If you’re considering a home care franchise, you’ll likely attend a “Discovery Day” or two as part of the decision making process. Discovery Days are exciting times in which potential franchisees and franchisors get to know one another. They give entrepreneurs a chance to gain unique insights into how the organization as a whole operates, who they would be working with as a franchisee, and what they could expect their day-to-day role to look like. These events also offer a crucial opportunity for franchisors to evaluate candidates and determine who will best represent their brand.

To get the most out of your Discovery Day experience, it’s important to be in the right mindset and have a clear understanding of what this event entails and what its main purpose is. Below, we’ve created a short primer on Discovery Days so you can put your best foot forward when meeting with a potential franchisor for the first time.

Understanding Discovery Day Invites

Franchisors will typically complete a thorough assessment of a candidate before extending an invitation to a Discovery Day. This due diligence on the franchisor’s side helps to ensure those who attend Discovery Days are qualified prospects. A franchisor will want to be sure potential franchisees have the drive to purchase a franchise and can also meet the financial requirements.

If you are still waiting on an invitations, don’t be discouraged. Each franchisor will work through their own internal process before extending an invitation. If you are especially excited about working with a brand, you can always reach out to the franchisor to ask about attending Discovery Day. Doing so will highlight your interest in the brand and your eagerness to learn more about the franchise purchase process.

Understanding Discovery Day Obligations

While attending Discovery Day is a significant step forward in your relationship with a potential franchisor, there is no obligation to take any further steps just because you’ve taken the time to participate in this event. Don’t feel forced to sign any legal documents until you’re completely ready. It’s important that you take as much time as you need to make this important decision.

While a franchisor may indicate they want to close a deal with you, you don’t owe them an immediate answer. In addition, you’re free to attend Discovery Days with different franchisors if you’re trying to narrow down your choice between a few different franchise brands.

Understanding What to Expect During Discovery Day

Once you’ve received an invitation to attend, you'll generally be expected to make your own travel arrangements to meet the franchise team at their corporate headquarters or at an individual franchise location. Spouses, business partners, or lead employees are also typically welcome to attend. Depending on how far you’ll need to travel for the event, you’ll need to mark off at the very least a full day on your calendar, possibly even two or three to account for travel.

If you’re curious about how the day will unfold, you can request to be provided with the Discovery Day agenda in advance. Overall, you can expect the franchisor to use this time to introduce you to key personnel at the corporate office and current franchisees. You’ll also attend presentations about important aspects of the business.

Most importantly, the franchisor should be open to answering any questions you have. Throughout this whole process, you’ll be able to gain a clear picture of the company’s culture and value system, as well as the details of daily business operations.

Increase Your Chances of Being Offered a Home Care Franchise

First impressions are crucial in most areas of life, but especially in business. We highly recommend dressing for success when you attend a Discovery Day. You should also come prepared to speak about your skill set, personal goals, and drive to become a home care franchise owner with the particular brand in question.

Ensure you do plenty of research well in advance of the big day so you don’t waste time asking general questions and can have more specific inquiries addressed. That way, you’ll leave Discovery Day with a much better understanding of whether the franchisor is the right fit for you, as well as confidence that you’ve placed yourself in the best light as a potential franchisee.

If you’d like to take the first step joining the Visiting Angels^® franchise family, we encourage you to contact our team at 800-365-4189 today or request details about our home care franchise online!