Consider using member suppliers for whatever your franchise needs.

By Mary Ann O’Connell, CFE

Is there any business owner who  has built a business without any outside assistance or influence? The printer who created your cards, the U.S. Postal Service, computer manufacturer, Internet provider – together, you built your success. How many were IFA members?

The IFA 2019 slogan, “Together, We Are Franchising” conjures images of each stakeholder in the IFA community learning and working together for favorable legislation, ever-growing franchise systems, and camaraderie among peers and within systems. To the members of the Supplier Forum it also means being invested in the IFA alongside our franchisor and franchisee clients as their agents for success. For that to happen, we must all do business with each other.

IFA is supporting an initiative to work and grow together called IFA Advantage. When looking for goods and services, look first to the members of the IFA Supplier Forum.

Why?

Working Together: Your success is their success and, together, we all make franchising successful. Many suppliers work exclusively in the franchise sector, so building strong, successful and legally compliant brands keeps them and you in business.

Supporting the Cause: IFA Supplier Forum Members have committed to the long-term success of franchising through their investment in the organization. Did you know that suppliers are the dominant force in the IFA finances? They pay dues, fill the exhibit halls, sponsor all the IFA events, buy advertising and are the largest percentage of max donors to FranPAC? Their financial support makes possible many of your IFA membership benefits.

Staying Informed: Their membership gives them the latest information on changes in the sector and you gain the advantage of an informed provider. The world is changing fast; legislative and regulatory changes can quickly undermine what you are doing. A supplier who uses its membership to stay abreast of changes then share and apply it becomes an asset that others might not be able to offer.

Shared Best Practices: They usually work with multiple systems and can share best practices that make us all better. Within each franchise system, franchisees are encouraged to share ideas that can be used to move the brand forward. We all know the benefit of networking with our peers at events such as the convention. Supplier members work with scores of brands and have large networks. They can see what is working well in individual systems, compare those methods to your circumstances and help you tailor solutions that can happen only through this unique insight.

Ongoing Education: Many have completed their CFEs, and offer deeper expertise. Knowledge is power and knowledge gathered through the CFE program can make your suppliers powerful “partners” in your success.  Again, their membership offers unique insights.

Meeting Specific Needs: The services are often tailored to the specific needs of the franchise model. There are many supplier members who first worked for a franchisor or were franchisees. Pair that perspective with everything above and your system gets an invaluable asset in the pursuit of your goals.

It takes only a few steps for franchisors and franchisees to benefit from working with IFA Supplier Members:

Step 1: Buy IFA first. Consider IFA Supplier members when looking for any product of services for you or your franchisees.

Step 2: Include membership as a qualifying point in every RFP.

Step 3: Support those suppliers who have a CFE designation.

Step 4: Invite suppliers to support and attend your conferences.

Step 5: Ask all of your non-member suppliers to join IFA.

To balance the equation, supplier members can contribute more than their expertise by:

Offering preferred pricing to IFA members. Some suppliers offer preferred pricing to fellow IFA members. Just as American Express says, “Membership has its privileges.”

Bringing their non-IFA-member clients into the organization. All suppliers should work hard to bring non-member brands into the organization. The top three recruiters each year are supplier members. It’s simple to promote what you believe in.

Referring only IFA-member suppliers to their franchisor/franchisee clients. Many suppliers get approached daily by other new suppliers who want to tap into the networks for franchisor/franchisee introductions. If they want the introductions, the supplier should require that they first commit to IFA membership.

Using IFA Supplier and Franchise members’ services, too. One example: As FranWise prepared for this convention, we shopped only franchise systems to choose one to redo our booth and print our new collateral and promotional items. It was Hot Dish Advertising, the same business that redid the FranWise branding three years ago. There is so much talent available to all of us.

Think about it; every franchisor, franchisee and supplier should be able to run its business using only IFA members. Together, we truly are franchising.

As you attend the IFA Annual Convention each year, create a “shopping list” of needed resources and come to the exhibitor hall with a plan. There you will find hundreds of suppliers with a sign designating them as IFA members. Map out the floor and use the time well. Talk to them. Study them. Work with them.

If you didn’t see them there, supplier members are easily found on the IFA website and in the printed Supplier Directory.

There are so many reasons to buy from IFA members first, but the best is that when we work together, we grow together and growth is the goal.

Mary Ann O’Connell, CFE, is Founder and President of FranWise, a franchise counseling service. She is a member of the IFA Board of Directors. She can be reached at info@FranWise.net.

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