventory of insurance products for you to offer. That\u2019s how we\u2019ve become one of the nation\u2019s largest and most respected personal lines insurance companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ll make sure you get top-tier training \u2014 including the certifications specific to your state \u2014 ongoing support, and the guidance you need when you feel that you need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let us show you, in detail, how to attain a financially rewarding Freeway Insurance franchise<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nHow Much Independence Will I Have?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019re through with bosses \u2014 remember? You want to be on your own. Maybe with one of the easy companies to open as a first-time business owner<\/a>. That\u2019s one of the most important reasons you\u2019re considering the franchise model in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a franchisee, you will have bought your own business. The company is yours. But in adding an already established logo, branding, and way of doing business, you\u2019ve also added a built-in customer base. That\u2019s the advantage of this model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider this: If you owned a fast food franchise in New Orleans, you might have Indianapolis tourists stopping in because your eatery carries a name, look, menu, and other details that are already familiar to them. They\u2019re 800 miles from home, and they\u2019ve never even been in your state before, but the Indianapolis visitors know your business and feel very comfortable patronizing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contrast this with a situation in which you start a burger joint with our own name and a self-designed logo. Do you think those out-of-towners would stop in? They\u2019d know nothing about the quality or cost of your menu and might consider it too big a risk to try the unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your franchisor\u2019s representative should be able to answer all your questions related to the policies and procedures you\u2019ll be expected to follow in order to meet your customers\u2019 expectations and maximize your profit potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the day-to-day decisions are yours to make. The business is truly yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a red flag: The franchisor won\u2019t give you contact information for other franchisees and doesn\u2019t want you to seek them out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the rep tells you that you could expect to make a shockingly high annual income, is that fairly typical, or does it happen about as frequently as Halley\u2019s Comet is visible in the night sky? The only way you\u2019ll know is by asking around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t just rely on the names your rep gives you, either. That might be the cream of the crop, the \u201cHalley\u2019s Comet\u201d level of franchisees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Call up random franchisees. Strike up a conversation. Ask them how many hours a week they put into the business. What their main challenges and obstacles are. Ask about the brand\u2019s reputation with its customer base. Would they join that franchisor again if they could hit the reset button on life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are just some of the critical franchising questions to ask to get honest, in-the-trenches answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, there\u2019s an important question to get into from the get-go. Your rep will set your franchise fee at a few thousand dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or several million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or somewhere in between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, that\u2019s pretty widespread. But that\u2019s because you have so delightfully many options when it comes to choosing a franchise to purchase. If you must lease and remodel \u2014 or even build from the ground up \u2014 a restaurant, hotel, or other building, that cost will be reflected in your franchise fee. So will the gear, equipment, inventory, and other must-haves of your operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll also pay licensing fees for the branded products or services you\u2019ll sell. That tends to be charged as a percentage of your revenue or profits. It works in different ways for different franchise operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, there are the miscellaneous charges that every business must undertake. That\u2019s everything from the cost of utilities to the various taxes you\u2019ll pay. And if you must have 100 full-time and part-time employees before your grand opening, don\u2019t forget to put that in your budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the other end of the cost spectrum are the solo franchise ventures with low overhead. Consider running a commercial window washing operation or an insurance company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take a closer look. If you become a franchisee of an established, highly reputable insurance company, you might not need much more than business cards, a cell phone, a laptop, and your kitchen table to start. You\u2019ll already own a familiar name with prospective policyholders. As your business grows, you can add employees and move into larger and more impressive quarters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The point is that these companies come in all sizes, structures, and complexities, and at all entry cost levels. So, how much does a franchise cost<\/a>? You\u2019ll only get all the details by knowing the right questions to ask franchise owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course you can. It\u2019s the law. Every franchise operation has what\u2019s known as a franchise disclosure document. Your FDD includes all details, including your startup and ongoing costs, the policies and procedures that should be followed, and the expectations of the company and brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take your FDD to your lawyer and accountant for their review. You want to feel confident that the opportunity makes financial and business sense. If you still have questions or doubts, share them with your franchise rep. Only sign legal documents when all questions have been answered to your satisfaction and doubts have been erased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We are actively offering opportunities all over the nation. We welcome all franchise questions and vow to provide clear-cut answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At Freeway Insurance, we\u2019ve long established productive relationships with major insurance carriers \u2014 the brands your customers already know and trust. In that way, we\u2019ve built an impressive inventory of insurance products for you to offer. That\u2019s how we\u2019ve become one of the nation\u2019s largest and most respected personal lines insurance companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ll make sure you get top-tier training \u2014 including the certifications specific to your state \u2014 ongoing support, and the guidance you need when you feel that you need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let us show you, in detail, how to attain a financially rewarding Freeway Insurance franchise<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\nCan I Talk With Other Franchise Owners?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What Will My Franchise Cost?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can I Get It in Writing?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
At Freeway Insurance, You Can Ask Us Anything<\/h2>\n\n\n\n