ex per t advice
Heather Ripley | CEO | Ripley PR
Secrets of Great Franchise
One way to think of PR is reputation management. But why is this important in the realm of franchise marketing? A simple answer is that it boils down to trust, like most business. Digging deeper, we can also see that strategic public relations efforts can build credibility among consumers, as well as help prospects find your franchise opportunity and show them what makes you different from your competition. That’s all easier said than done, which is where a PR professional can help grease the wheels
Franchising USA
of your brand’s reputation and support lead generation for your sales funnel. The secrets of great franchise PR include some perennial approaches to the way we do business.
Earned Media is Far from Irrelevant Some people would think that in the digital age, earned media with TV spots and newspaper coverage has gone the way of the dinosaur in its effectiveness, but in fact it’s still one of the most effective ways to reach the community and build brand visibility and a positive reputation. Just consider, people are more likely to click on a news story than on an ad, so in the age of internet connectivity, a news story still ranks higher in online visibility
and trustworthiness. Advertisements are designed to sell, so prospective franchisees will naturally be more skeptical of franchise ads that they know are designed to persuade them. However, when a prospect sees a news story with a trusted journalist talking about your brand, it has more heft. Consider too, that earned media does still extend into other forms of digital media, including popular blogs and podcasts. Pitching all forms of media takes a dedication and expertise, which is what you get when you partner with an agency that understands franchising. Getting the media’s attention is just one part of the job; the other is making sure your media skills are honed before speaking to journalists. At our agency, we like to make sure all franchise executives are media trained so
