FranX | What Makes Franchise Prospects Buy Franchises

The Next McDonald's (Big Idea)

Everyone has learned this lesson…

We have a problem, we look for a solution, we find a brand/product/service/vendor, everything sounds great, they say "trust us", we believe… we believe… we believe…

...we end up disappointed! 

Universal Lesson: Ignore words...evaluate actions!

So why would franchise growth, development, and sales be any different? Yet, soooo many brands rely on a trust-us sales strategy. Where’s the trust?

Let’s find out! Can you answer the questions in our bottom thoughts?

News You Can (Actually) Use

• Burger King Takes Aim at Chick-fil-A with LGBTQ+ Donations
• Dominos Wants You to Embrace the Noid Through its NFT Auction

Killer Brands

The Carpet Chemist - Wine stains? Bleach Spots? Water damage? The Carpet Chemist restores carpets to new, and the franchise offers opportunities at a start-up cost south of $100K.

From day 1, franchisees own and operate a growth business with low start-up costs, low labor requirements, big territories, a killer brand, amazing unit economics, and market differentiating plus factors that create lead gen for more traditional carpet cleaning and water remediation services.

Franchisees Kicking Ass: The Franchisee Is King

How to Succeed as a Multi-Unit Franchisee: Tracy Bouwens, Scooter’s Coffee

This Kansas City-based operator has 50 locations of the drive-thru coffee brand. Here’s her advice on the first thing you need in order to grow a successful franchise portfolio.

Multi-unit franchise owner Tracy Bouwens has a tip for franchisees with the goal of successfully expanding their portfolio.

Start with a strong franchisor.

There’s more to it, of course. Bouwens, who owns 50 franchise locations of Scooter’s Coffee with her husband Shawn Bouwens in the Kansas City area says successfully operating multiple units requires three more factors: a strong team, good leadership, and finally, good old-fashioned grit and determination.

But who you partner with is critical. In Tracy’s case, she thinks Scooter’s corporate team is a key component to her success over the past 17 years. “The support they provide for myself and other franchisees in the Scooter system is top-notch,” she said.

It makes all the difference on days when the going gets a little rough, Bouwens says: “I feel like without that support and without that partnership — because it doesn't feel like a franchise or franchisee relationship; it feels like a partnership in a business relationship — we can work together and partner on solutions and continue to advance the brand together.”

Watch the full interview with Tracy here.

Yo Broker, Sell My Franchise

Are you using the greatest underutilized search engine -- YouTube? YouTube Search (There has got to be a better term like YouTubeoodled) “Using a Franchise Broker”, and see what you get. A little Charles? Duh.

The Bottom Thoughts

What makes people buy checklist (write these in):

PRODUCT:

What is special/unique about your product _______________________

How is your product better than your competition ________________________

What are you famous for __________________________

LEADERSHIP

Is your vision clear on your website ______________

Do you have your leadership team on your website _______________

When a prospect inquires, does your leadership team connect with them on LinkedIn __________

What other brands have your leaders come from _______________

Are you leveraging their networks to communicate your why you/why now _________

ROI

Can a candidate clearly find the costs to get in and what they can make on your site ________

If they search around the web, are those number accurate on other sites ____________

Do you have a comparison chart to competition ________________

Do you have content that answers any points of differentiation to the competition’s costs/ROI ______
 

GROWTH

Do you have a growth vision (territories available counts) on your website _________

If a candidate inquires about a closed territory, how do you handle them __________

Are you marketing in concentric circles around your highest validators and best units in markets where there is still growth potential ____________
 

Are you celebrating (PR) signings, openings, expansions, and resales__________

VALIDATION

Do you have franchisee videos on your website _________

Last time you hosted a fireside chat with a franchisee on a webinar ________

Do you have a franchisee referral program ___________

Have you asked your franchisees why they would and would not buy the brand _________

Do you answer your landmines with counter content online ________