Winning Franchise Marketing Strategies

You bought a new chicken franchise. You passed the necessary qualifications. You hired employees and set up shop in the city.You open for business, but there's not much customer interest. The weeks go by, but few customers walk in. You begin to worry. Was buying the franchise a mistake?In this case, the franchise owner failed to invest in effective franchise marketing strategies. When it comes to social media, for example, over 70 percent of Facebook ads fail to deliver. The best franchise business establishes a consistent brand marketing effort that caters to a target demographic.And, stellar campaigns will spread word-of-mouth that generates interest in your franchise. This article will show you some creative marketing franchise tips that will increase your chances of success. Read on if you wish to know more.

Spreading the Word

Word-of-mouth advertising builds customer trust and engagement. Take note of the following core strategies of word-of-mouth marketing:

• Product quality
• Customer service
• Company culture

Customer service is especially important in the social media age.  Social media will also help you gain access to local markets. Create a positive face on social media sites.On Facebook, for example, you can utilize a customer service option where customers can get their questions answered. Your goal is to help customers meet their needs.Also, establish reviews and testimonials to spread the word about your excellent customer service. Customers who interact with knowledgeable employees are more likely to relay their experiences to family and friends.Negative customer experiences can generate bad word-of-mouth that can cripple a business. Customers with negative experiences are also 50 percent more likely to outright boycott products. And, social media can further spread negative press about your business.On the other hand, strive to exceed a customer's expectations. However, spreading the word also requires employee satisfaction. They will be the faces of your company.To enhance the customer experience, treat all employees fairly. Also, ensure they have a productive work environment where they can perform their best.When it comes to company culture, create an atmosphere that's easygoing and transparent. Convey to employees that they're part of the company family. However, tailor your company culture in a way that conforms to the franchise brand.

Brand Consistency

Creating a local marketing franchise is tricky because you must consider the larger brand as a whole. You may want to create a marketing franchise that's different from other franchises. However, you shouldn't create a branding campaign that strays too far from the parent company.Brand consistency means advertising that conforms to the culture and standards of the larger company.If you have a cleaning business franchise, for instance, use all logos and colors that the company uses. You should also maintain the same tone as the company.Overall, ask yourself if the corporate headquarters would approve your marketing plan. Operating within these parameters gives you a solid framework to operate under. Moreover, customers who recognize the same logos and colors from other franchise locales are more likely to visit your location.With that, you can still maintain uniqueness and creativity within your advertising campaigns.

Marketing Precision

As a franchise, you must compete with outside competitors and other franchises within your brand. One way to beat the competition is to choose an advertising medium that has fewer competitors. Research the competition to see where they advertise. Also, study their advertising campaign to see how they attract customers.And, avoid trying to be on many platforms at once. Broad marketing is one of the largest mistakes that business owners make.Advertising on one or two platforms also trims your marketing budget.  Also, you must know which platforms your target demographic frequents. Overall, narrow down your platform choices to anywhere between two to four channels. For instance, advertise on Instagram and Facebook if you have a target demographic between 18 and 25.

Understand Your Buyers

Knowing who buys your products helps you avoid people who are not interested in buying your products. Ask yourself how your product can satisfy customer problems.If running a burger restaurant, for example, you're going to have customers who love the taste of your food. Therefore, appeal to their cravings. Highlight the best attributes of your burgers, such as thickness, seasoning, or toppings. This will invigorate the senses of your customers.Regardless of the product, ask yourself the following questions:

• What are your customer's main goals?
• What your customer concerns and needs?
• Who is buying my products?
• How can I get my customer's attention?

To get a customer's attention, pay attention to their communication avenues. For instance, social media is a better avenue for younger people. Email marketing is also a great marketing method for older audiences who may not have a social media presence. Regardless of the platform, you can use your marketing campaign to offer rewards.

Perks and Rewards

Rewarding existing customers is a great way to maintain customer loyalty. And, it attracts prospective customers. You can offer your rewards programs on social media, email, or text message.For instance, you can offer customers coupons if they text your business location. You can find location software that allows customers to text info that locates your business. This is a great method if you're a new franchise that needs to attract customers.For email marketing, you can offer a digital coupon for signing up for a newsletter. Also, have a website in place so customers can learn about any deals or specials. Creating a business website will also help you reach more people.Some core reward ideas include:

• Offering something free after a certain amount of purchases
• A percentage discount
• Rewards points that allow customers to get free merchandise.

You can also foster customer engagement via online games. You can leave certain clues for customers to figure out on social media. If they figure out the big mystery, give them a prize for their efforts. Always maintain different rewards programs to generate greater interest.

The Most Important Franchise Marketing Advice

The most important franchise marketing advice is to know your customers. From there, craft your marketing franchise around customer profiles.Moreover, the best franchise business is one that has a digital presence. Digital advertising will attract more eyeballs.However, narrow your advertising efforts to a few digital channels to focus your marketing plans. There's more involved when spreading franchise awareness. Click here for more information about pertinent franchise questions to ask yourself.