A franchise may need to be looked at from a product or service comparison prospective. While one franchise’s product or service may be suitable in a geographic area, another may not be. When evaluating a franchise, close attention needs to be spent evaluating several factors: the strength of the franchiser, the franchiser’s long-term goal, the uniqueness of its product or service, the type of consumer response the product or service is achieving, the amount of fees it charges, and the type of support it provides.

Be aware that expenses can vary through the life of a franchise, ranging from startup to daily operations. Also, you may be responsible for marketing costs. These factors have a bearing on the length of the contract you will be signing.