As a franchisor, you should understand that filling your franchise sales pipeline is one of the most important tasks when it comes to running your business. The success of your franchise sales pipeline is what essentially guarantees your business’s future.
To help you kickstart your success, today we’ll be sharing ten of the top strategies used by franchise industry leaders to fill their franchise sales pipeline!
Strategy #1: Have a Comprehensive Marketing Strategy
A comprehensive marketing strategy is key to any franchise company looking to fill its franchise sales pipeline with quality leads. Your business will struggle to achieve desirable results without an effective plan in place.
Your marketing strategy should include an arsenal of proven tactics, such as online and offline advertising, public relations, social media marketing, and lead generation campaigns.
Strategy #2: Find Ways To Reach Your Target Audience
One of the best ways to fill your franchise sales pipeline is by finding new and innovative ways to reach your target audience. This can be achieved by using different advertising platforms; or by targeting a specific demographic that you know is interested in your franchise opportunity.
You can also participate in events and trade shows where potential franchisees will be in attendance. Again, by putting yourself in front of your target audience, you're more likely to attract qualified franchise leads that can turn into franchise buyers.
Strategy #3: Utilize Your Existing Franchisee List
By properly utilizing your pre-existing franchisee database, you can create exponential growth in terms of sales pipeline fulfillment.
You can use this database to create lookalike audiences on Facebook to target an audience similar to your current franchisees.
You can also create a referral program to encourage your existing franchisees to help you find new leads. Referral programs help your franchisees feel active regarding the mutually beneficial relationship between them and your franchise system.
Strategy #4: Use a Combination of Methods to Reach Out To Prospective Franchisees
Using a combination of methods to reach out to prospective franchisees is always a good idea, as it allows sales reps to cast a wider net and attract more leads.
This process could include using online advertising platforms, such as Google AdWords or Facebook Ads, in addition to attending trade shows and networking events. You can also work towards creating targeted informative content in order to ensure that the right types of leads for your franchise are attracted.
Pulse is a powerful CRM and marketing automation software that brings consistency and real-time reporting to businesses, which helps companies grow smarter and faster.
Instantly get access to Pulse's powerful tools that help companies grow smarter and faster.
Strategy #5: Make Sure Your Franchise Sales Presentation is Well-Organized
A well-organized and easy-to-follow franchise sales presentation is essential, as it will allow for a smooth transition between pipeline stages after you make first contact with your prospective franchisees.
Your team should be able to easily answer any questions that potential leads might have, enabling them to make an informed decision when it comes to joining your franchise system.
Your franchise sales presentation should also be tailored to the specific audience you're targeting. By custom tailoring your presentation, you’ll be able to not only create a connection with your prospects but also increase your chances of converting leads into franchise buyers.
Strategy #6: Utilize Social Media Platforms to Promote Your Franchise Opportunity
Social media platforms can serve as an excellent catalyst for franchise promotion and lead generation.
You can create informative posts that highlight the benefits of owning a franchise through these various platforms. Social media can also be used to answer any questions that prospects might have about the process of buying a franchise.
It's important to keep in mind that social media is a two-way street, so be sure to listen and respond to any comments or questions that your posts might elicit from prospective new franchisees.
Strategy #7: Create a Franchise Sales Process
A well-defined franchise sales process is essential for any franchisor looking to fill their franchise sales pipeline.
By having a structured sales process, you can help your sales team be more organized and efficient when it comes to qualifying potential leads. This type of plan also gives your prospective new franchisees a sense of security, with them knowing that they're dealing with a professional organization.
Your franchise sales process should serve a wide range of potential leads and be easy to follow.
Strategy #8: Create an Online Presence with Blogs and Websites
Creating an online presence with blogs and websites is a great way to reach potential franchisees.
You can use your website and blog to provide information about the benefits of owning a franchise. You can also use them to answer any questions that prospects might have about the process of buying a franchise.
It's important to keep in mind that online content should be constantly updated, so be sure to post new articles and blog posts on a regular basis.
Scheduled posts will help you stay top-of-mind with your target audience, as well as help you attract more leads to your franchise sales pipeline.
Strategy #9: Be Proactive - Reach Out to Potential Franchise Sales Leads
One of the best ways to fill your franchise sales pipeline is by being proactive and reaching out to potential leads. Don't wait for them to come to you - go out and find them! There are a number of ways that you can reach out to potential leads, including:
- Cold Calling: This can be a great way to reach out to franchise leads who may not be familiar with your franchise. Cold calls can also be a great way to start building a relationship with prospects.
- Networking: Meeting people in person is a great way to build relationships and find potential leads. Attend events, meet-ups, or even just coffee meetings!
- Social Media: Social media channels are a great way to reach out to potential leads. You can post about your franchise opportunity on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
- Email Marketing: Email marketing is a great way to reach out to potential leads. You can send emails about your franchise opportunity to people who may be interested in owning their own business.
There are a number of ways to reach out to potential leads, and the best way to find what works best for you is by experimenting. Try out a few different methods and see which ones produce the most results.
Strategy #10: Use Lead Generation Tools like Franchise Portals... to Find New Leads
Franchise portals allow you to list your franchise opportunity, and they will sell you any leads that are interested in learning more about purchasing a franchise from you.
These websites generate substantial amounts of traffic with people searching for new franchise opportunities they can purchase and can be a great way to fill your franchise sales pipeline with new leads.
Most franchise portals will charge you a fixed price per lead, and you can set a monthly budget based on how many leads you would like to generate each month.
Ensure you have an efficient way to track bad leads from these portals, as they should give you credit for any bad leads that you receive.
Here at Pulse, we can make this process very efficient which helps increase your return on investment.
The combination of StealthSeminar and Pulse will help you generate more sales from your webinars with less effort! You'll also get access to all other great features, such as CRM, email marketing, and much more.
Try Pulse for free today, and it's a breeze to get your StealthSeminar integration setup.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the strategies that franchisors can use to fill their franchise sales pipeline. Experiment with different methods and see which ones work best for you. Always remember that the most important variable when it comes to fulfilling your sales pipeline is to stay consistent and keep reaching out to potential leads.
Contact us today to learn more about how Pulse can help with your franchise sales.
Pro Tip: How a CRM Can Help You Manage Franchise Sales More Efficiently
