Investing in a franchise is just the start of a great adventure. So what comes next?

There’s no doubt that success takes hard work. High performing franchisees will be committing to long hours in the early weeks, months, maybe years of running their business.

As a long term Wild Card & Gifts franchisee Merridee Cartledge understands just what it takes to succeed. “You have to go the extra mile,” she says.

Of course for many franchisees working alongside family is a real bonus and it allows for greater flexibility in managing the business.

An essential element of running a successful operation with a partner is establishing roles so there are clear responsibilities for each person – perhaps one partner takes control of the admin, another might be customer-focused.

Of course the joy of franchising is that there is a whole network of people to turn to, not just your business partner, to gain further insights into best practice – and how to meet the challenges that come up.

With a group of fellow franchisees as well as the franchisor on hand to offer support and advice, it’s easy for a franchisee to overcome any business obstacles.

This can start even before the franchisee opens the doors to their business, with the franchisor negotiating a great rental rate with the landlord.

Once a franchisee is on board and operating the store, there will need to be a focus on marketing to keep customers engaged and loyal to the brand.

For franchisees like Merridee, the marketing support from the well-established Wild Cards & Gifts business really makes a difference.

“We get marketing material, seasonal competitions for our customers, everything the franchisee needs to sell the merchandise.”

Wild Cards & Gifts is part of the highly regarded international newsagency and card/gift retail business, WH Smith.

This offers particular benefits with group buying and access to premium, exclusive WH Smith products sourced from Europe at an affordable price giving Wild franchisees a competitive advantage.

The right merchandise is essential for any retailer and it needs to be set against a great looking fit-out that customers will love, all elements of a Wild store.

All this is delivered with the experience of an established franchisor. The knowledge and guidance at hand can be invaluable for franchisees, as Merridee points out.

“I’ve learned from the franchisor about the seasonal trade, when to stock up, when not to buy.”

This sort of vital information can make a big difference to the success of a business operation, and it just isn’t available to an independent business owner.

“I wouldn’t go independent, even today. When you buy a Wild franchise you’ve got communications and back-up support from the franchisor,” says Merridee.

Could you benefit from this kind of support and back-up as you build your business? Find out more about how you can start this great adventure.