Fitness network: 18 franchise applications in 23 days

Context

Fitness studio network (franchisee recruitment). A fitness studio network recruiting franchisees. Candidates come from several sources: Meta Ads (53), Google Ads (30), manual imports (8), website (4), franchise portals (3) and webhook (1). The goal is not a meeting: it is for the candidate to fill in the online application form.

The usual problem in this industry

A franchise candidate often compares several networks at once. A first-contact form is not enough to assess a project, and the full application takes effort. Without a quick, personal follow-up, many candidates never finish it.

What was set up

• First WhatsApp message with the application form link, sent as soon as the lead arrives or when business hours open.
• When the candidate replies, the agent asks about the target area and points them to the application.
• Every lead source (ads, website, portals, imports) goes through the same agent.
• The development team takes over the conversation when useful.

Results

Over the period from September 16 to October 8, 2026:

• 99 candidates contacted (Meta, Google Ads, website, franchise portals)
• 18 application forms completed (18.2%)
• 16.2% replied on WhatsApp (16 of 99)

Source: Falka database, figures pulled on October 8, 2026. Leads created during the period; reply rate = leads who replied ÷ leads contacted.

What we take away

• An agent's goal does not have to be a meeting: here the completed application is what matters, and that is what we measure.
• Most applications were completed without the candidate replying to the message: the link sent at the right time is often enough. We cannot tell how many would have completed it without the message.
• The reply rate (16.2%) is lower than in our other cases: a franchise candidate answers more slowly than a customer who wants an appointment.