1851

Development teams face a number of challenges when it comes to leads, from grabbing the attention of qualified individuals to holding their <a href="https://1851franchise.com/how-to-nurture-every-lead-2708848" target="_blank">interest throughout the franchise candidate journey</a>. And while there&rsquo;s no &ldquo;secret sauce&rdquo; to encourage a candidate to sign on with a brand, there are a few techniques that can help move the candidate forward.

1851 connected with the executive director of franchise development at <a href="https://www.gosafeguard.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-to-nurture-every-franchise-lead-2708848" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Safeguard</a>, Kevin Derella, to get some tips on how he&rsquo;s found success. For Derella, it all starts with establishing a relationship built on trust.

&ldquo;You need to be sincere and authentic with every prospect,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;You have to understand your lead&rsquo;s timetable, see how that meshes with your own and whether or not you can marry the two together. If you are aiming to open a location or close a transaction within a certain timeframe, the candidate needs to know that. It all goes back to trust and honesty.&rdquo;

But it&rsquo;s not just about establishing this relationship on the phone or over email, face-to-face interaction is also an important component to the process.

&ldquo;Never underestimate the power of breaking bread. Grab lunch or dinner and get to know your candidates, not just professionally but also their goals, aspirations and their family. If you get to know the person first, then the business side of things will fall into place,&rdquo; according to Derella.

After establishing that personalized connection and the franchisee expresses interest in continuing the relationship, Derella has one very important piece of advice.

&ldquo;Call the candidate back! There is a such a high percentage of development departments that don&rsquo;t even call their prospects back. Call them, email them, make contact,&rdquo; he stressed. &ldquo;If you&rsquo;re using a CRM that allows you to know when a prospect is on your site, use it to your advantage. Utilize those types of outlets to let the candidate know that you&rsquo;re as interested in them as they are in you.&rdquo;

And what if a candidate doesn&rsquo;t show immediate interest? How do you reignite their passion for the brand? Derella suggests finding content that&rsquo;s relatable to the candidate, like a story about a franchisee with a similar background or a location that&rsquo;s opening in their area.

&ldquo;Find different ways to stay in front of your candidates. For example, direct mail can be effective if you&rsquo;re doing something unique, like sending them promotional products in large packaging that they have to open.&rdquo;

If that doesn&rsquo;t work, at some point, you have to put outreach back in the candidate&rsquo;s hands.

&ldquo;A lead is never dead until they tell you to stop calling, and while you want to be persistent, you don&rsquo;t want to get to a point where you become annoying. At some point, you have to let the candidate know that if they&rsquo;re interested, they should contact you. From here, put them on your occasional &lsquo;once a month email&rsquo; list, just to keep your name in front of them.

How to Nurture Every Franchise Lead

1851 Franchise

While there’s no guaranteed method to drive a candidate to become a franchisee, here are some step-by-step tips to continue moving the process in the right direction.

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-to-nurture-every-franchise-lead

HomeTeam Inspection Service

HomeTeam Inspection Service Highlights Strong Franchisee Performance and Tech Innovation in Successful Second Quarter

hometeam-inspection-q2-2025-growth-expansion

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Celebrates 40 Years With Growth, New Franchise Signings and Charitable Milestones in 2025

two-men-and-a-truck-celebrates-40-years-with-growth-new-franchise-signings-and-charitable-milestones-in-2025

Express Employment Professionals

Express Employment Professionals Offers 50% Off Its Franchising Fee in Select Markets

express-employment-professionals-offers-50-off-its-franchising-fee-in-select-markets

Woodhouse Spas

image of woodhouse spa building franchise spa treatment

Woodhouse Spas’ Culture of Excellence, Support Further Elevates Top-Performing Franchise Opportunity

woodhouse-spas-supportive-franchise-culture

Sola Salons

Image of sola salons franchise spa industry interior of a franchise building

Sola Salons 2025 FDD Savings: How Data-Driven Adaptation Has Cut Costs for Franchisees

sola-salons-2025-fdd-savings

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

Planet Fitness Franchisees Donate $100K to Support Texas Flood Relief - 1851 Franchise

Planet Fitness Franchisees Donate $100K To Support Texas Flood Relief

planet-fitness-texas-flood-relief

McDonald’s Is the Latest Franchise To Bet Big on Beverages with 500-Store Premium Drink Test

mcdonalds-is-the-latest-franchise-to-bet-big-on-beverages-with-500-store-premium-drink-test

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

Subway - John Fitzpatrick Named CEO - Breaking News - 1851 Franchise

Subway Names Jonathan Fitzpatrick as New CEO, Effective July 28

jonathan-fitzpatrick-subway-ceo-leadership-change

AI Is Reshaping Franchising: $100 Billion Valuations and Hyper-Localized Advertising

ai-is-reshaping-franchising-100-billion-valuations-and-hyper-localized-advertising

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

Rising Jobless Claims Could Signal Challenges — and Opportunities — for Franchising

rising-jobless-claims-affect-franchising

Technomic Releases Annual Ranking of the Top 15 Fast-Food Chains in the U.S.

technomic-releases-annual-ranking-of-the-top-15-fast-food-chains-in-the-us

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

1851 Keyword - The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

part-time-franchises-picking-the-right-model

Navy Veteran and Professional Artist Couple Open Caring Transitions in Texas

Navy Veteran and Professional Artist Couple Set Out to Build a Purpose-Driven Business With Caring Transitions in Texas

navy-veteran-and-professional-artist-couple-set-out-to-build-a-purpose-driven-business-with-caring-transitions-in-texas

DevHub - Meet the Supplier - 1851 Franchise

DevHub: Scalable Digital Marketing for Franchises and Multi-Location Brands

devhub-meet-the-supplier

Why This Real Estate Broker Decided To Bring Caring Transitions to Central Texas

caring-transitions-san-marcos-kyle-chad-hardin

How to Nurture Every Franchise Lead

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS