Growing a Franchise
Mark Beyer, founder of Mybey Ventures, advises franchisors on selecting marketing agencies that balance national growth, local support, brand consistency and measurable performance.
Marketing is one of the most critical components of growing a successful franchise, but choosing the right marketing agency to handle that responsibility can be overwhelming. Not every agency understands the complexities of franchising — balancing national brand awareness with localized efforts, maintaining brand consistency across dozens or hundreds of locations and ensuring franchisees have the support they need to execute effective marketing in their markets.
Mark Beyer, founder of Mybey Ventures, has helped numerous franchises scale their marketing efforts, and he knows what to look for in a marketing partner. “Franchise marketing is an entirely different animal than traditional business marketing,” Beyer said. “If an agency doesn’t understand how to work within a franchise system — how to support corporate while also giving franchisees what they need — you’re going to run into problems quickly.”
Not all marketing agencies are built to support franchises, and that’s often the first filter a franchisor should use when evaluating potential partners. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen franchisors work with a traditional agency that just doesn’t get it,” Beyer said. “They might do great work for independent businesses, but franchising requires a completely different approach.”
A strong franchise marketing agency should understand how to drive national brand growth while also giving franchisees the tools to market at a local level. “One of the biggest mistakes I see is agencies that try to take a one-size-fits-all approach,” Beyer said. “Franchising doesn’t work like that. You need strategies that allow individual locations to succeed in their unique markets without diluting the overall brand.”
Brand consistency is one of the biggest challenges in franchise marketing. Franchisors need to ensure every location is using the correct logos, messaging and tone, while also allowing room for franchisees to tailor their marketing to their local communities.
“A good agency will help franchisors walk that tightrope,” Beyer said. “You need a system where franchisees can execute marketing that feels personal and local, but within the guardrails of the overall brand.”
This often means having clear brand guidelines and a centralized library of marketing materials. “If you don’t have a digital asset management system or an internal marketing platform, you’re making things harder than they need to be,” Beyer said. “The best agencies will help you set up a system where franchisees can access pre-approved marketing materials but also customize them within reason.”
Approval processes are another key factor. While franchisees should have flexibility, there need to be safeguards in place to ensure that local marketing efforts align with brand standards. “A lot of brands struggle with this because they don’t want to create friction with their franchisees,” Beyer said. “But having an approval process doesn’t mean you’re micromanaging — it means you’re protecting the brand that everyone is investing in.”
Once a marketing agency is in place, how do you know if they’re actually driving results? According to Beyer, it all comes down to tracking the right metrics.
“If an agency is just throwing numbers at you — likes, impressions, reach — without tying them back to actual business growth, that’s a red flag,” he said. “You need to be looking at lead generation, customer acquisition costs, conversion rates and local sales performance. Those are the numbers that tell you if your marketing is working.”
Brand awareness is still important, but it needs to be paired with bottom-line results. “If your website traffic is through the roof but your lead generation is stagnant, something is off,” Beyer said. “A good agency will not only track these metrics but help you understand what they mean and how to adjust your strategy accordingly.”
Another often-overlooked metric is franchisee engagement with marketing efforts. “If your franchisees aren’t using the marketing materials or participating in campaigns, that’s something you need to measure,” Beyer said. “Are they not using it because they don’t know how? Because it’s too complicated? Because it doesn’t work in their market? Those are questions a good agency will help you answer.”
One of the most challenging aspects of franchise marketing is balancing national campaigns with localized efforts. According to Beyer, this is where many agencies fail.
“There’s a tendency to lean too far in one direction,” he said. “Some brands try to centralize everything, and franchisees feel like they have no control over their local marketing. Others leave everything up to franchisees, and the brand becomes inconsistent. You have to find the right balance.”
One way to do this is through co-op marketing programs, where franchisees contribute to a shared marketing fund that supports both national and local efforts. “Co-op marketing is a great way to give franchisees skin in the game while still ensuring that everything aligns with the overall brand strategy,” Beyer said.
Technology also plays a role in finding this balance. “With the right marketing software, you can create national campaigns that have localized elements built in,” Beyer said. “Things like geo-targeted digital ads, localized landing pages and automated social media campaigns can make a huge difference.”
Even with the right agency, franchisors often run into challenges. One of the most common is franchisee resistance. “If franchisees don’t see the value in what corporate marketing is doing, they won’t participate,” Beyer said. “That’s why communication is so important. Bring franchisees into the conversation. Show them the data. Make them feel like they’re part of the process, not just being told what to do.”
Another challenge is budget allocation. Marketing dollars need to be spent strategically, and not every franchisee will have the same budget. “You have to prioritize high-ROI channels,” Beyer said. “Digital marketing, local SEO, paid search — these tend to give you the best return. Traditional advertising can still work, but you need to be smart about it.”
Finally, franchisors need to ensure their agency is keeping up with digital trends. “Marketing changes fast,” Beyer said. “If your agency is doing the same things they were doing five years ago, they’re already behind. You need a team that’s constantly testing, learning and adapting.”
When asked what advice he would give to franchisors looking for a marketing partner, Beyer was clear: “Find an agency that understands franchising. Set clear goals. Invest in data-driven strategies. Keep communication open between corporate, franchisees and the agency. And don’t just set it and forget it — monitor the results and hold them accountable.”
By following these principles, franchisors can find a marketing agency that not only understands their business but helps them grow it effectively.
Growing and selling franchises is difficult. No great franchise did it alone. Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisors grow their franchises with confidence? Visit www.1851growthclub.com and see what we can do for you.
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