If you own a franchise, you’ve probably struggled to find ways to differentiate your business from other franchises. That’s because marketing for franchises presents some unique challenges, especially on the local level. Even when a brand pumps millions of dollars into a national marketing campaign, local franchise owners don’t always benefit.
According to the experts at Curious Jane, an advertising agency that specializes in marketing for franchisors and franchisees, one solution for franchise owners seeking to improve marketing ROI is social media. It’s an extremely effective outlet for not only telling a unique story but supporting customer acquisition and retention as well. As the company puts it, “By providing creative content, facilitating discussions and responding to negative and positive feedback in platforms that you manage, you can develop an engaged base of loyal customers for your franchise.”
Some of the benefits of having a local franchise include targeting your customers with local promotions and posting content that’s directly related to local events. Social media lets you capitalize on those advantages.
Franchise marketing quirks
Social media is an important component of any marketing strategy, but as a franchise owner, using it effectively isn’t always easy.
According to a report from the BIA/Kelsey Local Commerce Monitor, roughly 51 percent of franchising organizations play an active role in shaping the social media presence of local businesses. Parent organizations can often help franchisees acquire content to fuel their marketing, and you should use this to your advantage if possible.
Franchises with a desire to be successful must equip their local franchisees with some level of autonomy and the resources to market locally. Franchise owners should advocate for this flexibility with their corporate office. Moreover, prospective franchise owners should inquire about this subject and carefully review the franchise agreement when assessing franchises to invest in.
While national companies rely on in-house teams to handle the day-to-day tasks that come with operating a corporate social media account, most franchisees don’t have this luxury. But, you can still get started on your own. Follow the guidelines below to launch a social media marketing program that works.
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