Selling is a real life game. Most franchising sales people are not very good at it because they have not learned the rules or understand the basics of the game. Those who are successful generally account for 80% of the sales and 80% of the commissions. Let's look at the game -- when to play it, how to play it, where to play it, and with whom to play it.

Selling is simply a direct communication that an individual representative engages in with a prospective franchisee or customer for the purpose of making a sale or awarding a franchise. Sales people have historically accomplished this task in one of two ways: 

(1) communicating face to face in a personal sales call or 

(2) selling over the telephone, often referred to as telemarketing. 

In a sense, all business people are sales people. The founder or CEO of the franchise organization is a sales person. The sales director has his position because he was sold that position by the founder or CEO. Any individual, whether a manager, owner, engineer, or secretary still has to sell ideas or concepts to peers, superiors, subordinates, or franchisees.

Selling is the most highly paid profession in the world. All great leaders of business, industry, or politics are either great sales people or they have great sales people as employees. Skilful persuasion or the art of selling is an integral part of any successful franchisor or sales director. Individuals need to sell not only products or services but also ideas and visions. The franchisor will be a success because their ability to sell or to persuade others to except their vision, products, or services. 

RULE OF THUMB:  Eighty percent of the sales are accomplished by 20% of the sales people.

Because most people do not take the time to learn the rules of the game or how it is played, 20% or fewer of the sales people actually make 80% or more of the sales. Surprisingly, fewer than 50% of the people making a sale will actually try to make a close in that sale. The top person in the organization generally has risen to that position because of their ability to persuade or sell others.