The Franchise King®

Investigating A Franchise: Act Like An Old College Friend To Get Real Answers

friends from college

Discoveries are often made by not following instructions, by going off the main road, by trying the untried.” –  Frank Tyge

Sometimes, it’s important to approach things…important things, in a unique way.

You should have an “angle.” I don’t mean that you should approach the franchisees that you’re calling and visiting as you do your research in a sinister way. I just want you to get creative so that you can really get to the heart of the matter. So you can get the answers you need to make a decision.

 

Investigating A Franchise

You have a lot to do.





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And, you want to do it right. That’s because if you do decide to move forward with the franchise that you’ve been laser-focused on for months, you want to be able to sleep well at night. The only way to rest easy is to be sure of your decision. You need to have confidence that you’ve done all the right things… that you’ve made all the right moves.

You’re making a right move right now by reading this blog post.

That’s because I’m going to provide you with a really powerful question that you can (and should) ask of every franchise owner you call and/or visit. It’s one of 40 top questions you need to ask as part of your franchise research.

 

The Power of Visuals

Franchise question #39 is designed to put the franchisees you’re asking it to in a certain state of mind. It’s meant to take them back in time. It’s a very visual question.



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If I was a really good college buddy who was interested in this franchise for my area of the country, would you recommend it? Why, or why not? “

What you want to have happen in the seconds after you posed that question is this:

You want the person on the other end of the phone (or who’s right in front of you) to see some of their college friends. You want them to do some brief time-travelling. You want them to spend 10-15 seconds in their old college dorms…or at a college football game. Or, at graduation.

Then you want them to pretend that you actually are one of their old college friends as they answer the question you just asked.

If you ask this in a super-sincere way…a super-friendly way, (smile when you ask the question) you’ll be getting an answer that is as close to the truth as humanely possible.

That’s what you want to have happen as you’re investigating a franchise.

 

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About the Author
Joel Libava is The Franchise King® — an independent franchise advisor with 25+ years in the industry, two published books on franchising, and his writing has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, CNBC, Entrepreneur® Magazine and others. In addition, he wrote exclusively for the U.S. Small Business Administration blog for eight years. He doesn't sell franchises. Instead, Joel helps you figure out if franchise ownership is actually right for you — and if it is, teaches you his powerful, proven-to-work franchise research techniques, so you can make a smart, informed decision on a franchise to own and be your own boss.

Note: When you buy through links on this website, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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Thinking About Buying a Franchise? Read Below.

Most people looking at franchise ownership get overwhelmed fast—high-pressure sales tactics, confusing Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs), franchise brokers pushing deals, and expensive mistakes waiting to happen.

That’s where I come in.

I’m The Franchise King®, Joel Libava.

For more than 25 years, I’ve helped thousands of aspiring franchise owners learn how to properly research, evaluate, and buy a franchise—the smart way.

I’m not a franchise broker. I’m not here to sell you a franchise.

Instead, I’m here to help you avoid costly mistakes, ask better questions, and make a confident decision before you invest your money.

If you want honest, practical franchise advice from someone who puts buyers first—you’re in the right place.
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