How franchisors can raise their profile

Media coverage can be advantageous for franchisors if it’s managed well, because as their profile increases, so will their recruitment figures, says Sally Butters, director of Coconut Media

Every franchise faces competition. Therefore, your reputation can prove to be one of the biggest assets when marketing your franchise, as it makes you stand out from the crowd, establishes trust and gives you a competitive edge. Public relations - also known as PR - is a great tool to achieve media coverage and should be part of your marketing strategy.

When people hear the words ‘press article’ they often associate it with print coverage. However, nowadays a press article can provide you with coverage not only in print publications, but also online on websites, blogs and social media. In fact, the vast majority of people interested in your franchise will research it online before they decide to invest, so it is important to manage your online reputation and provide them with a range of interesting and positive news stories about your business and franchise opportunity.

Visibility

Many franchise recruitment websites will offer you PR coverage with your profile listing, so take advantage of this as it will increase the visibility of your franchise. However, it is worth sending press articles to media where you haven’t paid to advertise your brand, as they may publish them because they feel they will be of interest to their readers or subscribers.

That is why it is important to identify who might be interested in your news stores and write them in a style that will appeal to them. While you are aiming to attract people interested in buying a franchise, you will find that it is not only limited to these people, but will also include trade bodies and associations that operate within your industry. If you catch someone’s interest now and they become interested in running their own business in the future, then you have already sown a seed that could blossom in six, 12 or 24 months time.

So make a list of the media you want to target online, in print and on radio. Whether it’s the launch of a new franchise opportunity, a significant anniversary, the incorporation of new industry standards or an award win, above all you need to ensure you have an eye catching headline, a strong, summarising opening paragraph and an image that enhances your story to increase your chances of it being published.

Social media has provided new ways to interact with prospective franchisees and offers an effective channel to notify them about what’s new in your company. Before you start your PR campaign, it is important to identify who your target audience is and through which channels they like to receive information so you don’t waste your time with the wrong social media platforms.

Therefore, it is a good idea to carry out research among your top performing franchisees to find out which platforms they use and for what purpose they use them, so you can attract similar prospects. Remember that, in general, consumer brands can work well on sites meant for keeping in touch with friends, whereas business to business brands fit better with business networking sites.

Social media only allows for short mentions and not entire press releases, but you can still use snippets of your press releases on these channels. Simply select two or three main facts from your press release and transform them into an online post. A good example of this is greetings card franchise The Original Poster Company, which identified that its prospective franchisees like to engage with the company on Twitter and therefore utilises this platform by posting snippets from their latest press releases, such as:

‘I have extended my #franchise agreement and am really happy running my OPC #franchise. Paul Clarke, OPC franchisee,’ tweets Original Poster Co @originalposter.

Social media will entice prospects to engage with you based on the news you post, so when they do it is important you respond to them as well. This is an excellent way to build relationships with your prospects and create word of mouth publicity. It will also help build your reputation as an open organisation they can trust.

Trustworthy

Print publications such as magazines and newspapers still rank among the most trustworthy sources of information for many people, including those looking for a new career or franchise opportunity. Similar to online channels, print publications will have a specific target audience, but it is important to bear in mind that many of them may be limited in terms of geographic reach.

Once you have identified the print publications that are suitable for your campaign, contact them to find out who is the best person to send press releases to and talk to them directly. Establishing a personal relationship with an editor or journalist and determining what information they would be interested in receiving will go a long way to improving your chances of obtaining coverage.

If you are contacting a magazine, ask them for their features list. This allows you to provide them with press articles that would suit the magazine’s focus in a particular issue. Journalists want to write about something that is newsworthy, particularly if it will appeal to their readership. If it’s linked with famous people or events, is controversial, amusing or relevant to a current national news story, you are much more likely to get the coverage you want.

Similar to franchise recruitment websites, many print publications offer editorial space with the space you have paid for. Make the most of this opportunity by ensuring you fill this space with something that appeals to readers of the publication, plus give them something to act on at the end of your editorial, like visiting you at an exhibition or attending one of your discovery days.

Content is key, but photos are equally as important. A photo can make or break your press article. Don’t just send a head shot of the person that features in it. Instead, include a picture that shows the person in their work environment or a situation that’s relevant to the content of your press release - for example, a group of your franchisees at a fundraising event. Quality is critical too, as no editor will run a story accompanied by a poorly lit or out of focus picture.

Performance
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Using PR to market your franchise can not only positively affect your recruitment figures, but can also improve the performance of your business and that of your franchisees.

PR can be a powerful marketing tool for franchisees wanting to raise awareness of their business among prospective customers. However, the majority of them will probably need guidance as to how to market their business effectively through PR. Creating a PR process document can be a helpful tool for them to refer to if they are unsure.

Launching a franchise is news that regional newspapers, magazines and even local radio stations will be interested in. It is also a good idea to search for popular and influential blogs that you can target - for example, Baskin-Robbins might contact an ice cream lovers blog to publicise a new store launch in London. Your franchisees can then contact them to invite them to their launch celebrations or next event. This will allow franchisees to establish a more personal relationship with their local media, which is a great way to obtain coverage.