The Franchising Centre

Do you want to recruit more franchisees?

Yes, of course you do…who doesn’t? But it’s never just as simple as that, is it? You want more franchisees, but you also want to be sure they are the right kind of franchisees for your business, and that alone can be a full-time job – if not several!

Between managing enquiries, chasing leads, following them up, scheduling discovery days, updating your website, and still actually running your core business and supporting the franchisees you already have, it’s no wonder many franchisors find themselves asking the same question:

“Should I think about outsourcing some, or all, of my recruitment?”

Whether you’re a new franchisor trying to build your process, an experienced recruiter who’s short on time, or an established brand adapting to a changing market, it’s a question worth exploring.

From the outside, franchise recruitment sounds simple: put together a great offer, promote it, and wait for the enquiries to roll in. Or, if not simple, not so different from any other sales process. However, once you really start to dive into it, franchise recruitment is actually a complex eco-system of processes which need to work together perfectly.

Here’s just a snapshot of what that might include:

• Crafting the right content and messaging ( sms, emails, ads, landing pages, a franchisee attraction website, brochures)
• Building and maintaining your digital presence across multiple channels
• Managing enquiries and follow-up systems
• Nurturing leads who might take 6-12 months to decide
• Tracking conversations and progress with CRM tools
• Screening and qualifying candidates to make sure they match your profile
• Conducting discovery calls and meetings
• Supporting prospects through their decision making

That’s just a basic setup. There’s a whole lot more you might want to consider depending on your sector and model. If you, or your team, are handling all of that yourselves, that’s a lot of moving parts to take care of, and all of these things are only going to take more time as you grow.

Each one of these can take a great deal of time, resources, and expertise to get right. It can be a heavy load for even the largest of franchises, which is exactly why most franchisors consider outsourcing some or all of their recruitment processes to outside experts at some stage during their journey.

But is outsourcing right for you?

Just like any business growth strategy, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, and there are always pros and cons to consider. For example:

Pros of outsourcing:

Experts on tap – you can work with experienced specialists without the cost or commitment of hiring extra in-house staff.

Consistency – Every lead gets a timely, professional response, even when you and your team are busy. That reliability alone can dramatically increase conversion.

Flexibility – you can scale your recruitment up or down depending on your goals, resources, and need to support your current network.

Time back – you can focus more on your specialities such as growing the business, franchisee support, network development, and long-term strategy.

A new perspective – a fresh pair of expert eyes can often identify gaps, or new opportunities, which are easy to overlook when you’re on the inside looking out.

Cons of outsourcing:

Less control – you’re still in charge, of course, but you’ll need to place a great deal of trust in a 3rd party in order to have a productive relationship.

Increased costs – high-level expertise which gets results doesn’t come cheap, so it’s important to weigh up the ROI carefully.

One Size doesn’t fit all – what works for someone else won’t necessarily work for you, so you need to ensure anyone you work with can tailor their strategy to your needs.

You will still need to be involved – outsourcing doesn’t mean stepping back completely, as the best results come when you are still actively engaged in strategy and recruitment. This may not suit your individual needs.

A 3rd option?

Of course, this doesn’t have to be a binary choice – you don’t need to commit to working 100% in house, or 100% outsourcing all your processes – partial outsourcing could be the sweet spot you’re looking for. Many franchisors find a hybrid option can help them enjoy the best of both worlds.

For example, you might continue running final interviews yourself, but ask a consultant to pre-qualify leads through all the initial stages. Or you might outsource all your marketing and lead-gen, but remain in control of everything after that. You might even just bring in a specialist for a specific, one-time project, such as creating fresh content, or improving your systems.

Deciding what’s right for you

Before you can decide whether outsourcing is right for you, you need to take a really good look at where your current recruitment systems stand – and how well they’re performing.

Carrying out a frank and honest audit is the best place to start, so you may want to ask yourself some of the following questions:

• Is your franchise recruitment website and marketing content actually attracting and engaging the right kind of prospects?
• Do you have a clear, consistent process for handling and following up with every new enquiry?
• Are your systems and tools, such as CRMs, automation, and lead tracking, fit for purpose in today’s digital world?
• Do you have a strategy for nurturing leads over the long-term?
• Do you or your team have enough time to give recruitment the focus it deserves?
• Is managing recruitment yourself stopping you from supporting your existing franchisees and growing your network?

I appreciate that’s quite a lot to think about – which, of course, means more of your precious time. If you’d like, we’d be happy to take a look for you in the form of a free audit of your existing franchise recruitment strategy. All in total confidentiality, of course, and you’ll be under no obligation to take our advice, but a fresh pair of eyes can often give you the clarity you need to make an informed decision about the future.