Planning a ‘discovery day’ can really increase your lead generation and lead conversion rates and allow prospective franchisees to get a flavour for your business before they commit.

Many franchisors choose to undertake discovery days so that they can meet a group of serious prospects face to face. This saves time and resources and has the benefit of allowing prospects to meet each other which can increase conversion rates.

Marketing your Discovery Days
Marketing is actively at work on the lead up to a discovery day, during the discovery day event and post event through various communication channels.

Before the Discovery Day
By advertising a discovery day, you are giving prospects an additional reason to get in contact with you. Make sure the discovery day is mentioned on all advertising and within press 2 – 3 months in advance to give individuals a chance to book on. All other enquiries generated from other sources should be made aware of the discovery day when contact is made.

Discovery days should always be well planned and organised. Depending on the type of franchise and business package on offer, there are a few key things to make sure you include:
1. A dedicated space for the discovery day. If you don’t have a suitable conference/ meeting room with adequate refreshment facilities then don’t try and do it onsite. Instead book a nearby meeting room at a hotel or somewhere else suitable, ideally within a short walk of your head office or template franchise that you plan to show off later on.
2. Start your discovery day in the afternoon as this allows individuals time to get to you. Have a solid structure to your afternoon and don’t finish too late as some people may have travelled quite a distance to visit you.
3. Plan your discovery day on a weekday. Most people attending will need to book a day off work and this shows their level of interest in your franchise. Many people who are not quite as interested would be temped to attend on a Saturday for a free lunch and ‘behind the scenes tour’!

During the Event
Organise a behind the scenes tour of some kind. Allow the prospects to speak to members of staff and look around within a supervised group. Encourage them to ask questions and find out as much as possible to help them make the right franchise choice. Some franchisors insist on attendees signing a confidentiality agreement on arrival while others do not, something to consider.

Post Event
Report back on your discovery day success within your press releases and on your website. If you can, state how many people progressed to the next stage. At a recent discovery day for a client, we achieved 100% success rate, everyone who attended progressed to the next level of in-depth interviews.

The Benefits
Prospective franchisees are interested in a proven business model. By involving them in a discovery day you will be openly demonstrating that other people have also seen the potential within your business model. This gives each prospect confidence and gives franchisors a chance to really sell the franchise package to a captive audience.

Discovery Day Tips
· Discovery days work best with around 10 serious franchisee prospects
· Get key individuals from within your business involved
· Plan the day thoroughly
· Give the prospects time to chat between themselves
· Have franchise agreements ready