UK Franchise Opinion and News

Franchise Opinions highlights the latest opinions, news and trends in UK franchising. The authors, all experts in franchising, are happy to share their advice and views with you.

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Why a book could be your best business card ever!

Article by Dee Blick The Marketing Gym

Best-selling author, Dee Blick looks at why you, the franchisor, may already have significant ideas for a book and how this may truly benefit prospective franchisees.

You are an expert! Now claim your space in the spotlight

Article by Dee Blick The Marketing Gym

Best selling author, Dee Blick looks at why you may be an expert and you may not even know it. She discusses how to recognise your business assets and demonstrate your authority in the industry.

A whistle-stop tour of 10 top marketing tips

Article by Dee Blick The Marketing Gym

Chartered Marketer Dee Blick is a Number 1 bestselling author and she shares her top ten tops to a better, more efficient marketing strategy for your business. From looking at your audience as individuals to communicating your message with passion - Dee knows how to get results.

Can you break a franchise agreement once you’ve signed it?

Article by Andrew Quick Stevens & Bolton

In this exclusive article, Andrew Quick, Partner at Stevens & Bolton LLP, looks at the different scenarios where a franchisee may be able to walk away from a contract.

Top ten tips for incoming or prospective franchisors

Article by Fiona Boswell Fraser Brown

Fiona Boswell, Head of Franchise at Freeths LLP, shares her top ten tops to finding a franchise business that will be a good business partnerl and the ways you can legally protect yourself.

Marketing magic in five steps!

Article by Dee Blick The Marketing Gym

I delivered a talk a few days ago and was asked the question “is there any one marketing tactic that you recommend?” My answer was an unequivocal no. Alas there is no one marketing miracle at the rainbow’s end that will somehow transform the fortunes of your business with an army of people lined up and keen to do business with you.

But, you can compress the decision-making process of prospects in the following simple ways:

Why prospective franchisees have to feel warm and welcomed

Article by Dee Blick The Marketing Gym

When did you last analyse your prospect- to- franchisee conversion process to determine if it really is as good as it gets and that you’re creating an abundance of warm feelings? Let's say you exhibit at an event and give out many franchisee prospectuses. Several of these potential franchisees contact you, what do you do now?

Traditional marketing is here to stay!

Article by Dee Blick The Marketing Gym

Trust me; there’s more to marketing than just the shiny shoes of social media. The role of marketing is to communicate our products and services effectively to the people that have a deep underlying need for our products or services. This means we have to identify the communication channels that lead us to our prospects. This may or may not include social networking and online advertising.

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Authors

The British Franchise Association

(bfa)

The British Franchise Association (bfa), was formed to act in the interests of the industry as a whole in assessing and accrediting franchising companies as those which meet its criteria for the structure of the franchise business, the terms of the contract between franchisor and franchisee, the testing of the system and its success as a franchise.

Nick Williams

Ashtons Franchise Consulting

Nick Williams is an experienced national and international franchise development consultant who has worked in the UK franchise industry since 2000.

Richard Holden

Lloyds Bank

Richard Holden has over 30 years of experience working at Lloyds Bank and has spent the last 8 years heading up the bank’s franchise team.

Jane Masih

Owen White Solicitors

Jane is head of franchising at Owen White. Owen White is one of the leading franchise specialists in the UK with over 40 years experience of advising franchisors and franchisees.

Victoria Eustace

Owen White Solicitors

Victoria is an Associate Solicitor at Owen White Solicitors. She works on a broad range of matters including franchising and commercial contract disputes for franchisors and franchisees.

Chris Roberts

Chantry Group

Following the successful sale of Franchise Finance Limited to Hitachi Capital and the completion of a 12 month work-out period, I’ve been appointed as Chairman to assist with the relaunch and growth of the Chantry Group, consisting of the three divisions: 1) Franchise Recruitment, 2) Franchise Marketing, and 3) Franchise Valuations and Resales (new).

Suzanne Melville

whichfranchise.com

Suzanne Melville is the Marketing Manager for whichfranchise and has over 20 years of experience in franchising. Suzanne is very experienced in franchisee recruitment, working closely with franchisors to help produce tailored solutions for their franchisee recruitment needs.

Iain Martin

The Franchising Centre

Iain has been involved in matching individuals to opportunities for virtually all of his working life. Iain focuses on ‘matchmaking’ – helping national and international franchisors find suitable partners, and helping individuals seeking a franchise, to find one that matches their professional and personal requirements. He works with The Franchising Centre supporting international brands seeking UK partners, and has a separate business, Mr Franchise Ltd, which supports individuals seeking a suitable franchise.

Farrah Rose

The Franchising Centre

Farrah has unrivalled experience in international franchising and has been operating in this field since 1984. Initially working for major corporations, such as Burger King and Arcadia Group Plc, Farrah began advising businesses as a consultant in 1996. Farrah is now recognised as one of the leading authorities on international franchising and her expertise is sought by companies around the world.

Martin O'Neill

WJM

Martin is ranked as a leading individual in Franchising in the Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession 2015. He adds depth to the practice's franchising offering with his corporate and commercial experience, which includes contracts, purchases and sales. He advises an enviable list of business clients, and sources say: "He has always displayed sound knowledge with excellent presentation skills and technical ability."

Nigel Toplis

The Bardon Group

Nigel Toplis is Managing Director of The Bardon Group stable of franchises which includes Kall Kwik, Recognition Express, ComputerXplorers and Techclean. The Group specialises in developing and growing franchised businesses in the UK.

Bill Hendrie

The Franchise Development Centre

Bill has been active in franchising since 1994 working with both franchisors and franchisees. His business background covers a diverse range of sectors from retail to recruitment with his roles encompassing customer service, training, sales and marketing. As Franchise Director of a national recruitment company he has been instrumental in the launch of numerous successful franchisee start- ups.

Cathryn Hayes

Revive! Auto Innovations

Cathryn Hayes, Franchise Director at Revive! Auto Innovations, has over 20 years’ experience in franchising, formerly as Head of Franchising at HSBC and later as British Franchise Association (bfa) Head of Business Support. She has a high profile within the franchise industry, having been a judge for the prestigious bfa HSBC Franchisor and Franchisee of the Year Awards for many years. Cathryn contributes regular articles to the franchise press and other business media, as well as presenting at franchise exhibitions, bfa events and conferences, franchise and business events. She has achieved the bfa’s Qualified Franchise Professional status.

John H Pratt

Hamilton Pratt

John Pratt is the immediate past Legal Advisor to the British Franchise Association and a past Chair of the International Bar Association’s International Franchise Committee and Director of the American Bar Association’s International Franchising Division.

Matt O’Neill

Franchise Advisory Service

Matt O’Neill has more than 20 years’ experience in the world of franchising and has helped hundreds of people realize their dream of becoming business owners. Matt is currently the owner of Franchise Advisory Service, an independent franchise consultancy and Franchise Seminars, an online series of educational videos that give a step-by-step guide to franchising from the comfort of your home.

David Irving

Mundays

David's work is mainly of a commercial nature and covers a wide range of disciplines including professional partnership advice, joint venture agreements, general commercial agreements, and copyright matters. David has particular experience in the healthcare (particularly pharmaceutical and the acquisition of branded products) and logistics (including aviation) sectors.

Rev PR

Rev PR

Rev PR is a specialist franchise PR agency Headed up by industry experts Sally Anne Butters and Lucy Maisey, the team at Rev PR focus on PR to boost the businesses of franchisors and franchisees alike.

Andrew Quick

Stevens & Bolton

Andrew is a commercial disputes partner at Stevens & Bolton LLP and a member of its franchising team, as ranked in both the Legal 500 and Chambers UK Legal Directory.

Suzie McCafferty

Platinum Wave

Suzie is an active member of the UK and International franchise communities, and having grown her own franchise businesses both UK and Internationally within the retail and professional services industries, she is a regular key note speaker at leading franchising and business events.

Graeme Payne

Bird & Bird

Graeme is a partner in the Commercial Group of Bird & Bird, based in London. Graeme Payne is one of the leading advisers on franchising issues. He works closely with businesses to determine and develop the most commercially appropriate expansion models and routes to market.

Stuart Lee

Atlas Mapping

Stuart has hands-on experience of franchise territory mapping for over 150 brands in the UK and internationally. He works with a range of franchisors helping new franchises to establish strong territory foundations and supports international brands to analyse complex networks and apply best practise territory management.

Fiona Boswell

Fraser Brown

Fiona Boswell is Head of Franchising at Fraser Brown. Fiona co-ordinates the Fraser Brown franchise team that advise businesses on all legal aspects concerning franchising, including contracts, disputes, mediation, resales, international franchising, HR, property and brand issues. Fiona is a Chambers 2020 Ranked Lawyer and a Legal 500 2020 Recommended Lawyer.

Sarah Carlile

Coconut Creatives

Sarah Carlile is the Founding Director of Coconut Creatives, the franchise industry’s leading and award-winning provider of marketing services for franchise recruitment.

Nicola Broadhurst

Stevens and Bolton

Nicola is a commercial partner and heads up the franchise team at Stevens & Bolton. She specialises in the commercial aspects of franchising, advising both franchisors and franchisees but with a particular focus on international expansion.

Andrew Fraser

Albany Fraser Solicitors

Andrew Fraser is the owner of newly launched legal firm Albany Fraser Solicitors, a boutique commercial law firm with franchising at its heart. Before starting his own law firm, Andrew worked for Harper Macleod. Andrew acts on behalf of franchisors and franchisees throughout the UK on all manner of franchising issues including helping businesses to franchise, buying and selling franchised businesses, controlling franchise networks and managing franchise disputes.

Manzoor G.K. Ishani

Sherrards

Manzoor Ishani is a senior consultant solicitor with Sherrards, a commercial law practice advising franchisors and franchisees in the UK and internationally. He has specialised in franchising for more than 30 years and is a former member of the legal committee of the BFA and co-author of Franchising in the UK, Franchising in Europe and Franchising in Canada.

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