In an article originally published by Entrepreneur, iFranchise Group Senior Consultant Emiliano Jöcker discusses the critical nature of a franchisor’s marketing efforts in the ultimate success of its franchisees.
Jöcker notes that from choosing the right franchisees in the first place, to maintaining brand identity, the franchisor plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the entire system can thrive. Franchisors need to be adept at this two-level franchise marketing approach, which includes both franchisee recruiting as well as unit-level marketing. After all, he notes, marketing with a consistent and compelling message in any organization starts at the top.
For effective franchisee recruitment marketing, Jöcker provides advice on maintaining compliant, effective marketing materials, and discuses the importance of having an appropriate media mix and effective planning in place.
For unit-level, consumer-facing marketing, he covers the importance of franchisor oversight of brand communications across all channels, as well as the resources needed to manage this effort. He also discusses the importance of appropriately established and managed brand or system marketing funds in the franchise relationship. In the end, Jöcker states, transparency and validation are key to any franchisor’s ability to demonstrate the benefits of system-wide marketing efforts to it individual franchise owners.
