The Pine Tree State is known for its fisheries, shipbuilding, forestry, and aerospace industries. And then there’s that breathtaking Atlantic Ocean coastal scenery and the welcoming islands. Maine is also a good place to start a business.
You want to be your own boss. But what kind of company do you want to call your own? What type of business can you start small, with minimal investment, and reasonably expect to grow to a size that matches your ambition?
Consider an insurance agency franchise. Here’s why.
What Is a Business Franchise, and Why Should I Consider Becoming a Franchisee?
One of the greatest challenges to starting any kind of business anywhere is the lack of name recognition. Why should any Maine resident consider your product or service when they’ve never even heard of you or your company? Your brand is a mystery to them, and they have so many better-known competitors out there.
That’s a challenge that being a franchise operator, or franchisee, addresses in a big way. A business franchise buys the right to conduct business with a larger company’s name, brand, signage, training, and way of doing business.
You see and patronize franchise operations in virtually every large city, small town, and village in Maine and every other state you visit. They are the familiar names you see even if you’re somewhere you’ve never been before.
As long as you operate a franchise of a successful company, your customers know who you are and feel confident that you can meet their needs. If they’ve ever enjoyed eating at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Bangor or staying at a Hilton Hotel in Portland, they’ll seek you out if you own a franchise with the same brand name in Lewiston or Orono.
Your franchisor’s name, logo, and signage are valuable because they are associated with the customer’s prior experiences at a different location. That means you don’t need to spend so much time, capital, and energy introducing yourself and explaining your background and expertise. Without running a single pricey television commercial or putting up a billboard, they already know you. They know, respect, and seek out your brand.
Another benefit of operating a franchise from a successful company is that they can show you how to avoid making the same mistakes they made when their company was young. This is particularly important if you’re looking for easy franchises to start as a first-time business owner. Your franchisor should make sure you’re properly trained in operating your business the right way — the way that made the franchisor a success.
But while you’ll have guidance, you’ll make your own decisions. After all, the company is still yours, even though it has close ties to the better-known company. You’re on your own, but with valuable help and guidance when you need it.
A word of caution: It’s vital to ensure that your franchisor has left a favorable impression on customers. Just as you’ll benefit from the franchisor’s good reputation, you’ll unfairly be judged negatively if that brand is tarnished.
So go ahead and look for franchises for sale in Maine. Just make sure your business is associated with a trusted and respected brand. If you’re located in a less populated area, consider that some businesses make better franchises for small towns than others.
Why Consider an Insurance Agency Franchise?
Everyone needs insurance. If that’s an exaggeration or an easy generalization, it’s not by much. Think about it. Every time you see a home in Portland, an apartment building in Orono, or a car buzzing through traffic in Lewiston, there’s an insurance product behind it.
Consider auto insurance. It’s mandatory in this state, as it is in most others. Every driver must carry at least a minimal level of coverage. That’s a lot of policies just waiting to be written. Homeowners coverage works the same way. Your home lender won’t lend unless you’re insured.
As a result, “Mainiacs” are constantly in the market for insurance coverage of one kind or another. Your client base is as long and wide as the state. It’s no wonder that State Farm, Allstate, Freeway Insurance, The Hanover Insurance Group, Liberty Mutual, and others all do good business in Maine.
But your impressive customer base isn’t the only reason to consider buying an insurance franchise in this state. Read on.
Start Small, Go Big
From a startup point of view, an insurance agency franchise is ideal. Many other business categories might require that you first make steep financial investments in real estate, equipment, product inventory, and a workforce. But with an insurance franchise, you are the star attraction as the agent.
If you explore insurance agency franchises for sale in Maine, you’ll see that the franchise cost is much lower than it might be in many other categories. That’s because starting up doesn’t require much more than business cards, a website, a phone, and a winning attitude.
However, that low point of entry doesn’t mean your potential is limited in any way. If you’re dedicated, hard-working, and committed to success, your prospects of making money as an insurance agent are almost unlimited. You can start your business on your own and only hire employees as the need arises and your company and customer base grows.
In that way, an insurance franchise is the best of all entrepreneurial options. You’re independent, your own boss, but have the support and instant name recognition of a large and successful insurance company.
Prime Insurance Franchise Opportunity Starts With Freeway Insurance
You’re on your own as a Freeway Insurance franchise operator — when you want to be. But first, you get top-tier training, and then you receive support and guidance when you want it. You also gain the value of name recognition with the Freeway brand, one of the largest and most respected personal lines brands in the nation.
As an independent insurance agent with Freeway, you’ll also gain access to multiple major national and regional insurance carriers. That’s a powerful advantage over competitors who might only represent a single brand. It gives you a strong inventory of the insurance products your customers know and want.
There are plenty of Freeway franchise opportunities here in Maine. Find out how to build a financially rewarding insurance franchise of your own.
Contact us online or by calling (877) 330-1410 to speak to a representative today.
