Why Successful Franchise Buyers Look Beyond the Marketing Script

Franchise sales have become incredibly sophisticated. Franchisors now precisely know which words and phrases resonate most with potential franchisees. However, the elements that trigger excitement and sales aren’t always the same things that create strong, successful franchise operators.

1. The “Marketing Script” Problem

Franchisors have mastered the language of selling franchises. Common phrases like "strong support," "real community," and "semi-absentee ownership" appear repeatedly in promotional materials and pitches. These terms aren't inherently deceptive; franchisors genuinely aim to provide support and build community. The problem is these phrases are so overused they've become templated—generic selling points rather than reliable indicators of quality. This doesn't mean they're false claims; it simply means you must independently verify them.

2. Owners Are the Reality Check

Franchise owners can't fake their daily experience. When validating a franchise opportunity, it's crucial to speak directly to franchisees and listen carefully to their responses. I recommend speaking to as many franchisees as needed until you start hearing the same thing over and over again. At a minimum this is 10 franchisees but there is no max. You should try to find franchisees with similar backgrounds to you, live in an area with similar demographics to yours, and those who have accomplished your specific goals. Ask specific, practical questions like, "How do you handle staffing challenges?" or "What exactly happens when you have a marketing issue?" Listen closely to the speed, specificity, and confidence of their answers. A detailed, quick, and straightforward answer usually indicates genuine effectiveness. Often, the absence of frustration in their tone can reveal more than glowing testimonials.

3. How to Validate Properly

When performing due diligence, make a detailed list of every promise or claim made by the franchisor during their pitch. Then add every point you personally are looking for, this could be weekly coaching, done for you marketing, certain revenue numbers in a certain timeline, or something very personal to you. Go directly to existing franchisees with this list and confirm each item specifically. Avoid generalized questions like, "Are you happy?" Instead, ask pointedly, "The franchisor said they provide weekly marketing support—do they?" Look for flat, straightforward confirmations like, "Yes, we do that every single week." Also, pay attention to signs of frustration or hesitation, as emotional responses can indicate unmet expectations and overpromises.

4. Things to Probe Deeply

Certain aspects of franchise support deserve special scrutiny. Here are critical questions to explore thoroughly with franchisees:

Startup Costs: Did these franchisees get to break even without spending more than the FDD claimed they would.

Marketing: Does the franchisor's preferred marketing vendor deliver qualified leads, or are franchisees left doing their own marketing despite paying fees?

Training and Support: Did these franchisees get the appropriate amount of training to launch the franchise and did they have ongoing support that helped them through all the challenges they faced and, more importantly, anticipated upcoming challenges.

Profitability: How fast did they become profitable, how much could they pull from the business in the first year, second year, etc?

Conclusion

In franchise buying, buzzwords like "support" and "community" are easy and cheap to say. The smartest move you can make in your franchise due diligence process is to verify every claim quietly, directly, and thoroughly. Your future success as a franchise operator depends on seeing beyond the marketing script and grounding your decision in real, validated experiences.