How franchises can use video to promote their brand

There are a few lines scratched into the bottom of Mark Llewellyn’s TV screen. “It’s from where my son used a pen to try and make the video fast forward,” he explains. “He’s so used to using an iPad that he couldn’t understand why the TV didn’t work the same way.” This left the managing director of Revive!, the vehicle repair franchise, with two things: a slightly disfigured TV set and the understanding of how much the way people consume visual content has changed in recent years. “The proliferation of tablets and smartphones means that everyone has gotten accustomed to watching videos everywhere,” Llewellyn says. And for franchises, there has never been a better time to get on board.

While some franchisors may be hesitant about using the medium in their marketing, it represents an opportunity they can’t afford to pass up on. “If they aren’t using video then they’re missing a chance to communicate and get their message out,” he says. The numbers certainly back him up. According to data from Insivia, the digital agency, 74% of all online traffic is expected to come from video this year and 54% of senior executives share work-related videos with colleagues every week. “There’s far more interest in video than in blogs,” says Llewellyn. Given the popularity of the medium, it certainly makes sense for franchises to tap into it to connect with people.

Video is also a great way to demonstrate what a franchise has to offer to both its customers and franchisees. “The general public has no idea what smart repairs are and by using video we can easily explain what we’re doing and capture the essence of our brand,” says Llewellyn. Additionally, franchisors can use the medium to educate their own franchisees and record testimonials from clients. “We’re even thinking about turning our weekly newsletters into a weekly video update instead,” says Llewellyn.

However, just because video is an extremely powerful tool doesn’t mean that franchises should jump in head-first without a second thought. “Never make a video just for the sake of it,” says Jack Smithson, senior content marketing executive at Curated Digital, the online marketing agency. Instead, he advises franchises to carefully consider what the objective of the video is and how it fits in with the rest of the company’s marketing efforts. “The goal will help you define the style and the stories you need to tell,” says Smithson. Establishing this beforehand will help you decide which formats you should be using alongside your video – such as blogs or email – to get your message across.

And given franchisees are the face of the business on a local level, it makes sense to involve them as early as possible in the planning process. “For capturing key insights into businesses, video production crews need to have access to the people inside it,” says Alex Cavell, PR and marketing manager at Bluebird Care, the care franchise. “That being said, while this approach often results in better footage it can be disruptive to people’s working day. Along with plenty of advance notice, this disruption can be mitigated through thoughtful communication with everyone who’s involved or impacted by a video shoot.”