The Story That Really Matters in Franchise Development
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I would like a favor. Go to your recruitment website and read the first paragraph block. Who or what is the focus? Is it your candidate or you?
If you’re like most companies, your messaging (the words you use to convey your brand’s unique selling points, culture, tone, and offer) focuses on your company, not your candidates.
And it’s likely wasting thousands of dollars on lead generation.
The good news is that there’s a better way. Using a simple storytelling framework, your brand’s lead generation (and entire recruitment) will stop wasting valuable resources and uncover better candidates.
Who’s the Hero in Franchise Development?
As we explained in our Neuroscience article, franchise development has taken a sharp turn from the recruitment and sales tactics of the 90s. Franchise development no longer focuses on who has the best and most lucrative offer as a brand. The brand’s unique selling proposition (USP) must consider the candidate’s physical, emotional, and financial journey.
We also learned from Ricky Deakyne that a brand that understands the desires and needs of its candidates through its Ideal Candidate Profile will schedule and keep more step 1 calls. Better, more qualified candidates will flow through the pipeline faster, easier, and more confidently.
The bottom line is that it’s not about your brand; it’s about the candidates.
In classic storytelling, we call that the hero of the story.
Your candidates – your future franchisees and small business owners are the heroes of your brand’s story, not you (Read that again).
That’s a harsh lesson to learn. We like to talk about ourselves, especially if we have a great brand and business model. However, the research in neuroscience and the data we’ve accumulated through ROS® affirm that it’s not about us but the candidate.
That’s why the StoryBrand framework conceptualized by Donald Miller in his book Building a StoryBrand resonates so well in the marketing and recruitment world.
In his book, Don says, “When we position our customer [or candidate] as the hero and ourselves as the guide, we will be recognized as a trusted resource to help them overcome their challenges. Positioning the customer as the hero in the story is more than just good manners; it’s also good business.”
The brand that gets this right will win in the marketplace every time.
“When we position our customer [or candidate] as the hero and ourselves as the guide, we will be recognized as a trusted resource to help them overcome their challenges. Positioning the customer as the hero in the story is more than just good manners; it’s also good business.”
Donald Miller, Building a StoryBrand
What Role Does the Guide Play in Franchise Development?
In a great movie or book, there’s a role that we’re all familiar with called the guide. In The Lord of The Rings, it’s Gandalf. In Tommy Boy (one of my favorites!), it’s Tommy’s dad. In Star Wars, it’s Yoda and Obi-Wan.
Imagine those movies without the guide. Then, imagine those movies if the guides played the dominant role in the film. It’s not a great story anymore. That happens in our marketing, messaging, lead generation, and recruitment process (steps 1-8) when we position ourselves as the hero instead of the guide.
Our story is irrelevant to aspiring business owners because we’ve shoved them out.
How do We Play the Guide in Franchise Development?
Here are seven steps to playing the guide in franchise development. Some are simple, and some will require work.
- Read Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller.
- Get crystal clear on your ideal candidate. What are their wants, needs, desires, pain points, frustrations, dreams, hobbies, and values? If you don’t understand this, you don’t understand your candidates. TIP: talk to your existing network of franchisees. What drew them to your brand? Why did they sign?
- Build your marketing foundation with words and messaging focusing on the problems and objections your candidates face, from the first thought of owning a franchise to the angst of deciding to sign.
- Inspect and rewrite your website messaging with candidate-centric copy. Don Miller says, “People buy the products or services [or sign with the franchisees]that communicate the clearest.”
- Use franchisee testimonials and Item 19 from your Franchise Disclosure Document to tell your brand’s story in your ads and lead generation. Using other people’s words and success to build authority is proven to work better than using your own words.
- Be an active listener on recruitment calls. Most guides don’t have a considerable amount of lines in movies. (“Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda).
- Paint a vision of success for candidates when they sign with your brand. What will life be like for them? Make it tangible so they can feel it. For example, “Sit down to more dinners with your family when you control your travel and schedule” or “Feel a sense of accomplishment and pride when you attend local networking events because you’re a business owner.” These are the “stakes” of a good story. When our hero can win something at the end of the story, they have a reason to go through the risk of becoming a franchisee with your brand.
Pairing the Recruitment Operating System® (ROS®) with StoryBrand for Better Franchise Development
I have been a StoryBrand Certified guide for five years and have worked with the ROS® team for five years. I can confidently say that they operate hand in hand. ROS® is a system designed to prioritize the goals and needs of candidates to sign more highly qualified candidates.
StoryBrand is a messaging framework that puts the customer or candidate in the hero seat to win more loyal customers or sign better candidates.
We have data showing that brands that fail to prioritize the candidate will fail in recruitment, ultimately dragging their brand down. Not only will your lead generation suffer, but your step 1 calls will deteriorate, and signings will slow down. Worse, your brand could force the wrong candidates through the recruitment process, resulting in unqualified, poorly performing franchisees.
Recruitment has changed in the last 30 years. Candidates are smarter, driven, and focused on the values that are best for their future and families.
The brands that get it and use systems like ROS® and StoryBrand to make candidates heroes in the story will win. It’s that simple.
Yes, playing the guide means you can’t be the story’s hero. You don’t win the girl, destroy the ring, blast the Death Star, or connect with your long-lost love at your hometown coffeeshop (for you Hallmark fans out there). But remember, most guides were heroes once upon a time and had their own guides to help them succeed. So, when the moment calls for it, they can still wield a mean lightsaber or wizard staff with the best of them.
If your brand has a solid business model with proper funding, support, and training, refining your messaging and methodology by positioning your candidates as heroes is a solid plan for successful franchise development.
Contact the ROS® team today to learn how we can help you understand and leverage StoryBrand for better marketing, lead generation, and recruitment.
Connect with Daniel Palmer on LinkedIn.
The Recruitment Operating System® (ROS®) is a proven system to help franchise companies implement and execute a predictable, repeatable, and sustainable franchisee recruitment program.
Based in Temple, Texas, we work with brands worldwide.
