In some cases, depending on the agreement with the franchisor, a franchisee is allowed to carry out local marketing campaigns and initiatives of their own.Some franchisors will have a local marketing requirement as part of their agreement where a franchisee has to spend a set percentage of their gross sales on local advertising on an annual basis.
Researching the competition and identifying your target Customer
As with any business, two key factors that will influence your planning are your competition and the demographics of your target customer. When assessing the competition, you will also need to consider the products and services they offer and their pricing. What is their USP, and how do they differ to what you offer? It is also important to monitor their use of advertising and the methods they use.With regards to the target customers. Who are they and where will they come from? What is close proximity to you? Is your immediate area Industrial or residential? Does that profile fit in with your immediate service offer? Customers will have specific wants and needs that you must meet.
Creating and executing a marketing plan
Marketing plans can be in-depth and complex, and of course, depends on your business. However, you chose to set out your plan, the key things to consider are what we marketers refer to as the "5 Ps"(product, place, price, promotion, and people):
- Research
- Planning
- Implementation
- Review
Marketing channels to consider
Digital
Your website is your shop window, a good design, with the customer in mind, is a sure way to gain interest. Having a basic understanding of search engine marketing and optimization (SEO), as well as display advertising and search engine reports page advertising through Google analytics is a sure way to monitor your digital presence and progress.
Social media
Social media marketing through Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Tik Tok and Pinterest are another form of reaching your customer online. You can follow the response to posts and adverts by creating dedicated domain pages and following the customer's interaction with these pages.
Offline
Marketing collateral such as brochures and flyers and the use of direct mails is a traditional marketing method used by many businesses, as are print newspaper ads and magazine ads. Once you understand your target market, you can decide if this is the right way to reach your customers. It is a more difficult way to monitor unless you have specific codes or a way to track responses using these methods.Radio and television marketing and outdoor advertising through billboards and posters also allow you to reach possible customers; however, these can be costly. Another type of marketing is word of mouth marketing. Encouraging customers to leave reviews and testimonials is a great way to spread the word! You can also expose your brand by supporting community and charity events, networking, or perhaps, by sponsoring a local team. Depending on the service, you could also introduce loyalty or reward programs with special promotions to encourage return custom.
Websites and Social Media
Due to the speed at which information on the Internet and social media can spread, it is not unusual for franchisors to place strict controls over Internet presence and social media marketing.Franchisees are typically prohibited from creating individual websites. Instead, franchisors usually publish franchisee information on the main franchise website. If a franchisee is allowed to develop their website, they are generally required to link it to the main site.Whatever the circumstances we can help your franchise get the best out of the marketing channels available. Call our team today and find out how we can help!Umbrella Marketing all the marketing you need under one Umbrella.Find out more about our Franchise Marketing Package here.
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