Express Employment Professionals saw record growth in the first quarter of 2013, awarding 24 new franchises and reselling six existing locations for an all-time high of 629 locations nationwide. The strong performance comes on the heels of the staffing company’s “30K for 30” campaign, in which the first 30 franchisees of 2013 are awarded $30,000 in working capital to launch their new businesses.
Eighteen of the 24 new franchisees have taken advantage of the “30K for 30” offer, which celebrates the staffing firm’s 30th anniversary this year.
“This was the best quarter for franchise sales in company history,” said Bob Funk, CEO and chairman of the board for Express. “This is the result of growing awareness about the incredible rate of return an Express franchise has to offer. Since the average investment is less than $144,000 and the average mature Express territory generated more than $5.5 million last year, Express has one of the highest return rates in franchising.”
Funk credits Express’s success with increasing response and closing rates from franchisee outreach. The company has screened more than 2,000 potential franchisees already this year. Express also increased ad campaign response rates by 30 percent since January, grew website conversions from three to seven percent, and improved Discovery Day closing rates from 55 to 80 percent compared to a year ago.
Express expects to add 48 total locations in 2013, putting them at the halfway point much earlier than anticipated. Target markets include Tucson, Ariz., Ft. Wayne, Ind., Santa Rosa, Calif., Omaha, Neb., Long Island, N.Y., Jacksonville, Fla., Miami, and Boston.
Express Employment Professionals is on a mission to put a million people to work annually and helped more than 367,000 people find jobs in 2012. With more than 600 franchises in the U.S., Canada and South Africa, Express provides expertise in evaluation hire, temporary staffing, professional search and human resources.
