How to Plan a Successful InboundMarketing Strategy for Franchises
Savvy business owners, franchisors included, are turning to the Internet and social media to strengthen marketing and branding campaigns. The end goal of course is to increase lead generation and sales at the local level, as well as create brand awareness. However, it is nearly impossible to do this effectively without franchisee participation and support. As franchisees are already looking for ways to market their businesses online, and franchisors must ensure compliance in terms of regulation and branding, local online marketing must be approached with care. As a franchisee, you have limited control over your online presence to limit the risk of compliance issues for the franchisor. However, your franchise agreement likely does leave some room for you to craft your own inbound marketing strategy that will not only produce the results you are looking for, but also maintain compliance with the terms of your franchise agreement. Determine the End Goals Before you can develop a plan of action, it is necessary to understand what you are attempting to accomplish. Create a plan you can update as you go. You do not necessarily have to invest in outside help, but make sure to get answers to important questions such as:
What types of content is my target audience interested in? Where can I find my ideal customers online? What am I trying to accomplish? What metrics can I track to see how successful my efforts are?
Focus on Lead Generation Your franchise needs qualified leads more than anything else. Chances are, you have a local website for your location. Talk with your franchisor to determine what you can do to the website yourself, and learn more about how to manage it on your own. Make sure the content is locally relevant and unique to the area as well as unique to what you would find on other franchise and oriented websites. Make sure the