Franchising is simply a method for expanding a business and distributing goods and services through a licensing relationship. In franchising, franchisors (a person or company that grants the license to a third party for the conducting of a business under their marks) not only specify the products and services that will be offered by the franchisees (a person or company who is granted the license to do business under the trademark and trade name by the franchisor), but also provide them with an operating system, brand and support. A brief separate glossary of franchising terms is available on IFA’s website at http://www.franchise.org/what-are-common-franchise-terms
Business Format Franchising
There are two different types of franchising relationships. Business Format Franchising is the type most identifiable to the average person. In a business format franchise relationship the franchisor provides to the franchisee not just its trade name, products and services, but an entire system for operating the business. The franchisee generally receives site selection and development support, operating manuals, training, brand standards, quality control, a marketing strategy and business advisory support from the franchisor. More than 120 diverse industries use franchising as their route to market including: