If you haven’t read last week’s post, go back and read it, because it will be important to understanding the “to be continued” of this blog. Throughout the next several weeks, I will walk you through the audit process. As franchisors, it is important to know what’s out there. It is even important to assign someone in-house to be the ambassador of content – who can also serve as the PR contact for your outside firm. A lot of times, in the franchise industry, this job is placed upon the franchise sales team, when in fact, it should probably be a combination of sales and marketing.
After you have researched what is searchable for your brand, you must begin the process of strategizing. At this point, you know what’s out there, or what isn’t out there, so you can begin the content development stage, with phase one being strategizing a game plan.
This plan can include the hiring of a PR Firm to develop your content, and if you have the budget, extending content development to sales and marketing initiatives such as advertising, seminars, and booths at conventions. Basically, the idea is, again, that when someone searches for your brand, they find only the good things – the content that will help sell consumers on your product and entrepreneurs on the idea of franchise ownership.
During your strategizing and the creation of a game plan, you should also pay attention to your branding. Is your logo the best it can be? Do you own a trademark? What about your marketing materials, your menu, your displays, are they in good shape? When launching a content campaign, you want to include these enhancements because the PR firm will create attention for your brand. Just as you don’t want a filthy kitchen when a consumer walks in your store, you want as little bumps as possible when a savvy entrepreneur enters because they are considering pouring millions into your concept.
Creating a checklist/timeline for a start-to-finish campaign is a good starting point. With PR, you should plan on using that for the life of your brand. You really cannot afford not to. With marketing/advertising campaigns – those can be seasonal and can drive content. Perhaps look at YELP and Facebook for advertising possibilities. Be one of the first franchisors to use those outlets. Take advantage of the low initial costs. When advertising in your franchisee’s local newspapers, make sure they ping your PR team to see if an ad leverages a story. With newspapers sinking financially, there are tricks to securing a nice feature story. Of course, you don’t have to advertise to secure one, but if you are advertising anyway, ping your PR team.
The No. 1 thing to remember in your content management is consistency. Make sure all departments of the campaign are on the same page. Working together with each other’s budgets will make a more cohesive situation.
Step one: Research what’s out there. Step two: Develop a Plan.
More next Thursday.
