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to stop using his business’s Facebook page to upload photos of himself taking part in ‘planking’, an Internet craze that involves lying face down in an unusual situation! Secondly, social media provides a permanent forum, therefore if someone makes a negative comment or complaint about a service on a site, it will be there for everyone to see and be very difficult to remove. Being so open online and having an environment where anyone can comment on your page or wall does open up businesses to the threat of negative PR that can harm the brand. However, this can be dealt with, as Kevin explains: “If someone complains about you via social media, you have the opportunity to listen, respond and remedy a reply.” There is something to be said about a business that it is willing to be open and honest with its customers.
Thirdly, is the issue of maintenance. Whatever page, group or thread you may start, someone on your team will need to ensure it is updated on a regular basis. Claire reveals: “One of the key things to bear in mind with any social media is that once they are up and running, you have to respond and maintain the page regularly. Without a large team, it’s not possible to monitor a Facebook page 24/7.” Domino’s recommends its franchisees explain clearly on their page how often it is monitored to help fans be aware of how quickly they will get a response. However, to really maximise the strength of social media, franchisors should encourage franchisees to use it. Kevin says: “Having franchisees embrace social media is a whole
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new area that requires training.” 0800 Repair, although currently carries out most of the activity from head office, is looking at ways to empower franchisees to use it as an effective marketing tool. It now recruits a consultant to train franchisees in making some online comments and becoming a user as a way to get them started. With Domino’s Pizza, franchisees control their own Facebook and Twitter pages. The franchise runs a social media conference for all its franchisees and offers tips and advice for the pages, sharing best practice. All franchisees must adhere to a social media policy, which has been designed by Domino’s Pizza, “this clearly defines the boundaries on what is acceptable in terms of using social media. We work with our franchisees to ensure the policy is followed,” explains Claire. Franchisors must think about which forum is most suitable for them too – what works for some businesses may not work for others. “Look at it from a customer’s point of view,” says Kevin. The rise in smart phones, for example, means that many service-based businesses must be available on a mobile. “Last year we had one per cent of people access our site via a smart phone,” explains Kevin. “Now it is in the region of six per cent and by the end of the year we are expecting it to be 10 per cent.”
There is also much talk about Google+, a new social networking site whereby people and businesses will be able to create different circles, enabling users to tailor messages for each group. Some, like Kevin, believe
this could even surpass Facebook as it helps businesses be even more targeted towards their customer base.
Ultimately, franchisors must research which method is best for them and their business, and train their franchisees in it appropriately. If you have the proper guidelines in place from the start, you can arm you franchisees with the ability to grow their business through innovative and modern marketing methods, helping them achieve a thriving business. n
Social club – check liSt
• Start out from head office. Set up your own pages and test the water. You may even wish to start a fan club. Ensure you have someone that can take on this responsibility
• Include social media in your training – what language should franchisees use, what works and what purpose social media serves in their business
• Dos and don’ts: Produce a set of guidelines and be clear about what a franchisee cannot do
• Set up a forum whereby you can communicate with franchisees about social media, reveal new techniques and technology, but be clear about its relevance to the business
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