Leverage AI To Drive Franchise Development And Recruitment

The Use of AI in Franchise Sales is Rapidly Evolving

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the way we do business, and the franchise industry is no exception. With the ability to process vast amounts of data, learn from past experiences, and make informed decisions, AI is becoming an increasingly valuable tool for franchise development and sales. From identifying the best franchise candidates to predicting consumer behavior and streamlining operational processes, AI is revolutionizing the way franchise businesses operate. In this blog, we’ll explore how AI is evolving in the franchise industry and discuss the opportunities it presents for franchisors and franchisees alike.

What is AI?

AI is a rapidly evolving technology that enables machines to perform tasks that would typically require human intelligence, such as problem-solving, decision-making, and natural language processing. At its core, AI is all about simulating human thought processes in a computer system, allowing machines to learn from data, identify patterns, and make predictions. This is achieved through various techniques, including machine learning, neural networks, and deep learning. As AI continues to advance, it’s becoming an increasingly critical tool for businesses looking to gain a competitive edge in the marketplace.

How Can I Utilize AI for Franchise Development?

AI can be an incredibly valuable tool for franchise development, helping franchisors identify the most promising candidates and streamline the recruitment process. This can help franchisors reduce the time and cost associated with traditional recruitment methods, while also improving the quality of their franchisee pool. Additionally, AI can be used to develop personalized marketing campaigns for potential franchisees, providing them with tailored information about the benefits of joining a particular franchise and how it can help them achieve their professional goals. By leveraging AI in these ways, franchisors can accelerate their franchise development efforts and ultimately build a stronger franchise system. Keep reading for our list of strategies to utilize AI for your brand’s franchise development.

AI-powered chatbots

Chatbots are an excellent way to engage with potential franchisees on your website. They can answer common questions, provide information on the franchise process, and even pre-qualify leads for your sales team. AI enables chatbots to become smarter over time, delivering better and more personalized experiences for users. Should you use chatbots, a human-powered messenger opt-in, or nothing at all? At Brand Journalists, we’ve experimented with both chatbots and human messenger opt-ins for years. A real human – someone actually behind the messenger box – outperforms a chatbot but an AI-powered chatbot is much better for basic interaction.

ai in franchise sales

Predictive analytics

AI algorithms can analyze your franchise lead data to predict which candidates are most likely to become successful franchisees. This enables you to prioritize your recruitment efforts on the most promising leads, increasing your conversion rate and improving the overall quality of your franchisee network. This technology is still in its infancy, but you will be able to cluster behavior and gain a view on patterns inside your CRM or analytics – just as a good AI helps you cover more ground in a shorter time, it will make sure you don’t miss patterns and tweaks that can make a difference. Consumer CRM systems, such as Workiz, and franchise development CRMs, such as ClientTether, are already working on these applications, and they are a lot closer than you think.

Programmatic advertising

AI-driven advertising platforms allow you to target specific demographics and interests, ensuring that your marketing budget is spent on the most relevant audience. This can significantly improve the efficiency of your advertising campaigns and help attract more qualified leads. We now use AI at Brand Journalists to target specific personas for the franchise recruitment marketing we do for clients. Simple ad strategies such as Facebook and Adwords are now much more focused thanks to the way we integrate AI into the targeting and learning process of each campaign. There are huge differences between AI-targeted and non-AI campaigns. If your vendor doesn’t know the difference, you might be wasting money.

Social media listening and sentiment analysis

AI can help you monitor social media platforms for conversations and trends related to your industry and brand. By analyzing sentiment, you can identify potential franchisees who are already interested in your brand or the industry and engage with them directly. These trends might be very niched – for instance, reviewing categories on TikTok and finding the popular ‘Small Business Ideas’ trend helps you overlap your own personal branding and short-form video content to your franchise recruitment ads that are relevant to people who spend time scrolling that and its related topics.

Content generation and personalization

AI can help create personalized content for your franchise marketing campaigns based on individual lead preferences and behaviors. This enables you to deliver tailored messages to potential franchisees, making your brand more appealing and increasing the likelihood of engagement. While we don’t advocate using AI content as it comes out from a generative AI such as Poe or ChatGPT, engineering prompts help you get much better outlines for copy and content, and can make sure what you publish is far more detailed and relative. We use AI at Brand Journalists to greatly expand what we produce for clients, and it allows us to publish a lot more. People may start using AI as their main search tools, but you will still need authentic SEO ranking to influence what the AI pulls from.

ai in franchise sales

Email marketing automation

Automate and optimize your email marketing campaigns with AI, ensuring the right message is sent to the right person at the right time. This can increase open and click-through rates, ultimately leading to more conversions and franchisee recruitment. This version of email automation, and by email we also mean text communications with clients, is powerful. So few companies have well-thought-out lead nurturing or sales automation based on behaviors – AI makes this task far easier.

Machine learning for lead scoring

AI can analyze lead behavior and engagement patterns to provide a lead score, helping you determine which leads are most likely to convert. This information can be invaluable for your sales team, allowing them to focus their efforts on high-priority leads and improve overall recruitment efficiency.

Video editing

Simple tasks like producing transcripts, adjusting where a speaker is looking on camera, adding captions, and pulling in emojis, photos, and related graphical content is effortless with AI. The days of YouTube, horizontal videos without AI enhancements, are almost gone. Many users prefer vertical formats, and the captions that AI adds make communicating with people without sound possible. Deepfake videos that allow you to clone yourself and have your ‘avatar’ say anything are happening today, as well as headshots and actual avatars, are dressed up by AI in ways we never thought possible.

Harness AI with Brand Journalists

Leveraging AI in your franchise marketing strategy can significantly improve the effectiveness of your lead generation and franchisee recruitment efforts. In the last six months, we’ve integrated AI into almost all of the work we do for clients at Brand Journalists, and it is producing excellent results.

Imagine what an additional year of evolution will look like. How are you going to leverage AI into your franchise recruitment process? To start a conversation about using AI in your franchise recruitment and development, contact Brand Journalists today.

Emotional Marketing And Franchise Recruitment Breakthroughs

Understanding Emotional Marketing is the Key to Boosting your Franchise Recruitment Results

Written by: Thomas Scott

Franchise recruitment is a complex process that requires a targeted and personalized approach to attract the right franchisees to a system. In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on emotional marketing and storytelling as powerful tools for franchise recruitment, and a move towards much more personal and specific advertising targeting specific buyers.

emotional marketing

Emotional marketing is the art of creating a specific, emotional connection with your audience, tapping into their feelings, values, and beliefs to create a sense of engagement and loyalty, and deeper connection to a business idea. When it comes to franchise recruitment, emotional marketing can help franchisors connect with potential franchisees on a deeper level, showcasing the unique personality, culture, and values of the franchise brand.

One of the key benefits of emotional marketing in franchise recruitment is that it helps franchisors build a loyal and dedicated franchise network of potentially top-performing owners who are a good culture fit. By creating an emotional connection with franchisees, franchisors can help ensure that franchisees remain committed and engaged with the brand over the long term. This can lead to higher levels of franchisee satisfaction, better performance, and ultimately, more franchise locations.

Well-thought-out emotional marketing helps you attract candidates that are simply a better cultural fit, and candidates that are more likely to become top performers in your system.

How is Emotional Marketing Different from Traditional Franchise Lead Generation?

Emotional marketing for franchise recruitment differs from traditional digital marketing in several ways. Traditional digital marketing focuses on promoting the features and benefits of a product or service, emphasizing price, quality, and value. It can focus on unique selling points or what a brand does. While this can be effective in some industries, it is often less effective for franchise recruitment, where potential franchisees are looking for more than just a product or service. They are looking for a business opportunity that aligns with their values, goals, and aspirations.

Emotional marketing for franchise recruitment is focused on building an emotional connection with potential franchisees, tapping into their feelings, values, and beliefs. It is about showcasing the unique personality, culture, and values of the franchise brand and connecting with potential franchisees on a deeper level. By creating an emotional connection with potential franchisees, franchisors can build a loyal and dedicated franchise network invested in the future of the brand.

Emotional Marketing Strategies for Franchise Recruitment

One of the key differences between emotional marketing and traditional digital marketing is the focus on storytelling. Emotional marketing is all about telling compelling stories that resonate with potential franchisees, showcasing the success stories of entrepreneurs who have grown with a particular franchise brand. By telling engaging and informative stories, franchisors can build an emotional connection with potential franchisees and help them see themselves as pillar franchisees in the system.

As humans, we use stories to make sense of the world around us, relate to one another, and to help us make decisions. Good emotional storytelling hinges on your ability to leverage stories your candidates can relate to. For instance, you might use a day in the life video, a 4 minute mini movie, on your website to help someone who is coming from a teaching background understand why they want to become a Kid2Kid franchisee, and help parents make their dollars go further for their children. The emotional story of a teacher changing careers and the ability to see that teacher succeed and thrive resonates on a deeper level than any general marketing.

Create a Cohesive Story

Enlarging the scope of your franchise recruitment site and creating a cohesive story that unpacks the entire explanation of the brand – essentially duplicating what a talented recruiter would explain in a 45 minute conversation with a candidate – is the best way to leverage emotional marketing. Instead of using overused terms like ‘about us’ and ‘meet our team’, create stories about the brand that answer the ‘Why’ someone should buy it, and help them visually see themselves in the culture. This is the area where franchise systems fail the most and fall prey to features and benefits marketing.

Another key difference is the focus on identifying passionate customers as the best prospects for franchise ownership. Passionate customers are those who already have a strong connection to the brand and are invested in its future. They are often the easiest to train and ramp up, and do not have any preconceptions or bad habits that need to be unlearned. By identifying passionate customers and creating visibility for the franchise among them, franchisors can attract new franchisees who are already invested in the success of the brand.

Brands often overlook their existing customer base as a serious source of franchisees, and are reluctant to market to them using recruitment messages. The truth is, your passionate customers have a subset of buyers who are entrepreneurial, and are thinking about opening a business. Leveraging your brand equity to reach these people and using emotional storytelling makes it more likely you can recruit customers into franchisees.

Use Trending Media

Short-form videos, podcasts, and articles are important tools in emotional marketing for franchise recruitment. These tools allow franchisors to showcase the unique personality and culture of the franchise brand in a way that is engaging and informative. Short-form videos can be used to showcase the success stories of entrepreneurs who have grown with a particular franchise brand, while podcasts and articles can provide an opportunity to tell more in-depth stories and engage with potential franchisees on a deeper level.

Emotional marketing and storytelling are crucial components of fruitful franchise recruitment in today’s market. By creating an emotional connection with potential franchisees, franchisors can build a loyal and dedicated franchise network, attract new franchisees to their system, and improve overall franchisee satisfaction and performance. Short-form videos, podcasts, and articles can be effective tools for building emotional relevance, while identifying passionate customers and top-performing franchisees can help franchisors attract the right franchisees to their system. By focusing on emotional marketing and building an emotional connection with potential franchisees, franchisors can create a powerful and effective franchise recruitment strategy that sets them apart from their competitors.

Learn More with Brand Journalists

Looking to get your franchise brand to the next level? Brand Journalists is the premiere franchise development agency specializing in franchise lead generation. We take pride in researching and implementing the newest trends in marketing to best support our clients. To start a conversation about what Brand Journalists can do for your brand, start a conversation with us today!

Developing a Unique Value Proposition for Franchise Recruitment

How to Stand Out in the Crowded Franchise Market

Written by Thomas Scott

According to the International Franchise Association, over 17,000 new franchise locations opened their doors in 2022, and more than one new franchise system starts every day. That’s almost 400 new systems a year!

In North America, there are no real-time and accurate numbers for how many active companies are franchising. There are as many as 6-7,000 systems today. The IFA and FranData attempt to track this, but the data is 1-2 years behind and doesn’t fully cover all new FDDs as they are filed.

In such a crowded franchise market, it can be challenging to stand out from the competition and attract the right franchisees to your brand. One of the most critical factors in franchise recruitment is having a unique value proposition that clearly communicates the benefits of your franchise system and why it is the right choice for potential franchisees.

What is a Franchise Recruitment Value Proposition?

At its core, a value proposition is a unique value that a franchise opportunity offers to its potential buyer. It’s the reason why an entrepreneur should choose your brand over the competition. A strong value proposition is essential for any brand that wants to differentiate itself in a crowded market and build a loyal customer base or gain development momentum.

A value proposition should be clear, concise, and focused on the customer’s needs and preferences. It should clearly communicate the benefits your brand provides, and how it solves the customer’s pain points or meets their needs. It is an amplified “why should I do this with my life” statement.

To create a strong value proposition, your brand needs to understand its target audience and their unique needs and preferences. This requires research and insights into the customer’s motivations, desires, and pain points. By understanding what your potential franchisee wants and needs in a business, you can create a value proposition that resonates with them and communicates the benefits of your franchise opportunity.

A value proposition should also be backed up by evidence and proof points that demonstrate the brand’s ability to deliver on its promises. This may include customer testimonials, case studies, or data that demonstrate the brand’s effectiveness or superiority.

franchise value proposition

How to Develop Your Franchise Recruitment Value Proposition

Here are some tips for developing a unique value proposition for your franchise recruitment efforts:

Identify your unique selling points

Begin by identifying the unique aspects of your franchise system that set it apart from the competition. This may include proprietary technology, a distinctive brand or marketing strategy, a proven track record, or a unique business model. Think of these as very specific talking points. Don’t be broad or general – be as focused as you can. Remember, not all franchisees are alike, and each franchise buyer persona you target will have different selling points.

Understand your target franchise buyers

To create a compelling value proposition, you need to understand the needs and preferences of your target audience. This includes their motivations for investing in a franchise, their experience and background, and their long-term goals. Is this a 2nd generation New American immigrant buyer looking to expand a portfolio of food franchises, a young GenZ franchise buyer looking to hustle their way to an empire, or a transitioning corporate manager laid off from a remote work job? Each is completely different, and the more personalized you can be in who you target, the more specific your value proposition becomes. Zig Ziegler, the famous sales coach, said “People don’t buy drills, they buy holes.” The more you take time to understand why specific people want to drill holes, the easier it will be to adjust marketing and storytelling to match.

Highlight the benefits of your franchise system

Your value proposition should focus on the benefits your franchise system provides to franchisees. This may include training and support, a proven business model, a strong brand, and access to a network of fellow franchisees. Again, caution against being general – if what you say sounds like what everyone else says, you are too broad. Everyone has systems, everyone is recession resistant. Say something unique, such as our client Up Closets, which articulates the statement “We use AI-powered design software to help you produce more professional designs without years of training, so everyone on your team can produce quick designs that customers purchase.”

Use specific language

Your value proposition should use specific language that clearly communicates the benefits of your franchise system. Avoid vague or generic statements and focus on tangible benefits that resonate with potential franchisees. Don’t use jargon! When people are reading copy on your franchise recruitment website – and having a deep and well-structured recruitment website is a must – they are dreaming. Give them positive and enthusiastic storytelling that makes the business clear and concrete in their minds. Say something as we do for our client, The Lighting Squad, ‘Our franchisees drive Mercedes cargo vans because upscale clients appreciate a professional service. Anyone can drive a Ford or a Ram van, but driving a Mercedes sets us apart from our competition and makes a clear, favorable first impression with customers.’ Your goal is to make your potential franchisee SEE your business in their mind, and specific, clear, and descriptive language accomplishes this.

Differentiate yourself from the competition

Your value proposition should clearly differentiate your franchise system from the competition. This may include highlighting unique features or benefits that other franchises do not offer, or demonstrating how your franchise system provides a superior experience for franchisees. This doesn’t mean stacking up your FDDs side by side, or even mentioning your direct competition, but talking about aspects of your offering that stand out. Our Dryer Vent Superheroes client is very similar in scope to Neighborly’s Dryer Vent Wizard, but has fixed, flat rate royalties and a small CRM and marketing fund fee, averaging 5-7% total fees. Wizard, by comparison, has fees that total almost 17% or more of revenue. That’s a huge difference, and people researching the 3-4 brands in that space can tell the difference. Be specific!

Stand Out with Brand Journalists

Developing a unique value proposition is critical to standing out in the crowded franchise market and attracting the right franchisees to your brand. By identifying your unique selling points, understanding your target audience, highlighting the benefits of your franchise system, using specific language, and differentiating yourself from the competition, you can create a compelling value proposition that sets your franchise system apart and attracts the right franchisees.

Want professional help or advice on how to create a value proposition that fits your brand? Schedule a call with us for some discovery – it’s a mission-critical skill to develop!

Franchise Lead Generation for Millennials and Gen Z 

Written by: Thomas Scott

How to Capture the Attention of Millennials and Gen Z

In today’s world, younger generations are more interested in entrepreneurship and business ownership than ever before. Millennials and Gen Z have graduated from school and are looking for opportunities to take control of their own lives. Franchising provides an attractive option for those seeking the independence of owning a business, while also benefiting from the support of an established brand. At Brand Journalists, we help brands recruit younger franchisees, defying conventional wisdom.

Consider these stats: according to a survey conducted by America’s SBDC (Small Business Development Center) and the Center for Generational Kinetics, which focused on U.S. Millennials (born 1981-1996) and Gen Zers (born after 1997), here are some statistics about younger people choosing entrepreneurship:

  1. 61% of Gen Zers and 49% of Millennials have considered starting their own business
  2. 29% of Gen Zers and 22% of Millennials have already started their own business or side hustle
  3. 74% of Gen Zers and 69% of Millennials believe entrepreneurship is a good way to achieve their career goals
  4. 56% of Gen Zers and 49% of Millennials say that being their own boss is a top career aspiration
  5. 45% of Gen Zers and 41% of Millennials say that a desire for more flexibility and work-life balance is a key factor driving their interest in entrepreneurship

millennials and gen z franchise lead generation

Advertising for a New Audience

Reaching and engaging younger buyers requires a different approach to franchise lead generation. Here are some tips for capturing the attention of Millennials and Gen Z entrepreneurs.

Focus on Digital Marketing

Younger buyers are digital natives, meaning they spend most of their time online. As a result, it is essential to have a strong online presence and invest in digital marketing strategies such as short-form video, personal branding, conversational marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, and email marketing. Word of caution: younger buyers have radically different ideas about what content they should have access to, so make sure to invest in video and broader website work geared toward this audience.

Use Social Media Influencers

Social media influencers have become a significant force in marketing, and partnering with them can help you reach a wider audience. Find influencers who align with your brand and have a following that matches your target audience, and leverage their influence to generate franchise leads. Don’t forget that you are always influencing your audience through your personally branded content too. Produce the same type of short-form video content as an influencer would, and interact with other users using this base. Personal branding such as this is now the price for admission for franchise recruitment, and it isn’t optional today.

Create a Mobile-Friendly Website

More and more people are accessing the internet on their mobile devices, and having a mobile-friendly website is essential for reaching younger buyers. Ensure your website is optimized for mobile devices, loads quickly, and is easy to navigate. Younger buyers don’t trust forms and are not as likely to complete requests for information forms, especially on mobile devices. You can either publish much longer content that earns trust and/or use other forms of website conversion. Integrate Calendy links, add in Facebook Messenger to the site, and have ways for prospects to ask questions that don’t involve them giving you their information. Forms are no longer the only way to get people into your sales process!

Offer Flexible Business Models

Younger buyers value flexibility and work-life balance, and offering franchise models that accommodate these needs can be attractive. Consider offering part-time or home-based franchises, or franchises with low start-up costs. Younger buyers may need payment arrangements to make the initial costs lower, or need side-hustle versions so they can stair-step upward to growth. Be creative with younger buyers, as they have much more energy and drive than older franchise owners.

Leverage Technology

Younger buyers are tech-savvy and appreciate the use of technology in business. Consider incorporating technology such as virtual reality or augmented reality into your franchise marketing efforts to demonstrate the benefits of your franchise system. Younger buyers respond more to videos, both traditional and short-form videos. They expect to be able to DM (direct message) you and get a real person, not a chat bot. Leverage these technologies and train your staff so you can respond better.

Generate Franchise Leads Creatively

Recruiting and engaging younger buyers requires a different approach to franchise lead generation. By focusing on digital marketing, using social media influencers, creating a mobile-friendly website, offering flexible business models, and leveraging technology, you can capture the attention of Millennial and Gen Z entrepreneurs and generate franchise leads for your business.

Curious about what this means for your franchise brand? Schedule a discovery call with us, and we can share best practices, audit your website, and talk about what recruitment of the future looks like – it’s already here, and the sooner you get a plan in place, the faster you will grow!

TikTok SEO – Wait, That’s A Thing?

Written by: Sophia Giordano-Scott

What is Tiktok SEO?

The short form video hosting app Tiktok is seeing a rise in popularity, and it’s easy to see why. With over 1 billion monthly users, Tiktok is home to influencers, talented content creators, and small businesses making a living by sharing and promoting through this free-to-sign up app. Getting started is as easy as taking a picture, point the camera and press record, proving just how accessible this app can be.

After years of success stories on Tiktok, like a small family restaurant that became an overnight hit after one food reviewer gave it a chance, or an auto repair company that capitalized and filled their schedules using meme culture, businesses of every size are now seeking to get in on the next best tool in digital marketing. While taking a video is easy, Tiktok SEO is how to optimize your video for the Tiktok algorithm. This algorithm determines which videos are shown to users and in what order. By optimizing your videos, you can increase your chances of being seen by a wider audience. Optimizing content, just like on Google, helps your content rank better to pull in traffic, or views. So what does Tiktok SEO look like in practice, and how can you start optimizing your videos for business growth on Tiktok? Keep reading for more.

tiktok seo

How to Optimize Tiktok Videos

When it comes to optimizing Tiktok videos, there are several strategies you can use to give your content the best chance. On a basic level, there are three main strategies we identify as ways to optimize your Tiktok content: audio, visual, and keywords.

Audio

Did you know the audio you use for your Tiktok videos makes a difference to the algorithm? As you scroll through your FYP (for you page), which is a specially generated feed to fit your personal preferences, you may notice repeating audio. It could be a mega hit from a pop celebrity, or just a funny sound effect. 88% of Tiktok users claim sound is vital to the Tiktok experience. According to Tiktok, using music in your Tiktok advertising can give your brand a 120% awareness lift.

Tiktok identifies 4 uses of sound that can be used to optimize your videos for the best results: trends, music, narration, and sounds. Trends are the sounds that define a Tiktok meme. Think about the trending sound clip you’ve seen, maybe a few too many times that you just can’t get out of your head. Music sets the mood, and can range from homemade tracks to your favorite musicians. Narration is a tool in Tiktok’s editor mode that allows you to create your own text to voice narration or voice your own narration over selected content. While you can narrate your videos with your own voice, Tiktok now boasts many voices to choose from to mask your voice in a serious, friendly, or even silly tone. Finally, sounds amplify the actions in your content. Think about sound effects and how joining content and sound effects creates a memorable experience.

Visual

Starting with authentic and engaging visual content is always a strong start to your digital strategy. However, there are other visual additions to Tiktok videos that can improve your ranking in the Tiktok algorithm. Tiktok allows for users to add filters, effects, stickers, and transitions, but the most commonly identified way to add a visual component to your videos that makes the biggest impact on the algorithm is to use captions. Captions not only help the visually impaired, therefore increasing the accessibility of your content, but also allow for users that use the app without sound to understand content too.

Other ways Tiktok is increasing accessibility through visual components include: “an animated thumbnail that replaces animated thumbnails with static images, a creator warning that notifies creators when they produce videos with effects that could trigger photosensitive epilepsy, and a photosensitivity feature that allows users to skip photosensitive content, which can be harmful for people with epilepsy”. When content is made accessible to greater audiences, your brand target audience is also going to increase, making accessibility a key factor to any modern day digital strategy.

Keywords

If you have any experience in traditional SEO, you may recognize that Tiktok hashtags operate in a similar way to keywords. In the same way one would Google “how to make a grilled cheese sandwich”, users can also use keywords on Tiktok to find their desired results. Instead of a Google search with a 1000 words blog about grilled cheeses, a simple search of ‘grilled cheese recipe” on Tiktok pulls hundreds of thousands of amateur and professional chefs and content creators making their recipe for a grilled cheese. In 3 minutes or less, you can watch a grilled cheese being made with the recipe listed in video. But listing the basic themes as hashtags of your content is not always enough to generate traffic.

When it comes to keywords (which function as hashtags) on Tiktok, they are highly competitive. In a platform where keyword stuffing won’t suffice, Fanbyts suggests “research trending hashtags that are relevant to your audience, or learn which relevant hashtags are just beginning to trend, so that you can ride the wave as they become more popular.”

Utilizing Tiktok for Business

TikTok is a great platform for promoting any type of business, from small, local startups to mega franchise systems. You can use it to showcase your products or services, share behind-the-scenes content, and engage with your audience. However, it’s important to remember that TikTok is a social media platform, not an advertising platform. This means you should focus on creating engaging content that people will want to watch, rather than just promoting your products.

Creating engaging content can be as easy as using a trending filter. However, there are some basic rules for creating engaging content on Tiktok to best advertise your business that are important to include in your digital strategy. The first step is to identify your target audience. Conduct research on your target audience to determine their interests, preferences, and behaviors. When creating content to showcase your brand, product, or service, use humor and storytelling to engage your audience. You can also collaborate with influencers to promote your products and services. Don’t be afraid to show the personality of your brand. Remember, the goal is to create content that users will find entertaining and engaging.

Start a Conversation to Learn More

At Brand Journalists franchise development agency, we pride ourselves in keeping up to date with the latest trends to offer our clients the best and newest strategies in the always changing digital world. From Ai to Tiktok, podcasting and traditional digital marketing, Brand Journalists is here to help grow your brand through the strategy that works best for you. Fill out our form here to start a conversation with our team. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Brand Journalists Announces Jack Monson as CEO

Brand Journalists Announces New CEO

Brand Journalists, the top-rated franchise development and marketing firm, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jack Monson as the new Chief Executive Officer, effective February 1, 2023. Monson brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role, having previously held leadership positions at multiple marketing firms and hosting the industry-leading podcast, Social Geek. He holds a BA in Communications from Northern Illinois University and brings a diverse background in marketing, sales, and franchising. He is active in the International Franchise Association as a member of the Supplier Forum Advisory Board and the host of the IFA Franchise Voice podcast.

Jack Monson Photo

“Franchising is surging in growth, and we are at the forefront,” said Thomas Scott, founder of Brand Journalists. “We are thrilled to appoint Jack Monson as our new CEO. His experience, vision, and relationships in the franchise industry will be invaluable as we continue to grow and innovate how brands are built. More people will potentially purchase franchises in 2023 and 2024 than in the entire history of franchising, and we are well positioned to drive this growth for our clients.”

“I am honored to be joining Brand Journalists at such an exciting time in franchising,” says Monson. “2023 is going to be a BIG year for franchise development growth, so I’m thrilled to be joining the agency leading the industry in lead generation. This team is the best at finding the franchise candidates most likely to succeed via great storytelling on video, websites, social media, and now: podcasts!”

“I’m also pleased to share that Peter Cole is promoted to Chief Operating Officer effective immediately,” Monson added. “Peter knows more about franchise development websites than anyone I know. More big team announcements are coming soon to build on the talented group of storytellers Thomas Scott has assembled.”

About Brand Journalists

Since 2008, Brand Journalists has led the industry in franchise development services including franchise lead generation, award-winning recruitment websites, storytelling videos, and a wide range of development consulting. Entrepreneur magazine ranked Brand Journalists as a top industry supplier four years in a row, and has built more award-winning franchise websites than all other suppliers combined. Brand Journalists has helped grow over 400 franchise systems, working with development teams to recruit over 12,000 new franchisees using a unique approach to marketing and recruitment that uses storytelling to engage potential buyers and convert them into top-performing franchisees.

To start a conversation with the Brand Journalists team about what we can do for your brand, fill out our form here. We can’t wait to learn about your brand.

Why Content Quality Is Important For Franchise Websites 

What is Content and Why Does it Matter?

We see it every day. It grabs our attention, influences our decision-making, and shapes our world. But what exactly is “content” and why is it important for franchise websites? Let us explain: content is a broad term that generally refers to any type of information provided by a website or other digital format, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Well-made, strategic content tells the story of your brand and conveys meaningful and insightful messages about your vision and culture. It can attract, engage, and retain an audience, and promote brand awareness. It’s no understatement to say content is one of the most valuable assets in a company to build strong relationships with your target audience. Ultimately, that means more money coming in for your business.

So what are some forms of content marketing? Many you already know: websites, articles, blogs, newsletters, social media posts, emails, videos – the list goes on. The world of content marketing is constantly evolving, making it one of the most exciting times for businesses to get innovative about reaching their target audience and attracting new customers. But it has to be done right. To get started with content marketing, it’s important for businesses to identify who they want to reach, determine the right format to reach that audience, and then follow a strategic plan to carry it out.

When done right, effective content marketing can have incredible results that give brands a competitive advantage. According to Demand Metric, businesses with blogs receive nearly 70% more leads than other companies. Content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing, and 80% of people appreciate learning about a company through custom content. There’s just no better – and cheaper – way to reach customers in the digital age than an effective content marketing campaign.

franchise recruitment video graphic content quality

Creating Quality Content for Franchise Websites

Brand Journalists is the premiere franchise content marketing agency in the industry, which has helped countless businesses boost their visibility and attract quality franchise owners. Our content development has generated more leads by focusing on quality content delivered in an intentional, strategic campaign. Let’s dive deeper.

“The goal of content marketing is not to create content you can consume in 30 seconds or less,” says Thomas Scott, CEO and founder of Brand Journalists. “It’s really to get somebody to slow down and think thoughtfully about what this choice is that they want to make as a franchise owner.”

SEO Content

SEO, or search engine optimization, is one of the most effective content marketing strategies out there, but creating quality content that resonates with readers is no easy task. In short, SEO is the process of getting traffic from search engines, but the true skill is making sure your content appears at the top of search result pages. Put simply: your brand needs to be seen, and when done right, effective SEO puts your brand at the top of the list.

To a reader, SEO content may seem like web copy or blogs, but in fact are highly researched and well-thought out strategies to direct users to and through a website. What’s more, to make quality content, it not only depends on unique wording and keyword use, it also depends on fitting Google’s algorithms. Just for example: Google prefers to rank blogs around 1,000 words higher than blogs with 500 words, which is why when searching for a recipe online, you have to scroll past someone’s life story before finding the actual recipe. Our content writers are experts at the ins and outs of SEO to make sure you rise above the rest.

“SEO is not about rankings, links, landing pages, or programming tricks. SEO is about following Google’s core mission (because people use Google far more than other search engines): to deliver the most relevant results to people searching for information,” Scott says. “But making effective use of SEO today is not just being found, that’s step one. It’s also about providing content that your customers want to read — content that reads like a magazine article rather than a medical journal.”

Video content

Let’s face it: we’re at a point in society now when people, for the most part, would much rather watch something than read about it. That’s why effective, engaging, and interesting video content is so important. Indeed, one study found videos are shared 12 times more than links and text posts combined. And effective video marketing doesn’t even have to be complicated: it can be a 30 second video posted on social media, or even a short GIF.

Brand Journalists has a team of professional storytellers that create compelling videos about your brand, which has proven to expand your website’s reach and resonate with potential franchise candidates. More than anything, video content gives your brand a voice and strikes users in ways that text simply cannot. It’s why video marketing has become a critical part of any business’s franchise system.

“Prospective franchise owners love documentary video because it gives them the most amount of information in the shortest amount of time and creates a deep emotional connection with a brand,” Scott says.

Podcasts

It’s all the rage: podcasts. But podcasts have also broken into content marketing as an effective platform that engages users. Considered a lesser known type of content marketing, podcasts can still be of great use to a strong franchise brand. People simply like to hear executives talking about their business or current franchisees explain what it’s like to run a franchise.

Brand Journalists is fully equipped to facilitate podcast creation. Instead of having to invest in all the tools and researching content to talk about, Brand Journalists does all the work. You just have to show up and tell your story! And the best part? Podcast creation is far more affordable than other forms of marketing.

“At Brand Journalists, our goal in everything we do is to get entrepreneurs to engage with your brand’s story on an emotional, gut level, and there’s no better tool for that than a podcast,” Scott says. “Podcasts allow subject matter experts, brand presidents, or even enthusiastic franchisees to share their experiences in a personal, relatable manner.”

Experts in Content Quality

Brand Journalists is the premier franchise marketing agency that helps franchise brands with quality content in SEO content marketing, video production, podcasts, and more. Since Brand Journalists was founded in 2008, we’ve worked with more than 180 franchise brands to help them grow and expand their footprint across the U.S. In doing so, we’ve helped recruit more than 10,000 new franchisees! Our highly specialized team are experts when it comes to working with individual plans to come up with a content marketing strategy that is right for you. And, in doing so, spread the story of your brand to thousands of potential franchise owners. To learn more, make a request for more information here.

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.

the joint franchise development marketing

#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!

Brand Storytelling: Franchise Leads Crave Content 

Brand Storytelling: What is it?

We all have a story to tell that defines who we are and what we care most about, and the same rings true for brands – the only difference is, some are better at telling their story than others.

Effective brand storytelling clearly communicates to customers your brand’s history, what you stand for, and what you hope to offer that is of value to the communities you serve. More than anything, brand storytelling puts a personal face on a company, the team that makes your brand unique, and the customers who are at the heart of what you do.

It’s a truth as old as time: stories resonate with people and capture their attention, which is why your brand story must be meaningful, personal, and authentic. In this new digital age, it no longer pays to be a company quietly operating behind the scenes. More than ever, companies need to connect with customers, and brand storytelling is the means in which to establish your identity.

To be sure, there are several reasons why effective brand storytelling is so important. With a constant barrage of marketing and competitors vying for an audience’s attention, it’s increasingly difficult to stand out – products and services are simply not enough. Instead, communicating your brand’s story, simplifying information, and evoking emotions is far and away your best chance to be seen. In fact, one source states messages delivered as stories are up to 22 times more memorable than just stating the facts. Once you’ve built trust and relationships, you are more likely to win loyal customers who will advocate for your brand. “In a crowded marketplace where everyone is focused on doing things faster, more efficiently, and automated, be the brand who dares to be human,” Forbes magazine wrote.

brand storytelling for franchise leadsWhy Brand Storytelling Makes A Difference

Stop for a minute, and think about all the ads that have attempted to grab your attention today. Then, try to recall how many you actually remember. The honest truth is probably not a lot, if any. Turns out, the average American is exposed to anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000 ads every day, and we’ve become incredibly adept at ignoring all those attempts to catch our eyes. Which poses a huge challenge for businesses: How do you actually attract an audience? Our answer: brand storytelling.

People buy franchises because of the stories they’re told. They want to imagine a better life for themselves and their families, they want to feel a part of something bigger than themselves, and they want to design the life they want.

And the best way for prospective buyers to get the story they need is to create emotionally compelling content that speaks directly to them.

A great example is in real estate. Expert realtors know they can’t push a prospective homebuyer into buying any old house. Instead, they must build a narrative in which the potential buyers see themselves living in the home – hosting family gatherings in the dining room and raising children who can play in the yard. Even better realtors will go the extra mile and outfit the empty homes with furniture to make these visions a little more real.

These efforts work: according to franchise home stager Showhomes, buyers spend more than 45 minutes in a staged home, which is proven to sell quicker and for more money. These very principals have the same successful outcome in brand storytelling. Potential franchisees want a glimpse of what their life will be with your brand.

How Brand Journalists Tackle Brand Storytelling

Brand Journalists are the experts in helping franchise systems tell their stories across multiple platforms and media. Our services are no easy task – it takes a special skill set rarely found in franchise marketing departments. We recognize the importance of speaking the same language as potential franchisees. Right now, there could be any number of people considering investing in your franchise system. Brand storytelling is the best chance of generating franchise leads and recruiting quality candidates.

So how do we do it? It used to be that display ads, banner ads, email campaigns, and franchise portal ads were the industry standard, but not so anymore. Prospective investors want to know the culture of a company, the people who make it up, what it’s like to be a franchisee, and what their lives will look like. At Brand Journalists, we use all platforms and media to generate franchise leads from the right audience, through methods such as SEO, social media, franchise portal strategy, paid search, and email campaigns. We also have a seasoned team of graphic designers to assist with web development and video producers on-hand to create quality and engaging content.

At its core, Brand Journalists tell the story of your brand and the people who make up your team and culture. Through the use of journalism-style storytelling, we craft brand stories that are engaging, transparent, informative, and helpful to candidates researching your company. Brand Journalists take an integrated approach to your marketing strategy. The results speak for themselves: Entrepreneur magazine recently recognized Brand Journalists as one of the hottest marketing trends in the industry, and brand storytelling has been shown to substantially generate more leads than traditional methods.

Franchise Development Websites

Brand Journalists’ bread and butter is creating award-winning franchise recruitment websites designed to convert franchise leads. Franchise development websites include written and visual content that tells your brand story. Through our own industry research, we know prospective franchisees typically spend 50-60 minutes researching a brand. Given the short amount of time to win people over, Brand Journalists creates quality, in-depth and structured content to effectively reach a target audience.

But first things first: when you enlist Brand Journalists on your side, we immediately send out a team to your company headquarters to spend quality time with your staff to truly understand your brand’s culture and your business as a whole. At the end of this process, our Brand Journalists team will be able to speak about your brand as if we’re actually stakeholders, thereby creating a stronger and more authentic brand story.

Start A Conversation With Us Today!

If you’re struggling to attract potential franchise leads, it may be time to get your story right. Brand Journalists is a one-stop-shop for franchise development breakthroughs. To start a conversation with our team, fill out our form here.

Brand Journalists Named a Top Franchise Marketing Agency

Entrepreneur Magazine lists Brand Journalists in Top 10 on National Ranking

Brand Journalists franchise marketing agency is proud to announce the 6th ranking spot on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top Franchise Suppliers List for the past year.

Entrepreneur Magazine is the premiere business and small business publication specializing in franchise information. Every year, Entrepreneur’s team does a thorough examination of the franchise world and publishes a ranking of the top franchises, top emerging franchises, top franchises in each category, and top franchise supplier. Franchise suppliers are services or products that help franchisors and franchisees run their businesses as successfully as possible. This ranking includes categories such as: accounting, consulting, legal, real estate, and marketing.

To determine the Top Franchise Suppliers List, “we surveyed more than 700 franchisors, from emerging brands that just got started to established companies that have been franchising for decades. We asked them to tell us which service providers they and their franchisees use, and to rate their satisfaction with the quality, cost, and value of each supplier’s services”, the ranking describes. Each supplier is given a score based on the results of the survey. From those scores, the top of each category made the ranking.

entrepreneur top franchise marketing agency list

This marks the fourth year in a row Brand Journalists marketing agency has made this top 10 ranking list for franchise marketing.

Brand Journalists is Bringing In Big Change

Brand Journalists was founded in 2008 by Thomas Scott to meet the demand of the franchising industry. Over a decade later, Brand Journalists is a top competitor in the franchise marketing industry. After recessions, a pandemic, and everything in between, franchising has proven to stand the test of time. Franchising is here to stay, but one thing we know for certain is that the way we approach franchising and franchise marketing will always evolve.

While our franchise development websites are award-winning, Brand Journalists is undergoing big changes to elevate and create needed services within the franchise industry to better help our clients meet their goals.

“The world changes, and we want to change with it. From keeping up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices when it comes to building sites and creating content, to introducing services like conversational marketing, we want to be on the forefront of what’s new,” says Peter Cole, Chief Marketing Officer at Brand Journalist. “While some trends come and go, some are here to stay. That’s why we are strengthening our internal processes and services when it comes to researching, strategizing, and creating content.”

Brand Journalists Wants to Get Your Brand to the Next Level

No matter if your company is just starting out in the franchise world, or you have been top industry competitors for years, Brand Journalists marketing agency is ready to help make your franchise marketing dreams a reality.

Get in touch with us through our form here to start a conversation. We look forward to learning more about you and your brand!

Get in touch

"*" indicates required fields

Please let us know what's on your mind. Have a question for us? Ask away.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.