Growing. No one said it was easy. After achieving amazing success as an independent, Texas-based JP & Associates REALTORS® (JPAR) decided to take it to the next level and start franchising in late 2018.
Since then, they’ve experienced rapid growth, securing more than 50 franchise locations across 17 states. This type of growth doesn’t come without a few hard earned lessons, though. For any company thinking of entering the franchise world, the leadership team at JPAR has a few words of wisdom to impart:
Brand awareness is important
As a young franchise, they hear a lot of questions like, “Who is JPAR? What is JPAR?” Making sure that people outside of the organization’s current footprint recognize your brand is the first step. As a franchisor, JPAR works hard to market the brand across the country.
“As the first franchise owners in North Carolina, we spent the first year almost exclusively focusing on brand awareness,” stated franchise partner Jenny Edwards,co-owner JPAR Legacy Group. “In our small market, loyalty to their current firm was our largest hurdle with potential agents and brand awareness goes a long way to dispel their fears.”
Communication is key
As a startup, it’s not enough to have a great value proposition. You have to be able to effectively communicate it to your audience. “Selling a franchise is more than just a transaction. It’s a very emotional purchase and at the end of the day, these are real people that are changing their lives. You want to make sure that you are setting them up for the best success possible,” said Angela Oakes, VP of National Expansion & Industry Relations. “The wrong communication about the franchise offering can make or break a deal.”
Know your people
“Having the right people in the right positions is crucial to any success,” said Giuseppe “JP” Piccinini, founder/owner of JPAR. “When you expand into franchising, you have to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your team. We have an amazing leadership team and this prioritization of our leadership allows for focused growth in all areas. We believe in putting the right people in the right positions.”
Think of franchise partners as clients
“Entering a franchise partnership is a lot like a marriage. It requires commitment from both parties and effective communication,” continued Angela Oakes. “One of the most important mottos we follow is this: we work for them. Our goal is to make the lives of our franchise partners easy so they can focus on growing their new business.”
To that end, JPAR provides support for both owners and agents. All franchisees receive a robust technology platform to enhance the transaction fee model, making them one of the most competitive brokerages in their market. Additionally, JPAR provides compliance support, ownership training, and more to give franchise owners a solid foundation when starting.
Don’t stop listening, and keep communication open
“Through the good, the bad, and the ugly, we are a family. Celebrating our JPAR family’s wins and learning from our losses is a key part of growing together,” shared Andy Brumbaugh, JPAR Magnolia Group franchise partner.
“Listening to our franchise partners is important because they experience this change first-hand and have a front row seat to what works and what doesn’t. We wouldn’t know what we need to improve upon if it wasn’t for their generous communication,” commented Geoff Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of JPAR Franchising/President of Vesuvius Holdings.
Taking the leap from being an independent or an agent to being a franchise can be a scary step. However, with the right support, tools, and a stellar offer, JPAR is proof you can find success.
To learn more about the franchising opportunities available at JPAR, visit www.jpar.com/franchising/.