Speed-to-lead is the time between when a franchise candidate submits an inquiry and when your team makes first contact. In franchise development, it's one of the most reliable predictors of whether that candidate ever becomes a conversation — let alone a signing.
The reason it matters so much in franchise is context. When someone fills out a franchise inquiry form, they're usually researching multiple brands at the same time. They're in a window of active interest that closes fast. The brand that reaches them first captures their attention while motivation is highest. Brands that wait hours — or days — are competing for a candidate who has already moved on emotionally, even if they haven't formally disqualified you.
the FranFunnel Franchise Lead Response Time Study, Q1 2025 · 500+ brands · 14 franchise categories found the average email response time was 8.8 hours. That's not a pipeline problem — it's a speed-to-lead problem. A candidate who gets a text in under 60 seconds is a different conversation than one who gets an email the next morning.
See how FranFunnel closes the gap — book a demo. Or dig into the speed-to-lead data behind the benchmark.