You’re probably got a lot on your mind as a new franchise owner operating your new franchise restaurant. And yet, there’s one more thing you need to keep in mind, and that is franchise marketing.
But as you add this to your long list of priorities, it suddenly hits you: As a new franchisee that has joined an established brand, isn’t marketing the responsibility of your head office? Aren’t you only responsible for your own franchise location?
As it were, the answers aren’t as clear as you may think. To explain, let’s talk about the different types of franchise marketing, how franchise marketing is unique from other types of marketing, and then finishing with what all of this means for you as a new franchisee.
What is franchise marketing? Is it different from other marketing?
Simply put, franchise marketing are the steps taken by a franchise business to build and expand itself. These can signify anything from appearances made at trade shows and radio advertisements to digital marketing strategies such as pay-per-click advertising, email marketing, and content marketing.
The uniqueness of these marketing activities becomes apparent when splitting franchise marketing into two distinct varieties:
- Operational franchise marketing is the marketing activity that both franchisors and franchisees perform in order to acquire and retain customers. This involves promoting your menu and services, and increases revenue for both franchisor and franchisee.
- Franchise development marketing is marketing activity that franchisors do to sell more franchise locations. This involves attracting prospective franchisees, and provides direct revenue to the franchisor but not the franchisee.
As a franchisee, you’d think you have nothing to do with the latter. After all, what’s the point if you don’t get any money? However, there’s more to it than that.
What does franchise marketing mean to me as a new franchisee?
The customer journey for a franchisee is vastly different from other types of marketing; as someone who has done it yourself, you know that this customer journey is far more complicated than ordering a side of wings. It’s a long, drawn-out process that, if accepted, results in a life-altering change.
So while franchise development marketing to attract new franchisees involves regular marketing strategies, it also includes something very special. As a way to promote the franchise, your role as a new franchisee means that you are part of the marketing.
But before we get to that part, there’s a bit more explanation to go. And for that, we need to delve further in how a franchise business differs from a regular business.
Become part of a solid foundation
A franchise is a unique business model because, unlike a regular company, it is a collection of franchisees connected to the franchisor by contracts. Bound together by agreement, an entire franchise is less of a single entity and more of an impression that exists in the customer’s mind. But this is not a disadvantage. Above all else, a franchise is a brand that represents what customers have come to expect from it.
This is why a franchise relies on brand cohesion as its greatest selling point. And for this to happen, the brand needs to distinguish itself with a solid foundation upon which the franchise business can grow.
For brand cohesion to happen, the franchise needs to:
- Define which products or services will be part of franchise’s identity;
- Standardize products and operating procedures at all franchise locations; and
- Establish an operational manual for step-by-step guidance.
This last point is especially important to new franchise owners; that’s because this book is exactly what new franchisees like you will be using to help your new franchise location find its footing. As it were, your addition to this solid foundation helps the franchise in more ways than you can imagine – especially when it comes to creating a strong franchise brand.
Strength Through Consistency
By becoming a restaurant franchise owner, you may be tempted to take this opportunity to do things your own way. After all, you are an independent entrepreneur who runs your own bar. But even if we were to ignore the operational manual and your franchise contract that advise against this, doing so is still a bad idea. This is because a franchise needs proper consistency to establish a strong brand image.
We meant it when we said that one of a franchise brand’s biggest strengths is the way its customers have come to trust it. And the reason they have come to think this way is because the franchise put those thoughts there; they did it by providing a precise, repeatable experience for all of its customers. No matter which restaurant the customer visits, a good franchise with a strong brand will provide them with the same exact products or services without fail.
As the franchise’s newest member, you need to do your part to provide the same customer experience that this brand is known for, and that means closely following the brand guidelines and doing exactly the same as the other franchise locations.
A franchise is only as strong as its weakest link. If your franchise does not provide the same consistency as other locations, the entire franchise will suffer to everyone’s detriment.
Fulfilling Your Place in the Franchise Marketing Plan
Now that we’ve established the importance of a franchisee to a franchise’s brand, we can get back to answering the question of what franchise marketing means to a new franchise owner. So although marketing strategies and marketing campaigns are the responsibility of the franchisor, you still have a role to play in the franchise marketing plan as a main character.
For it to succeed, franchise marketing needs to tell a story. This is done to establish a brand identity and encourage engagement with the prospect. In other types of marketing, you can depend on reviews from other customers. For franchising and marketing for new franchisees, this is a lot more difficult since newly minted franchise owners are such a rare breed. For this reason, franchise development marketing heavily relies upon new franchisees such as yourself.
Your experience in establishing a new franchise location is keenly watched by the franchisor as well as prospective franchisees. They want to know how you do so that this process could be extended to the next franchisee, and the one after that. Your success matters to the franchise and its marketing plan, demonstrating how interdependent a franchisor is with its franchisees, and vice versa.
For all these reasons, we can see how new franchisees can benefit from franchise marketing, and likewise, how franchise marketing can benefit from new franchisees!
Franchise Marketing at the Local Level
And yet, your marketing efforts don’t end there. While it’s true that the franchise marketing plan conducted by your head office will take care of most of your marketing needs, it won’t cover everything you need as a new franchise owner. That’s because your franchise location is alone when it comes to its own market area, meaning that your restaurant will always have a need for location-based marketing.
For your local business to reach your potential customers in your target market, try implementing these marketing services:
- Social media marketing: Use these cost-effective marketing channels to engage your audience with specific messaging that can increase your exposure and market share.
- Email marketing: Implement along with a turnkey CRM system as the basis for a long-term strategy for lead generation.
- Local SEO and content marketing: Match restaurant-oriented blogs with localized search engine optimization to get effective digital marketing results.
Remember: Stay consistent with branding guidelines to achieve the success required to positively influence your entire franchise and its franchise marketing efforts! Share your success story as a new franchisee into something that can inspire everyone!
Are you interested in joining a successful franchise? St. Louis Bar & Grill is a successful food restaurant brand with over 18 years of franchise experience. We’ve opened over 72 locations across Canada, and have more opportunities awaiting you!
Please see our Franchising webpage for more information.