19 Questions You Must Ask Before Buying a Franchise

Buying a franchise is a major financial decision.

Before investing your hard-earned money, you should understand exactly what you’re buying, what support you’ll receive, what it will cost, and what opportunities exist to grow your investment over time.

At Diggermate, we encourage prospective franchisees to ask tough questions.

The right franchise should welcome scrutiny because a strong business model can stand on its own merits.

Here are the questions every franchise buyer should ask before making a decision.

1. What Am I Actually Buying?

Many franchise systems sell little more than a logo and a territory.

At Diggermate, you’re buying a shortcut.

You’re gaining access to years of trial and error, proven systems, national marketing infrastructure, supplier relationships, technology, training and a recognised brand that would take most independent operators years to build themselves.

When you join Diggermate, you receive:

• Exclusive territory rights
• Established national branding
• Marketing systems
• Operational systems
• Training programs
• Technology platforms
• Supplier relationships
• Business coaching and support
• Ongoing product and marketing development

The goal is simple: help you launch faster, avoid costly mistakes and build a valuable business asset.

The combined annual support value provided through the Diggermate system is currently valued at approximately $97,680 per year, excluding the value of your exclusive territory.

2. How Much Does a Diggermate Franchise Cost?

There are currently two entry options.

Wet & Dry Hire Franchise

Investment: $34,990

Wet Hire or Dry Hire Franchise

Investment: $24,990

This investment provides access to your exclusive territory and the Diggermate business system.

Machinery, trailers, insurance, registrations and working capital requirements are additional and will vary depending on your location and growth plans.

3. What Ongoing Fees Are Payable?

The Diggermate royalty structure is designed to align with business performance.

• 12% royalty on revenue
• Reduced to 10% once monthly revenue exceeds $40,000

These fees fund ongoing development of:

• Marketing systems
• Technology platforms
• Franchise support
• Training programs
• Business improvement initiatives

Additional costs include:

• Technology platform costs (less than $25 per week)
• Xero subscription (approximately $49 per month)
• Dedicated business phone service (approximately $69 per month)
• Optional advertising spend
• Annual conference attendance

4. How Will I Get Customers?

This is one of the most important questions any franchise buyer should ask.

No franchise can guarantee bookings.

However, customer acquisition is one of the areas where Diggermate invests most heavily.

Head Office actively manages and supports several customer acquisition channels.

Google Ads

Campaigns designed to generate:

• Phone calls
• Online enquiries
• Direct bookings

When someone searches for mini excavator hire, Diggermate aims to be one of the first businesses they find.

Facebook & Social Media Advertising

Targeted campaigns build brand awareness and generate enquiries from customers who may not yet be actively searching.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

The Diggermate marketing team works continuously on improving organic rankings and generating free traffic from Google.

Email & SMS Marketing

Automated campaigns help generate repeat bookings and keep customers engaged long after their first hire.

Google Reviews

Review automation helps franchisees build credibility, trust and local market authority.

5. What Marketing Value Do I Receive?

The current annual value assigned to Diggermate’s marketing systems is approximately:

$67,591 Per Year

This includes:

• Google Ads Management
• Social Media Advertising
• SEO
• Email Marketing
• SMS Marketing
• Website Management
• Google Maps Optimisation
• Online Booking Systems
• Review Generation Systems
• Marketing Collateral
• Branded Merchandise Support

For most small business owners, building this infrastructure independently would require years of work and significant investment.

6. What Operational Systems Are Included?

One of the biggest challenges in business is creating systems that work consistently.

Diggermate franchisees gain access to systems that have already been developed, tested and refined.

This includes:

• Online booking management
• Inventory tracking
• Digital waivers
• Insurance support
• GPS machine tracking
• Rental compliance systems
• Parts ordering systems
• National helpdesk support
• Knowledge base resources

The estimated annual value of these systems is approximately $16,599 per year.

7. Can I Start Small?

Yes.

Many franchisees begin with:

• One excavator
• An auger package
• A trailer

The focus is on building utilisation before expanding the fleet.

We don’t believe new franchisees should be forced into unnecessary equipment purchases before demand exists to support them.

8. Can I Finance My Equipment?

Yes.

Equipment can generally be:

• Purchased outright
• Financed
• Leased
• Structured through long-term rental agreements

Diggermate also works with finance partners who understand the business model and equipment finance sector.

9. What Training Will I Receive?

Training begins before launch and continues throughout your ownership journey.

Support includes:

• Onsite training
• Marketing training
• One Day Marketing Bootcamp
• Annual conferences
• Quarterly round table meetings
• Knowledge base resources
• Direct support from Head Office

Unlike many businesses where learning stops after onboarding, Diggermate continues developing new systems, strategies and training resources every year.

10. Is My Territory Protected?

Yes.

Every Diggermate franchise includes exclusive territory rights.

This means another Diggermate franchise cannot simply be placed within your designated territory.

Your territory also receives:

• Dedicated landing pages
• Dedicated phone numbers
• Direct lead generation
• Local search visibility

This allows franchisees to build a valuable long-term business asset within their local market.

11. What Makes Some Franchisees More Successful Than Others?

The highest-performing franchisees understand one important principle:

Head Office marketing alone is not enough.

The strongest results occur when franchisees combine:

• National marketing
• Local networking
• Referral generation
• Community engagement
• Excellent customer service

Internally, we call this the “1 + 1 = 3” effect.

When local effort combines with national marketing, the results are often significantly stronger than either activity alone.

12. Can This Become a Valuable Asset?

That should be every franchise owner’s goal.

Many business owners focus solely on annual profit.

Sophisticated business owners focus on two forms of return.

Cash Flow

The income generated while operating the business.

Enterprise Value

The value created when the business is eventually sold.

A well-run hire business typically becomes more valuable as fleet size, customer databases, brand presence and recurring customer relationships increase.

Diggermate territories are designed to become transferable business assets that may be sold in the future or passed to family members.

13. How Long Does It Take To Become Profitable?

Every market is different.

Some locations generate bookings immediately after launch.

Others require time to build local awareness and customer relationships.

One advantage of the Diggermate model is that many franchisees start with a relatively small fleet, allowing them to grow alongside demand rather than carrying excessive overheads from day one.

Head Office provides forecasting tools, utilisation targets and business planning resources to help franchisees understand growth milestones and profitability targets.

14. What Can I Realistically Earn?

This is often the first question prospective franchisees ask.

The reality is that earnings vary significantly based on:

• Territory size
• Population density
• Equipment fleet size
• Competition
• Personal effort
• Marketing activity
• Customer service standards

Some franchisees operate Diggermate as a side business generating supplementary income.

Others have built full-time businesses with multiple machines and substantial monthly revenue.

We encourage prospective franchisees to review forecasting tools and speak directly with existing franchisees to understand what is possible within the system.

15. Can I Speak With Existing Franchisees?

Absolutely.

One of the best ways to evaluate any franchise opportunity is to speak directly with existing franchise owners.

We encourage prospective franchisees to conduct their own due diligence and ask current operators about:

• Their experience
• Their challenges
• Their growth journey
• The support they receive
• What they would do differently if starting again

A good franchise system should have nothing to hide.

16. Why Not Just Start My Own Equipment Hire Business?

You absolutely can.

The question isn’t whether you can buy equipment.

The question is whether you want to spend years building:

• A recognised brand
• A website
• Marketing systems
• SEO rankings
• Booking systems
• Supplier relationships
• Legal documents
• Operating procedures

Diggermate was created to shortcut that process.

Instead of building everything from scratch, franchisees gain access to systems that have already been developed, tested and refined across multiple locations.

17. What Are The Biggest Mistakes New Franchisees Make?

The most common mistakes we see are:

• Buying too much equipment too early
• Waiting for Head Office to do all the marketing
• Failing to build local relationships
• Not following proven systems
• Underestimating the value of repeat customers

The most successful franchisees focus on utilisation first and expansion second.

A machine earning revenue is an asset.

A machine sitting idle is a liability.

18. What If I Need Help?

You are not left to figure everything out on your own.

Franchisees have access to:

• Phone support
• Helpdesk systems
• Knowledge base resources
• Marketing team support
• Operations support
• Peer network support

The system is designed so that help is available when you need it.

19. Who Is NOT a Good Fit?

Diggermate is not suited to someone looking for a completely passive investment.

The best franchisees:

• Follow proven systems
• Build relationships
• Ask questions
• Focus on customer service
• Engage with their local market

The business rewards proactive operators.

Why Do People Choose Diggermate?

Most franchisees join for one of three reasons.

They Want an Additional Income Stream

Many franchisees start part-time while maintaining existing employment or businesses.

They Want to Replace Employment Income

They are looking for greater control over their future through business ownership.

They Want to Build a Long-Term Asset

They see value in building something they can potentially sell, pass on or continue growing over many years.

Diggermate provides the brand, systems, support and marketing framework to help make that happen.

Continue Your Due Diligence

Buying a franchise is a significant decision and should never be rushed.

We encourage every prospective franchisee to conduct thorough due diligence, seek independent advice and ask as many questions as possible.

Attend a Diggermate Franchise Information Webinar to learn more about the business model, investment options, support systems and growth opportunities available within the network.

The more informed your decision, the more confident you’ll be in choosing the right franchise opportunity for your future.