Engage with Candidates, Close More Deals!
It’s no secret candidates who are engaged in your recruitment process are more likely to continue and sign a franchise agreement. Hard data and statistics prove this. We also know that common sense tells us it’s true. For franchise recruitment teams specifically, managers who properly and strategically engage with potential new franchisees sooner and more often in the discovery process result in better relationships and more signings.
So let’s talk about some simple ways to engage like a pro.
Go in with questions!
Avoid the temptation to talk 90% of the time. Ask meaningful questions and listen. As a manager, your prep time for a call should be no more than a couple of minutes. With your recruiter’s notes and information already gathered, you should have a solid three or four discussion topics. Don’t waste time discussing the same information already established in previous contacts. Instead, go deeper with the candidate’s timeline, fears, finances, goals, and vision for their future.
Reach out to each candidate and engage 2 to 5 times throughout the discovery experience.
It could be a call, Zoom, text, handwritten note, etc. The point is to reach out! As a franchise recruitment manager, you have been in the recruiter’s shoes before. You remember what it was like getting the right support with a candidate from your manager. Now it is your turn to do the same for recruiters you’re managing and help them advance a candidate through the process.
Know the objective of the call beforehand.
If you are taking the time to chat with a potential candidate, there should be a clear understanding as to why. Does the manager need to address a specific topic or question? Does the candidate need someone else to give a professional nudge or push to make a commitment for discovery day? Or to complete a questionnaire or application? Whatever the reason, the outcome or call objective must be crystal clear for the manager and recruiter in advance.
Follow up! It shows you care!
Nine times out of 10, a follow-up is a necessity – and sometimes, when a lead goes cold, required. If a candidate has gone cold, your manager can absolutely engage by making a phone call, leaving a voicemail, sending a text or email, or all of the above! Reaching out shows you care and keeps your leads warm!
Again… there are no secrets or mysteries to candidate engagement. But it does require a commitment of time and energy. Get more engaged and see the difference it makes with signings.
Let’s go to work! To read more tips on how to Engage Like a Pro, visit our latest blog post!
Art Coley is CEO of CGI Franchise. CGIF was founded in 2015 with a mission to help franchise companies implement and execute repeatable and sustainable recruitment systems using the Recruitment Operating System. His team is based in Temple, Texas, and works with brands worldwide. Contact him at 281-658-9409 or acoley@cgifranchise.com.
