Franchise Advice
“Social media is probably the most accessible marketing activity by brands with any size of network”
awareness with its target audience of its global network of sales trainers and consultants. Such a commitment to regular high-quality PR will be managed via head offi ce, often with the support and skills of specialist external agencies. Sponsorship is another popular and
eff ective activity that has other benefi ts than simply raising awareness with a target audience. For example, automotive brands like Revive!, Pirtek and Mac Tools all sponsor racing drivers, not only putting them in front of millions of potential domestic and commercial customers, but also allowing franchisees to use corporate hospitality to build deeper relationships with key clients and referrers.
Digital drivers Social media is probably the most accessible marketing activity by brands with any size of network, thanks to the generally lower investment required for success. Through central brand campaigns, customers and prospects can be engaged via a range of content, both shaping perception and driving leads. The more creative and targeted the content, the better the engagement. This could be anything from regular guidance and top tips to case studies, competitions and viral videos, right through to engagement with consumers to shape the future of the product development. With a core central website, a proportion of funds will often be committed to search engine optimisation (SEO), national pay-per-click campaigns and investing in content for the brand, including professional videos, product guides and frequently asked questions.
Celebrity endorsement can be hugely powerful. Property franchise EweMove employed Carol Smillie to improve its
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customer brand perception, which led to signifi cant returns for franchisees right across the network. Some networks also provide templates for seasonal cross-channel marketing campaigns, which franchisees run in their local areas. By creating the campaigns centrally, all franchisees can provide a consistent, relevant and timely promotion within their local area. Examples include Christmas, Valentine’s Day, school holidays or Halloween. Just think how McDonald’s or Costa franchisees benefi t from their brand’s seasonal marketing and its impact on sales.
Equal opportunities?
It is inevitable with national campaigns that some franchisees receive a disproportionately higher or lower return compared with their monthly investment. As mentioned earlier, national activity is generally meant to supplement local marketing eff orts and with diff ering activities and campaigns, the results over time should lead to a fair return for all franchisees within the network. The thing to look out for is that the franchisor is eff ective in their planning, application and evolution of marketing campaigns. The whole network should benefi t from activities that, individually, franchisees would not be willing or fi nancially able to implement due to cost and reach.
About the author
Chris Cook QFP is a chartered marketer and the founder of Chantry Marketing, a specialist agency that has supported franchisees and franchisors since 2007
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