Selling Point

The folks at GlobeNetix, an ISP franchise, know exactly the type of people they want for franchisees, and they'll do whatever it takes to attract them-including financing their franchise fees.

In January, the Houston-based company launched JumpStart, a program designed to bring top sales professionals to the franchise. "Lots of folks are interested in franchising, in owning their own business, but may not have the means to participate in the traditional franchise opportunity," says Ben Litalien, GlobeNetix founder and president.

The JumpStart program includes a plan that provides GlobeNetix franchisees with financing for the $25,000 franchise fee, reducing franchisees' start-up costs to about $7,500.

Over the next two years, GlobeNetix will travel to 30 metropolitan areas in the United States to meet with prospective franchisees. Evaluating a person's sales experience and professionalism, the company will select one JumpStart franchisee for every 20,000 businesses in a city. In Houston, for example, where there are a little more than 100,000 businesses, GlobeNetix will have five JumpStart franchisees.

GlobeNetix is looking for entrepreneurs with experience in consultative selling and will run the franchise full time, distributing Internet services to small and midsized U.S. businesses. A technical background isn't required.

"Many prospective franchisees don't have a sales background," Litalien explains. "We're using this program to attract people who are already familiar with the sales process, and that's what's going to allow them to jump into our franchise."

Besides the franchise fee, start-up costs include $7,500 for training, supplies, and a technology package that includes a laptop and a digital camera.

This article was originally published in the May 2001 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Selling Point.