EXPERTADVICE
How can I make sure the franchisee recruitment process runs as smoothly as possible?
Have a plan, stick to it and don’t be afraid to be different. Having worked across 200 brands during the last 15 years, been a franchisor with Rosemary Bookkeeping (going from three to 20 franchisees in 18 months) and been marketing director at Platinum Property Partners – leading the marketing strategy responsible for network growth from 18 to 100 franchisees in two years – I’ve become aware of a few key ingredients that will ensure smooth growth. Here are the top four relevant tips for autumn 2017 and beyond:
Always get your franchisee buy in Right from the outset, use your fi rst franchisees as part of your HQ team. Prospects love to hear from existing people who are running the business they are considering and it saves money, too.
Disruption is the buzzword for 2018 This can aid your growth! For example, so much marketing is now automated
(e-newsletters and mail-merged letters), so don’t just leave prospects in your automated system – make a phone call or post a handwritten note. ‘Old-school’ techniques complement well; disrupt usual patterns of behaviour and you’ll get noticed!
Exploit the digital arena Utilising the latest technology to profi le, track and capture new lead information has never been more targeted and successful. Understanding your franchise lead data makes the whole process run much smoother and gives you better budgeting control.
Create a budget based on the results you want Coconut Creatives has a budget matrix (free to download at
www.coconutcreatives.co.uk), which calculates what you should spend based on the number of franchisees you want to recruit. Calculating and planning spend ensures less wastage.
SARAH CARLILE Founder of Coconut Creatives
Do I need a marketing strategy?
Marketing can often seem like a minefi eld and, before you know it, you can fi nd yourself lost in the world of ‘touch points’ and ‘engagement’, leaving you a little bewildered and unsure how to reach your goals. Whether you are a franchisor or a franchisee, you will need a basic strategy or road map to help you get to where you want to be, but this doesn’t have to be complicated.
SHANE TOUT Operations director at besley & copp
Create a marketing calendar Not all of us are marketing gurus, but we are quite good planners, so write down all of your important deadlines in your calendar. By doing so, you will feel less rushed and deliver a high- quality, coherent message to your consumers.
Joined-up thinking In the digital age of social media and email,
don’t forget to reach out to your audience with some quality printed material as well. Look at backing up a campaign with a promotional gift, for example, to catch the eye.
Test, review and adapt If at fi rst you don’t succeed, keep trying! Do your homework on your target audience and regularly review your strategy to ensure that you are on track to achieve your goals. If you are not getting the return, never be afraid to adapt your strategy. Look at running a few pilot campaigns side by side and monitor the responses.
Talk to people
Never be afraid to ask for advice. Even the most successful entrepreneurs need help with their marketing at times. You are not alone!
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