A Marketing Strategy That Simplifies What You Want Out of a Career

What do you want to be when you grow up? Simple enough question when you’re a child. An astronaut, a ballerina, a fireman. When you get into the workforce, that mentality flips, and – all of a sudden – the actual career matters less, but what you want out of life becomes much clearer. John Blair, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at FranNet, had been interviewing clients for years about why they wanted to open their own business. He nailed down a theme that people interested in owning and operating their own businesses had a life that was complicated, and what they wanted out of life was far simpler. “The kinds of things I was hearing was, ‘I just want to be with my family more,’ ‘I want to get out of the corporate world,’ ‘I want to make my own schedule,’ ‘I want more financial independence,’ ” Blair said. “It’s not like anyone wanted these magical things to appear in their lives. They just wanted more control that they didn’t feel like they had in corporate America.” By eyeing a life that is a little simpler, FranNet steps in to help the people achieve the simple things in life they seek. Prior to the launch of the “Be” campaign, FranNet shied away from telling stories about the clients they help place in franchise ownership opportunities. They also shied away from discussing the names of the actual franchises they work with. But Blair realized, their goal is to help adults achieve whatever they want to “Be.” Therefore, to connect people, the campaign needed faces and background stories to which other potential clients can relate. “We had never featured clients or franchisors we work with, largely in part because our process uncovers what opportunities are the best for them,” Blair said. “We want to uncover their skillset, strengths and weaknesses, ideas and goals. We don’t want them to see a franchise featured that they want to get involved in – that might not be the best fit for them.” The “Be” campaign allows FranNet to tell a story in a relevant matter and show all types of people with all types of backgrounds in all different geographical areas, that someone else is relatable to their story, that someone else was in their shoes, and that someone else used FranNet to become a successful franchisee in the business that is best suited for their personal needs.