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Franchise Marketing
What is franchise marketing? A complete guide.

Answering every question you have about franchise marketing (2023)

Franchise Marketing FAQ

We help many franchise businesses improve their (local) marketing. We've noticed that many of you struggle with the same challenges, opportunities, and questions when it comes to Franchise Marketing.

That's why we've answered your most common franchise questions about strategy, operations, toolsfranchise marketing, and franchise brand management

Is your question still unanswered? Please let us know!

General

First, let's answer some general questions about franchising. 
What is a franchise?

A franchise is a business model that allows entrepreneurs to start and operate their own businesses using the brand, name, and products of an existing business. Franchises are typically found in the retail, food, and service industries. In franchises you have franchisees and franchisors. Some of the most famous franchise marketing examples include McDonald's, Subway, and 7-Eleven.

What is franchising?

Franchising is a business model in which a franchisor grants a license to a franchisee to use their business name, trademark, and/or operating system. In return for this license, the franchisee pays the franchisor an initial fee and ongoing royalties.

What are franchisees and franchisors? A franchisee is an individual or company that purchases the rights to operate a franchise of an existing business. A franchisor is the owner of a business that grants franchises to individuals or companies.
What are the benefits of franchising?

Some of the benefits of franchising include:

  • Increased growth potential: Franchising can help a business to expand quickly and reach new markets.
  • Improved brand recognition: Franchising can help a business to build brand recognition and name recognition.
  • Increased profitability: Franchising can help a business to maximize profitability and ROI.
What are some disadvantages of franchising?

Some disadvantages of franchising include:

  • Loss of control: When a business franchises, it loses some control over its brand and how its business is operated.

  • High initial investment: Franchising can be a costly endeavor, with high initial investment costs and ongoing royalty payments.

  • Restrictive agreements: Franchising agreements can be restrictive, limiting a franchisee’s ability to make changes to their business.
What is franchise management? Franchise management is the process of overseeing and coordinating the activities of a franchised business. This includes things like marketing, operations, and financial planning.
10 famous examples of successful franchises
  1. McDonald's - McDonald's is a fast food franchise that was founded in 1940. The company has over 36,000 locations in over 100 countries. McDonald's is known for their burgers, fries, and shakes.
  2. Subway - Subway is a fast food franchise that was founded in 1965. The company has over 44,000 locations in over 100 countries. Subway is known for its submarine sandwiches and salads.
  3. 7-Eleven - 7-Eleven is a convenience store franchise that was founded in 1927. The company has over 66,000 locations in over 20 countries. 7-Eleven is known for its convenience and variety of products.
  4. Dunkin' Donuts - Dunkin' Donuts is a coffee and donut franchise that was founded in 1950. The company has over 11,000 locations in over 36 countries. Dunkin' Donuts is known for its coffee and donuts.
  5. Burger King - Burger King is a fast food franchise that was founded in 1953. The company has over 15,000 locations in over 100 countries. Burger King is known for its burgers and fries.
  6. Wendy's - Wendy's is a fast food franchise that was founded in 1969. The company has over 6,500 locations in over 30 countries. Wendy's is known for its burgers, fries, and chicken sandwiches.
  7. Taco Bell - Taco Bell is a fast food franchise that was founded in 1962. The company has over 7,000 locations in over 20 countries. Taco Bell is known for its Mexican-style food.
  8. KFC - KFC is a fast food franchise that was founded in 1952. The company has over 19,000 locations in over 120 countries. KFC is known for its fried chicken.
  9. Pizza Hut - Pizza Hut is a pizza franchise that was founded in 1958. The company has over 16,000 locations in over 90 countries. Pizza Hut is known for its pizza.
  10. Domino's Pizza - Domino's Pizza is a pizza franchise that was founded in 1960. The company has over 10,000 locations in over 70 countries. Domino's Pizza is known for its pizza.

These are the famous ones, but there are also some unusual franchise examples:

  1. A mobile pet grooming franchise: This type of franchise is unusual because it is a very niche business that not many people are familiar with. However, it can be a very successful franchise if it is properly marketed and managed.
  2. A home-based franchise: This type of franchise is also unusual because it is not a traditional brick-and-mortar business. However, it can be a great option for people who want to be their own boss and have a flexible schedule.
  3. An online franchise: This type of franchise is becoming more and more popular as the internet becomes a more integral part of our lives. Online franchises can be a great option for people who want to work from home or have a global reach.
Ok, so I want to start a franchise, where do I start?

We’ve identified 7 important steps you need to walk through when you’re thinking of starting as a franchisee or franchisor.

  1. Conduct market research - Conducting market research is important for any company looking to enter the franchise market. When conducting market research, it is important to consider the size of the potential market, the demographics of the potential market, the needs and wants of the potential market, and the competition in the potential market.
  2. Develop a clear marketing plan - Developing a clear marketing plan is essential for any franchise business. When creating a marketing plan, it is important to consider the goals of the franchise marketing plan, the target market of the franchise, the budget for the franchise marketing plan, the timeline for the franchise marketing plan, and the methods for measuring the success of the franchise marketing plan.
  3. Create targeted and engaging marketing materials - Creating targeted and engaging marketing materials is key to any successful franchise marketing campaign. When creating marketing materials, it is important to consider the goals of the marketing materials, the target market of the franchise, the message of the marketing materials, the design of the marketing materials, and the call to action of the marketing materials.
  4. Offer franchise discounts or promotions - Offering franchise discounts or promotions is a great way to attract new franchisees and encourage existing franchisees to grow their businesses. When offering discounts or promotions, it is important to consider the type of discount or promotion, the eligibility requirements, and the expiration date.
  5. Build a strong relationship with franchisees - Building a strong relationship with franchisees is essential for any franchisor. When building relationships with franchisees, it is important to consider the franchisee's needs and wants, the franchisor's goals and the franchisor-franchisee contract.
  6. Offer franchise training and support - Offering franchise training and support is a great way to help franchisees get started and grow their businesses. When offering training and support, it is important to consider the type of training and support, the franchisee's needs and wants, and the franchisor's goals.
  7. Stay up to date with franchise industry trends - Staying up to date with franchise industry trends is a great way to keep franchisees informed and engaged. When staying up to date with franchise industry trends, it is important to consider the type of trends, the impact of the trends on franchisees, and the franchisor's goals.
What is a franchise strategy? A franchise strategy is an overall plan that a franchisor develops to guide the growth and development of its franchise system. A well-developed franchise strategy takes into account the franchisor’s goals, the current state of the franchise system, and the competitive landscape.

Franchise Strategy

What is franchise strategy?

Franchise strategy is the overall plan that a franchisor develops to guide the growth and development of their franchise system. A well-developed franchise strategy takes into account the franchisor’s goals, the current state of the franchise system, and the competitive landscape.

What is franchise strategy development?

Franchise strategy development is the process of creating and implementing a plan for how a business will grow and expand its franchise operations. This can involve developing new franchise locations, expanding existing ones, or both.

The goal of franchise strategy development is to help businesses achieve their growth goals in a way that is efficient and effective. There are a number of different tools and resources that can be used for franchise strategy development, including business planning software, market research, and consulting services.

What are the benefits of a franchise strategy?

Some of the benefits of a franchise strategy include:

  • Increased growth: A franchise strategy can help a franchisor to identify opportunities for growth and expansion.
  • Improved efficiency: A franchise strategy can help a franchisor to streamline operations and improve efficiency.
  • Increased profitability: A franchise strategy can help a franchisor to maximize profitability and ROI.
What are some franchise strategy components?

Some components of a franchise strategy include:

  • Goal setting: A franchisor should set realistic and achievable goals to guide the development of its franchise strategy.
  • SWOT analysis: A franchisor should conduct a SWOT analysis to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing their franchise system.
  • Competitive analysis: A franchisor should understand the competitive landscape in order to develop an effective franchise strategy.

Franchise Marketing

What is franchise marketing?

Franchise marketing is the process of helping a franchise grow by attracting end customers and potential franchisees. 

There are two types of franchise marketing:

  • Operational franchise marketing - involves any marketing activity franchisors and franchisees participate in to acquire and retain customers. 
  • Franchise development marketing - is any marketing activity a franchisor does to acquire and retain more franchisees in new locations.
Franchise marketing is also sometimes called franchise advertising. Doing great franchise marketing or advertising starts with a great franchise marketing strategy.
How does marketing for franchises work?

There are a few key things to keep in mind when marketing for franchises:

  1. Keep your brand consistent: It’s important to maintain a consistent brand across all franchise locations. This includes using the same logo, colors, and messaging in your marketing materials.
  2. Localize your marketing: While you want to keep your brand consistent, you also need to tailor your marketing to each local market. This means creating marketing materials that speak to the specific needs and interests of each market. Marvia has local marketing software specifically made for franchise marketing.
  3. Use multiple marketing channels: To reach the widest audience possible, you should use a variety of marketing channels, including online, print, and word-of-mouth.
  4. Focus on lead generation: A key goal of franchise development marketing is to generate leads for the franchisor. To do this, you need to create compelling marketing materials that encourage people to inquire about franchise opportunities.
  5. Measure your results: To gauge the effectiveness of your franchise marketing efforts, you need to track key metrics, such as website traffic, leads generated, and conversion rates.
What is the best franchise marketing strategy? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best franchise marketing strategy will vary depending on the franchise and the target market. However, some general tips for developing a successful franchise marketing strategy include conducting market research, developing a clear marketing plan, and creating targeted and engaging marketing materials.

Conducting market research
Conducting franchise market research is important for any company looking to enter the franchise market. When conducting franchise market research, it is important to consider the following factors:
  • The size of the potential market
  • The demographics of the potential market
  • The needs and wants of the potential market
  • The competition in the potential market
What is the best way to do marketing for a franchise business?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best way to do marketing for a franchise business will vary depending on the franchise and the products or services it offers.

However, some tips for marketing a franchise business include identifying the franchise's target market, developing a clear and consistent brand identity, and using marketing channels that are most likely to reach the target market. One of the better ways to market a franchise is by doing it locally.

What are franchise marketing best practices?
  1. Create a central repository for all franchise marketing materials, such as logos, color palettes, and brand guidelines.
  2. Track compliance with franchise marketing standards and provide a platform for franchisees to ask questions and get help with maintaining the brand standards.
  3. Create and manage a franchise marketing calendar to help coordinate marketing efforts across the franchise network.
  4. Create and manage a customer database, which can be used for targeted marketing campaigns.
  5. Create and manage a website for the franchise, which can be used to promote the franchise to potential customers and franchisees.

Marvia's franchise marketing software can help by creating a central repository for all franchise marketing materials, tracking compliance with franchise marketing standards, and providing branded templates to create franchise marketing materials in minutes, all in one platform. 

What are some of the best methods for franchise marketing?
  1. Social media: Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are great places to reach a larger audience with your message. You can use these platforms to share blog posts, articles, videos, or infographics relevant to your franchisees and their customers. Additionally, you can use social media to build relationships with your franchisees and create a sense of community within your franchise organization.
  2. Email marketing: Email marketing can be a great way to reach a larger audience with your message. You can use email to share blog posts, articles, videos, or infographics relevant to your franchisees and their customers. Additionally, you can use email to build relationships with your franchisees and create a sense of community within your franchise organization.
  3. Content marketing: Content marketing is a strategy to create and distribute content relevant to your franchisees and their customers. This content can be in the form of blog posts, articles, videos, or infographics and is designed to help franchisees promote and sell their products or services. Franchise content marketing helps companies because it allows them to reach a larger audience with their message, and it helps franchisees because it provides them with valuable content that they can use to market their business. 
How to create a clear marketing plan for a franchise business?

When creating a marketing plan for a franchise business, it is essential to consider the following factors:

  • The goals of the franchise marketing plan
  • The target market of the franchise
  • The budget for the franchise marketing plan
  • The timeline for the franchise marketing plan
  • The methods for measuring the success of the franchise marketing plan

Some other franchise marketing tips include building a solid relationship with franchisees, offering franchise training and support, and staying up to date with franchise industry trends.

How to create targeted and engaging marketing materials for my franchise?

When creating targeted and engaging marketing materials, it is crucial to consider the following factors:

  • The goals of the marketing materials
  • The target market of the franchise
  • The message of the marketing materials
  • The design of the marketing materials
  • The call to action of the marketing materials
How do I promote my franchise business? And what are some detailed and elaborated examples of that?

There are many ways to promote your franchise business. Some common methods include advertising, public relations, direct marketing, and event marketing. Additionally, you can promote your franchise business through social media, your website, and word-of-mouth.

What is franchise content marketing? Franchise content marketing is a strategy used by franchise organizations to create and distribute content that is relevant to their franchisees and their customers. This content can be in the form of blog posts, articles, videos, or infographics and is designed to help franchisees promote and sell their products or services. Franchise content marketing helps companies because it allows them to reach a larger audience with their message, and it helps franchisees because it provides them with valuable content that they can use to market their businesses.
What is PPC for franchise marketing?

PPC for franchise marketing is a type of online marketing that allows franchise businesses to advertise their products or services on search engines like Google and Bing. Advertisers pay each time a potential customer clicks on their ad. PPC comes from "pay per click" and is also sometimes called CPC marketing ("cost per click"). 

How does PPC marketing help franchises?

PPC marketing can help franchises reach new customers actively searching for what they offer. By targeting potential customers with relevant ads, franchises can increase their chances of getting their products or services in front of people who are more likely to convert into paying customers.

What are the benefits of PPC for franchise marketing?

PPC for franchise marketing can be an effective way to reach new customers and grow a franchise business. Some of the benefits of using PPC for franchise marketing include the following:

  • Increased visibility: PPC ads can help increase the visibility of a franchise business, making it more likely that potential customers will see and click on the ads.
  • Targeted advertising: PPC ads can be targeted to specific demographics, interests, and locations, making it easier to reach potential customers who are more likely to be interested in what the franchise has to offer.
  • Flexible budget: PPC campaigns can be customized to fit any budget, making it a cost-effective way to reach new customers.
  • Measurable results: PPC campaigns can be tracked and monitored, so franchise businesses can see their ads' effectiveness and make changes accordingly.
How do I use analytics to measure the results of my franchise business There are several analytics software programs that you can use to measure the results of your franchise marketing efforts, including Google Analytics, HubSpot, and Kissmetrics. These programs allow you to track website traffic, leads generated, conversion rates, and other key metrics.

Analytics software programs track data from your website, social media accounts, and marketing campaigns. This data is then analyzed to help you understand which marketing activities generate the most leads and conversions.
What results can you expect from franchise content marketing? Franchise content marketing can help you reach a larger audience with your message, and it can help franchisees sell more products or services. Additionally, franchise content marketing can help you build relationships with your franchisees and create a sense of community within your franchise organization. The exact results will depend on the quality of your brand and campaigns. 

Local Franchise Marketing

What is local franchise marketing?

Local franchise marketing is creating and delivering marketing messages to (potential) customers in a specific geographic area.

Local franchise marketing aims to help franchisees attract new customers and grow their businesses. Local franchise marketing can target potential customers in a specific city, state, or region. Local franchise marketing campaigns can be customized to target the local market's specific needs and wants, making them more effective than global or national franchise marketing campaigns.

What are the benefits of franchise local marketing?

Some of the benefits of franchise local marketing include:

  • Increased leads and sales: By targeting customers in their local area, franchisees are more likely to generate leads and sales.
  • Improved brand awareness: Franchisees who use local marketing techniques can improve brand awareness and name recognition in their community.
  • Increased customer loyalty: Franchisees who use local marketing techniques can build relationships with customers and create a loyal customer base.
What are some franchise local marketing strategies?

Some franchise local marketing strategies include:

  • Developing targeted marketing campaigns: Franchisees can use customer data to develop marketing campaigns that are specifically targeted to the needs and wants of their local market.
  • Utilizing local resources: Franchisees can use local resources, such as newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations, to reach potential customers in their community.
  • Building relationships with local businesses: Franchisees can build relationships with local businesses to create referral and cross-promotional opportunities.
How do I do franchise reputation management?

There are a number of things you can do to manage your franchise's reputation. First, you should make sure you are providing quality products and services. Second, you should make sure you are responsive to customer feedback and complaints. Third, you should make sure you are regularly monitoring your online reputation and addressing any negative reviews or comments. Finally, you should make sure you are promoting positive reviews and testimonials. Preventing reputation damage to your franchise starts with clear and consistent messages, and franchise marketing software such as Marvia helps, because it lets you quickly create on-brand marketing materials.

Franchise Brand Management

What is franchise brand management? Franchise brand management is the process of creating and maintaining a consistent brand identity for a franchise business. This includes developing a clear and recognizable brand name, logo, and visual identity and ensuring that all franchise locations use these elements consistently.
How can franchise brand management help franchises?

Franchise brand management can help franchises by creating a more recognizable and unified brand identity. This can make it easier for potential customers to identify and remember the franchise, and it can also help build brand loyalty among existing customers.

What are the benefits of franchise brand management?

Some of the benefits of franchise brand management include:

  • Increased visibility: A consistent and recognizable brand can help a franchise business stand out from the competition and be more visible to potential customers.
  • Improved customer loyalty: A strong brand can help build customer loyalty, making it more likely that customers will continue to do business with the franchise.
  • Greater customer trust: A franchise business with a strong and consistent brand is more likely to be trusted by potential customers.
  • Increased franchise value: A strong brand can make a franchise business more valuable, making it more attractive to potential franchisees.
What is franchise brand marketing? Franchise brand marketing is a form of marketing that is specifically designed to promote a franchised business and build the franchise brand as a whole.
How can franchise brand marketing help your business?

Franchise brand marketing can help your business by increasing brand awareness and creating a more positive association with your brand. It can also help to build trust and credibility with potential customers and franchisees, which can lead to increased sales and growth.

How do you keep a franchise brand consistent?

There are a number of ways to keep a franchise brand consistent. First, it is important to have a clear and concise brand identity that is communicated to all franchisees. Second, all franchisees should be trained on how to maintain brand standards. Third, there should be periodic audits of franchisees to ensure that they are complying with the brand standards. Finally, franchisees should be held accountable for maintaining the brand standards through the franchise agreement. There is, however, a better way. 

Franchise organizations can use brand management software to help keep their franchise brand consistent. This type of software provides a central repository for all brand assets, such as logos, color palettes, and brand guidelines. It also allows franchise organizations to track compliance with brand standards and provides a platform for franchisees to ask questions and get help with maintaining the brand standards.

Marvia is an example of such software, it helps franchise brands to keep their identity consistent and manage their franchise network.

Franchise Software

What software do franchise companies use?
  1. Social media management software: This type of software helps franchisees manage their social media accounts, schedule posts, and track engagement.
  2. Email marketing software: This software helps franchisees send mass emails to customers and prospects, track open rates and click-through rates, and segment lists for more targeted marketing.
  3. Lead management software: This software helps franchisees track and manage leads from initial contact to conversion.
  4. Customer relationship management (CRM) software: This software helps franchisees track and manage customer data, including contact information, purchase history, and support requests.
  5. Marketing automation software: This software helps franchisees automate marketing tasks, such as email marketing, social media posting, and lead nurturing.
  6. Website management software: This software helps franchisees manage their website content, track website traffic, and generate leads through forms and landing pages.
  7. Search engine optimization (SEO) software: This software helps franchisees improve their website’s ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs), making it more visible to potential customers.
  8. Analytics software: This software helps franchisees track and analyze data from their marketing campaigns, website, and social media accounts.
What franchise marketing tools help to get better performance for your franchise?

There are a number of franchise marketing tools that can help you improve the performance of your franchise. These tools can help you reach a larger audience with your message, and they can help franchisees sell more products or services.

Additionally, franchise marketing tools can help you build relationships with your franchisees and create a sense of community within your franchise organization. 

What kind of tools work well for franchises?

Some of the best franchise marketing tools include social media, email marketing, and content marketing tools. The very best tools help combine all channels so you have one platform to work from. These tools can help you reach a larger audience with your message, and they can help franchisees sell more products or services.

Additionally, franchise marketing tools can help you build relationships with your franchisees and create a sense of community within your franchise organization.

Can software help with franchise management, and how?

Yes, software can help with franchise management in a number of ways. For example, it can help with marketing by providing tools for creating and managing marketing campaigns. It can also help with operations by providing tools for managing inventory, scheduling, and customer data. Additionally, software can help with financial planning by providing tools for creating and managing budgets, tracking expenses, and generating reports.

Marvia helps franchises manage their marketing with Digital Asset Management, so you have all your assets in one place. Branded templates help you create on-brand marketing materials in minutes.

Don't take our word for it

"With Marvia, the regions can create their own marketing materials - within brand guidelines- in an efficient and qualitative manner. Global Marketing now has a central position within our organization, and has more focus since the brand portal is the go-to marketing hub for all our partners."

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