The Value of a Franchise Sales Process

For almost 25 years, I have been selling franchises - usually for capital intensive projects.

I have always used a sales process, instead of relying upon magical phrases like: "Be Your Own Boss", or "In Business for Yourself but not by Yourself." To the sophisticated probable purchaser, these and similar phrases are trite.

There are six benefits to having a sales process - benefits for any sized franchise.

1. Consistent: With a specific and focussed sales process, a sales force can be taught, manage and coached to excellence. Your sales process has to provide a consistent and professional face to the probable purchaser. A sales process does that.

2. Repeatable: Standardized delivery to consumers is the heart of franchising. Standardized delivery of your marketing message to the probable purchaser is equally important.

3. Less Work: A sales process will eliminate inquiries early on. You will stop wasting time & start closing more deals by working with less inquiries and more probable purchasers.

4. Accurate Item 20 Projections: Sales is an optimistic profession. Too optimistic. A salesman will give a highly optimistic opinion of which deals will close and when. Just look at the item 20's in any FDD - how many projected openings year to the next turn into locations opened? Not many. A sales process helps the franchisor project gross royalties better. And all planning starts from accurate numbers.

5. Manageable: A sales process has clearly defined steps -ones that could be outlined with a decision tree. If you pay attention to what is happening in the sales process, it is easy for the sales manager to monitor that staff's progress to their quota or targets.

6. Teachable: Because a sales process breaks down the complex sale into a series of steps, it is easier to learn. New sales staff can progress through the complex sale without getting overwhelmed.

Finally, a franchise sale process has to lead a probable purchaser through the questions that are important to the purchaser and not on what you believe are the great features of your system!