Franchising has become a big part of the economic framework of the United States. By definition, a franchise business is a type of license which grants franchisee access to the franchisor’s proprietary business knowledge, processes, and trademarks. This allows the franchisee to sell products or services using the franchisor’s corporate/ business name. For example, think of all of the McDonald’s restaurants which you’ll find in your neighborhood. In most cases, those are franchisees.
In 2019 alone there were approximately 773,063 franchise locations in the United States. Many of these franchisees employ local workers, often acting as a large part of the economic fabric of many small towns and cities. Though food franchising is probably the most well-known aspect of the franchise industry there are a wide variety of other industries that are involved in franchising. Below are a few successful franchises that are not related to food.
Car Dealers
Car dealers are an example of one type of franchise that has enjoyed success over the years. Auto dealers are places where people come to purchase new cars, and also receive regular maintenance on their vehicles. Since it seems that people show no sign of slowing down with their driving habits, car dealerships are a good example of a successful franchise that has nothing to do with food.
In 2019, there were over 17 million cars sold. A variety of factors including available credit, and low unemployment at the time all helped to contribute to the high number of auto sales during the year. The top car dealership franchises currently include General Motors, Ford Motor Group, Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota.
For those looking to open a new car dealership franchise, definitely follow the tips provided for newcomers to the industry. You’ll want to first research your market as much as possible, and make very clear sales goals. Follow that up by learning what forms of advertisement work best, and then get a good marketing plan going for your location.
Also, make sure that your team has the proper training and experience so they can help your franchise grow with each year. For instance, make sure that each of your auto repair reps has completed some form of an automotive and diesel technology program so they can be prepared for whatever auto-related issue comes their way. Opening up a franchise car dealer can spell success for entrepreneurs in the long run.
Cleaning and Maintenance Services
Businesses in the United States have always outsourced many of their cleaning services. Even though these corporate entities will maintain a custodial staff on-site for jobs working with your hands, they will often hire different companies to come in and do more involved cleaning, in addition to overnight custodial services. Some of the services provided by these franchises include restroom cleaning, cleaning of employee break rooms, cleaning of office kitchens, vacuuming the office, dusting, restocking food and drinks (for example, Canadian Springs water, coffee, etc.), and washing windows.
Some of these franchise cleaning and maintenance services also include home services. As people’s lives become even busier, and individuals are pressed for time, basic chores are often pushed aside. For those people who find that this is the case, they are willing to hire other people to complete such needed duties. This can include home cleaning, lawn care, painting, and even appliance repair. Cleaning and maintenance franchises that entrepreneurs can invest in include MaidPro, Mr. Appliance, Five Star Painting, Servicemaster Clean, Merry Maids, and CleanNet USA.
Personal Services
Opening a franchise in the personal services field includes a wide spectrum of different businesses that you can choose from. These include franchise opportunities in spas, fitness centers, gyms, senior care, childcare, and even tutoring services. These services are being provided on a more individual level and involve providing people with a bit of self-care.
For instance, parents in this post-COVID-19 environment might be more inclined to seek out tutoring opportunities for their children. With the increased desire for tutoring services, an entrepreneur would do well to seek franchise financing for a personal services franchise. Some examples of the top tutoring franchises in the United States include Kumon, Club Z!, Mathnasium, Tutoring Club, and Above Grade Level. In addition to providing supplementary assistance for a student’s ongoing education, these services can also help them to prepare for acceptance into a university.
Another example of a fast-growing personal services franchising opportunity would include the senior care market. As people age, they need assistance on a variety of fronts. Senior care services provide an opportunity for you to help them with aging gracefully, while also helping you to grow a successful business franchise. Senior care services can include in-home care services, mobile beauty services, elderly medical assistance, and concierge services.
As members of the Baby Boomer generation continue to get older, services like these will be in high demand over the coming years. Some successful examples of senior care services include Visiting Angels, FirstLight Home Care, Right at Home, CarePatrol, Homewatch CareGivers, and BrightStar Care.
Travel Lodging
Shortly after COVID-19 hit the world, the travel industry was severely impacted. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the COVID-19 virus has spelled a loss of $491 billion for the U.S. travel economy. This has created a dire time for the travel lodging industry, as people have opted to stay at home rather than risk possibly becoming sick traveling.
Though the market might not look like a good one to jump into now, one of the common signs of successful companies is how they rebound after a crisis. With the production of a COVID-19 vaccine, hope is being raised once again that things will eventually get back to some sense of normalcy. Though this sense of normalcy won’t happen until Spring/Summer of 2021, it’s a good idea to still prepare for it as a businessperson.
Only when the COVID-19 infection and death rates have come down to manageable numbers, should you begin looking into investing in the travel lodging industry. People are going to be ready to safely travel again, looking for a form of release from the stress and worry of 2020. They are going to want to get out of the house and relax.
Once you’ve done the proper research, and made sure that it’s a safe time to do so, look into opening up your own hotel or motel franchise location. A few of the top hotel/motel franchises to check out are Sheraton, Hampton by Hilton, Holiday Inn, and Motel 6. Travel lodgings are definitely a good franchise investment.
