Creating a strong culture within your franchise ties your franchisees and customers together, ensuring a positive community and future for your brand. Founder of Bloom Baby Classes and baby development specialist Victoria Jennings prioritises the people within her business, and their value-driven culture is a key element of creating a supportive and encouraging franchise.
Remind yourself, and others, why you began your franchise
Defining your values as a business and putting them at the heart of everything you do ensures you never lose focus of why you started your franchise. For me, I began Bloom Baby Classes after experiencing postnatal depression to make sure other new mums never felt alone. Having an emotive and ethical reason for launching a business, and constantly referring to that reason, will always stand you in good stead. As a franchisee, you don’t have to have had the exact same experience as the founder of the business, but you do need to be willing to wholeheartedly support their vision.
Empower your team
Making your culture a priority and putting the people at the heart of your business means your team will always feel respected. As a franchisor, your support will ensure your team go the extra mile for the franchise network. Your franchisees will feel part of a strong, encouraging community and, in turn, will empower their teams for the good of their customers. Reminding yourself of your brand values impacts who you recruit, how you interact with your team and how you treat your customers. As a franchisor you set an example for the rest of your network – the support you provide will encourage your franchisees to act in the same way. Besides, a franchisee who treats their team fairly and with respect will always be one that people want to work for and remain with.
Create customer loyalty
Franchisees who create a community of raving fans will always have a great business – remember, the best franchise brands mean customers receive the same great experience whichever franchise location they visit. A community could be online via social media or in a group chat, or in-person in the form of an event, but you must always communicate your values and culture consistently. At Bloom Baby Classes I regularly host social events where my franchisees can meet and share their experiences, as well as our own individual tips on creating customer loyalty. Inevitably in our franchise, there comes a time when a customer’s child is too old for our classes. But the positive impact of our engaging culture means that they’ll return with their next child, or recommend us to friends and family members in a heartbeat.
Outlining your values and culture from the launch of your franchise location creates a positive culture from the beginning but you can only do that if your franchisor leads the way. Choosing to invest in a franchise brand that has a strong culture and values which you feel passionate about sharing and taking forward is an important step in securing a long-term positive future for your business and the community you serve.
