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In an article from Forbes titled “Are You A Franchise Hero?” written by Lora Kellogg, she highlights the best practices and common personality traits needed to be a successful franchisee. We are continuing to individually discuss each trait mentioned in our blog series.
Stay In Charge Of Your Future
One of the big benefits of franchise ownership is the ability to own a business that already has an established marketing presence in your area. Instead of starting at the ground floor in getting out your marketing message, the business you purchased has been developing it brand in your area for years.
Marketing is one of the keys to the long-term success of any business, and local franchisees need to remember that local marketing is just as important as the national marketing being done by the main company. As a franchise owner, you have to think like an entrepreneur and treat the franchise brand as your own property within your geographic area. You need to establish marketing programs that get replenished on a regular basis, and then you need to constantly grow those marketing plans to maintain and expand your audience.
Every franchise has its ups and downs, and there might even be those moments where you wonder if the dream might come to an end. But the one way a franchisee can stay in control of their future is to keep a focus on marketing. The tendency for many business owners is to ignore marketing when business is going well, and make cuts in marketing when times get lean. Both are mistakes, because both damage your company’s brand and weaken your local business presence.
A consistent approach to local marketing is one thing a franchisee has control over, and it is important that the franchisee never lose sight of the importance of constant marketing. The social updates and the SEO work you do on your website matter, especially when it looks like times might get lean. A constant focus on marketing your business will mean that you are always working on your brand, and your company’s name stays in the minds of local consumers.
It is important that a franchisee constantly update every aspect of their local online marketing, and continue to invest in print marketing. If coupons in the local newspaper are working, then keep investing in that advertising. Be sure that your website gets updated on a regular basis, and add information to your search engine profiles to make sure that customers can easily find your business.
Maintaining customer service standards is also a big part of your local marketing. As Fresh Coat franchisees John, Susan and Mike Heine of Tyler, Texas pointed out, “The entire Fresh Coat company is built on the mission of providing a high quality customer service experience for our clients. We will be professional, on-time and responsive and, with our satisfaction guarantee, you can rest assured you’ll love our finished work.” Customer service is a critical part of maintaining a strong name in the local community.
One of the most common marketing areas that suffer inconsistent attention from franchisees is social media. If your main company has a dynamic social media presence, then you should be a regular part of that. You should also be regularly communicating with your local audience to expand your customer base, retain current customers by answering questions and putting out special offers that will drive more revenue.
The key to success in any business is to constantly focus on building your brand at all times and maintaining local marketing. As a business owner, you are constantly in charge of your own future by keeping your company name on the minds of your target audience. As part of a franchise business, you have access to marketing resources that you should be using to not only maximize your local exposure, but help add a bit of a national flavor to your business.