10 Tips For a Killer Franchise Sales Website

Purchasing a franchise is a big commitment, and with that commitment comes a lot of research. It should come as no surprise that research these days typically begins online and often leads directly to your franchise website. 

Having a flashy, beautiful website is not going to be enough to close on those prospective entrepreneurs. Just as a franchise buyer invests time researching the right franchise to invest in the franchisor needs to research and invest in an effective website targeted specifically to their key demographics. 

When a prospective franchisee visits your website, they are considering one of the biggest investments of their lifetime, and it can be concerning, if not outright shocking for them to see only a single page of content. Websites today run on sophisticated platforms designed to educate users and create leads, and the Franchise industry is too often out of sync with what entrepreneurs are used to seeing on the web. 

Here are 10 tips to ensure your franchise sales website is driving and converting the right leads.

Content

You’ve heard the saying content is king. It’s true. Having too much or too little content can be the difference between a prospect who submits an inquiry and one who moves on to the next franchise site. You want to make sure to tell your story without overwhelming the user. Studies show information-rich websites are the most effective in converting visitors into serious prospects. Users want honesty and transparency. They crave facts, so make sure to put the most important information out there. You can have a great website, but if the content isn’t thought out or well presented, your site will underperform. 

Custom Images

Avoid stock photos. Yes many of them are pretty, but they do not let users know the real you. People like to connect with people in life and on the web. Let users know who you are by sharing real images over stock images. This helps to boost a connection that can help lead to the sale. 

Audio/Videos

Speaking of building a connection through images, another great way to foster a relationship and build a connection through the web is to include audio or videos on your site. Have real franchisee owners speaking of their experience with the franchise. This adds a real-life element to your website and helps to make your franchise feel even more real. 

Social Proof

Social standing (or social proof) is the way your website or franchise is viewed by others. People want that real connection, and they still rely on other people’s opinions to form that connection. Potential franchisees will need to know that your claims can be backed up before they move forward. A great way to build social proof is to use testimonials, highlight franchisee success stories, boast about key numbers and include certifications or endorsements. In turn, this will build trust and increase credibility with your users. 

Virtual Chat

Adding a feature like a virtual chat creates yet another path to connect with the user. This allows them to ask simple questions without having to commit to a larger conversation, making them more likely to engage with you before they are ready to invest. This allows your franchise the opportunity to answer those simple questions and keep the user engaged on your site and interested in your franchise. 

Ease of Use

Use a straightforward layout. With so many opportunities and options on the web these days, users want an easily navigable site. Keep things simple, structured and intuitive. The quicker and easier users can find what they are looking for, the happier they will be with their experience. 

Clear-Cut and User-Friendly CTAs

Speaking of ease of use, make sure your site has clear-cut and user-friendly calls to action (CTAs). Make sure most, if not all, pages have CTAs and that the user understands what they are getting when they click on them. CTAs lead users to learn more and stay intrigued throughout their browsing experience. 

Easy-to-Use Forms

You want to make it easy for users to contact you, sign up for a newsletter and request additional information. It is important to keep form requests simple. Having a form that is multiple pages or clicks is the quickest way to lose users from your site. The same goes for asking for too much information. Make it easy to use and request only the minimum information you need from the user. This will lead to more people filling out your forms. 

Mobile-Friendly and Responsive Websites

Technology has adapted to meet rapidly changing consumer habits. Your website needs to do the same. With more and more users visiting sites on the go through a phone or tablet, it is imperative that your website can respond to these different technologies. It’s not enough for your site to be mobile- and tablet-friendly, you also need to take different browser types and various screen sizes into account. Making sure that your website remains functional and responsive is essential to keeping a user interested. 

Apply SEO Best Practices

The best franchise sales website in the world is worthless if no one can find it. SEO is not just about your keyword strategy and content on the website, it is equally important to factor in development practices as well. The goal is to have your website rank high enough so that users can find your website when they start their franchise opportunity search, even if they aren’t searching for your brand yet. Having the right strategy and using those best practices in both content and development is crucial to keeping your website ranking high in search engines.