The Art and Science of Franchise Selection: Sales
The Art and Science of Choosing the Right Franchise: Understanding Sales
When you're considering franchise ownership, picking the right industry isn't just guesswork—it's a strategic blend of art and science. You'll want an industry that aligns with your skills (the art) while also meeting measurable criteria that promise growth (the science).
The "art" covers sales, customer relationships, and leveraging your personal experience.
The "science" addresses market size, growth potential, recurring revenue streams, profit margins, barriers to entry, resilience during downturns, and competitive analysis.
Today’s deep dive: Sales.
Sales: Not as "Icky" as You Think
Let’s get real—most professionals cringe at the thought of sales. It might evoke memories of awkward pitches or pressure-filled presentations. But here's the good news: modern sales isn't about being pushy; it's about solving real problems. And fortunately, few of us encounter the stereotypical "used-car salesman" daily—unless you're buying cars daily, in which case, I’m intrigued.
Most businesses genuinely aim to match customers with what they actually need.
Now that we have the sales -ickyness out of the way, what are the different kind of sales?
1. Business to Business (B2B)
This is a professional sale where you likely cold outreached or networked your way into a business owner’s office. You are offering a product or service they need (whether they know it or not) and you can provide it better/cheaper/faster that a competitor.
This sale is about finding their most pressing issue and figuring out if you can solve that for them. If not, no worries. If you can, the sale should be a no brainer.
Within this type of sales is a continuum from fun to serious.
Example: Selling dance services to preschools is a real business with real B2B sales. However, it is more focused on the “fun”.
Example: Selling cost cutting services. This is all about the numbers and clearly communicating how you can achieve the savings.
Both require you to cold call on businesses to sell them a service.
2. Homeowner sales
A homeowner has a need or a want and call you/your team to provide a quote. This has 2 categories:
Absolute Needs- plumbing, electrical, HVAC, restoration, etc. They HAVE to get this solved and they will usually go with the first person they find on Google who picks up.
Your “sales” job is to oversee digital marketing, make sure your crew does a phenomenal job, and ask for a Google Review when you are done.
Eventually, a manager will do this but usually it will be you at the start.
You will also network/cold call with referral partners like property managers.
Nice to haves- Blinds, floors, lawns, cleaning, etc. These are things that usually require a quote so the customer is calling a few people they saw on social media and Google to come out. They are not always looking for the cheapest option, but usually the best value.
Your job is to understand what they want on a deeply emotional level and make them see you as the one who can deliver.
You will talk to them about their home, their dreams, their preferences, and their life. If they are confident you are going to take care of them the best, they will likely choose you even if you aren’t the cheapest.
Consumer Sales
This is usually when a consumer needs something and will go to a location to get it. This is highly dependent on marketing, brand name recognition, and local networking.
The owner will ensure the marketing is working and they are likely spending a large percent of their revenue on ads.
The owner also has to ensure customer service is absolutely tip top.
Hardware stores are a good example, most people had an experience at an ACE, Home Depot, or Lowes that makes them go to that one store over the others even if they move to a new location.
When I was 16 and building a science fair project, a Home Depot employee walked me through everything I needed and tips on how to build a man size trebuchet. Almost 20 years later, I refuse to shop at any other hardware store.
The other thing these owners must do is community relations and networking. You need to meet referral partners, sponsor teams, and host booths at events. People need to know you exist to go to your store!
Final Thoughts:
Nearly every franchise opportunity falls clearly into these sales types. (And if you're thinking "What about Amazon?"—remember, purely online businesses don’t franchise. Nice try, though.)
As you start your franchise research, ask yourself: "Which style of sales aligns best with me and my strengths?" It’s a simple question, but crucial to choosing a franchise you'll thrive in.
