Why choose a handyman or home improvement franchise

There are lots of franchises out there from fast food franchises to a handyman franchise or home improvement franchise and everything in between. With the International Franchise Association predicting the number of franchises to increase in 2013 more and more people are turning to the franchising business model. Choosing a franchise is one of the biggest decisions in your life.  I know because I've been there.

Summary

It's a career change, it's a new direction, it could be the biggest investment in time and money you'll ever make.  Choosing that franchise can be exciting, worrying, motivating, life changing. You're filled with mixed emotions.

When I was a franchisee I know I made the right decision because I grew the franchise for 10 consecutive years. We ran it profitably and generated a great income during that period.  We built it into a lifestyle business and an asset that we eventually sold to increase our equity.

Choosing the right franchise

Here are 3 tips from my experience that may help you choose the right franchise.

1.  Your franchise opportunity should be in the right market

Franchises take over from the "mom & pops" in growing markets by introducing the brands, systems, procedures and professionalism.  The markets are normally growing because of changes.  Think changes in our lifestyle for the fast food industry, or changes in technology for the printing industry, or changes in demographics for the home improvement industry. 

At House Doctors, we are excited about the huge home improvement and repair market our franchisees operate in. Talk about a market that will never go away, as the housing stock and population ages it is continually growing. People are starting to remodel again. Growth niches like aging in place as baby boomers modify their homes to live in them longer and energy efficiency keep adding to the space our franchisees operate in. 

Ask yourself, is the market you're considering growing?  Could changes in technology impact it negatively?

2.  Your franchise opportunity should be the right brand in that market

Once you've chosen a market that is growing you want a brand that sends right message out to your potential customers.  In the home improvement and repair industry House Doctors is known as one of the best names.  Many of our competitors are limited by having "handyman" in their name because today much of what we are asked for by our customers is much more than "handyman" services.  Our target customer is the woman of the household and she chooses one company over another by whom she trusts. House Doctors scores well again as the most trusting name in the industry.

3.  Your strengths should fit with the skills the franchise needs

Any good franchise company will have a profile of what skills a successful franchisee should have. Make sure your skills match the skills of successful franchisees.  Think about it...it takes different skills to run a fast food restaurant as opposed to a home improvement business.  I never could run a printing press very well in my franchise but my role was never to be the pressman.  At House Doctors we look for franchisees to be a personable manager and a good team builder.  But normally people who own a handyman franchise although they don't swing the hammer are  comfortable with home improvements and home repairs.

Are you interested in a handyman or home improvement franchise?

Here is how a House Doctor's franchised business works.

Franchise information

To achieve anything in life takes focus and determination. No matter which franchise opportunity you choose whether a handyman franchise or home improvement franchise or not, you will need persistence and drive when starting any franchise or small business. It can be tough especially in the beginning to get your business up and running but the exciting thing is business ownership opportunities can far outweigh those you  normally can have as an employee.


What is your experience? Do you agree with these 3 tips? Are there any other tips that you feel would be useful? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.