In May this year, a record four Dream Doors franchisees topped £100,000 in monthly sales. Six-figures had been reached in a single month before but, until this year, only three franchisees had ever managed it – and never at the same time.
The year started well when, in January, two franchisees broke through the £100k barrier for the first time in the same month. Dream Doors' Poole and Worcester branches took orders for kitchen makeovers worth £106,908 and £102,638 respectively.
In February, yet another monthly record was broken when three franchisees sold more than £100,000. Dream Doors Chilterns became the fourth franchise to join the six-figure club with sales of £112,148, while Dream Doors Oxford managed it for the seventh time with a monthly turnover of £155,659. They were joined by Dream Doors Poole's owners, Clive Coldwell and Angela Lowe, who sold another £106,603 and, in doing so, became the first franchisees to have back-to-back £100k months – a feat Angela admits wouldn't have been possible on their own.
“Achieving the second highest annual turnover last year was amazing,” Angela said. “But we're breaking records this time round. Sales like that can only be achieved if you have the right support network around you, whether that is staff or suppliers, the franchisor or your family.”
Top franchisee sales in March and April came from showrooms in Norwich and Lincoln with £93,369 and £94,107. And then, in May, four franchisees surpassed the £100,000 mark. Dream Doors Poole were there again with sales of £120,857, while Dream Doors Oxford managed it for the second time this year with takings of £139,381. They were matched by two first-timers, with franchisees in Croydon and Bromley on £102,089 and Southampton on £102,762.
Naturally, Dream Doors Southampton's owner, Sean Hebdon, was elated after doubling his average monthly sales: “We're over the moon. This business just gets better and better,” he said. “Fortunately we have all the facilities and established procedures in place to cope with such a surge of business. I've even been able to take some time off to spend with my family!”
Asked why a record nine six-figure months have been achieved before the year's half-way point, Dream Doors' founder and managing director, Troy Tappenden, believes a mix of marketing expertise, brand power and wider economic optimism is at play.
“Our online strategy generates the largest chunk of leads and sales, but franchisees' own local marketing is slicker than ever,” he says. “Dream Doors is a powerful brand, with a concept that appeals to a wide range of homeowners. But I would definitely say the economy has played its part as well. There's much more optimism out there right now, and we have the fastest growing economy in the Western world. People are spending, and that is reflected in our turnover.”