If you work in new franchise development, you know how crucial the first phone call is – and how hard it is to make that phone connection. Year after year, contact rates for the franchising industry remain challenging, and now we know why.
It boils down to this: There’s an eye-popping mismatch between typical business hours and the times that potential franchise owners are sending inquiries. The Landmark Interactive network of franchise portals analyzed a year of prospect leads to 1,524 different franchises and found a stunning 67% of all inquiries are made outside bankers’ hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays).
The implications are are clear: If you’re receiving 10 leads a day, odds are that only 3 are generated during business hours – and it might not be convenient for the prospect to talk right away. Changing your process improves your chances of connecting with each prospect. So pay attention to when the lead is sent. If you’re calling several hours later than a weekend or overnight inquiry, be prepared to leave a short message asking when it’s convenient to re-connect.