Tips for a Franchise Development Strategy

Do you think your business could be the next Subway, RE/MAX, or Dunkin’ Donuts? If you’re thinking about fueling your business’ long-term growth by establishing a franchise, one of the first things you’ll need is a bulletproof franchise development strategy that enables you to connect with potential franchisees and encourage the most qualified leads to get on board with your brand.

Pinnacle Franchise Development offers complete franchise development services, including strategic planning and implementation. No matter your current level of expertise in the world of franchising, our experienced consultants will walk you through everything you need to know. We’ll give you a general overview of how to get started below.

Identify your ideal audience

Before you can implement a franchise development strategy, you’ll need to know which audiences to target. Brainstorm a description of your ideal franchisee. Is it:

• Someone with experience in your industry
• A person who has any type of leadership experience in any industry
• Someone with a specific type of degree
• Someone who is community-oriented
• A person who cares about an eco-conscious brand

All types of franchisors, regardless of industry, will want franchisees who are passionate about the brand’s mission and core values.

Build a franchise recruitment website

Once you’ve developed a franchisee persona, you can get to work on recruitment efforts. The first step may be to build a franchise recruitment website or webpage if you don’t yet have one. 

Before you get started, you need to make a decision. Will you create an entirely separate website for potential franchisees, or will you create an add-on page to your brand’s current consumer-facing website?

There’s no right or wrong answer. However, if you expect to have a lot of information for your recruitment section, it may be best to go with a separate website. This will allow you to organize information more efficiently (with multiple pages) and speak to your target audience more clearly. (Your recruitment page/site will have a very different audience compared to the audience for your main website.)

Optimize your recruitment website

Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for your franchise development strategy. Optimizing your site enables it to become more visible to your target audience. You’ll need to do some keyword research and incorporate the best keywords into your site copy. 

The copy itself should be well-written, and it should tell your brand’s story in a way that makes leads want to become franchisees. Incorporate clear, strong calls to action throughout.

Take advantage of franchise listings

The Internet is filled with directory websites for all types of businesses, including directories specifically for franchises. Add your franchise to multiple directories in order to generate more leads. Be sure that your information is accurate. Here’s a sampling of franchise directories:

• Franchise Center (Entrepreneur)
• Franchise Direct
• Franchise Times
• Franchising.com
• International Franchise Association
• National Franchise Directory
• SBA Franchise Directory

Take your business to new heights with Pinnacle

No matter where you are in your franchising journey, you can receive comprehensive services and support at Pinnacle Franchise Development. 

With over 40 years of combined experience in franchise sales development, our expert team can build an impactful franchise development strategy for your business that elevates your brand and positions you for long-term growth. 

Contact us today to request a consultation and find out how Pinnacle can enable you to take the next step.