International Law

The Value of Franchisee Associations

Image by Angela Radulescu via Flickr

Lance Winslow has some good points about the value of franchisee associations.

What is important about a franchisee association? What is the value of the association to the individual franchisee?

"Best of all, you have a peer, someone just like you with the exact same business model as you, with the very same ups and downs as you.

What is that worth? Let me tell you, any small business man will tell you that having someone like that around is like gold.

But, it's better than that, as you do not have "someone" like that around, you have hundreds or even thousands of "someones" like that around, and only a phone call away.

And as they find solutions to challenges in the market place they share them in literally real time with you.

The best and most efficient ways of running things, marketing, handling challenges and dealing with government."

Many independent franchisee associations, IndFA, unfortunately, are formed in the heat of litigation against the franchisor. These single issue associations often fail to continue once the litigation has been resolved.

The real value of an IndFA, however, is the collaborative information sharing and problem solving needed if the franchise brand is going to be competitive.

Full post as published by Misleading Advertising Law on October 22, 2008 (boomark / email).