If you’ve ever caught yourself admiring some type of construction work–whether it be vinyl siding, paint, carpet, whatever – and curious about preconstruction meaning, as well as the intricacies of a construction project’s process–you may also find yourself thinking of doing that type of work as a career, especially if your current employment is stagnant, unfulfilling, or insecure.

The fact that you are inspired by the work of others shows that you have a heart for the trade. Once you’ve got that, you’ll be willing to do what it takes to succeed–learning the skills, doing the legwork, and making a quality product.

Of course, the main reason you haven’t already started a business is probably the fear of finding a market. You have no identity, no customer base, and no marketing program. Would-be entrepreneurs like you are the reason that people interested in starting a concrete business have turned to a franchise system so that they can stop being would-be entrepreneurs and just be entrepreneurs.

Tying in with a franchise carries some important benefits that far outweigh the initial investment required. Let’s look at why it can be so helpful to franchise.

Smart Marketing

Perhaps the thing that will first catch your attention about franchising is the marketing support you will receive. Instead of simply slapping a cheap magnetic sign on the door of your truck, you’ll have the whole package–a color scheme, logo, and even a slogan. All of it has been developed by professionals with an eye toward making you distinctive, memorable, and recognizable–all the things a marketing campaign should do.

Of course, there will always be someone who thinks it’s more important to have substance over style, and it is true that it’s pointless to be well-marketed if you don’t have the skills. But if you are an experienced craftsperson, you will be more successful than comparable competitors because of the strong, local marketing campaign. You have to get the skills, yes. But you’ll be more successful if you do a great job of marketing them, too.

A Partner Who Will Help You Succeed

Joining a company as a franchisee does more than just give you a brand, though. It also gives you a support network that has a vested interest in your success.

That’s what makes it different when you invest your money in becoming a franchise as opposed to your taking money from outside investors. Those funders may provide some much-needed capital, but they won’t necessarily make you any better at how you spend money. Yet they’ll stand impatiently by, waiting for you to begin returning some dividends to them.

As a franchisee, you will have to put up some money, but in return you’ll get technical support, business management advice, and an existing reputation to tie into. You’ll never be left out in the cold to develop your own marketing system, product lines, or anything else. They’ll always have your back.

Competition Management

One of the biggest concerns for any business is the presence of competition, so the successful franchise must not only limit external competition, it should also eliminate internal competition by assigning market areas.

While your franchise can’t directly prevent competition from independent operators or franchisees from other brands, it can definitely give you a superior product and a better marketing campaign that will keep those other companies at bay.

Once you establish the quality of your product as being superior to that of the independent companies, you will have a strong foothold in a guaranteed market. All that’s left to do is to go out and find the work, then do the work.

Striking out on your own is always going to be a big decision. It’s never one to enter into lightly. Instead, you should do your research, make a plan, and use good sense in executing it. Without fail, the research of potential entrepreneurs will steer them toward franchising, and it’s clear why it does. You’ll have better support, better marketing, and better protection for your quality work.