What’s smarter than a smartphone? Two smart phones – yours, and the one in the hands of the local entrepreneur who wants to know more about owning one of your franchises.
In less than a decade, smart phones connected to the Internet have skyrocketed to become the No. 1 channel for potential investors to research business opportunities and contact franchise sales teams. In fact, the mobile channel for franchise prospects has tripled in the past 5 years. The most recent data from Landmark Franchise Group shows potential franchisees send 65% of their inquiries using mobile phones. That only underscores the importance of an immediate response from franchise sales teams.
That brings us to the smart phone in purse or pocket. Are you using it to keep track of the latest leads as they arrive, then making the quickest return call feasible? Here are some reminders to increase your contact rate:
- Never hesitate to call when the inquiry comes in. Chances are the prospect inquired from a mobile phone and is available now.
- Pay attention to the prospect’s location. Be willing to call outside YOUR business business hours when it matches the PROSPECT’s time zone.
- Pay attention to WHEN the lead arrived. If you’re calling several hours later than an overnight inquiry, be prepared to leave a short message pointing out time zone differences and asking when it’s convenient to re-connect.
- If you do leave a message, don’t forget to mention your automated introductory message that a prospect should receive. It might take multiple communication channels to finally reconnect with some prospects, given time differences.