A new survey by BusinessesForSale.com and The Franchise Exhibitions has revealed key insights about franchise investors in 2025 - and what their priorities are.
The Spotlight on Franchising Survey 2025 asked investors what the most attractive component of a franchise business was, with training and support coming in at the top of the wishlist. During difficult economic times, the guidance and support which franchisors can provide is especially valuable to both first-time and experienced entrepreneurs.
Providing detailed information in recruitment materials about the training programmes on offer – especially how it can help franchisees achieve rapid ROI – can help persuade them that your brand is the right one.
Interestingly, survey respondents valued training and ‘the franchisor’s commitment’ higher than both ‘growth potential’ and ‘brand strength’. This suggest that investors value building strong working relationships with franchisors, and highlights the importance of building these connections at in-person exhibitions and open days. ‘An effective marketing strategy’ and ‘a future-proof business model’ were two of the other most highly-valued components of a franchise business.
What Kinds of People are Investing in Franchises in 2025?
A growing trend emerged among individuals aged 35-54, who were the most populous age group in the survey, while nearly a third (29%) of respondents were aged 55 and above.
When asked about their employment status, more respondents said they were in full-time employment than those that owned their own business or franchise. This could suggest there is a growing number of first-time franchisees who are in the middle stages of their careers, potentially due to career shifts or redundancy.
The survey also showed that a third (33%) of potential franchise investors are female, with 1% of respondents identifying as non-binary and the majority identifying as male. Franchisors should keep these demographics in mind when seeking out new investors.
How Much are Franchisees Willing to Invest?
Just under a quarter of franchise investors said they would be willing to invest between £50,000 and £100,000, while a further 15% said they would invest more than £100,000. This demonstrates an appetite for high-value franchises and investors with access to capital.
There was also a clear demand for low-cost franchises, with 30% of people saying they would invest between £20,000 and £50,000.
What is Stopping Franchisees from Investing?
The survey also asked potential franchise investors what might hold them back from investing. By a long distance, the most common response was ‘finding the right franchise brand’ – which suggests that visibility, and standing out from the crowd amid a variety of investment opportunities, could be the biggest challenge faced by franchisors in 2025.
Advertising your franchise on platforms such as BusinessesForSale.com and exhibiting at The Franchise Exhibitions remain effective ways of getting in front of potential investors. Franchisors should also be thinking about their SEO strategy and how they can stand out in organic search, as well as in AI programmes such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
Among the other things which franchisees said could stop them from investing were ‘territory availability’, ‘concerns about the economy’ and ‘access to funding’. Franchisors who have a stable brand reputation and strong relationships with lenders will be appealing prospects for potential investors.