Your retail franchise agreement says a lot about you, and more than just what is put into words. This document is very significant not only because it is one of the closing deals for obtaining your franchise, but because it is your last chance to show your competence before opening.
This document will send subconscious signals to its readers about your attention to detail by way of how thorough the writing is. It will show how well organized you are through its own organization and flow.
This document will show how important the company is, and how much work you put into appearance by its appearance.
This document is your chance to show your parent company that every task you do, you do with the same diligence and effort regardless its scope of importance and difficulty.
Things to Consider in the Design of the Retail Franchise Agreement
Obviously, the writing is very important in your retail franchise agreement, and it is best to have it designed by a firm or writer who has skill in business contract drafting. There should be little room for misinterpretation, and it should be easy to navigate the document.
The order in which the topics are covered should be in order of importance to the company’s interests rather than your own as well. When designing the flow and wording of the document, consider above all things what matters most to the company your business will represent. Showing willingness to view this from their perspective will show your willingness to cooperate and consider their needs above your own. This is important.
Spacing and formatting of the text in your retail franchise agreement is equally important. Cramming too much text in a page makes it harder to read, and makes it more of a nuisance for the readers. A longer page count is acceptable in the eyes of most, if it means less writing crammed into a unit of space.
Appearance matters as well. It’s always good to go that extra mile and choose a nice letterhead that looks professional, but isn’t overdone and gaudy. Choosing a nice font is important, and it’s never a good idea to be overly ornate with it. Many contracts, for example, tend to be done in Arial, rather than Times New Roman, which has too many serifs.
If this document is being printed and personally presented to the company, the stock it is printed on will matter. Choosing a thicker, more robust paper tells them you think highly of them. It also shows them how much you value this document and its implications.
Finally, if a digital form of this document is to exist, choose a format that works well on three factors.
First, make sure the format allows for security, so the contract cannot be tampered with. This is important, and your attention to security will speak well of you in their eyes. Second, make sure it allows you to meet the standards of appearance stated above. Therefore, plain text and most word processor formats are out of the question for appearance and security.
Lastly, make sure the format is convenient, and can be opened by most if not all platforms a business may use. This includes mobile devices of various shapes and sizes. PDF is one such format that allows for all three of these things, but there are other choices to consider. A good designer of these documents should be able to present you with a good set of choices within these conditions.