Should You Buy a Hot Franchise?

In theory, buying the hottest franchise around makes a lot
of sense; ther;s probably some serious buzz about the franchise, which means
that lots of potential customers know about it.

Can you imagine opening up a franchise in a market that already has
customers waiting patiently for your arrival? That would be fantastic!

Once in awhile, things happen like that. More often than
not, they do-t. Of course, it depends on the type of franchise yo-re buying;
if yo're buying a home-based consulting type of franchise, i's not like
yo'll be having a huge Grand Opening celebration. Yo'll have to market the
heck out of your arrival on the local scene.

A food-related or retail franchise is a different story,
however. 've been to many *new
franchise business Grand Openings, and the're really exciting. The tow's
Mayor (or an aide) is usually in attendance, along with other local
dignitaries. Ther's a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony, along with food and
drink. It's a memorable time, especially for the new franchisee.

Now, let's talk about a little business reality for a
moment. I'll use the stock market as an example.

Did you ever receive a stock tip from one of your friends,
or family members? Do you remember that surge of adrenalin that shot through
your system moments after you received the details? Did you go out and buy that
hot stock? If so, how did it end up doing?

If you're a rather lucky individual, maybe the stock did
really well. Congratulations! But, if you're like most of us, it didn't. Do you
know why?

The reason it didn't do well has to do with timing; you
invested in the stock way too late. It probably was a hot stock at one time. (Like when your friend purchased it,
for instance) The problem was that by the time you heard about it, it was
already starting to cool off. The same thing can happen with a hot franchise
business opportunity.

Just about every time I do a presentation on franchise
ownership, someone asks me this question;

Joel, what's hot now? The folks who ask that question
dislike my answer, immensely.

The hottest franchise for you is the one that fits what you
want in a business. It's also the one that will fit into your budget (with room
to spare), align nicely with your
personality traits, job skills, and geographic location, I exclaim.

(At this point in the conversation, I usually get a strange
look, or if it's my lucky day, someone will roll their eyes at me.)

Here's the bottom line; what goes up, must come down. Hot
gets cold. Try to find opportunities that can do well year-round. Look for
franchises that can serve a large audience. Find opportunities that make sense
for your personal situation, and for the area in which you live. A franchise
that allows you to use your unique personality traits and professional skills
can turn into a hot franchise.

As a matter of fact, it is
kind of up to you to make the franchise business that you end up choosing, hot.

Now, go find it.

* Non-US Government link

More resources;

The Ultimate Guide to Franchises-Business.Gov

Evaluating Franchise and Business Opportunities- Business.gov

The Franchise King®, Joel Libava, is president of Franchise
Selection Specialists Inc. Joel provides franchise advisory services to
those interested in exploring franchise ownership, by showing them how to
select and research franchise opportunities. He is frequently called on by the
media for his no-spin insights on the world of franchising. You can follow Joel
on his award winning blog-The Franchise King Blog.

About the Author

The Franchise King®, Joel Libava, is the author of the book, Become a Franchise Owner! He's also a franchise ownership advisor; Joel teaches people that are interested in franchise ownership how to properly select and carefully research franchise business opportunities so they can increase their odds of success.