The big question, for many franchisors, is around marketing for the network: Should you, or should they? Paul Clegg, from Coconut Creatives discusses the benefits of three approaches.
Marketing is a bit like Marmite; as a business owner, you either love it or hate it! Excel at it with a balance of fun and professionalism; or put it to the bottom of your priorities list, and get around to it at some point. Which side would you put yourself into? And, more to the point, where would you put your franchisees?
I once read somewhere, “90% of marketing doesn’t work, because it doesn’t get done”, Having spoken with various clients over the last 10 years, I would be inclined to agree with this. However, I suspect some of you may be pulling your hair out, because the percentage is much higher among your network.
It feels as though you can have a great franchisee who is fully immersed in running their business… but they just don’t understand marketing! No matter how much training you provide them with, how many resources you provide, how many strategies you come up with, they simply choose to focus on doing what they do best – everything except marketing!
So, how can you ensure the marketing for your network, is actually successful? Many franchisors employ one of three approaches, when it comes to proactive marketing:
Training your franchisees
In order to grow their businesses, and attract new customers, your franchisees can’t escape the value of a good marketing strategy. Some within the network will understand the importance of effective marketing, and will either play their part, or they’ll employ someone to manage this for them. Some will not be as committed, even though they can see its importance, because it is such an alien concept to them. Especially if they’re “right-brained”, and marketing creativity is a challenge.
As part of your franchise offering, you probably include a good deal of training around effective marketing – from drop letters and cold calling, to social media and Pay Per Click. The benefit of encouraging franchisees to do their own marketing, is the authenticity of local knowledge and relationships – which is what prospective customers gravitate towards. The cons, however, is knowing some in your network just won’t do it, and your brand may be impacted.
Centralising your marketing
Some franchisors have chosen to take on the marketing for the whole network from Head Office. Franchisees will either be able to opt-in to a central marketing fund, or they will be required to contribute as part of their franchise agreement. Head Office will then manage marketing campaigns across the whole network – from email marketing and online campaigns, to cold calling and even local press.
The biggest benefit of this is empowering your franchisees to focus on running their business, whilst you relax in the knowledge marketing efforts are consistent. It also enables Head Office to manage the branding, and ensure nothing is going out looking a little amateur! The down-side, however, is losing the local relationship-building elements because Head Office likely don’t have the local knowledge. This can lead to some marketing to feel unauthentic, and “marketery”.
A hybrid approach
More and more franchisors are starting to see the benefit of using a hybrid approach to their marketing strategy across the network. This combines the best of a centralised marketing strategy, with franchisees encouraged to be a participant in the marketing campaigns at a local level.
It involves content being created at Head Office – from email campaigns, to social media and AdWords – which can be adapted by each franchisee, for their specific business and locality. If, for any reason, they are unable to adapt the content it is still visible by their prospective customers as it will go out, anyway. The benefit of a hybrid approach is having the best of both worlds, with potential customers – as well as loyal ones – receiving consistent and regular content about what you offer. Because your franchisees are involved, they also become more engaged in the process.
Marketing has changed
When marketing works – it works incredibly well. Nothing works better than a brand which both engages with its target audiences, and is seen to be an authentic local business.
Finding or developing the right tools to help you move into a hybrid marketing approach can be a challenge, even if you do see the benefit of it. How many of these marketing apps and platforms actually understand how the franchise industry works, never mind the links between franchisor and franchisee?
There are a few platforms which have been specifically developed to ease the marketing demands for franchises, such as Astonish, and enable you to employ a hybrid-approach. They allow someone at head office – or an outside agency – to create content for each franchisee, from an email, to social media posts, or online adverts. A unique log-in for each franchisee means they can personalise the content without affecting the rest of the network, or just let it roll out at the scheduled time.
Your brand, then, benefits overall. As will your customers.
Which approach to marketing do you use within your network? Could there a better way? If my team and I can help you explore this further, please do just ask.
