How NLA Turned Around My Brand

It was two years ago, and Buffalo Wings & Rings was exhibiting as a franchisor at an industry show. More importantly, Philip Schram, chief development officer with the brand, had found himself smitten.

No, he hadn’t suddenly fallen in love on the floor of a franchise show (although stranger things have happened). He’d just met two representatives of No Limit Agency, a Chicago-based PR firm focused primarily on franchising.

“After just a couple minutes of talking with them, I realized, ‘This is what I need,’” Schram said. “What they were doing was what I didn’t have with a conventional marketing agency.”

Schram met back up with the pair later that evening to continue their conversation. From there, it was a simple matter of drawing up a contract.

“We had a very effective kick-off meeting, and you could see right away No Limit was a master of communications,” he said. “From the beginning, the whole team got very in-depth with strategy.”

At the time, Buffalo Wings & Rings had very little exposure outside of Cincinnati.

“Nobody was calling us,” Schram said. “Before signing with No Limit in 2013, we got 50 leads a year. Last year, we got 500.”

In 2013, Buffalo Wings & Rings awarded three franchise agreements. During 2014, the brand awarded 17. And, according to Schram, many more are on the horizon.

“What sets No Limit apart is that Nick [Powills, chief brand strategist] and the staff are very good at speaking to our audience and understanding the reasons behind what works,” Schram continued. “With most marketing agencies, it’s all pay-per-click, getting impressions, etc. When we would steer the discussion toward more innovate methods, all the agencies would shut down. ‘Sorry, we’re not interested in that. There are too many variables. There’s no way to measure it.’ Every discussion with No Limit started with the reasons, helping us understand the root causes of what leads franchisees to get involved with a brand.”

Schram and the Buffalo Wings & Rings team have also been big proponents of No Limit Agency’s content marketing tool: 1851Franchise.com.

“The big thing right now is the successful launch of 1851,” Schram said. “I think it’s a genius tool.”

Schram sees major growth on the horizon for 1851 and its use as a marketing platform that can help him tell his brand’s story to the right individuals. But at the end of the day, what appeals to him most about working with No Limit Agency is much simpler.

“It seems that everyone there really cares,” he said. “The team has a deep understanding of the B2B franchising community, SEO, social – everything. And the people who work there really care. It’s a fantastic relationship.”