Advertise the Franchise: 5 Tips for Franchise Marketing

Are you interested in improving your franchise marketing? If so, your first step should be to start thinking small.

The best way to do that is to focus on your local market. National commercials are fine, but they're not likely to provide good value for the money. However, putting your franchise on the community map can make all the difference.

Of course, this does mean you'll have to develop a solid franchise marketing strategy. The good news: this isn't a difficult proposition. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Generate Local Buzz

Looking to connect with the local population? Consider sponsoring a local event.

First, decide which event you'd like to sponsor. To achieve this, listen to your customers and see where they like to socialize. Also, find out which events your local bloggers are talking about.

Sporting events, concerts, and trade shows are all good sponsoring opportunities. If you decide to cover one, remember to engage in some content marketing. Sharing pictures and talking with your followers is always a good idea.

2. Use Local Keywords

Did you know almost half of all mobile searches are aimed at finding local results? In other words, you need a plan to rank for relevant local keywords. Relying on your franchisor for content marketing isn't going to cut it in this regard.

Where should you start? Try making local experts a part of your content strategy. They can provide compelling content, and your potential customers can engage with them.

3. Watch Your Competition

Before creating your own franchise marketing plan, look at your competition.

For example, what services do they offer? Do they sponsor any events or participate in community efforts? What does their pricing structure look like?

Once you have a grasp of their business strategy, start thinking about what you can do to improve on it. Remember, your main goal should be to do everything they're doing, but better.

4. Build Media Awareness

Contrary to popular opinion, you don't need an agency to build media relations. Instead, try reaching out to your local TV stations and newspapers. If you keep sending relevant information on a regular basis, they're bound to notice you.

Now, what falls under "relevant information?" Press releases and free columns that could benefit the outlet's audience are a good start. Stay away from cold emails, as they do more damage than good.

5. Give Back to Community

Marketing for franchises is a complex beast. That said, helping your community is the one thing that will always make a positive impact.

See, companies that do good are very popular among newer generations. These days, supporting your community makes it likely that the community will support you back. Plus, this is another opportunity for direct interaction with customers.

How to go about that? Simple: keep scouting for areas and situations where you can lend a helping hand. If you do a proper job, the community will remember it.

More on Franchise Marketing

As you can see, being a franchise owner is not an easy task. These five tips should help you out, but keep in mind that they're not a one-size-fits-all formula. Still, you can't go wrong with trying to make a difference in your community.

Want to know more about franchise marketing? You may be interested in our blog!