Franchise Development Marketing Tips
Franchise Development Marketing
Defining franchise development marketing doesn’t have to be complicated: it’s any effort or form of marketing you do to get your business’s name out there. When done right, the effects are twofold: successful marketing, of course, leads to more customers and revenues, but also helps bring new franchisee prospects that can help grow your franchise and increase brand awareness.
Franchise development marketing can take many forms. A strong, user friendly website is atop the list, helping both potential franchisees and customers learn more about your business and what it offers. It’s also critical in this day and age to not only have a presence on social media, but to also engage with users.
As of 2022, the monthly active user rate for Facebook was estimated at nearly 3 billion, with some 830 million additional users on LinkedIn. Getting into more specialized forms of marketing, businesses benefit greatly from effective SEO, or search engine optimization, which helps your website rise to the top in search rankings on search engines like Google. There’s also PPC advertising, or pay-per-click, a form of paid digital marketing where advertisers pay a fee each time their ad is clicked by users. And these are only the tip of the iceberg. The best efforts at franchise development marketing are a smorgasbord of all platforms, including franchise portals, sponsorships, and marketing automation. It’s truly endless.
Having a strategic and effective franchise development marketing plan in place will unquestionably help your business grow. Whether improving brand image or consistency, attracting new customers, increasing online presence or bringing new franchisees to your brand, there’s truly no downside to shining a light on your business’s services, products, and mission to the world. One study from the U.S. Small Business Administration found just a 5% spend on marketing can result in tenfold profits. Franchise development marketing has also proven to increase lead opportunities, help save money in the long run, grow your online presence, and offer unmatched analytics on how your efforts reach the public.
#1 Refresh Your Development Website
Let’s make no mistake about it, we are an online culture. A study in Pew Research Center recently found 85% of Americans are online on a daily basis, with 31% of Americans online almost constantly. As a result, it’s imperative for businesses to meet the public where they are, and do so in an engaging manner. That’s why franchise development websites are so important. Franchise development websites help franchisee prospects and customers discover and learn about your business. And the range of content options is limitless – quality videos on what it means to own a franchise, interviews with franchisees, interactive material – just to name a few. It just can’t be understated how important a well-designed, easy-to-use website is for reaching the public. Furthermore, it is just as important to make sure to update your website every two years to keep content current and fresh. Nowadays, the world changes fast, and customers want to see that reflected in your brand story.
#2 Increase Digital Footprint with Social Media
Studies show more than half the world now uses social media. In the U.S. alone, the Pew Research Center found 7 in 10 Americans use social media on a regular basis. Suffice to say, a strong social media presence is required for any business that wants to succeed and grow. Within franchise development marketing, social media marketing is a relatively new trend that’s taking off in the industry. More and more, franchises are bringing in leads from social media advertising, and, not to mention, it’s free to post content.
For effective social media marketing, it’s important to remain active and engage your audience. In a lot of ways, social media marketing bucks the trends of traditional marketing, as it calls for a more personalized and conversational approach, instead of a straightforward sales pitch. Striking the balance with this nuance will help catch people’s eyes and grow your business.
#3 Focus on Video Content
Content marketing is a tried and true strategy for growing your business, but it takes an expert approach. Millions of content is published every day, so the pressure is on marketing experts to answer the question of how to stand out. More than ever, video content is the most effective and creative way to share your brand story to attract both potential franchisees and new customers. According to industry studies, video is the No. 1 source of inbound marketing leads, with an incredible 80% more leads than text and 2-3 times more than email campaigns.
Video marketing allows aspiring entrepreneurs to take a more in-depth look at your company and what it means to be a franchisee. More so than print, videos allow the public to envision themselves in the day to day of your operations. When done right, video content is not an advertisement, it’s a potential look into the future. People are emotional beings, and a strong narrative helps audiences understand a business in a way numbers and data can’t.
The best video marketing content is usually 30 seconds long and features real people – instead of actors – from your franchise. It shows all the ways franchise owners improve their lives – being their own boss, having more freedom, getting support from the franchisor – in a clear way that sends an uplifting message. And, most importantly, the video calls for potential candidates to take action, directing them to your website for more information.
Questions? We’ve Got Answers
The world of franchise development marketing is multi-faceted and ever changing, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Brand Journalists, the premier franchise lead generation firm in the U.S. since 2008, has helped grow more than 180 franchise brands, generating more than 100,000 leads a year.
If you’re ready to start a conversation about getting your franchise out there in a big way, start a conversation by filling out our contact form here. We look forward to hearing from you!