iDropped Turned to SMB Franchise Advisors for Vital Next Steps in Brand Development

Partnership allowed for continued growth at a crucial stage in the life cycle of iDropped

SPONSOREDUpdated 12:12PM • 09/09/16

Founded in 2012, iDropped was born as a natural solution to a common problem that serial entrepreneur Chad Altier experienced first hand. “He and his wife bought an iPad and less than 24 hours later, their two year old daughter had dropped it and cracked the screen,” explained Director, Marketing & Brand Development for SMB Franchise Advisors Dawn Abbamondi. “After going through the frustration of being turned away by the original retailer and not being covered under warranty, Altier thought certainly a better repair option should exist for consumers.”

As an emerging franchisor, iDropped currently has two franchise stores, five company locations and one licensee. Altier connected with Steve Beagelman and SMB Franchise Advisors earlier this year after exhibiting at a regional franchise trade show in Philadelphia where he had dinner with a few other current SMB Franchise Advisors clients.

“During a business dinner, Chad was describing to a group of peers where he was in his franchise development and asked what some of his next steps needed to be if he wanted to continue to grow,” said Beagelman. “It was at that dinner when he was referred to us.”

Engaged in an initial three month contract beginning this February, SMB Franchise Advisors has taken on the role of updating iDropped’s FDD including an analysis and revamp of the brand’s Item 19, rewriting the franchisor's business terms and developing a new sales presentation to streamline and enhance the brand’s messaging to franchise candidates.

“Many of the brands we meet with come up against the same hurdles at different points along their growth trajectory, and for young brands ready to really focus on franchise development, the Item 19 and consistent messaging are two of the most common ones,” said Abbamondi. “While brands are really good at what they do, they are relatively new to franchising. Often, they need help on how to present themselves to tell an effective story to candidates. We help them clarify why their concept, from the numbers to the brand mission and vision, is the right venture for new franchise owners.”

Beagelman says iDropped’s locations, both franchise and company-owned, are performing well and the brand’s leaders were just in need of some guidance in order to figure out how to best tell that story.

With iDropped, a major focus has been on solidifying the brand’s messaging regardless of platform - from their sales presentation to PR efforts, to the FDD. Abbamondi stressed the importance of making sure no matter where a franchise candidate comes into contact with your brand first, the messaging across the board should tell the same story.

“It’s really simple, franchise candidates want to know what you stand for, how much it will cost them, when they will break even and how much they can expect to make,” Abbamondi elaborated. “With our collective years of senior level experience within large franchise systems and now as advisors, we are trained to be able to analyze and elevate these key points and bring them to the forefront. Then, the brand can consistently attract the right candidates.”

Abbamondi says SMB Franchise Advisors was pleased when approached by Altier not only because the company already has experience in the space, but also because it was clear from the first meeting that iDropped has been built for success. “It’s always exciting to partner with a brand that already has a strong foundation because it allows us to focus what we do best, supporting the franchising aspect of the business,” she said.

After the initial phase of work is complete, SMB Franchise Advisors looks forward to continuing its partnership with iDropped. “We believe in this concept and it’s been a pleasure to work with Chad and his team,” said Beagelman.

With SMB Franchise Advisors guidance, iDropped’s first major recruitment effort after the release of it’s new FDD, sales presentation and business terms will be exhibiting at the International Franchise Expo in New York this June.

For more information about SMB Franchise Advisors, click here.

*This brand is a paid partner of 1851 Franchise. For more information on paid partnerships please click here.

iDropped Turned to SMB Franchise Advisors for Vital Next Steps in Brand Development

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