By Keith Gerson, CFE

If you’ve ever hosted a Discovery Day, you know the feeling. The presentations are polished. The deck looks sharp. Everyone nods in agreement.

And then—silence.

The candidate thanks you for the tour, flies home, and never returns your call.

You tell yourself they “weren’t the right fit.” But if that keeps happening, the problem isn’t the candidate. It’s the system.

After five decades in franchising, I’ve sat through more Discovery Days than I can count—from global QSR giants to emerging brands with ten units and big dreams. And I’ll tell you this: 8 out of 10 fail to close because they focus on selling the brand, not selecting the right partner.

Let’s unpack what’s really happening—and how to fix it before your recruitment funnel becomes a revolving door.

The Cost of Getting Discovery Days Wrong

The math is ugly.

Every qualified lead costs between $600 and $1,200 by the time you factor in advertising, broker fees, and labor. If only one in ten converts, that’s a customer acquisition cost of $6,000 to $12,000 per deal—before you even collect a dime in royalties.

Now multiply that by the dozens of unqualified candidates who make it to Discovery Day each year. You’re not just burning money; you’re burning trust.

Worse, those candidates go home and tell others, “Nice people, but something felt off.” That reputation sticks.

Why Most Discovery Days Don’t Work

Let’s call out the core issues.

1. The Franchisee Doesn’t See Themselves in the Story

Too many Discovery Days sound like shareholder meetings. Slide after slide about growth metrics, territories, and branding. But the candidate’s inner dialogue is simpler:

“Can I really see myself running this business every day?”

Most franchisors never bridge that gap. They talk about what makes the system great instead of painting a picture of the operator’s lifestyle, support, and profitability.

If a candidate can’t visualize their success story inside your brand, they won’t buy in.

2. The Process Feels Like a Pitch, Not a Partnership

The strongest candidates aren’t looking to be sold. They’re evaluating you just as much as you’re evaluating them.

One fast-casual brand I worked with had a 12-slide presentation full of slogans and statistics—but not a single conversation about who actually thrives in their model.

After revising their approach to include a “Success Profile” session—where top operators shared real-world experiences—their closing rate jumped 37%.

People don’t buy brochures. They buy “belonging”.

3. The Follow-Up Fails the Momentum Test

Discovery Day doesn’t end when the tour does.

I’ve seen brands wait weeks to send follow-up materials, allowing enthusiasm to fade and competitors to move in. Momentum dies in the inbox.

Smart franchisors close the loop fast—within 24 hours—with a personalized summary of takeaways, Item 19 unit-level economic ranges, and next steps.

If you want to convert serious candidates, speed equals credibility.

The Franchise Sales Conversion Framework

So how do you turn your Discovery Day from a glorified field trip into a strategic conversion event?
 Here’s the framework I teach franchisors who want predictable growth without wasting leads.

Phase 1: Pre-Qualification

Most franchisors start selling too soon.

Before anyone gets an invitation to Discovery Day, they should pass three tests:

  • Financial Fit: Verified liquidity, not estimates. 
  • Lifestyle Fit: Do they understand the daily realities of the business? 
  • Cultural Fit: Do they align with your mission and values? 

You’re not looking for people who can buy a franchise. You’re looking for people who can thrive in one.

This screening alone can cut your wasted Discovery Days in half.

Phase 2: Immersive Experience Design

Once candidates are qualified, shift your focus from presentation to immersion.

A Discovery Day should make the candidate feel what it’s like to operate within your system. Let them meet field coaches, talk to current franchisees, and walk through real store operations.

But—and this is critical—don’t script the experience like a commercial.

The best Discovery Days balance honesty with enthusiasm. Show the challenges alongside the opportunities. People don’t trust perfect stories. They trust transparent ones.

Phase 3: The Profit Narrative

This is where most franchisors stumble.

Candidates need a clear picture of how money is made and managed. That doesn’t mean handing out detailed P&Ls—it means framing profitability as a process.

Explain the drivers of success: average ticket size, customer acquisition cost, local marketing ROI, labor efficiency. Show how top performers manage each lever.

When franchisees can see the logic behind profitability, they believe in the system’s stability.

Phase 4: Decision Momentum

The 48 hours after Discovery Day decide everything.

I call this the “commitment window.” The candidate’s excitement peaks right after they’ve met the team and seen the operation. Every day that passes after that, their confidence erodes.

Have a structured follow-up plan:

  • Day 1: Personalized thank-you and recap email. 
  • Day 2: Financial performance representation summary and key support highlights. 
  • Day 3: Call from a peer franchisee to answer candid questions. 
  • Day 4: Scheduled next-step call to discuss territory and timing. 

Every touchpoint builds momentum. Momentum builds commitment.

Measuring What Actually Matters

Forget vanity metrics like total leads or email opens.
 Here’s what your sales team should track:

  • Lead to an appointment and lead to a kept appointment
  • Lead-to-Discovery-Day ratio 
  • Discovery-to-Close conversion rate 
  • Average days from first call to signed agreement 
  • Candidate satisfaction score post-event 

If your Discovery-to-Close rate is below 25%, it’s not a lead problem—it’s a process problem.

The best systems I’ve seen operate around 40–45%. They don’t chase volume. They chase fit.

Case Study: Turning a 10% Close Rate Into 42%

A service-based brand I worked with was struggling to close deals. Their Discovery Days felt more like classroom lectures than decision catalysts.

We redesigned the process: replaced half the presentation slides with live demonstrations, introduced a peer panel, and trained executives to listen before pitching.

The result? A fourfold increase in close rate, plus franchisee satisfaction that carried into onboarding.

Because the best sales experience isn’t persuasion—it’s alignment.

The Bigger Picture

Franchise recruitment isn’t about who can tell the best story. It’s about who can identify, attract, and empower the right partners.

When you stop selling and start selecting, everything improves—unit performance, brand culture, long-term profitability.

The real goal isn’t more franchisees. It’s better ones.

The Bottom Line

Discovery Days don’t fail because candidates aren’t serious. They fail because the process isn’t strategic.

If you want to grow faster, stop chasing leads and start designing experiences that create conviction.

Conviction converts.

The next time you host a Discovery Day, ask yourself: Did we make them feel like investors in a vision—or spectators at a show?

The answer determines your future growth.

One candidate at a time.

Keith Gerson, CFE, is a globally recognized franchising expert with 50 years of experience. As President & CEO of Gerson Advisory Services, he’s known as a super-connector, trusted advisor to top franchisor CEOs, and thought leader whose webinars, articles, and the FranConnect Franchise Sales Index Report have earned him a massive industry following.