Before taking any steps toward franchising, and wasting your time and money, we suggest an initial meeting to draw the profile and strategic view of your business.

The meeting will discuss the outlines and directions of the proposed franchise and explore whether there are enough elements to make it successful in the Middle East.

This includes testing and comparing the business to know your strong and weak points, understanding the motivation, how the proposal fits in the overall long term strategy of the business and meeting the people likely to be involved.

If there are areas of concern or the proposal clearly does not look suitable for franchising in the Middle East, we will say so. It is not our role just to sell franchising, but also to give honest, straightforward advice to ensure a successful project.

There are also many other issues to be considered carefully in this stage; like:

• The reasons for developing a franchise strategy in the Middle East should be based on good business sense and not just the wish to have a presence in these markets.
• You should be running at least two outlets for a reasonable length of time (this might vary in different sectors).
• The domestic business should be successful and strong with sufficiently developed systems and resources to support an international arm.
• Understanding all international development options and their full impact on the business to ensure franchising is the most appropriate development option.
• Ensure the timing is right for the business to enter the international arena.
• What are the targeted counties, the likely competition you might face and the likely demand for your products?

If your business pass all these initial tests and we think it may benefit from a franchise strategy in the Middle East, we will go on to discuss what is involved in developing a professional, ethical franchise and the likely costs and benefits.