10 Tips for Making Your Franchise Development Website Work

When potential franchisees are interested in your brand, what’s the first thing they’re going to do? They’re going to look at your franchise development website, and then they’re going to evaluate your brand based on how good it is. Here are 10 tips to help you make a good first impression.

Don’t be cheap. If you’re not a designer, don’t try to make the website yourself. If you don’t know what you’re doing, pay someone who does. You need to be willing to shell out a little bit of money to make a great site. Think of it as a long-term investment that will pay off in the long run.

Don’t overwhelm people with information. No one wants to be overwhelmed by information; your site shouldn’t be so crowded that potential franchisees have trouble finding what’s important. Stay short, sweet and to the point.

Include a contact form. It’s important to show potential franchisees that you’re accessible and available to discuss any questions or concerns they may have. But having a “contact us” page isn’t the only thing that matters; you also need to respond to questions in a timely manner.

Remember the power of images. Your site won’t be memorable if it’s all words; you need to show your brand’s creativity by adding high-quality images to your site. These can be images of your products, services, franchisees, leadership team or logo. People will be more likely to imagine themselves with the brand if they can actually see the brand.

And other visuals like maps and video. Images are great, but adding videos and infographics is even better. Try including a map of all your franchise locations or an infographic with your recent sales numbers to show potential franchisees how successful you’ve been in recent years.

Make it personal. Remember that you’re not talking to a robot. Potential franchisees are people, too! They want to be wooed just like the rest of us. Show your franchisees how your brand’s mission and goals connect with them as people.

Know your audience. Is your ideal franchisee an educated, tech-savvy Millennial? Or are you more interested in attracting middle-aged couples with finance and business experience? Figure out who you want to target, then create your site with them in mind. This will help you get more valuable, effective leads.

Be transparent about the cost. One of the first things franchisees want to know is how much the franchisee process will cost. Devote an entire section of your website to this and provide as many details as possible.

Make sure your website is mobile-friendly. In today’s digital age, it’s likely that people aren’t viewing your website from their computers. They’re probably using their smartphones or tablets. It’s important that your website looks professional no matter what device viewers are using. Connect with your designer to make sure that your site is compatible with different devices, and if it isn’t, change it so it is.