For 30 years Andy Atkinson would make the same journey to work at his KFC franchises in the Blackpool area.
Then one day a call came in with an offer he and his two co-directors couldn’t refuse.
Andy, who was on the KFC Council, a member of the company’s Advertising Board and secretary of the KFC Franchisee Association, decided to sell his businesses and move on.
It wasn’t an easy choice to make, with his firm roots in the fast food business - his uncle was responsible for opening the first KFC in 1965 in Preston, Lancashire.
So what does someone with all that experience decide to do once they have sold up?
OPTIONS
“I had quite a few options,” Andy explains, “but the most interesting came from an unexpected source.
“I had been using a company to print and deliver leaflets for me for about eight years and the response we achieved was way beyond anything we had been able to gain using traditional means.
The company’s name is Voucher Packs and what makes it unique is the way the brand packages its product and uses Royal Mail to deliver it.
These simple steps and a few other trade secrets combine to produce exceptional response rates.
“We had returns of approaching 20 per cent, which I know is incredibly high - KFC expected around one per cent,” says Andy.
“So when Voucher Packs managing director Andrew Wareing told me about his plans for the expansion of his business via franchising and his new website I was very interested.
“He has made good progress in developing a successful franchise model and this is the area that has real potential in this marketplace.
“There are thousands of people looking for a great business idea and I think Voucher Packs is it, so much so that I have decided to take on the Blackpool franchise.”
FORMULA
There are various reasons why Andy thinks the formula works:
• The great results he achieved for his KFC business - one in five households used the vouchers.
• Delivered by Royal Mail.
• Good quality packaging.
• Easy to follow model for franchisees.
• Quality training on leaflet design, plus easy access to a team of designers.
• Simple procedures.
“From my experience in franchising, the support offered by Voucher Packs is as good as or even better than KFC,” Andy enthuses.
“I think Andrew has an easy job on his hands, as all he needs to do is tell people about what he does and they should be queuing at his door.
“There are thousands of people looking for a great idea to put their effort into - they should take a Voucher Packs franchise.”
EARNINGS
Andy adds: “I spoke to David - one of his other franchisees - and his experience was similar.
“He is earning over £40,000 per year from a franchise he started only a couple of years ago in Chorley.
“Most importantly, many of the customers David launched with are still with him two years later and include leading names such as Domino’s, KFC and leading local businesses.
“That gave me more reason to sit down with Andrew, someone I had grown to trust during the time he did our leaflets for KFC.
“When we first met I gave Andrew 10 minutes to tell me about what he planned to do to promote my KFC businesses, but the meeting lasted an hour and I was impressed.
“The media landscape has changed completely over the last 20 years. I have seen most things and tried them all - Voucher Packs achieved results, it really works.
“When I had the results from my first mailing I told Andrew that it was the best 10 minutes I had spent, and that remains the same 10 years later.
“The new owners still use Voucher Packs to drive sales and other franchisees use it wherever Andrew has a mailing - they want more areas with a Voucher Packs presence.
“I have now taken the Blackpool franchise and I spend my time using my experience and knowledge to help small businesses market themselves more effectively and grow their customer base.
“There is no better or more fulfilling job.”
For more information call Andrew Wareing on 01253 892814.