Social Media Is Changing Franchising

Franchising today just ain’t what it used to be. The popularity of social media cannot be ignored, and incorporating social media into your overall franchise marketing plan is necessary to remain competitive in today’s business world. Social media can be used to build brand awareness local, nationally as well as internationally, it can be used to bring in in new customers, as well as recruit new franchisees. Bottom line it’s a very powerful tool. 

Traditional advertising mediums like radio, print and TV are not out the window, but customers, especially millennials, will notice if you aren’t present on social media,  which could mean that you are handing over your business to your competitors, particularly if they have a strong presence on social media. 

1. Rack Up The Positive Reviews. It’s critical to ensure you are giving all of your customers the best experience possible. In a world where anyone can take to social media and broadcast their dissatisfaction to thousands, every interaction with your business counts. Examine your processes closely to understand your customers’ experiences and brainstorm new ways to delight them with your services. Sometimes tweaking the smallest details can make a profound impact. Remember, all it takes is one negative experience for customers to take to their social networks and destroy your reputation amongst their peers. While situations like these are bound to happen from time to time, it’s important to be actively engaged with your community and address these grievances in a transparent, timely manner. In fact, if you deal with these issues the right way, you might even be able to turn a disgruntled customer into an advocate.

2. Let Them Come To You. When it comes to old school, traditional marketing people are evolving to block it. Today’s consumers  are skeptical of impersonal methods like radio and magazine ads, pop-ups, cold calling and direct mail campaigns. Instead of pushing your products on potential customers, give them a reason to come to you. When it comes to social media outlets like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, strive to create images which feel like native content on the platform. The goal is for posts to showcase your products in a natural way that doesn’t make the customers feel like they are being advertised. 

 

3. Be there. We all see it, people  are addicted to their phones. In fact, the average person checks their smartphones an average of 43 times a day! This is a gimme but it’s often time over looked. Being present is not just limited to monitoring and responding to mentions. It is posting regularly, answering questions, concerns, complaints and connecting with your local community. It’s about running mobile marketing tactics as well, especially through social media platforms. These social media ads can be set up based on interests, age, and location to capture the largest possible audience for your brand. 

Most franchisors are spending significant amounts of money out of their marketing budget to support the franchisees at the local level- and to enhance the campaign to reach potential franchisees. 

If you’re franchise doesn’t have social media accounts make sure to get involved and create a few accounts to reach more customers, cultivate your brand and increase sales. If you’re franchise hasn’t been active on social media make sure to interact with your customers, retweet or share their experience at your franchise. Get the community talking about a special deal this month with a unique hashtag. Whatever you do make sure you are utilizing the power and reach of social media to create brand loyal customers for life. 

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