That’s the advice from franchisor Freddie Rayner, founder of domestic cleaning franchise Time For You, carpet cleaning franchise Bone-Dry, and teeth whitening franchise Wow! Smile, and author of a book, Your Franchise Success.

His long association with franchising began in 1997 when he and his wife Ruth set up a cleaning business in Milton Keynes, only to face a problem that affects most small businesses; getting paid on time.

Eighteen months later, having closed that business down, they started again, launching Time For You, this time based on the golden principle that customers pay up front.

The business was so successful that in 2002 the couple franchised it, and proceeded to launch Bone Dry and Wow! Smile.

Mr Rayner’s book Your Franchise Success sets out to help franchisees build their own successful businesses, using tried and trusted methods, and there are 200 copies available free to Daily Express readers when they visit www.freefranchisebook.co.uk