What marketing is done by the franchise?

Do you own a franchised business? When you bought in to the franchise, did you think that the marketing would be done for you? This can be a huge misconception of the franchise model.

When you begin the journey of owning a franchise it may seem like the marketing portion is already done for you by the franchise. However, what you are buying into with a franchise is not always a marketing plan, but a brand, and a process. As a franchisee you are handed a manual on how things are meant to look and work, and in many cases given best practices on how to make it more effective. This is crucial to not have to start from scratch and to have peace of mind knowing that the model works.

The franchise also provides branding materials which are crucial for a successful marketing strategy. Logos, flyers, brand standard colors, brand stock photos, etc. These mean as a business owner you don’t have to come up with the creative in these areas.

What doesn’t the franchise do for you?

What a franchise does not usually do is market your business for you. Social media marketing is more often than not handled by the franchisee. Coming up with your own engaging content can be time consuming and hard. Each social media platform has it’s own target audience, and voice. Managing all of these effectively can be overwhelming at times.

The franchise does not often provide a separate website for the franchisee. Many franchises do provide a page for their site which gives you a presence on the internet. But it doesn’t help the company build their own SEO (search engine optimization). Building and maintaining a website that is your own takes focus and consistency. By having your own website you are helping to market your specific franchise location.

The reality is that there are many factors in marketing your business effectively, and by being a franchisee you have several of them already done for you. However, there are still many things that as a franchise owner you have to do on your own to market your company.

6 tips to market your franchise:

1. Utilize the material provided for you- Logos, brand colors, brand standards, stock photos are all things that the franchise has already provided for you. Use these items in your marketing content and creative. Often the franchise already has a brand awareness which helps you be more effective in your marketing efforts.
2. Stay focused on the target audience- As a franchise the company has a target market/audience. Meaning that they know who their ideal client is and how to entice them to be a customer. Use this information to help you narrow your target audience on your social media, Google ads, and content.
3. Trust the process- If the franchise has created brand standards that are effective, whether that be colors, logos, stock photos, or even rules and regulations about what and how to post things on the internet you should follow them. There is a reason that they as the franchise have come up with their systems and processes and sometimes it is because it is more effective, and others it is because it protects you and the brand.
4. Don’t expect people to know who you are- Being part of a franchise doesn’t mean that most people are already aware of who you are as a company, and what you do. Focus on building recognition locally as the franchise’s job is to build that nationally. In each market the franchise location needs to earn the business and trust of their clientele locally.
5. Content, content, and more content- As a business owner you have to constantly create, find, and push out more content. Your franchise may provide some content for you. Use it! But for many this isn’t the case. For your website, social media, and email list it is important to find quality content to keep past, current, and potential customers engaged with your business.
6. Get involved locally- Sometimes there is a misconception that national franchises or companies aren’t locally owned and operated. By getting involved with your community through sponsoring events, charity, chamber of commerce, etc., helps to show that you and your company have a connection to the local community and builds trust.

Owning and marketing a business can be a challenge. Knowing how and when to market your company is an essential part of growing your business. At The Agency we specialize in helping franchise business owners be more effective in their marketing efforts. If you are looking to get more help with your marketing, contact us to get a FREE digital analysis of how your business is doing digitally.