Franchises: Our Guide to Fantastic Marketing Strategies

Franchises are a wonderful way to start a business without having to go through the trial and success required to build a successful brand from scratch. By buying into a solidified brand, you're able to hit the ground running.

When you purchased your franchise, you may have thought that the marketing would be handled for you. While the business may have marketing materials and procedures ready for you to use, it’s ultimately your responsibility as a franchisee to market your individual location.

Just like any business, you need to have a thorough marketing strategy in order to succeed. You can’t rely on the franchisor to do it all for you. While they will (hopefully) provide some marketing support, you're likely not going to get all the help you need. After all, you're not a marketing agency, you've got a business to run!

Our team at Charisma Communications has years of experience crafting successful marketing plans for franchises just like yours. Schedule a consultation with our marketing team today!

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What Exactly Is Franchise Marketing?

In order to understand franchise marketing, we first need to understand what franchising is. Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model and brand to open a location of your own. Think of all your favorite chain restaurants or coffee shops!

According to the International Franchise Association, nearly 800,000 businesses in the United States are franchised, and they account for nearly one-third of all private sector jobs.

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People are attracted to buying a franchise because they are an established, turn-key business to start up. However, when it comes to marketing your franchise, some businesses will fall short with the support they offer. You may end up dealing with:

• Extremely limited materials
• Outdated websites
• Overpriced marketing programs
• No support at all  

You might feel like you're on your own when it comes to marketing your franchise. But don't worry, Charisma Communications is here to help!

Defining Your Franchise Marketing Strategy

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Digital marketing is an ever-changing space that's constantly evolving. What works today may not work tomorrow, so it pays off to have an updated plan on how you can best utilize your time and resources in this rapidly changing industry.

Here at Charisma, we've helped countless franchise businesses reach their full potential both on and off the internet. Take a look at the strategy behind that success:

Telling Your Brands Story

A strong brand is key for any business, which is exactly why you purchased a franchise. The brand’s story and marketing are most likely what motivated you to buy in yourself. A good franchised business should stay consistent in their brand's message and ideals, no matter which location they visit.  

Think about some of the most popular franchises out there: Starbucks, McDonald's, etc. These companies have built some of the most recognizable brand identities in the world, and as a result, have set up long-lasting successes for new franchisees.

Make sure your branding is consistent across all platforms, from your website and social media to your advertising materials.

Local SEO is Key

The internet has become an essential tool for marketing any business, and that only gets more important when you are promoting a franchise. Of course, you’ll want your brand itself to be easily found online; but you also need to make sure your individual location is ranking high in local SEO (search engine optimization) results.

Check Out How to Create Spectacular SEO > Our Guide

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Google Local Services

If you haven't already, sign up for Google Local Services to get your business ranking in the "Google Guaranteed" section. This section of the search results page is dedicated to businesses that have been verified and approved by Google. This is a great way to increase brand awareness and give your location a virtual stamp of approval for potential clients to see.

Although this program may cost you more than pay-per-click ads, the quality lead value the Google Guaranteed section produces makes this a necessity for franchises.

Define Your Target Audience

Before you can start promoting your franchise, you need to know who you're targeting. Are you aiming at small business owners? Families? Young professionals? Once you know who your ideal customer is, you can start tailoring your marketing efforts specifically to them.

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Franchises already have an overall target market, so niche down to focus on your local area.

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Since the brand is already established, you can focus on targeting a specific niche market. This could be people who live in a certain area, people who work a certain type of job, or people who have a certain income level.

Use our guide to define your ideal client > Claim your free copy

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Don't Abandon Traditional Marketing

The internet age of marketing isn't slowing down, but traditional marketing strategies aren't totally dead. Don't count out the basics, such as:

• Print ads
• Direct mail campaigns
• TV commercials
• Radio Ads

You can still use these methods, but make sure you're using them in a way that's relevant to your target audience and complements your overall digital marketing strategy.

Track campaign success with QR codes, promo codes, and special offer landing pages!

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Content is King

Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain an audience.  

Here are some examples of content you can produce that will help drive attention to your brand:

• Blogs
• Videos
• Podcasts
• Digital Workshops
• Infographics
  

Why is content marketing so important? Because it helps you create a relationship of trust with your customers. When you consistently provide valuable content, you're seen as an authority in your field, and customers are more likely to do business with you. Content marketing also helps you build brand awareness and reach new audiences.

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Mastering Social Media

Being present in the digital age requires posting creative content, or else you'll be sharing what feels like non-stop advertisements that people will skip right over. Social media is all about humanizing your brand online, so make sure the content you're posting is interesting, engaging, and relatable.

Use social media to connect with your local audience!  This is a great way to get involved and show that your franchise is more than just another location, but a part of the community.

Captivate Your Clients with Charisma

Investing in a franchise is something to be proud of! Although running a business takes a lot of hard work, you don't want to find yourself wearing too many hats. If you want your franchise to reach its full potential, it's important to invest in a well-rounded marketing strategy.  

For years Charisma Communications has helped franchises reach their target markets through effective and innovative marketing plans. We'll craft a strategy that will work for your franchise- no matter the size or niche!

Schedule a consultation with our marketing experts at Charisma Communications today!

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