Applying to join a franchise is a lot like submitting a resume for a job. You are applying to own and operate your own business under the larger umbrella of a franchisor. You should know what the franchise qualifications are so you can understand what you need to have in order to land the franchise deal you want.

From Hello to Handshake

The franchise application process is designed to determine if a franchise is right for you and if you’re right for them. The first step is, naturally, the initial contact. This is usually done by submitting an application form or questionnaire, which many franchises offer on their websites. You might also initially get in touch with a franchise at an expo or trade show. Following this, a Franchise Development Officer will reach out to you to offer more insight into what owning the franchise will entail and answer any questions you may have.

After this conversation, , the next step is often a discovery day. This is when you and the franchisor will meet at the franchisor’s company headquarters to further discuss your interest and what their franchise’s goals, business model, and structure are like. This is also an opportunity for the franchisor to learn more about you. They should ask you about your personal goals, values, your interest in the products/services the franchise offers, and your business experience. At the end, once you and the franchisor know more about each other, you and the franchisor will decide whether you’re a good fit for one another. 

Once a franchise agreement has been signed, the franchisor will provide the necessary training for you to start your own franchise location. Along with training, you are provided with site selection assistance if you require a physical store to operate as well as assistance in choosing vendors for other needs such as vehicles and the supplies necessary to operate. Other support that franchisors provide franchisees includes administrative services, staff hiring assistance, and marketing services.

4 Sought-After Franchise Qualifications

To make sure you apply with your best foot forward, you want your application to reflect your best qualities. Make sure your application is fully filled out with accurate and up-to-date details.  To help you stand out among other applicants, consider some of the most desired qualities in a franchise: 

• Capital – Franchisors want franchisees who can plan ahead, and one of the best ways to show this is by having capital built up so your location can make it through its first few months of business, even if you get off to a slow start. It also demonstrates you’re ready to make a substantial investment in the franchise and you’re in it for the long haul. 
• Personality – Being able to sell a product or service is only part of the job of being a franchisee. A franchisor wants franchisees who enjoy their work and are enthusiastic about providing services or products to their customers. Displaying a can-do, self-starting, motivated, ambitious attitude will make you the kind of person a franchisor wants to work with. 
• Experience – A franchisor provides their franchisees with the training to understand the basics of their brand and business model. But overall business experience is a valuable quality for someone who wants to own a franchise location. If you can demonstrate you’ve handled customer relations, staff management, bookkeeping, and local marketing; you’ll present yourself as a seasoned businessperson who will be a good fit for the company. 
• Skills – Finally, while training is provided, it’s helpful to demonstrate that you’ve already got skills that can be used to both establish your new business and guide its growth. Some skills are ones that aren’t taught, but acquired, like motivating employees, working with a team, knowing how to organize a business, and finding the most efficient way of doing things. Franchisors like to see applicants who come to them with some know-how in running a business and an eagerness to apply those life lessons they’ve picked up.

Submit Your Application to Window Hero

If you’re an eager entrepreneur looking to not only generate revenue but provide a good customer experience through your role in a business you enjoy, then you have some of the most important qualifications we’re looking for at Window Hero! We’re an exterior cleaning franchise with a low cost of entry and multiple revenue streams. We’re looking for franchisees ready to learn, lead and grow their business. If Window Hero sounds like the right franchise for you, contact us to request franchise information today!