Franchises face unique challenges when it comes to local marketing. They are reliant on local owners to share corporate-supplied marketing campaigns and messages, but are not always able to measure effectiveness, or even tell if franchisees used materials provided.

That can be a big problem. If franchisees aren’t engaged in marketing strategies and techniques, then customers aren’t receiving carefully crafted materials – representing a loss to revenue and a waste of time and money spent creating campaigns that never get used.

Marketers have to figure out how to get local owners engaged, in addition to creating relevant, compelling marketing campaigns. Fortunately, there is a solution. And it starts by building strong relationships with franchisees to make implementing marketing campaigns as easy as possible.

I realize that marketers are already overwhelmed just by their daily to-do list. So, adding something as vague and seemingly time-consuming as “building relationships” with countless franchisees spread across regions can seem daunting and unrealistic, to say the least.

But, I’ve seen our clients have great success with this approach. They’ve taken a step back from their day-to-day routine to really assess what’s working, what’s not and identify what it is franchisees want and need to be successful in local markets.

Here are three steps that have worked for our franchise clients, and can hopefully help you, as well:

There are two opportunities for marketers to keep marketing simple and relevant -

Make sure messages are relevant to local audiences.

Personalized, customized messages go farther. But enabling that process may seem like a challenge. It doesn’t have to be with the right tools and systems in place, like a marketing resource management system.

Simplify the process of getting materials to franchisees.

Every franchisee has different needs when it comes to types of marketing materials they can use in their location. Empower them to select whether they want a banner, in-store signage, window clings or other standard materials to highlight the latest promotion. This doesn’t require any extra work from you, and can go a long way in saving money and getting local franchisees on board with the latest campaign.

Data is a critical tool in evaluating the success of marketing materials. It can, however, be difficult to track when it comes to local markets. Sometimes, we’re not even focused on metrics that can tell an important part of the story.

Consider capturing the following metrics, along with what you’re already measuring, to get a complete picture of what’s happening at the local level:

• Participation rates of local marketing campaigns to identify what’s popular among franchisees;
• Consumer response to recognize regional trends and anticipate which campaigns and messaging will be effective.
• Use of local marketing budgets, such as co-op and MDF funds, to ensure partners are leveraging available funds and reaching consumers.

Franchisees need resources to connect with local audiences. Set up systems and processes so they can get the support they need without overwhelming you with daily requests.

Some of the most popular tools our clients use and automate includes list management capabilities to ensure local franchisees have access to quality leads; direct mail campaigns that are easy to customize and implement; and quarterly marketing campaigns that resonate with local audiences.

Building a strong relationship with local franchises is the key to unlocking their power to drive more sales, reach more customers and stand out from competition. Read more in our latest white paper, “Unlock the Power of Franchisees.”

Did you enjoy this article? Read more franchise-related resources on solving common corporate marketing challenges.