There’s never been a more lucrative time to start a franchise. This sector employs an impressive 8 million people and, according to the same source, is now worth over $750 billion in terms of business output.
Yet that doesn’t make it easy! Indeed, running a successful franchise involves numerous challenges, not the least of which is finding effective ways to market it. Are you looking for help with this particular task?
You’re in the right place. Check out our beginners’ guide to marketing a franchise.
Know the Rules
Franchisors go to great lengths to build their brand name, cultivate market share, and develop rapport with their customers. The result? They’re super selective and protective about how franchisees use the trademark!
The last thing you want is to do something that jeopardizes your franchise agreement. So, before embarking on any franchise marketing campaign, it’s well worth (re)familiarizing yourself with their guidelines. You might have to use specific trademark art or seek approval before creating your own ads, among others.
Ask for Reviews
In our new digital landscape, online reviews and testimonials have become another core aspect of marketing your franchise. Think about how you choose a restaurant nowadays. You go straight to Trip Advisor to read the feedback from past customers, right?
Keep this in mind as your serve your customers. Not only is it imperative to provide amazing customer service at all times, but it’s also a good idea to ask them for reviews! Whether you post them on your website or direct them to an official review site, it’s sure to deliver more customers through the door.
Differentiate Yourself
Standing out from the competition is imperative when you’re figuring out how to market a franchise. Remember, you’re all vying for the same attention! That means you have to get creative, push the boat out, and do something unique.
Alas, this can be a challenge when you’re restricted by a conservative franchisor’s rules. Strike a balance: adhering to their rubrics without releasing stale, average campaigns into the world. For example, you could create loyalty cards to cultivate a relationship with customers or send newsletters to an email list with the latest offers.
Master Social Media
It’s hard to overstate the importance of social media for marketing a franchise! With billions of people using these platforms, they provide an amazing opportunity to build a following, promote yourself, and get new franchise leads. If you haven’t started yet, now’s the time to begin publishing content to Facebook, Instagram, and/or Twitter.
Don’t spread your efforts too thinly though! Stick to platforms on which you know your target audience spends time. For instance, a trendy food chain could post short, funny videos to TikTok to appeal to its youthful users.
Start Marketing a Franchise Like the Pros
A lot goes into running a successful franchise. But how you market the business is undoubtedly one of the most important factors involved! Do it right and you’ll enjoy a steady stream of customers and a positive reputation in the area.
We hope the simple tips on marketing a franchise in this post will help you do exactly that. Would you like to read more articles on these types of topics? Browse the ‘Business & Finance Views’ section of our website now.
