1851

&#8220;You don&#8217;t know what you don&#8217;t know.&#8221; That&#8217;s what Paul Pickett, the chief development officer for <a href="http://franchise.wbu.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-the-trend-toward-transparency-and-more-disclosure-can-increase-leads-and-candidate-quality-5345" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wild Birds Unlimited</a>, will tell prospective franchisees. And it&#8217;s a phrase that has everything to do with making sure each lead that comes his way has all the information needed to make the right decision. Since Pickett began his franchise development career back in 1989, he always kept a keen focus on intensely preparing new franchisees with realistic expectations. This meant creating a development process that provides a clear and transparent path of discovery to help potential <a href="http://wildbirdsunlimited.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-the-trend-toward-transparency-and-more-disclosure-can-increase-leads-and-candidate-quality-5345" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wild Birds Unlimited</a> owners completely understand the brand&#8217;s system, how they support their individual stores, what it takes to be a strong franchisee, and ultimately answers the important age old question&#8212;&#8220;Is this franchise the right match for me?&#8221; &#8220;Becoming a Wild Birds Unlimited franchisee is a big decision. We decided that, in order to grow the right way, we needed to give people the ability to fully understand every single aspect of what it&#8217;d be like as one of our owners. We want to avoid the situation where people jump in and are unhappy&#8212;this has helped us grow in a very steady and sustainable way,&#8221; Pickett said. At Wild Birds Unlimited, this starts with giving people all the information they might require right up front. That&#8217;s where the brand&#8217;s franchise development website comes in. Visitors can easily discover startup costs and financial performance while also getting a taste for the brand&#8217;s existing franchisees (and their level of happiness), systems and customers. The website also includes a Decision Making Checklist, which was designed to walk prospective franchisees step-by-step through the entire development process before they even make the decision to come on board. As this story unfolds, candidates begin to see exactly what running a Wild Birds Unlimited franchise entails. With that information readily available, people who are not a fit for the business self-select out of the sales process without any major time commitment from Pickett&#8217;s recruitment team. Those who are a fit are more likely to fill out a form and become a lead. They also enter the process more engaged and therefore more likely to invest. This has helped Wild Birds Unlimited generate less leads but drive their deal flow by an additional 50 percent. &#8220;We&#8217;re giving our prospective franchisees the opportunity to truly understand what it&#8217;s going to be like when you join our brand. Almost 100 percent of our candidates will say that they were glad our process is so well designed and so transparent, because it taught them so many important details they wouldn&#8217;t otherwise have known,&#8221; Pickett said. &#8220;In the end, they&#8217;re easier to work with and easier to support because they&#8217;ve thought it through. They&#8217;re happy and confident in the decision to join Wild Birds Unlimited. And that will save you thousands of hours, tears and problems if you learn to do it the right way in the very beginning.&#8221; If Wild Birds Unlimited&#8217;s story is any indication, transparency is becoming one of the most important tools in lead generation. Franchise candidates want information they can trust before they are willing to take the next step, and a brand&#8217;s franchise development website is often their first stop. Generating leads for your franchise requires embracing the information age as more potential franchisees want fast answers and responses. This means your franchise development website needs to be more transparent than ever before, providing everything from startup costs and in-depth video interviews with existing franchisees to information on the CEO and the organization&#8217;s purpose, future direction and mission. &#8220;It all comes down to trust. When franchisees understand where the brand is going and they feel they&#8217;ve been made a part of the process, they&#8217;re more likely to come on board and be more satisfied long-term. And when your franchisees are satisfied, your brand benefits from better validation, better buy-in and more revenue&#8212;both at the unit-level and corporate level,&#8221; Pickett added. &#8220;When your company is fully transparent, you&#8217;re putting yourself in a better position to attract the right kind of talent&#8212;and that goes a lot further than putting your effort into quantity over quality.&#8221;

1851 Franchise

 Transparency is becoming one of the most important tools in lead generation. 

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

How the Trend Toward Transparency and More Disclosure Can Increase Leads and Candidate Quality

how-the-trend-toward-transparency-and-more-disclosure-can-increase-leads-and-candidate-quality

SweatHouz

SweatHouz SWTHZ Franchise - Hunter and Mallory Mitchem - Franchisee Feature - 1851 Franchise

From Aerospace to Wellness: Hunter Mitchem’s Journey to a SweatHouz Empire

sweathouz-franchise-hunter-mitchem-6g

Onigilly Japanese Kitchen

Onigilly - Low Operating Costs Drive High Returns for Franchisees - 1851 Franchise

Maximize Your ROI: How Onigilly’s Low Operating Costs Drive High Returns for Franchisees

onigilly-franchise-fast-casual-franchise-opportunity

Layne's Chicken Fingers

What Is the Layne’s Franchise Disclosure Document, and What Will I Find in It?

laynes-franchise-disclosure-document

Athletech News: How SWTHZ Delivers on Wellness Demands of All Kinds

swthz-delivers-wellness-demands-contrast-therapy

TruBlue Home Service Ally

Why Protected Territories Matter and How the TruBlue Franchise Delivers

why-protected-territories-matter-and-how-the-trublue-franchise-delivers

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Bed Bath & Beyond - Franchise Expansion - Retail Strategy - 1851 Franchise

Bed Bath & Beyond Launches Franchise Model as Part of Comeback Strategy

bed-bath-beyond-franchise-expansion-retail-strategy

Senior Entrepreneurship - Franchising - 1851 Franchise

Senior Entrepreneurship Is Rising — And Franchising Is a Key Outlet

senior-entrepreneurship-franchising-silver-startups

U.S. Government Shutdown - Impact on Franchises - 1851 Franchise

Government Shutdown Stalls SBA Loans: How the Shutdown Could Impact Franchises

government-shutdown-impacts-sba-loans-tourism-franchises

Subway Franchisees Resist Expensive Remodel Directives

subway-franchisees-resist-expensive-remodel-directives

The American Franchise Act: What It Means for Franchisors and Franchisees - 1851 Franchise

The American Franchise Act: What It Means for Franchisors and Franchisees

american-franchise-act-joint-employer-standard

Power Eats: Smoothie King Rolls Out Food Nationwide To Fuel Franchise Growth

smoothie-king-food-menu-power-eats

NJCAR v. Ford - New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

new-jersey-franchise-practices-act-njcar-v-ford

Friendly’s Parent Company Acquired by Multi-Unit Franchisee as More Owners Take the Lead in Brand Acquisitions 

friendlys-parent-company-acquired-by-multi-unit-franchisee-as-more-owners-take-the-lead-in-brand-acquisitions

Top Education Franchises To Consider for 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Top Education Franchises To Consider Investing In for 2025

top-education-franchises-investment-opportunities

Top Early Childhood Education and Child Care Franchises for 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Top Early Childhood Education and Child Care Franchises for 2025

early-childhood-education-child-care-franchises

Top Arts and Creative Learning Franchises for 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Top Arts and Creative Learning Franchises for 2025

top-arts-creative-learning-franchises

1851 Franchisee Spotlight graphic with photo of Barb Volk and KidStrong logo

Why This Orangetheory Fitness Franchise Owner Is Developing KidStrong Franchises

kidstrong-franchise-owner-barb-volk-2025

image of franchise deep dive from 1851 franchise on doody calls franchise authority brands

DoodyCalls Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

doodycalls-franchise-deep-dive

How the Trend Toward Transparency and More Disclosure Can Increase Leads and Candidate Quality

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS