The support franchise partners receive from the franchisor is essential to the ongoing growth and success of a franchise network. Clear systems, processes and procedures in place form the framework they require to build a successful business upon.
A key component to the success of any business especially in the franchise sector is Local Area Marketing, otherwise referred to as LAM. The marketing process involves going on a journey within business to discover in detail the environment in which it operates and how it best can engage customers in order to return a profit. Local Area Marketing is all about planning, consistency and building relationships.
There is a common misconception that when purchasing a franchise, partners are relieved of the marketing component, however marketing is an essential partnership between both franchisor and franchisee. It’s very important to be transparent about the key differences the franchisor and franchise partners take from a marketing perceptive.
The franchisor has a separate responsibility when it comes to marketing and that is to support the entire network at a national level. These plans involve spending the national marketing fund on strategies and programs that benefit every single franchise partner. Franchise partners should then adapt these plans into their local area marketing strategy to build brand awareness and relationships within their community.
4 marketing solutions
Local Area Marketing is an essential ingredient for franchise partners. Here are four ways to support franchisees when it comes to Local Area Marketing.
Centralised marketing
Removing the guess work out of marketing and the marketing process for franchise partners is beneficial, allowing them to concentrate on building their business within their community. Supporting franchise partners through centralised marketing means the franchisor provides and manages the platforms, assets, documentation and the overall marketing framework for the franchise partner to follow. Examples of this include website and social media content, creative assets, SEO and Google My Page listings.
In many franchise systems, social media channels and digital communications are centralised, solely managed by the franchisor. This relieves the franchise partners of the ongoing burden of having to update Facebook pages or Instagram accounts. This allows them to focus on growing the relationships within their community and deliver content that is relevant to their demographic.
Reporting
Quarterly reporting is a great way to track progress and identify opportunities for the franchisee plus have the opportunity for discussion. Reporting should include fundamental business information such as performance, revenue and wages, marketing tactics completed and opportunities they are working toward. Having all of this information provides a holistic approach as to how their business is performing and can provide a business and marketing framework they can implement and work toward for continuous growth. The key outcome from these reports is about collaboration between the franchisor and franchisee, insight into how their business is performing at a local level, compliance and planning for the future.
Marketing asset management system
Providing marketing material to support franchise partners in their local area marketing planning establishes a great foundation for success. These type of assets are designed and created from support office in line with the brand style guide. The franchise partner can use these assets to suit their local area marketing initiatives providing them the flexibility to personalise material or their community without compromising the integrity of the brand. A range of materials can include flyers, posters, press releases, signage, EDM templates plus more depending on what’s used in the industry. Providing these assets on a centralised platform available for the network to use is a great support system.
Provide your network with a dedicated resource
A dedicated resource such as a support manager or local area marketing manager can greatly support the franchise partner with the general day to day and growth of their business. It is important that incoming partners are made aware of the marketing tactics they can do within their selected territory and how they are supported to achieve their goals. This is usually covered in the onboarding process. So many franchise partners are not marketing savvy having come from all different types of industries, therefore having a dedicated resource in place to support, goal set and review is beneficial.
When it comes to the franchising sector, many franchise partners have never owned or operated their own business, let along created a marketing plan. One of the key reasons they purchase from a franchise model is for the proven success model, reputation and brand, not to mention support and guidance they will receive from the franchisor. Partnership and collaboration with franchise partners is a prerequisite in order to have a network of high performing and satisfied franchise partners.