Why join a franchise association in the UK?
In several countries franchising is government regulated, not so in the UK. Franchise associations in the UK are both voluntary & self regulated. You do not have to join to become a Franchisor in the UK. So if that’s the case then why join a franchise association?
Benefits of franchise association membership
Even though you have no legal obligation to join becoming a member has many advantages;
- Sharing best practice – Franchising is quite niche & many new franchise businesses are formed by people without prior franchising experience. By meeting other Franchisors you can learn from their experiences & mistakes.
- Kudos – Membership is subject to an accreditation process. The QFA, like other franchise associations does not endorse any franchises but accreditation does give some comfort to franchise seekers. Someone making any investment, including buying a franchise should carry out thorough due diligence. That said membership shows a commitment from the Franchisor to be ethical & support incoming Franchisee’s.
- Networking – As a percentage of businesses you will encounter in your professional activities Franchisors are quite few. Membership will give you interaction with franchise businesses & you will share common ground as fellow Franchisors or businesses that understand & supply to franchise networks.
Which franchise association should you choose?
The QFA is a not for profit company & one of three franchise associations in the UK. You may decide to join all 3 or none at all but what should you consider prior to membership?
All franchise associations will provide the 3 main benefits above but there are differences with the delivery & the way each operates. For example the QFA is a digital franchise association. By that I mean it does not arrange physical face to face meetings or run franchise exhibitions or events, why?
We believe to successfully promote ethical franchising & best practice in the UK membership should be within the reach of all new Franchisors. By providing the same core benefits as other associations using technology we can bring the cost within the reach of all existing & new franchise businesses.
What else does the QFA believe in? Tangible benefits. The above benefits are extremely valuable to Franchisors but we also provide a host of tangible benefits to help Franchisors grow including;
- Free advertising – Through our sponsors members receive a minimum of £3,000 free advertising
- Social media marketing – Combined with our sponsors QFA has over 25,000 social media follower & provides free blogs & social shares to members
- Exclusive discounts – We provide a range of exclusive discounts for members for advertising & other professional & support services
- Online forums including direct messaging – Network & share ideas with anyone wherever you are. Save time & help the environment.
How much does it cost to join a franchise association?
You will need to further research other associations but the QFA charges just £350 per year for Franchisors & £450 per year for Partners.
