Franchising 101: It All Starts with the Website

Researching and finding the right franchise opportunity is not all that different from a job search – it all starts with the website. This is where anyone is able to land on the information they need to learn more about the concept, the culture and the people behind the brand. When it comes to franchising, the franchise development website should have all of this information and more.

Myehla Reneau, franchisee of Primrose School of Grant Park in Atlanta, Georgia, had heard of the Primrose concept before she was in the market for a business of her own. Her niece was enrolled in the private preschool, and Reneau recalled thinking how it was different from what she imagined daycare would feel like when picking her up from school one day. Years later, when Reneau was looking at different business ownership opportunities, she heard an advertisement on the radio for Primrose Schools mentioning that there were franchising opportunities available in her market. She knew she had to look into the concept and the franchise development website was exactly where she started.

When you went to Primrose’s franchise development website, what did you think? What were some of the questions it answered for you?

I spent a lot of time on the website reviewing the information and watching their franchisee videos. I loved how Primrose spotlighted franchise owners of all different ages, ethnicities and professional backgrounds. Overall, the website was incredibly comprehensive. It clearly articulated the franchise opportunity and really helped me imagine myself in the role of a franchise owner while also reinforcing what a meaningful career opportunity owning a school would be. The Primrose website really explained what was involved in the franchise process and I valued the transparency, their clarity around the owner-operator model and the expectation that all of the franchise owners are involved in the community. They were also very clear about the time investment and financial requirements as well.

Over the years, Primrose has continued to enhance their website and I’ve enjoyed watching how it has evolved. For example, they now have lots of pictures and examples of what traditional schools look like compared to converted schools, urban schools versus suburban schools, etc. They have also added videos with franchise owners that highlight how they became involved with the brand.

What did the franchise development website tell you about the brand and about the franchise ownership opportunity?

Primrose prides itself on being the leader in early education and care – not simply a daycare center – and that immediately resonated with me. The messaging was very clear and the website really represented a top-tier, premium offering. Primrose represented quality – whether that applied to the school building itself, the requirements for franchise owners or the quality of the Balanced Learning® curriculum. Everything was very clear in terms of the quality that Primrose expected and presented.

What resonated with you most when it comes to the franchise development website?

The videos. They really gave a sense of what parents could expect. As a business owner, it was nice to see “the other side of the counter.” It’s great to try to sell me on what the back office looks like, but it’s important to see what parents see, because it’s our job to maintain that quality. I also liked how the website showed the different career backgrounds of the franchise owners. A lot of parents have asked me if my background is in education – and it’s not! Primrose franchise owners are consultants, dentists, and a variety of other professions. Everyone has different backgrounds. What makes a great Primrose franchise owner is a love for children and families, as well as an interest in bringing something new and interesting to the community and business acumen.

What types of questions did you ask once you connected with someone at the brand after looking through the website?

First, I was interested in learning more about where the company saw itself growing. I am an urban girl – I like concrete and grit and contemporary design. I wanted to know how serious Primrose was about expanding into urban markets, since they had traditionally operated suburban schools. Then, I asked more traditional questions: Do you have sites identified? What is the timeframe from start to finish? What hurdles or obstacles do we need to cross? I wanted to know more about the general framework for the opportunity