How many times have people wanted to start their own business? McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and many other companies offer people a chance to start a business, but with a structure in place. People will go to these places because they know the names. The biggest headache is marketing. Going through any city or town, there will be several places owned by different franchisees. That is why a person must have a plan in place because a franchise marketing plan is important.
Know your competition
The first thing that any new business owner, let alone a person who just got a new franchise, is to know the competition that is in the area of the new franchise. Before even starting the franchise, there needs to be some scouting. Going into an oversaturated market can doom any business even before it starts. The correct marketing will be able to attract people to your franchise over theirs. There are multiple ways to do this, but it should be modeled to get people in the doors over the others. Always know the area and the competition. Learn how to get people wanting what you have while ignoring the competitors.
Get a team together
One of the ways that franchises can succeed is by getting a good marketing team together. Do not just think of hiring outside people. The management team for your franchise can help. They know the business and the customers. This is especially necessary if the franchise is just one of multiple businesses. There can be joint campaigns, but at times, that may not work. That is why a team that was put together correctly will allow for there to be such fluctuations in plans. This will be important for not just shaping the marketing campaign, the right team will know when to pull a campaign or change it slightly.
Social media
Marketing has to understand social media, especially for a franchise. The various platforms will already have the main company doing different types of marketing. That means that there will have to be a separate look at how to make an impact. Social media can make a difference. The person who has the franchise just needs to see what they are allowed. There are many ways to go viral. Humor, music, and any other good impression will help. Having a good marketing team can help. The whole thing needs to be monitored and new ideas applied all the time. Social media, like a plant, has to have attention enough to get growth.
Employee help
The most valuable tool for any franchisee is its employee base. These are the people who will be talking to their friends. Posting about what happens when they are at work can make an impact. They are the unknown in the marketing of the business. Treating them right will make them brag about working for the franchise. They will, without prompting, get their friends to come in. The sheer amount of business that will be generated by being good to the employees is incalculable. These folks are who will talk about the business the most. Interact with them. Treat them like family. There is a lot of goodwill to be had if they are treated right.
Marketing has evolved over the years. Taking advantage of every tool available is what makes a business grow. Marketing is not just what is seen on television or seen in print. People talking about a business is what really drives it now. The reviews on Yelp attract or push people to a choice. Google has reviews. Because of the Internet, word of mouth has been amplified and it can help a business. Teamwork and careful choices can make it all go easily. It is up to the franchisee to decide how it all is able to be done. There is a combination of factors and a business owner has to see all the pieces. This sometimes means stepping back and just looking around. It is not difficult, but there is research to be done at every step.