McDonalds, Sonic, Subway, Dairy Queen, Circle K, Piggly Wiggly--all well-known franchises in America and beyond. You've probably sometimes wondered how so many of them could exist, how they manage to stay in business, and how they continue to thrive. Maybe you've even thought about running one of your own, but didn't know where to begin. Well, now you do, thanks to Running a Franchise For Dummies.

• Pick the perfect franchise for you
• Create marketing plans and branding for your new franchise
• Understand all of the complex legal issues surrounding the...