It might be difficult for franchisors to make decisions about picking a marketing agency in today’s market with so many different franchise options. However, when it comes to gaining publicity for your franchise concept, enlisting the services of franchise marketing agencies can be extremely beneficial. Furthermore, their expertise may assist you in developing marketing assets that you can distribute to folks who have invested in the organization. This article, on the other hand, will help in making these decisions pretty much easier.
What Exactly Are Franchise Marketing Agencies/Companies?
A franchise marketing agency is a company that uses traditional and digital marketing tactics to help franchise owners grow their businesses.
They aid in the development of a positive brand image for the franchise among potential customers and franchisees.
And because it entails marketing numerous businesses simultaneously while preserving brand consistency, franchise marketing differs from individual business marketing.
Franchises also require a far more comprehensive marketing strategy that includes marketing collateral, content calendars, preferred social media platforms, style guides, and other elements.
Basically, a franchise marketing agency can assist you in developing a successful marketing strategy and will handle the majority of the work for you. This can entail writing social media posts and marketing materials, as well as authoring content and putting up email campaigns.
What Are the Benefits of Working With Franchise Marketing Agencies and Companies?
The following are the top five advantages of working with a franchise marketing agency.
#1. Enlist the Assistance of Marketing Experts
Marketing nowadays involves a wide range of techniques and strategies. It takes a lot of effort to keep up with the current advances because these strategies are continually evolving and improving.
You won’t have to worry about remaining current with trends or becoming a marketing specialist if you pick franchise marketing companies.
The agency will handle everything for you, and they will be able to mix techniques and methods that are precisely tailored to your business in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.
#2. Have Professionals Who Are Familiar With Franchise Ordeals
In the United States alone, there are over 785,316 franchise establishments. This means that competition is fierce, and if you want your franchise to stand out from the crowd, you’ll need professional aid.
However, because there are so many owners in so many different places, franchise marketing is much more complicated than individual business marketing.
As a result, it presents numerous issues, such as maintaining franchise brand consistency while simultaneously attracting clients from various geographical locations with diverse lifestyles and viewpoints.
A franchise marketing agency is well-equipped to deal with these issues and can effectively market your company on a national (or international) scale.
The agency will design a marketing strategy that will ensure that all of your marketing efforts are coordinated.
#3. Come Up With Innovative Business Growth Ideas
In addition to providing skilled support, franchise marketing agencies can also provide new and interesting ideas that your team may not have considered.
You can be confident that these ideas have gone through trial and error and are backed by years of expertise because the professionals at these firms have a lot of experience.
These specialists will continue to create and apply new ideas as they work on your franchise’s marketing strategy to ensure that you continue to achieve outstanding results.
#4. Seek Assistance With the Development of Your Franchise
Developing your franchise into new territories can be a difficult endeavor for a franchisor. Obtaining a franchisee is far more difficult than obtaining a consumer because it necessitates a significant financial investment.
A marketing firm, on the other hand, may assist you in doing so by applying different techniques tailored to franchisees.
Agencies can also assist you in utilizing franchise opportunity websites to identify people who are already interested in owning a franchise.
You’ll be able to identify qualified franchisees who already have the cash and motivation to become an important part of your company this way.
#5. Make the Most of Social Media
In 2021, social media recorded over 5 billion users, with Facebook and YouTube alone having 5 billion. As a result, utilizing social media platforms can help your franchise gain a lot of brand awareness and attract a lot of new customers.
However, because your franchise includes several shops in multiple locations, you’ll need to build a good social media content calendar to ensure consistency across all of your social media channels.
Marketing agencies can assist you with this by putting together a calendar and content that can be shared across your franchise platforms.
Meanwhile, franchise marketing companies can also assist you in expanding your business.
Top 10 Franchise Marketing Companies
If you’re interested in learning more about franchise marketing, here are a few companies to look into.
#1. BusinessYield Consult
Businessyield Consult helps with the promotion of franchises from the ground up (inception through growth to any level). Their prowess in the franchise business spreads from both local to international markets.
They offer expert professional services ranging from branding and rebranding to content marketing, search engine optimization, digital marketing, web design, paid and social search, and basically every skill set you’d need to scale up any startup or growing franchise business.
Businessyield Consult is run by professionals who understand the franchise business all-round based on the wealth of experience gained over the years.
Other services they provide their clients include business planning (in-depth financial forecasting included), business analytics, lead generation, and so on.
#2. Scorpion Franchise Internet Marketing
In most cases, franchisors may opt to market and advertise their business using an all-in-one platform.
Scorpion Franchise Internet Marketing is a single platform that incorporates all aspects of franchise and digital marketing.
Some of the services they offer include multi-location website design, search engine optimization, content planning, social media marketing, video production, lead tracking, and analytics.
Scorpion was voted the #1 Franchise Marketing Company by Entrepreneur Magazine in August 2019, a position it has held for the past two years.
#3. Wheat Creative
For franchisors, Wheat Creative provides a full solution set. This marketing firm in Las Vegas, Nevada, can assist with recruitment methods, website creation, paid advertising solutions, content marketing strategies, print marketing creatives, and trade show graphics.
Wheat Creative works with both new and established franchisees to help them grow their businesses using a methodical manner.
#4. NineOneNine Marketing Co.
NineOneNine Marketing Co. has earned honors for its franchise marketing services. The agency’s headquarters are in Holly Springs, North Carolina, with satellite offices in Boston, Massachusetts, Charlotte, North Carolina, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Houston, Texas, New York, NY, and Washington, DC.
They provide services in both franchise development and marketing. This company employs people with a wide range of skills. They have specialists across a wide range of skillsets including; Press specialists, copywriters, producers, videographers, graphic artists, and so on.
With decades of expertise working with franchise customers, the team provides vision, guidance, and tactics to help their clients get the most out of their money.
#5. SharpNet Solutions
Sharpnet Solutions works with a wide range of franchises, from major franchisors to single franchisees. This is one of the franchise marketing agencies that help with creating a franchise identity, website design, branding aspects, and other media.
Their website designs are created for performance with a thorough understanding of how franchises work. Sharpnet Solutions can help you achieve your goals and objectives, whether you’re a new business on the scene or an established company with a strong desire to expand.
#6. Location3 Digital Marketing
Location 3 employs a strategy plan to aid in the expansion of franchisees of all types and sizes. Specialized services include business listing management paid search and social, franchise SEO, and franchise development.
Location 3 is based in Denver, Colorado, and provides Software-As-A-Service to assist its valued clients in tracking many aspects of their organization. This sophisticated program provides a consolidated answer for a variety of business challenges for owners and managers.
#7. AMP Agency
The AMP Agency specializes in retail and franchise marketing. To achieve constant development, this varied firm mixes local engagement with national brand advocacy.
Basically, foot traffic volume, repeat visits, sales and market share, share of voice, ratings, loyalty programs, and other KPIs are collected and analyzed by this firm. Furthermore, other areas of experience include campaigns, lead generation services, local and national media, customer relations, and so on.
#8. Cardinal Digital Marketing Services
Cardinal Digital Marketing Services, based in Atlanta, Georgia, provides a comprehensive range of marketing services to franchises. Their services assist companies in identifying and contacting their ideal demographics over the internet.
The company provides clients with in-depth research of website performance and other critical KPIs that drive sales and conversions, based on data and expertise.
Search engine optimization is one of the related services.
#9. Crush 2.0 Agency
Both Tampa, Florida, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are home to Crush 2.0 Agency. Crush 2.0 Agency specializes in creating a consistent branding message for small and large franchises and brands. Their team can assist with all aspects of corporate or franchisee digital marketing.
Crush 2.0 Agency’s services include branding and design, content marketing, full-service marketing, search engine optimization, public relations, media buying, and procurement.
This complete set of services aids in the rapid development and expansion of franchises. Web design services can help you get your digital presence off to a good start.
#10. Spark Tank Franchise Marketing
Spark Tank assists in the introduction and promotion of franchises with new franchisees and local markets, as well as the boost of sales and growth at current locations.
Their experts can help you establish your brand from the ground up, regardless of the size of your franchise. Spark Tank’s franchise websites are appealing and aid in the recruitment of new members or franchisees.
They offer a wide range of services including lead generation, digital marketing services, company planning, content marketing, and a number of other marketing services.
How to Pick Franchise Marketing Companies
Here are seven steps to selecting franchise marketing agencies that are right for your organization.
Step 1: Identify Your Requirements and Desired Outcome
You must first define your needs and objectives before ever considering hiring a marketing firm. This will make deciding what kind of position you want the agency to perform in your firm a lot easier.
Simple questions to help you identify your goals include the following;
- Are you looking to expand into new markets?
- Do you wish to increase overall franchise sales by increasing brand awareness?
- Do you want to redesign your entire brand, including your website?
In the end, whatever it is, think about how much money you’re willing to spend, what talents you’ll need (plus what you already have), and how much time you’re willing to devote to your marketing efforts.
You should establish a list of the precise services you’d like to outsource to the marketing firm and which projects you’d rather have done in-house based on these variables.
Your staff, for example, may be great at social media marketing but not so much at search engine optimization (SEO). As a result, when outsourcing SEO services to an agency, you’ll want your team to continue maintaining your social media.
For franchise businesses, there are often two kinds of marketing:
- Operational franchise marketing talks about marketing your franchise to your ideal customers with the purpose of generating sales and revenue.
- Franchise development marketing talks about marketing your franchise to potential franchisees who wish to grow your brand into a new franchise location.
A franchise marketing agency will typically provide both sorts of marketing. However, knowing which marketing services you require is usually a smart idea so you can choose the correct agency that specializes in that field.
Step 2: Locate Marketing Firms That Are Familiar With Your Requirements
After you’ve defined your wants and goals, you can commence looking for franchise marketing agencies that can help you achieve them.
A good place to start is Google.
Simply type “digital marketing agency” into the search field to see what comes up. You can also include a location modifier in your search query if geography is essential to you. “Digital marketing agency [your state],” for example.
The agencies who appear organically on the first page of search results are ranking their own websites quite well. As a result, you can rest assured that they’ll be able to rank yours as well.
Furthermore, agencies with ads at the top of search results clearly understand how to conduct successful ad campaigns. You’ll probably want them to do this type of promotion for you because search advertising is incredibly effective, with a market share of around 40%.
So, basically, make a list of the agencies that appear and go over their websites one by one.
Check to see if they:
- Provide franchise marketing assistance.
- Concentrate on a single area of expertise.
Step 3: Do More Research on the Agencies
It’s time to delve a little deeper. To see if an agency is right for you, consider the following:
#1. Portfolios
Examine the agencies’ portfolios to determine if the work they’ve done for other clients appeals to you. Keep in mind, however, that some services are difficult to display.
For example, if an agency focuses primarily on SEO and content marketing, it may not be able to include such initiatives in its portfolio.
If that’s the case, you can always check through the agency’s client list to see which businesses it’s previously worked with.
There is social proof.
Check to see if the firms have any customer reviews or testimonials. Marketing relies heavily on social evidence. As a result, these businesses should have a few customer reviews on their websites or social media profiles. This could be a red flag if there isn’t.
In addition to positive reviews, you should check to find if they have any negative ones. If that’s the case, have a look at the evaluations to see what the agencies are having trouble with.
#2. Their Website
The importance of well-designed websites should be understood by marketing agencies. Why should you trust an entity with your data if its website isn’t well-designed?
This is especially true if you want to outsource web design and/or branding.
A website may also tell you a lot about an agency’s basic principles and culture, which can help you decide whether they’ll be a suitable fit for your company.
4th Step: Submit a Request for Proposal (RFP)
A request for proposal (RFP) is a document that outlines and presents a project in order to solicit bids from several agencies to finish it.
You can send an SEO RFP, a PPC RFP, or a Digital Marketing RFP to the agencies on your shortlist that you believe will best meet your company’s needs.
It’s critical to be realistic with your goals and objectives while expressing your vision in an RFP.
Include the following details in your document:
- The history and position of your franchise
- A synopsis of your goals (what you want to achieve and specific requirements)
- Information about your intended audience
- Your project’s spending plan
- All deadlines that must be met.
Step 5: Submit a Project
You should also offer these firms a service brief and ask them to submit an Audit Report and a Strategy Report in addition to the RFP. They will simply provide you with the reports via email during this phase.
Report on the Audit
An audit will show you the skills of the marketing agency as well as which marketing enhancements you need to make.
Furthermore, the audit allows the agency to gain a better understanding of your brand, which will increase their investment in your firm.
Report on Strategy
The agencies will use a strategy report to develop a high-level marketing strategy that they believe will help your franchise achieve its objectives. Each agency will explain why and how its plan will aid in the growth of your company.
This will demonstrate the level of innovation possessed by each agency’s team. It will also allow you to choose which proposal is most suited to your company’s requirements.
Step 6: Evaluate their Work
You must study the proposals in person or via video conferencing now that you have them. The agencies will have the opportunity to present their proposals and answer any questions you may have.
You’ll need to make sure you have assessment standards in place before the meetings begin so that you can assess them equitably.
Make sure to include the following in your evaluation criteria:
- The expertise of the agency
- Execution ability
- How will the outcomes be assessed?
- Conceptual quality
- The fees charged by the agency
- Your project’s expectations and suggestions
You must, however, verify that the agency’s claims aren’t too good to be true. Remember, if something appears to be too good to be true, it almost always is.
Step 7: Get to Know Them
Only a few marketing agencies should be left at this point. It’s now time for you and your marketing director to meet with these agencies at their headquarters.
These meetings will allow you to discover more about the agencies’ company cultures, work routines, departments, and other aspects.
Before making your final decision on which agency to hire, you’ll have the opportunity to express your concerns and ask questions.
As a strategic partner, keep in mind that the agency you choose will become an extension of your franchise. So, in addition to the agency’s processes, you should think about the people who work there and how well your team will get along with them.
Pose the following questions to yourself:
- Are the locals pleasant?
- Do they appear to take pleasure in assisting you?
- Are they good communicators?
Next Steps
If you want to see real, measurable results, you’ll need to hire a high-quality franchise marketing agency. Choosing a marketing agency that understands the best franchise marketing methods can help you achieve success sooner.
You can begin going through the stages outlined in this article now that you know how to choose a marketing firm that best meets your needs.
Franchise Marketing Agency FAQs
What is a franchise marketing?
Franchise marketing might involve pay-per-click advertising, email marketing, SEO, trade exhibitions, content marketing, commercials, and other activities that a franchise engages in to expand.
What are the 4 types of franchising?
The four different types of franchising include single unit, multi-unit, area developer, and master franchise. With different franchises, sector alternatives, and investment ranges, the franchising industry is extremely diverse. Furthermore, there are many different types of franchise agreements to choose from.
What is an agency franchise?
A franchise agency uses the franchisor’s brand and offers the franchisor’s products or services under that brand. Without needing to hire salespeople, franchising agents can be utilized to offer items or services.
What are franchise marketing agencies?
Franchise marketing agencies are companies that take care of the marketing and advertising obligations of a franchising firm bother online and offline. In other words, you’d need the services of this firm if you want an expert taking care of your marketing,, partly or generally.
