1851

New Year, new me. We&rsquo;ve all heard and said it a million times, but how realistic is that, really? While self-reinvention may seem too daunting a task, turning the calendar to January does bring about the opportunity to rededicate our focus and set goals for ourselves in our personal and professional lives. For a lot of people, professional aspirations lead to the pursuit of business ownership opportunities, making January a crucial time for franchisors to take advantage of the influx of leads the new year brings.

&ldquo;There&rsquo;s typically a lift in interest in January because of resolutions stemming from people&rsquo;s acknowledgment they&rsquo;ve been putting off leaving a job, going into business for themselves or evaluating franchise opportunities,&rdquo; said Chris Cheek, Chief Development Officer for <a href="https://newks.com/franchise/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-its-important-for-franchisors-to-focus-on-lead-generation-in-january-2708860" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Newk&rsquo;s Eatery</a>. 

Erik Hartung, <a href="https://doghaus.com/franchise.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-its-important-for-franchisors-to-focus-on-lead-generation-in-january-2708860" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Dog Haus</a>&rsquo; Director of Development, agreed. &ldquo;My hunch is that around the holidays, the conversations among family and friends trigger reflective thoughts and thoughts of ambition,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a logical jumping off point if you&rsquo;re working for someone else or seeking a different kind of work and want to be out on your own.&rdquo;

Franchisors place emphasis on lead generation at all times of year because it&rsquo;s the first point of contact in the franchise sales process. &ldquo;Sales can be broken down into four steps: awareness, education, persuasion and close,&rdquo; Cheek said. &ldquo;Lead generation is awareness, the beginning of a process that is usually months-long with multiple stages,&rdquo; he continued. <a href="https://1851franchise.com/understanding-the-digital-candidate-journey-for-franchise-sales-2709019" target="_blank">Understanding where leads come from allows franchisors to direct more resources to that source</a>, in turn making it easier to refine this process. 

&ldquo;We approach lead generation holistically on an annual basis, beginning with a budget in mind that we need to operate within,&rdquo; Cheek said, explaining that Newk&rsquo;s Eatery enters January with a plan for how to allocate that budget across different mediums like print ads, direct email campaigns, referral programs, trade shows and more. &ldquo;Measuring where leads are coming from allows us to invest in the source with the best returns. If we see some tools are less effective, we have flexibility in our annual budget to shift attention and focus to what is working as the year goes on,&rdquo; he said. 

Hartung noted that while most of Dog Haus&rsquo; development leads have occurred organically since the brand began franchising in 2013, the brand has benefitted from enough national press to grow without the same kind of outreach Cheek described. Still, Dog Haus experienced the familiar ebb in interest during the holiday season before the flow of leads January brings.

&ldquo;November and December are slow because people are distracted by family and friends and aren&rsquo;t so much thinking about developing their business portfolio,&rdquo; Hartung said. &ldquo;But once January rolls around, the distractions subside, pent-up interest is released and they approach the prospect with vigor,&rdquo; he added. Cheek concurred. &ldquo;At the beginning of the year, people are available because the holidays are behind them and things pick back up because life is out of the way,&rdquo; he said.

This indicates January can lead to more effective franchise development efforts because if brands can capitalize on the uptick in interest and begin the year adding a solid number of leads to those they&rsquo;ve carried through the pipeline, momentum is created for the year ahead. 

&ldquo;Carrying leads through the end of the year into January flows naturally because as the entire process slows down, the new year is a good opportunity to reach back out,&rdquo; Hartung pointed out. &ldquo;But&nbsp;the driving force in franchise sales is that it&rsquo;s all about relationships. Establishing a rapport beginning with that initial call makes a huge difference when picking things back up,&rdquo; he noted.

&ldquo;Lead generation requires investment, and the most important part of making the investment is understanding who you are trying to recruit,&rdquo; Cheek said. &ldquo;You have to find your target audience and build campaigns around those people, aligning your efforts toward where you can influence them.&rdquo; Beginning this process in January starts a cycle of inquiry that puts franchisors in a strong position for development over the course of the year, creating a strong model on which to innovate for each year to come.

Why It’s Important for Franchisors to Focus on Lead Generation in January

1851 Franchise

Franchise development pros weigh in on why the turn of the year is a vital time for brands to pursue leads.

why-its-important-for-franchisors-to-focus-on-lead-generation-in-january

Comfort Keepers

Comfort Keepers - Midyear Press Release 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Comfort Keepers® Hits Mid-Year Stride With Strong Franchise Growth and Rising Demand for In-Home Care

comfort-keepers-franchise-midyear-momentum-2025

petbar

petbar - Garrett Dewan - Why I'm Investing - 1851 Franchise

Why Garrett Dewan Is Choosing To Reinvest in petbar

petbar-franchise-austin-garrett-dewan-multi-unit

Paris Baguette

NJBIZ: Paris Baguette Ramps Up Expansion With New Franchises, Facility and 2030 Growth Target

njbiz-paris-baguette-ramps-up-expansion-with-new-franchises-facility-and-2030-growth-target

Busy Bee Jumpers

Top 10 Reasons To Buy a Busy Bee Jumpers Franchise in 2025

top-10-reasons-to-buy-a-busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-in-2025

Home Halo

home-halo-former-athletes-frachisees-image

Why Former College Athletes Can Make Winning Home Halo Franchise Owners

former-college-athletes-home-halo-franchise

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

Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down - Breaking News - 1851 Franchise

Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down Amid Challenges, Leaving Franchisees Facing Uncertainty

wendys-ceo-transition-kirk-tanner-franchisee-uncertainty

"Come in, We're OPEN" sign against abstract background

Small Business Optimism Dips, Raising Concerns for Franchise Owners

small-business-optimism-dips-raising-concerns-for-franchise-owners

Photo of Roof Scientist truck and trailer

Roof Scientist Expands Into Northern Indianapolis as Entrepreneur Dale Speckman Launches New Business in Fishers

roof-scientist-expands-into-northern-indianapolis

Image of Donald Trump pointing with red stripes in the background

August 1 Tariff Deadline Is Said to Have ‘No Extensions’: What This Could Mean for Franchises

august-1-tariff-deadline-franchise-impact

What June’s Jobs Report Means for the Franchise Industry

what-junes-jobs-report-means-for-the-franchise-industry

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

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

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery 

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery in Overland Park, Kansas

paris-baguette-franchise-overland-park-khandelwal

Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

From Corporate Careers to Community Roots: Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

kansas-couple-opens-childrens-lighthouse-gardner-olathe

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

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

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Why It’s Important for Franchisors to Focus on Lead Generation in January

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS