Once these are nailed down, you can ensure that messaging, tone of voice, and brand personality are all consistent across the organisation.
Of course, each store will be advertising to entice their local area, so you may wonder why they must be consistent with stores from other areas. The answer is simple: consumers aren’t always in their local area.
A consumer may view an ad from one franchisee while on the way to work which may stay on their mind all day. Then, once they’ve arrived home, they will then see another ad from their local franchisee and the marketing funnel can begin to do its thing.
Remember: consumers often take 5-7 touchpoints (or separate ads) before they convert into a paying customer. So consistent branding will ensure these touchpoints are all linked across the consumer’s experience.
Local SEO
Once the consumer is in a mindset to purchase – perhaps they’ve relaxing on the couch or browsing on their lunch break – your franchisees’ localised search engine optimisation (SEO) can target them accordingly.
Localised SEO becomes more important the larger that your franchise becomes and the further apart each franchisee is.
If you have stores in separate countries, for example, you will need specific landing pages that suit each country and the nature of each audience.
This goes beyond a simple URL change. Each state will have its own pain points, linguistic traits, and personalities which your business should be in tune with.
On a smaller scale, search engine results can include things like suburb names to target nearby consumers. It can go a long way to appear on the first page of Google when your audience searches for “product X near me.”
Encourage personal storytelling from franchisees
When you take on the responsibility of a franchise outlet, you gain the ability to build your own story and make your part of the business your own.
This means you control the marketing and advertising that comes with your slice of the franchise while keeping in line with the franchise’s brand guidelines.
This can be an exciting part of the journey for many franchisees, as you build a community of customers who are loyal to the local outlet.
Franchisees should explain their connection to the brand, their origins as a franchisee, loyal customers they’ve served, and a “family-owned” trope never hurts too.
Aside from the stories told straight from the franchisee’s mouth, the stories of customers can also work wonders.
Hand them the microphone and allow them to explain their own loyalty to the brand, showing future customers why they should join the community.
That’s what it’s all about for franchisees, after all – fostering a sense of community and loyalty.
No matter what business you’re in, if you can treat each customer like a valued part of the business, or a friend of the company, you can reduce the churn rate and improve your reputation.
Contact Admosis
We know what it’s like to grow at pace, just as some franchises expand out of sight. Allow us to apply our knowledge to your business and put expert franchise marketing into place.
We love local businesses and we always hope they love us too. Get in touch today and watch your business succeed tomorrow.
Photo by Alena Darmel