You Should Be Using PR to Drive Franchise Sales

According to the International Franchise Association’s 2020 Franchise Business Economic Outlook, the franchise industry is projected to grow by 1.5 percent this year and reach approximately 785,000 establishments. Meanwhile, according to FranData, there is an average of more than 300 new franchise concepts joining the fray each year, which has franchisors wondering how they can stand out in an increasingly crowded field.

More and more, franchise professionals are turning to public relations for a leg up. Strong third-party validation from a reputable source can make a profound impact for a growing franchise brand. But franchisors need to be strategic in how they implement PR, both as a holistic endeavor and in the operational minutiae, in order to maximize the impact on their brand.

PR Is a Puzzle Piece

Like most effective strategies, it’s important not to put all the eggs in one basket. Public relations, and the third party validation that it can create, should be one arrow in a franchise’s quiver. 

The biggest effect will come when your PR is aligned with how you are presenting the brand through advertising, content marketing, social media posting, thought leadership, speaking opportunities, email blasts, fliers, conference booths, attendance and every other aspect of your marketing strategy. 

In the best scenarios, there is an A-to-B process of a prospect seeing a PR piece and inquiring immediately. But more often, PR will either create initial awareness or provide education for franchise prospects. So cultivating these potential leads by pairing PR with other marketing tactics will be the best strategy to leverage the goodwill created by positive PR.

Focus Your Organic Audience

Learning where your strongest potential franchisees are getting their content from is a crucial step to determine the best PR strategy to create awareness and drive leads. Are there certain publications that your strongest existing franchisees are reading? Are there hobbies or passions shared by your ideal franchise candidate that may correspond to specific media outlets or reporters? At the most basic level, where geographically do you want to try to intercept qualified franchisees? 

Understanding the persona of your franchise candidate will help you hone a list of media outlets that will make the most strategic sense for your particular franchise opportunity.

Focus on People

At the end of the day franchise concepts, like all businesses, are built on a foundation of people. People are the most valuable asset for any franchise, so shine a spotlight on them in your PR efforts. 

Product, services, data and facts are all opportunities to tell stories, but attaching a human face to those stories will cause the narrative to resonate more strongly with your key audience: prospective franchisees. Raising the stature of your corporate team will allow candidates to feel like they know them before they even inquire. Illustrating the happiness that your franchisees feel about the decision to join the brand will validate a candidate who is about to make a major investment and life decision. Spotlighting the quality individuals serving your customers daily will inspire confidence in the culture a candidate is considering joining.

Be Specific and Emphasize Substance Above Superlatives

In crafting your message and how you plan to pitch members of the media, soaring superlatives can be a non-starter. The majority of news outlets are examining the benefit to their audience with a very strict code, so franchises need to provide substance and specifics to show how great the brand is. Understanding the limitations of earnings claims, there are various ways to present data, lay out specifics and illustrate a positive brand narrative. If you want a headline to read, “This Brand is the Best,” then detail out the specifics supporting that claim, and always approach your angles with the questions of Why? and How? Those questions will typically lead you to the elements to solidify a pitch with a higher percentage chance to win. 

PR Your PR

As any PR professional will tell you, there are few better feelings than seeing a placement materialize after all the hard work pitching and coordinating the item. There’s a certain glow around that placement when it’s fresh and new. But in today’s media landscape, it’s especially important to not let that glow dim right away. 

The news cycle moves faster than ever, but there are also more ways to extend the life of your press than ever before. Make sure to post it on your social media channels. Encourage your system (franchisees, corporate team members, even employees) to post as well. Promote the positive coverage on your website. Send the piece to your list of dead leads. Think about what steps you can take to follow up on the piece. Think about ways to further the narrative. Always be on the lookout for the next chapter.