If you’re planning to buy a franchise because you love that the franchisor will provide everything you need out of the box, be warned: you will still be responsible, to a certain extent, for some of your own marketing. Yes, you can reap the benefits of national and regional advertising campaigns that the franchisor conducts, but the fact is: 64% of franchisees are dissatisfied with the level of marketing support they receive from the franchisor.
And while franchisors may spend millions on commercials, Internet ads, and direct mail, they don’t corner the local market. That’s your job, or rather: your opportunity. By establishing your franchise as a community leader, you can send more business your way.
First, Know the Guidelines
Just like with anything in running a franchise, the franchisor may have requirements about the kind of marketing you can and can’t do. You may not be able to alter prices or use certain language in your marketing campaigns. You may need to run a campaign by the legal team. There may be certain naming conventions if you’re setting up social media profiles. To avoid disputes, read your franchise agreement first and ensure that you can proceed with your marketing plan.
Next, Build Your Local Campaign Around the National One
If you know that the franchisor is rolling out a campaign around a new product next month, this can help you shape your own local marketing efforts. You can drive interest to the larger campaign while engaging locals to come buy the new product at your location.
Be Consistent in Your Efforts
Don’t get lazy and decide that you’ll let the franchisor do all the marketing for you. Marketing is something you need to continually work on to build your brand and foster relationships with your customers. That means if you’re using social media you need to regularly update your profiles (and only be on the sites that your audience spends time on). If you blog, get into a consistent schedule of publishing content.
If the marketing is more than you’re able to handle as franchise owner, hire a part-time person to help with the effort. Whatever you do: don’t stop marketing!
Susan Payton is the President of Egg Marketing & Communications, a marketing firm specializing in content writing and social media management. She’s written three business books, including How to Get More Customers With Press Releases, and frequently blogs about small business and marketing on sites including Forbes, AllBusiness, The Marketing Eggspert Blog, and Tweak Your Biz. Follow her on Twitter @eggmarketing.