As CEO and Founder of Design the Planet, an award-winning marketing and branding firm based in New Orleans, LA, Adrienne Folse specializes in helping entrepreneurs develop, strategize, and implement a full-scale marketing plan to build or improve their franchise concept. Most would-be franchisers think that a logo, website, and franchise contract is all it takes to construct a potentially successful franchisable business; unfortunately, they are mistaken.

Besides vital necessities like a business plan, sound financial backing, and marketing and positioning ideas, there is so much more that is required to make a franchise-ready business model really different and valuable as a cohesive package for possible franchisees.

Along the way, Adrienne has established a tried-and-true checklist that franchisers should have in place before launch. “A potential concept needs several vital components to achieve optimum success,” says Folse. “Ensuring that a concept incorporates these key factors saves our clients time and money while improving their success rate significantly.”

Here is Adrienne’s overview of what it takes to truly be “franchise -ready”: 



1. A unique (or uniquely different) concept or business model with clear differentiation 


2. A concept or business model that is repeatable

3. Brand values that are understood internally 


4. A Brand Value Proposition that is understood and in demand externally 


5. All information about the brand concept, documented in a way that can be saved and shared

6. A clearly defined marketing and advertising plan, including budgeting and ROI measuring 


7. All job descriptions, accountability, & training specific to each job, documented in a way that can be saved and shared

8. All aspects of the franchise’s look-and-feel, customer experience, and service delivery must be consistent and maintained from location to location (e.g.: signage, interior space planning, color scheme, etc.) 


9. Employee brand immersion must be evident throughout the organization 


10. Internal and external communications and social media interaction that is consistent and on-brand