How to Start Your Own Graphic Design Franchise

Starting your own graphic design business is the dream of many creative-minded individuals. But if you’re reluctant to jump through all the traditional loopholes of starting your own business, starting a graphic design franchise might be the perfect option for you.

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Many thousands of Brits dream of starting their own business, but only a small proportion ever go through with it; almost 30% say that the process is too complex [City A.M.]. Starting a business of your own comes with plenty of challenges and no small amount of risk, but it’s also one of the best ways to become your own boss and make some big profits for yourself.

And that’s why franchising is such a popular option. As a franchisee, you’ll be able to enjoy all of the benefits of being your own boss, working to your own schedule, and reaping the rewards of this competitive industry. If that all sounds good, here’s what you need to know to start your own graphic design franchise.

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>> Read more:

• Get Creative With These Graphic Design Franchise Opportunities
• How to Become a Graphic Designer
• How to Make a Career Change with a Graphic Design Franchise

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What does a graphic design franchisee do?

Graphic design businesses work across a wide range of industries. On any given day, you could find yourself producing new graphics and designs for a client’s website, while on the next, you could be designing eye-catching new signs for bars and restaurants.

So as a graphic design franchisee, you can expect to be taking the lead on creative designing in a number of different ways, on a few different projects, often at the same time. You will need to be well-organised to work in a sector as busy as this, but for the right franchisee, this can be a vastly profitable opportunity.

Why start a graphic design franchise?

Each new franchisee brings a whole range of experience that makes each franchisee unique. But to work in a sector as competitive as this one, there are a few essential skills that you will need:

• Organisation
• Determination
• Ambition
• Multi-tasking
• Leadership
• Communication

Starting a new business always tests you, but with the right skills, you’ll be able to overcome them with ease. If you can overcome these challenges, you will be in a perfect position to make a career change with a graphic design franchise, and make the most of this busy industry.

So, if you’re ready to run your own business, here’s how you can start your own graphic design franchise.

Graphic design will always be a necessary tool for artistic, economic, marketing and architectural expression, and will continue to evolve as a result of advances in technology and online mediums. - Natalie Norcross, Forbes

How to start your own graphic design franchise

1. Highlight your own skills

Most franchises don’t ask you to have prior experience in sales, business management or, sometimes, even graphic design to start your own business. What matters more is you: your skills, ambitions, qualities and motivation. As mentioned above, there are some skills that will really help you stand out as you start to move through the process of starting your own franchise business, but that’s not all.

Your franchise will likely give you extensive training and support when it comes to some of the finer points of running your business, but it’s worth highlighting the skills that you currently have, as well as some of your weaknesses. These weaknesses can form the backbone of your ongoing training, so it’s worth starting your franchising journey from a place of self-reflection.

2. Research franchises

There are many big graphic design franchises working in the industry, and though all of them may seem attractive to some extent, you have the unenviable task of choosing just one. So, how do you go about picking the right franchise for you?

The first step is to research the industry. Consider some of the up-and-coming trends changing the way the industry works, some of the big franchises, and what you think you could do differently. All of these will give you a good understanding of where the sector will end up moving. With that knowledge, you can find the franchises best placed to capitalise on future growth.

So, with a good knowledge of the industry as a whole, you then need to research franchises. Consider some of the following questions:

• Do I agree with the franchise ethos?
• What are the financing costs? Are they affordable?
• What training and support is on offer?
• Are there business, financial and growth tutors available to you?
• What kinds of working patterns will you need to work to?

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>> Read more:

• Franchising 101: The Official Franchise Start Up Checklist (Part 1)
• Franchising 101: The Official Franchise Start Up Checklist (Part 2)
• New Year, New Career: No Better Time Than Now to Start a Franchise Today
• Franchising 101: 8 Signs You're Ready to Start a Franchise
• Starting a New Business Doesn't Always Lead to Immediate Success: Here Are 5 Ways to Change That
• It's Never Too Late to Start a New Business

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3. Finance your business

One of the bigger challenges you will need to overcome is how to finance your business. You will need to consider the immediate costs of starting your business, but also some of the extra hidden costs, such as running costs and franchising fees.

If you can pay-out right away, you can go ahead and get started. But for many aspiring business owners, you will need to consider ways of financing. Thankfully, there are a few options open to you. As franchising is seen as such a safe investment, many banks and lenders are prepared to lend up to 70% of your start-up costs.

Some franchises will even have dedicated financial brokers to help you get the best possible rates, so there’s no reason why finance should stop you from pursuing your franchising dream.

Start your own graphic design franchise today

If starting a graphic design business is your dream, having the support of a big franchise can make all the difference. You’ll have better job security, get to be your own boss, and be able to reap all the rewards of a profitable sector.

Running a graphic design business can be the perfect career choice for many people, but if it isn’t quite right for you, there are a whole range of other opportunities on the UK franchise directory.