Franchise Update Magazine Issue I, 2016 | Seite 90

GROWING YOUR SYSTEM

It’s closing time
Are You Qualified?

Pre-qualifiers bring many benefits to sales

O

BY STEVE OLSON

ften, young franchisors have
their sales executive initially
screen and pre-qualify prospects. This certainly makes sense during
the start-up phase, especially when dollars and inquiries are scarce. However,
when franchise sales start multiplying, a
qualification specialist can be worth their
weight in platinum. Why? Simply because
your star recruiter gets bogged down with
time-robbers that begin cutting away at
their sales productivity. Often they become shackled by departmental meetings,
reports, paperwork, coordination with
real estate, marketing operations, trade
shows, conferences, and travel.
As shown in Franchise Update’s 2015
annual mystery shopping survey, qualified prospect leads tumble through the
cracks all too often. Even though 143
participating brands knew they were
being mystery shopped, 43 percent still
failed to contact these qualified prospects
within 24 hours—and some didn’t contact them at all.
Closing the performance gap
Because dedicated qualifiers are readily
accessible, they are much faster following
up with every lead. Within their parameters, they are often more disciplined to
stick within your scripted vetting process
than your salesperson is. Their sole mission is to eliminate poor and mismatched
inquiries, and produce only properly
screened appointments to speak with
your development professional. This frees
your sales executive to zero in on prequalified leads—increasing the number
of candidates they can effectively handle,
and consequently providing greater opportunities to sell more deals.
What makes a successful franchise
qualifier?
“It’s all about your responsiveness,” advises Dominique Main, qualification
specialist for two food franchises and a
business-to-business brand. She adds, “If
you’re not on top of every inquiry, you

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lose the race. Same-day service wins! If an
inquirer has to wait more than 24 hours,
they’re gone.” She also cautions, “Don’t
put on the sales pitch!” For Dominique
it’s about helping people with their investigation, and then motivating those
who initially qualify to take the next
step. To expedite setting appointments,

Top pre-qualifiers
are great listeners,
relationship builders,
and “process
driven” individuals
who often become
successful sales
executives
themselves.
she books the meeting on the spot by
accessing the sales executive’s calendar
online. If prospects need to change the
time, they can rebook by accessing the
calendar themselves. Dominique sends a
text reminder on the day of the scheduled
call to both the franchi