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Key Takeaways Strong franchise sales start with a clear process everyone actually follows every day.
Educated prospects buy faster, which makes your website and sales conversations critical.
Like building a house, building a strategy for selling a franchise requires a blueprint. You need a logical plan that takes you from laying the foundation (gathering leads) to sealing the roof (closing the deal).
If you’re struggling to sell, it may be time to stop and take a hard look at whether you have all the pieces in place. Asking two strategic questions can help you structure the plan more effectively.
What are you selling, and how are you selling it?
This is where it starts. You need a franchise that is profitable, that offers a product or service people can get excited about. Look at your franchise disclosure document and the revenue reported in item 19. This is important for people buying a franchise; for many, it’s the first thing they look for.
A critical part of sales is the sales process; everyone has one, but not everyone has one that makes sense or is used consistently. Yours must be one that everyone understands, agrees to, and sticks to. It should have some specific channels that you use regularly to attract leads you can convert. For instance, at United Franchise Group, our brand websites are the most effective channels for us, followed by industry trade shows, targeted advertising and public relations.
Your website can be your top lead producer. The more educated a prospect is, the more likely they are to buy. Your website should tell your business story in a clear, engaging way, but always with the focus on your customers and how you help them. Every element should lead the reader to the decision that this franchise business is just what they’re looking for — now, how do they get in touch to learn more?
Trade shows give you the face-to-face contact you need to turn prospects into buyers. It’s hard to say no to someone who’s standing right in front of you, showing how your product can meet their needs. But you can’t just wait for the leads to show up at your booth and ask questions; you have to prospect as actively as if you were cold calling back at the office. (And you are cold calling at the office, right?)
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