Buying a franchise can be a life-changing decision. So, it’s not surprising that prospective franchisees look at a variety of criteria when evaluating their potential investment in a franchise business. As franchise marketing leader and Social Geek podcast host Jack Monson explains, “They are not just buying a job – they are buying their future.”

Tags: marketing ROI, brand consistency, MRM, marketing technology, marketing resource management, marketing operations, growth, franchise marketing software, franchise local marketing, franchise marketing

It was a valuable and inspiring three days in Atlanta last week at the Franchise Customer Experience Conference (FCXC). Prior to FCXC I wrote about the importance of having a game plan heading into the conference. This certainly paid off for me, as I took a great deal away from the time spent meeting and learning from franchise leaders about their approaches to franchise customer experience.

The conference experience doesn’t end when the microphones are turned off and the vendor exhibits are packed up. Indeed, during the final session of the conference, Franchise Founders CEO Matt Friedman reminded all of us it’s just as important to share what we learned from FCXC with our organizations. So, in that spirit, I’m sharing with you some of my biggest takeaways from FCXC 2022.

Tags: customer experience, data, franchise local marketing, franchise marketing

Multi-brand franchising is on the rise. Experts estimate more than half of all franchise units in the U.S. are owned by either multi-unit or multi-brand franchisees. Franchisors are strategically developing new complementary brands and acquiring brands in adjacent industries to build brand families that diversify and synergize their franchise businesses.

Tags: MRM, marketing resource management, franchise local marketing, franchise marketing, marketing portal, Restaurant marketing, home services marketing, multi-brand marketing, cross-selling, co-branding

Stephen Covey, the bestselling author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, once said, “If there’s one thing that’s certain in business, it’s uncertainty.” I’m not sure that even Mr. Covey could have envisioned just how uncertain things would become.

Indeed, those in the restaurant business are managing through unprecedented uncertainty every day. In a recent survey by the National Restaurant Association, 96% of restaurant operators said they experienced supply delays or shortages of key food or beverage items in recent months.

Tags: MRM, marketing resource management, franchise local marketing, franchise marketing, marketing portal, Restaurant marketing, menu flexibility, location profile management

Even though 2020 may feel like the year of “going nowhere,” the truth is, many organizations are moving in new directions with speeds and efficiencies never seen before. The question for many is whether the crisis-driven changes they are making are temporary, or will they last as companies emerge from the challenges brought on by the pandemic?

Tags: marketing process optimization, local marketing, marketing operations, franchise, streamline marketing, distributed marketing, franchise local marketing, flexible marketing

Word-of-mouth referrals and recommendations are the currency of business success today. More than ever, they are key to establishing trust and building awareness. According to Nielsen, 83% of consumers say they either completely or somewhat trust recommendations from family, colleagues, and friends about products and services, making them a powerful resource to amplify your message.  

Tags: marketing process optimization, bank marketing, brand advocacy, MRM, marketing technology, Insurance Marketing, marketing resource management, local marketing, local marketing automation, franchise, franchise local marketing

For the past several years, Franchise Update Media’s annual franchise marketing conference has been a must-attend event for the Vya marketing team. This year was no different. What was different was the name of the event, which rebranded as the “Franchise Marketing Leadership Conference.” With the new name came a revamped focus on leadership and recognizing marketing excellence. The result was a new and meaningful experience.

Tags: marketing leadership, leadership, franchise, franchise local marketing

In a recent post, we touched on the ever-increasing competition for qualified franchisee candidates. According to data cited by the Franchise Performance Group, some 4,000 franchise brands are competing for just under 14,000 new franchisees entering the marketplace. This level of competition requires franchisors to differentiate and create value for franchisees across every aspect of the business.

Tags: brand consistency, growth, franchise, franchise local marketing

I recently attended the International Franchise Association’s Annual Convention (IFA 2019) in Las Vegas with my colleague Allan Greer. This was my first time at IFA, which is a bigger conference, with a broader franchise focus than the consumer marketing franchise events I regularly attend. What I liked about IFA 2019 was the chance it provided to learn more about the various roles within franchisor organizations and the challenges they face.

Tags: branding, brand consistency, franchise, franchise marketing software, franchise local marketing

The latest industry research shows, that while national franchise brands continue to invest heavily in national advertising to build brand awareness and favorability, they’re increasingly taking their marketing programs to the local level to drive engagement.

Tags: local marketing budgets, franchise, franchise local marketing, market research