How to Leave a Good First Impression on a Franchisor

Want to make a winning first impression on a franchisor? These days, with the number of qualified leads down, franchisors are being even more selective in whom they bring on board, and, while money talks, it’s the way you present yourself as a potential investor that really seals the deal.

“More mature franchise companies are much more selective as they understand, from experience, how difficult it is to put a ‘round peg’ into a ‘square hole,’” says Craig Slavin, founder of Franchise Architects, a franchise consulting firm, and creator of the Franchise Navigator, a profiling system that measures the potential of franchisee prospects – helping companies optimize recruitment, selection and individual performance. So if you have your sights set on one franchise in particular, take heed of the following do’s and don’ts when attempting to sweep the franchisor off his or her feet.

1. Do the necessary work to find the perfect franchise for you: Take the time to research the company culture and get to know the franchise and franchisor to make sure that it’s the right fit. If the franchisor’s overall goals and culture are congruent to your own, most likely, they’ll feel the same way about you. “Candidate selection is not a one-size-fits-all solution,” says Slavin. “You simply cannot bundle ‘candidates’ into one bucket. Each business model is different, and each person is different. It is aligning the two together that is critical.”

2. Understand the perspective of the franchisor: Looking at the recruitment process through the eyes of the franchisor will make you more sensitive to the challenges that they face in finding the right people and will make you more aware of what you need to do to leave a lasting, positive impression. “The human capital part of growing a business is what will cause success or failure,” says Slavin. “A company could have a very effective business model and could very well be ready to engage in franchising. But if they sell or grant their franchise to the wrong person, with incongruent skills, values, and behavior, the business will not succeed or, at best, meet its goals.”

3. Demonstrate your willingness to learn and follow the franchise system: Perhaps the most crucial element in wooing a franchisor is proving that you’re ready and willing to put into practice the system that they have worked hard to establish. “If a client is willing to work with the brand and learn from the years of experience set before them from us and our franchisees, we know there will be a positive working relationship going forward,” says Gina K. McKee, Vice President of Franchise Development for Value Place. “If a client arrives for our first face-to-face meeting with all the ways they want to change our brand, then we know this is most likely not going to be a good fit for either party.”

Christine Specht, President and COO of Cousins Subs, agrees, saying “Our most successful franchise partners follow and embrace the Cousins brand, culture, and systems, so in the franchise selection process we have built in a similar structure for new candidates to follow. Setting the correct expectations upfront is critical. Having that process and system for new candidates to follow allows us to evaluate them as they engage with our staff and follow the required steps of the franchise development process.”

4. Demonstrate your commitment to the brand: Don’t forget that, as a franchisee, you are a direct representative of the franchise brand; therefore, franchisors are most impressed by potential investors who demonstrate that they are investing more than just money into the franchise opportunity. “We are looking for franchisees that are willing to go the extra mile, from greeting guests with a smile when they come through the door to actually getting behind the counter and making the sandwiches themselves,” says Specht at Cousins Subs. “For example, we recently had a guest from Iowa who left her purse in one of our restaurants. The franchisee not only searched the restaurant for it and found it but FedExed it back to her that same day. This is the caliber of person we are looking for . . . one that goes above and beyond and is willing to get the job done at all costs.”

5. Ask questions: Doing substantial research beforehand and asking questions when you meet the franchisor is crucial for making a good investment decision but also clearly shows the franchisor that you are taking the decision seriously. Says McKee, “The more inquisitive, the better.”

Choosing the wrong franchisee is one of the most fatal mistakes that a franchisor can make. Slavin says a mismatched franchisee can incur legal costs of between $20,000 and $250,000 depending on how extensive the conflict is. Therefore, heed the advice above to show that you’re worthy of the franchisor taking a chance on you, and you’ll soon have him or her head over heels.