10 Steps to a Killer Franchise Discovery Day

Hosting a Discovery Day is more than just an in-person meeting. It can be the Aha moment when a prospect decides the brand is the right fit or simply moves on. This is the time for franchisors to put their best foot forward and prove to prospects that their franchise is the best option out there. 

If you are designing a Discovery Day for your franchise, it is crucial to express the passion you feel toward your brand, and to do so in a transparent manner. And it’s equally important to be honest about your brand and ensure that you are only attracting the right candidates. At the end of the process, the franchisee will be the face of your brand in their territory, so being selective and asking tough questions to weed out unqualified prospects is key.

Unfortunately, there is no manual for hosting the perfect Discovery Day. So, 1851 spoke with Footprints Floors*’ Director of Operations, Rachel Simpson, and Fresh Coat* Painters’ Senior Marketing Manager, Todd Grandstaff, to learn how they perfected their Discovery Days.

Here are the 10 most important steps to hosting a successful Discovery Day, according to the experts. Not every Discovery Day will follow the same blueprint, but following these steps will help most franchisors create an effective and productive Discovery Day. 

1. Know What You’re Looking For

Know what your ideal franchisee validator looks like. Does your brand currently have a strong franchisee validator? Do they have the characteristics you are looking for in a business partner? Do they have what it takes to join the brand? Are they up for the challenge? 

2. Get to Know Your Prospect  

Are they personable and respectful? This prospect will be the face of your brand, so it’s important to get to know them well. What are their hobbies? Do they have prior experience? What is their family situation like? What are three words they would use to describe themselves as? What are their life goals?

Simpson said that, “In the past, we had formal meetings with the Director of Operations and Director of Managed Services. Now the meetings are over lunch which allows for a more personal and relaxed experience, while also hitting on some important relationship topics.”

3. Be Transparent, and Remember, Time is Money 

The more transparent you are about the business and what it takes to run it, the better. There is no point in wasting a candidate’s time nor your Franchise Development team’s time. No matter how strong your model, not all days are going to be good days for franchisees, so be transparent about what kinds of unplanned challenges can occur during their time with the brand. What have other franchisees had to overcome? This prospect is looking to invest their time and money into your brand so being upfront from the get-go is the best practice.

Simpson said that being transparent has been one of Footprints Floors’ most winning strategies. “Open, honest conversations; being transparent about who we are and what we feel makes a franchisee successful; the casual experience is what has helped us during Discovery Day.”

4. Create a Q&A 

Be prepared to ask the tough questions, and the prospect should do the same. How did you hear about the brand? Why do you want to become a franchisee with this brand? Can you see yourself doing this? This is a two-way street — both the prospect and the brand are looking for the right kind of partner.

5. Stick to the Plan

Creating an agenda makes for an overall smoother experience. Following an itinerary allows for a more organized flow and appears less overwhelming at the forefront. Set up a casual lunch or dinner to get to know the prospects on an informal basis, introduce them to the team members with a Q&A, tour the physical locations or headquarters if there is no brick and mortar location.

6. Nail the Presentation

Present the franchise opportunity in a clean, condensed Google Slide or PowerPoint presentation. Review the concept, training and support, marketing, team, production, proprietaries, technology, strategy, future goals and other key elements. 

Grandstaff said that consistency has been a winning factor for Fresh Coat, “Consistency — providing clear answers and direction should be the focus of Discovery Day. It is an opportunity for the owner to validate the information that was already provided in the process by the Consultants.”

7. Tidy up Headquarters

Make sure the space you’ll be hosting the Discovery Day is clean and put together. Nothing is more off-putting than seeing an office space in disarray.

8. Have a Franchisee-Validator Present

The franchisee can help answer real questions. They were once in the same position as your prospect. They are the best validator to answer any and all questions your prospect may have. 

9. Introduce Your Team

This can be during an introductory breakfast, lunch or dinner. Make sure each team member has enough time to mingle with the prospect. 

10. Give a Full Tour

For Footprints Floors, the Discovery Day includes a “Day In The Life” of a Footprints Floors Franchisee. This includes getting a sneak peek of the production side of the business as well as the sales side.

“We start at breakfast and then head out to see some job sights to get a feel for the production side of the business. We sit down for a luncheon where we go over financials, maps, the relationships that the franchisees have with each person in the company, but specifically the executive team, who is present at lunch altogether. After lunch, we head back out for some estimates to get a feel for the sales side of the business,“ said Simpson.