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I have often joked that if you go to a franchise conference, all of the Power Point slide presentations are regurgitated from previous years. Why? The foundational elements of franchising have remained the same for a very long time.Sure, there have been movement in the key fountain of leads – portals, brokers, social, PR, etc. – however, strong unit-level economics mixed with a standout service or product and supported by a visionary leadership team has long been the difference between good and great in franchising.I’m joined by Emily Grotkin (<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-hulstein/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=2026-franchise-growth-strategies-2730885" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-hulstein/</a> ), VP of Partner and Client Success at Denamico (<a href="https://www.denamico.com/industries/franchises?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=2026-franchise-growth-strategies-2730885" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.denamico.com/industries/franchises</a>)&nbsp;And don’t forget to register for FranCamp (<a href="https://www.1851francamp.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=2026-franchise-growth-strategies-2730885" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">1851francamp.com</a>) — real peer-to-peer franchise growth consulting and planning. (Next stop: New Jersey in June).So, now some of the insights (more to be discussed on the Webinar, so make sure you don’t miss it). To prepare these insights I did what I think is the best – listen. I went back through the franchisee profiles/surveys we have done in the last year and extracted some key learnings that can be impactful to your plan for 2026:<ol><li>Podcasts: “Learned of BRAND after seeing CEO on a podcast.” This came up multiple times. And here’s what’s crazy – it wasn’t popularity contest podcasts. Thus, the listenership didn’t matter. All it took was for one listener to become a lead, qualified lead and a deal.</li><li>Webinars: This came up several times, as well – and they were long-lead time leads.&nbsp;</li><li>TikTok: “Looked at TikTok day-in-the-life”. There are two insights in here – the value of TikTok/Reels/Shorts and video in general and, the importance of having content that truly showcases the day-in-the-life. Put the candidate in the shoes of the franchisee. Let them see themselves as being in charge of their own life.&nbsp;</li><li>Gemini/ChatGPT: I went back to last year and didn’t see this mentioned at all. In 2026, it was listed more than 25 times as key in research. What content are you producing that integrates with Ai?</li><li>Four walls: Talking with franchisees and customers first continue to come up. So, what is the owner/operator story within your four walls (not just franchising – but true story) and how quickly are you introducing franchisees on your website and in the email/drips?</li></ol>Want more? Deeper insights were shared.

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Franchise Lead Gen Trends: Insights for 2026 Planning

1851 Franchise

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Izsyxmxdg_8

According to surveys conducted in 2025, franchise brands need to consider expanding their presence through platforms from podcasts to TikTok to get in front of the right candidates.

What to Implement in 2026 According to 2025 Franchisee Surveys

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Dillas Quesadillas

Beyond Fast Casual: How Dillas Primo Quesadillas Is Leading the QSR+ Revolution

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How Homewatch CareGivers® Became the Wellness-Forward Home Care Franchise Built on 45 Years of Purposeful Human Interactions

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Why KidStrong is Targeting San Diego for Franchise Growth 

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The Growth Coach Closes Record-Breaking Year, Marking Major Gains in Franchise Sales and Corporate Expansion

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