Tag Archives: franchise branding

Brand Identity Plans Should Prompt Reporter Mindset

Take a good look at your brand. Are you impressed with your logo? Your menu? Your image? Your personality? Most start-up chains would say not 100 percent. But no need to fret. Sure, rebranding campaigns are expensive, time consuming, exhausting, but most definitely necessary in building your brand far over the 100-unit mark. If you don’t have the funds to brand a great concept – find it. No excuses.

And now is the most important to gain an edge on the competition. Marketing, PR, branding initiatives should be ramped up during a struggling economy. Sometimes that means breaking the bank slightly, but when our recession flips to happy spending, consumers will appreciate the brands that didn’t have huge price increases, still offered the consumer magic in the product, and never sacrificed the importance of consumer connections.

With that said, when you are evaluating your brand – conducting a brand audit – you should think like a reporter to maximize your changes and evolutions to the public. You should think like the media. While the media won’t be the sole reason for the make or break of your brand, it sure is nice if they appreciate and report on your brand’s evolution.

How can you think like a reporter, you say? What publications do you read? Do you read the newspaper with your morning Joe? Do you read business magazines on your frequent flights? You should. But if you don’t, not a problem – because your PR firm should be doing this for you. They should be embracing every bit of the media – gaining clear understanding so that they can provide you with expert insight to your revamping.

Are you launching a new menu? Is that newsworthy? Sure, if you are expanding it into innovation.

Are you creating a new branding campaign that includes a local TV ad spot that features a new mascot for your brand? Is that newsworthy? Sure, if you have a green hook, a community hook, any hook.

The idea is to think in headlines. If they media could find interest in your concept, so will the public. Don’t underestimate what is and what isn’t a story. Ask your PR firm to evaluate (no fluff) you branding ideas as you go through the process. They, along with the media, can be very helpful to identifying the sexiness.

Content Management Thursdays

If you have followed the last two “Content Management Thursdays”, then you are ready for step three in the process. If you haven’t read them, go back and read (free eBook, everyone).

Step three in the process is specifically targeted for you managing your public relations/communications firm – content development. Content development is a very important process in your content management – in fact, it is what will make or break your brand’s success in the mainstream media.

For this process, hire a PR firm. “But, Nick, I cannot afford a PR firm. Their retainers are too expensive,” you say. “Well, you have options. And, frankly, you can’t afford not to have one,” I say. Not every PR firm charges $8k – $10k. Some charge much less. Sure, there is some luxury to retaining a big PR firm, but the benefits of a smaller one are actually quite large – more personalized attention; more bang for the buck; more placements; more controlled content; you’re a big fish in a small sea. You get the picture.

With a PR firm in place, you are now ready to have them start developing your content. In today’s world, that should include a blog site, and perhaps some social media/networking opportunities – progressive/proactive sales opportunity (more on that later). Additionally, traditional content development methods are vital, such as press releases (templates for new franchisees and DMA development, along with a national press release in various forms, trade and mainstream), photos, press kits, etc. While it is important to have an opinion and a dream of what content is important, listen to your PR firm, as they are the experts. You tell them your story, and then let them, well, wag the dog a little (sarcastic, of course), or determine what part of your story in newsworthy. Remember, they are your communication guru, let them run with your show.

Also, connect your PR firm with your marketing firm or in-house ambassador. This is also vital to the success of your development campaign. No franchise wants to have inconsistencies, as consistency is the beauty of franchising. Don’t let your marketing department develop material that isn’t cohesive with your PR firm.

Spend about a month on this process. Craft it. Tweak it. Ensure your messaging is as perfect as the moment can present. You don’t want to backtrack this process. Move the brand forward.

More next Thursday.