Marketing Franchisee: The New-Age Sales Person

Marketing Franchisee (MF) is a unique concept which involves direct selling of a product or services to its consumers. As Prashant Tambe, National Head - Direct Sales, Reliance Webstore Ltd says, “It is a direct selling concept with few enhancements. It is one of the innovative franchise concepts that ask for low investment and involves minimal risks.” It is a channel through which a company reaches out to its wide customer base and creates awareness of its new and existing product range. There are some major players which are counting heavily on MFs, and one of such prominent player is Reliance World that has immersed itself in this concept to give its customers a delightful experience of its wide availability of products and services. It includes digital world of information, communication, entertainment and utility services.

Role of marketing franchisees

Marketing franchisees serve as an entrepreneurial arm of a particular Reliance World store irrespective of the fact that the store is franchised or company-owned. Their main task is ‘selling’ the product or the services to its customers. As Tambe says, “We have a range of products and services that cater to a wide cross-section of audiences including corporate, executives, homemakers and youngsters.” They have to take the various products and services that are offered at the particular stores (assigned to them) to the doorsteps of the customers who have the purchasing power but lack of awareness and time forbid them from buying. Moreover, it is the duty of the MFs to manage their own customers and motivate them for regular sales.

The new digital services launched by the Reliance Group demand a presentation or a demo to convince the customers to lead them to final sales. With this motive, the Reliance World is looking for marketing franchisees to give their customers the experience of the wide range of interesting and innovative products. These MFs is going to play an essential role in the market penetration and growth of the company.

Differences between marketing franchisee and direct sellingDirect selling concept of MFs differs widely from that of direct selling. Some of such existing differences are as follows:

• Unlike a direct sale agent, an MF is assigned for a particular store. But the number can increase up to three depending on the potentiality of the geographical location. S/he will represent that particular store with its wide array of offerings. In turn, s/he will earn a percentage of gross margins on the various sales s/he makes.
• Usually a direct sales agent is supported by very few offices/ centres of the company. However, a MF leverages the robust support of the Reliance World stores in that particular neighbourhood. Interestingly, the MFs can have a team to work for them for better performance.
• Despite direct selling, an MF will not lug around heavy bags, full of products to sell. An MF will be required to sell the concept and the Reliance store will remain the fulfilment point for selling the offerings. Moreover, s/he can even decide how much s/he wants to sell and earn.
• In contrast to a direct sales agent, a marketing franchisee will leverage the backup and support of a well established brand. In addition to this, the opportunity involves minimal risks with great earning potentials.

Eligibility criteria for selecting marketing franchisee

If you think that this is the kind of opportunity that you have been looking for then here are enlisted the eligibility criteria set by the Reliance World for selecting its MFs:

• An MF is required to have good contacts and networking skills to expand the customer base.
• S/he must have the marketing acumen and a passion for selling the products or services offered by the company. As Tambe says, “We are looking for educated MFs who can understand our business concept and convince the customer by imparting the knowledge of the various products as our offerings are assimilated by the educated people of the society.”
• Aspirants with field sales experience of ‘Concept Sales’ products will be preferred.
• S/he must be capable enough of investing around one lakh rupees to get started with this promising business. The best part is that the model involves a sign up fee of merely Rs 20, 000, which too is collected for the training and support expenditure.

Training and support for marketing franchisee

Once you get selected, the next step will involve 10 days intensive engagement programme and certification. As Tambe says, “Our training programme will be conducted by the respective experts and external faculty at the corporate headquarters of the company at Navi Mumbai to provide a comprehensive knowledge and skill training to each of the marketing franchisee.” It will be followed by a two-day store orientation programme, which will be done at the store level. Besides this, various module-based training programmes will be organised on the basis of the observation scores. Reviews covering new products and sales techniques will also be imparted to the MFs.

Importantly, an MF will be mapped to his/her assigned store to provide support in terms of sourcing the products for demo or sales, order fulfilment and product collateral supply (brochures, leaflets, fliers and so on). The MFs will also be provided with a complete sales kit with all the necessary marketing collaterals.

In short, the marketing franchise can be a good value proposition for an aspiring entrepreneur as it involves great earning potentials, low investment franchise and minimal risks. So, associate yourself with the leading Reliance World and avail the benefits.