Franchising has traditionally been a selling industry. Franchises are sold by franchisors and bought by interested franchisees. However, franchising has evolved when it was realized that a franchise would benefit more if changes are initiated that would focus on the quality of the franchisees selected rather than focusing solely on the franchisees' bankroll.

A company is franchised by the franchisor so that he could expand quickly without the need for additional equity. Franchising also aids in branding efforts because the more branches there are, the more popular a company becomes. A franchisor also gains profits not only from direct clients who avail of the company's products and services, but also from the royalties that come in from those who avail of the business concept and methods already in place.

To realize these benefits, it is important that the franchisee selected to carry the brand name be more than somebody who has enough money to invest. The franchisee must have business aptitude in order to effectively implement the business systems purchased. The franchisee must be motivated so that he can make a success out of his franchise venture.

Thus, not everybody who has the financial capacity to invest can be assured of a franchise. A franchise has become a privilege and it is awarded by the franchisor only to deserving franchise applicants. Most franchise operators have a selection committee especially tasked to screen franchise applicants so that only those with the right attitude can be awarded a franchise.

But the focus on awarding franchises has dimmed the concept of selling franchises. Some franchise operators have neglected to make any effort towards marketing their franchise opportunity and focused more on the selection process.

It should be noted that franchising is a selling business first and foremost. A company that wishes to expand and profit through the franchising route should not fail to expend some effort towards generating interest in the company. If proper marketing and advertising of the franchise opportunity is neglected, there will be no applicants to screen and no profits forthcoming.

A successful franchise operation combines both selling and awarding. First a franchisor must sell the concept to potential franchisees. Next a selection is made based on tried and proven criteria. Finally, an award of the franchise is made to deserving applicants. Only a franchisor who understands the need for both the selling and awarding concepts is assured of thriving.