All About Discovery Day
Discovery Day is a distinctive franchise term that describes one of the final steps of the investigative process—a face-to-face encounter between the candidate and home office executive team. It’s also referred to as “Meet the Team” Day, Confirmation Day, or Hospitality Day, but they all mean the same thing. Prior to COVID, these visits were always conducted in person, but more than a few brands ended up making Discovery Day a virtual experience, in the interest of health and safety.
Basic Overview
Discovery Day is an extremely vital endpoint in the franchise investigative process. It signals the end of the pre-sales journey and the beginning of the final decision-making process. At its heart, it’s a mutually beneficial evaluation in which both parties can size one another up in determining a fit. The primary goal is for you to spend time visiting as you review the core values of the people and personnel behind the franchise concept. Candidates will want to know if the executive team represents a chance for them to become a successful business owner. And the franchise team will want to know if the candidate will make a good representative for their brand.
Discovery Day Schedules
Discovery Days tend to have very organized itineraries, so you should know precisely what to expect during your visit. This includes your travel schedule (if going to an in-person event), accommodations, and transportation. Though the experience may differ from brand to brand, you can typically count on an introductory meeting where each party will get to know one another in a relaxed setting. A tour of the franchise’s company headquarters usually follows, where you’ll get an up close and personal look at their operations, training, and support centers. There may be breakout sessions where you’ll have the opportunity to visit with different brand representatives that handle processes like site selection, training, support, sales and marketing,and operations. Some have a dedicated Franchise Business Coach(FBC) who will be assigned to your operation.
How to Prepare for Your Discovery Day
It goes without saying, but your appearance counts. Franchisors are looking for exceptional representatives for their brands and you’ll want to look the part. Dress professionally and make sure to come prepared to discuss your future as one of their franchise owners. In a way, it’s a little bit like a group job interview. Before you embark, make sure that you have any final questions you’d like answered. Just the same, be prepared for a few of their questions to come your way as well. The corporate representatives will be interested in hearing about each part of your investigative journey up to the Discovery Day. They’ll likely ask about your personal core values and leadership style to determine how well it aligns with their own. Think of the entire day as a way for each party to establish a comfort level with one another.
Post-Meeting Tips
Returning to the group job interview analogy, you’ll want to follow up with the team members you’ve met during Discovery Day. Assuming that everything will have gone right, thank them for their time, insight, perspective, and their expectations in having you as a proposed member of their franchise system. Their decision to ultimately award you with a franchise should happen quickly, so be prepared with your own response. Nothing is official, of course, until you sign your franchise agreement.
In the Any Lab Test Now franchise investigative process, Discovery Day is Step #7 out of nine. To receive an invitation means you’ve already exceeded their ownership requirements. You’ll be invited to an introductory happy hour, then virtual Discovery Day in 2021. In early 2022, candidates will be invited to Any Lab Test Now’s corporate headquarters in Atlanta, GA to meet with the executive team firsthand. You’ll visit our training center and visit with team members to review our franchise system, culture, business model, and the training and support you’ll come to rely upon. If you’re investigating the Any Lab Test Now concept, we wish you luck and hope to see you at Step #7!
