Franchise Update Magazine Issue II, 2015 | Page 58

GROWING YOUR SYSTEM

It’s closing
time
Why Didn’t Zoe
Return My Call?

Tackling sales challenges and realities
BY STEVE OLSON

C

onnecting with today’s fleeting
prospects is no easy task. We rack
our brains in attempts to crack
the barriers buyers hide behind. Let’s
consider two scenarios: one, our most
common frustration; the other, the one
sales execs wish for every day.
Meet Zoe, 37, a successful executive
in a Fortune 1000 company. She has serious dreams of business ownership, and
is exploring franchise opportunities in
the children’s education sector. She has
researched five opportunity websites,
read online reviews, and submitted two
response forms. After a barrage of emails,
and five follow-up calls, this ideal prospect remains hesitant and needs more
time. Zoe is still interested, but not ready.
Frank, 57, who is opting for early retirement, always wanted his own restaurant.
When he learned his favorite sandwich
hangout was franchising, he asked the
store owner for the appropriate person
to contact and called the following day.
His accountant advised him to check out
other, similar retail food opportunities,
which he did. After narrowing his choice
to two, he decided to “go for it” with his
local sandwich franchise. Seventy-two
days later Frank, his wife, and their son
were in training class.
Through the years I have bee