How To Become a Franchise Salesperson (Plus Salary and Skills)

Updated August 16, 2022

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If you're looking for a career in franchising, becoming a franchise salesperson may be a lucrative option. The career can be quite rewarding, as you get to share in business growth experiences with some reputable brands. It might help to understand how to become a franchise salesperson before venturing into this career.

In this article, we explore what a franchise salesperson is, how to become one and skills that can help you establish yourself in this career path.

What is a franchise salesperson?

A franchise salesperson is a professional who matches prospective investors with potentially profitable franchise opportunities. It's important to distinguish a franchise salesperson from a franchise broker. While franchise brokers are independent contractors, franchise salespeople can work independently or with a particular franchisor. As a franchise salesperson, you have the option of working for a single franchisor or multiple franchise brands.

What does a franchise salesperson do?

Though a franchise salesperson's job is to consider an investor's best interests, it's essential to note that they don't represent investors. Instead, they represent franchises. Though they consider both parties' interests because the right match between an investor and a franchise brand ultimately benefits all stakeholders involved. A franchise salesperson conducts activities like:

Promoting and enabling franchise sales
Conducting franchise-specific research to ensure proper investor-franchise matching
Educating prospective investors on available franchises
Assessing the suitability of prospective investors to multiple brands
Contacting people who meet different franchises' standards
Referring investors to the most suitable franchises

How much does a franchise salesperson make?

While there's no salary information available for a franchise salesperson, a franchise manager earns a national average salary of $62,154 per year, and most salespeople, who earn an average salary of $62,921 per year, also earn commissions. Large franchise brands rely heavily on qualified franchise salespeople to help them expand into new markets. Emerging and mid-level brands rely on these sales professionals to generate qualified leads.

Commissions vary among brands. Many offer a percentage, such as 50% of the initial franchise fee, while some offer a flat rate. Your salary may depend on whether a franchisor pays commissions or a flat rate and your qualifications and experience.

For the most up-to-date salary information from Indeed, click on the link(s) provided.

How to become a franchise salesperson

Here are some steps you can take to build your career as a franchise salesperson:

1. Obtain a college degree

Entry-level franchise salespeople often have at least an associate degree. Depending on the franchise, a bachelor's degree may also be necessary. Most of these sales professionals pursue degrees in business, communication, marketing, accounting and finance.

2. Seek training beyond a degree

There isn't a specific background a salesperson requires, but seeking training after earning a degree may help you progress faster in this position. Institutions like the Franchise Brokers Association and the Franchise Training Institute offer preliminary training. Their training allows prospective franchise salespeople to become well-versed in legal compliance and sales and marketing tactics.

On-the-job training also helps improve an individual's success in this career path because it allows franchise salespeople to identify and use successful strategies. Industry events, workshops and webinars provide avenues for further training, and interactions with other franchise salespeople can help with networking opportunities.

3. Consider taking certification courses

Franchise salespeople may also pursue various certifications on top of their education and training. The two most common certifications for this career path are the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) from the International Franchise Association and the Certified Franchise Consultant (CFC) created by the International Franchise Professional Group (IFPG).

The International Franchise Association (IFA) requires individuals seeking the CFE certification to excel in education, participation and experience. Education carries 2,500 credits, whereas participation and experience each have 500 credits. The IFA also requires candidates to attend at least one of its events annually to get the participation credits. Some topics you may encounter when pursuing CFE certification include:

Marketing
Human resource management
Franchisor and franchisee relations
Franchise law regulations
Social media

The CFC certification aims to provide candidates with industry recognition and is one of the shortest certification programs in franchising because the IFPG provides candidates with all the tools to take the CFC exam in four to six weeks. CFC training topics include:

Franchise consultant and customer relationship management
Franchise consultant leads
How to become a franchise consultant

Please note that none of the organizations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.

4. Prepare your resume

Creating a good resume is also vital in becoming a successful franchise salesperson. A good resume can help you secure internships, part-time jobs and full-time employment. Include your education, experience and certifications to show franchisors your past successes and how you may help them.

5. Seek field experience

As you pursue your degree and certification courses, you may also want to pursue various internships or relevant part-time jobs. For example, you may find a job as an assistant franchise salesperson or apply for an internship at a franchise. The experiences you gain in these positions may help you assess your interest in the career path. They may also prepare you for entry-level positions at franchise-selling firms. Many of these firms appreciate candidates with some background in franchise selling.

Skills for a franchise salesperson

Along with education, training and certification, franchise salespeople possess various skills, such as:

Business savvy: Business savvy, also known as business acumen, is an ability to analyze and handle various situations in ways likely to bring positive outcomes. With good business acumen, you can easily match potential investors with the right franchise brands.
Communication skills: Your primary role as this type of salesperson is to market and sell franchising opportunities. Therefore, knowing how to communicate effectively with potential investors and franchisors can be helpful.
Presentation abilities: A franchise salesperson makes many pitches, explaining to clients the benefits of investing in the franchise brands they represent. Therefore, presentation skills are essential in attracting and keeping potential investors.
Organizational intelligence: As a franchise salesperson, you likely see multiple clients in a day. This requires a lot of organization, time management and research to ensure high success rates.
Empathy for client needs: A salesperson knows how to appreciate investors' challenges and frustrations and being empathetic can contribute to maintaining an investor's interest.
Ability to understand client needs: This sales role involves matching the right investors with franchisors. This calls for a deep understanding of both parties' needs and how to meet them.
Innovative thinking: Innovative thinking involves continuously finding new ideas to meet clients' needs. This skill is essential in sales, as clients' needs and potential problems constantly change.