Approved Boats Franchise Faqs

Find an answer to the most common questions for a prospective Approved Boats franchise owner.

Why an Approved Boats Franchise?

The Yacht brokerage market is booming with more people choosing to invest their money in their leisure time.

The industry has seen a dramatic change in the way buyers are searching for boats. Today’s buyers are led by brand recognition, website experience and value for money with the comfort of dealing with a reputable company.

In short, prospective buyers are far more likely to contact a company they recognise and trust first.

Joining Approved Boats gives your business this recognition from day one.

Approved Boats gives you the opportunity to be in business for yourself but not by yourself. We provide you with the right education, technology and marketing tools to quickly establish your new business.

You can start trading immediately with over 10,000 boat listings available for you to sell and share commissions with, our referral system gives you the potential to earn high with no upper limit.

Do I need any special qualifications?

No, like many service businesses, yacht brokerage is about people dealing with people, so effective communication skills are an advantage. Other than that, basic administration and IT skills and a commonsense approach is all that you will require. We will provide ongoing training for your franchised Yacht Brokerage or Marine Services company.

Do I need premises?

No, we assess all applications on a case by case basis. Ideally all our franchise operations would be run from suitable corporate branded premises, however, we do realise that the right location is not always available or affordable from the outset.

A well placed branded office speaks volumes, creates awareness, generates listings and leads in addition to giving a professional and approachable point of contact.

Getting Started

Following completion of your training, you will be ready to commence trading, marketing your business and generating income.

Having instant access to sell over 10,000 boats will give you the opportunity to start earning whilst generating your own listings and establishing your new company in your local territory.

Making Money

Your earnings depend on you and your efforts. Each person will have different strengths and weaknesses. We provide a comprehensive support structure and regular business meetings to assist you to maximize your potential in your territory.

We will assist in building a realistic business plan to reflect your skills and territory.

The Approved Boats business model provides several income streams:

✔ Yacht Brokerage
✔ Boat Maintenance
✔ Boat Transport
✔ Boat Training
✔ Insurance
✔ Finance
✔ Advertising
✔ Partners Fees

Do I need lots of experience?

No, we provide all the know-how and inside knowledge to put you streets ahead of your competition who have been in the business for years. The business model that we provide runs through the entire process of yacht brokerage and related marine services and within a short space of time you will quickly build on this knowledge with real experience of your own. This way you will be earning money whilst learning the business.

What about advertising and promotion?

What about Advertising & Promotion? You will benefit from the Approved Boats ‘International’ advertising and marketing activities which include:

✔ Approved Boats websites
✔ Online and press advertising campaigns that are imaginative and informative directing prospective clients to the Approved Boats websites which generates enquiries for the network.
✔ Exhibiting at international and local boat shows
✔ Brand recognition through the combined network exposure

We also provide franchisees with marketing tools to promote their businesses at a local level which include:

✔ For Sale Signs
✔ Office Signs
✔ Window Displays
✔ Vehicle Branding
✔ Banners
✔ Flags
✔ Floating Key Rings
✔ Document Wallets
✔ Apparel – Jackets, Hats, Shirts Etc...
✔ Business Cards
✔ Stationary
✔ Advertising Templates

Do I need to make a large capital investment?

We offer business packages from £4,950 + VAT.

As with any business you will also need enough working capital to adequately fund you in the early stages, including an allowance for ongoing local marketing and promotion.

What is the recruitment process?

1st Stage

✔ Submission of application form and letter of confidentiality to Approved Boats
✔ Informal meeting to discuss our proposition and your plans
✔ Market/territory analysis
✔ Agree terms and pay a deposit* to reserve territory*

2nd Stage

✔ Presentation of your business plan, which is reviewed by HQ to ensure it’s in line with our expectations.
✔ Receive a copy of our standard franchise agreement
✔ Business and financial planning
✔ Search for premises
✔ Franchise agreement submitted to your solicitor

3rd Stage

✔ Follow up meeting to review our franchise agreement and operations manual

4th Stage

✔ Sign franchise agreements
✔ Agree a time-line to training & launch

The timescales in this process will vary dependant on personal circumstances and the availability of suitable premises etc.

* The deposit is fully refundable if either party decide not to proceed and will be held in a secure client account.

*Territories are limited - when they're gone, they're gone!

Please remember that we may be speaking to several applicants about a particular territory, but it is not until we receive your deposit and signed commercial terms that the discussions can become exclusive.

The franchise term?

The franchise agreement is initially for five years. You then have the option to enter into a new agreement (without the payment of an additional fee) for a further five years, subject to the terms and conditions of our agreement.

The territory

Approved Boats territories are granted as exclusive territories.

Can I sell my franchise?

Yes, You can sell the franchise at any point with the approval of the franchisor who will interview the prospective purchaser.

Can I see a copy of the Franchise Agreement?

Yes, once a confidentiality agreement is signed and your deposit is paid.