The cultural shift known as the ‘Great Resignation’ prompted many workers to leave their jobs in search of something that would provide greater fulfillment and opportunity, and those with an entrepreneurial spirit are choosing to start businesses of their own. This shift is providing an open window of opportunity for franchise brands of all sizes seeking growth and looking to recruit new franchisees to lead the way. There are many ways franchise brands can stay top of mind to those who are ready to take the leap into entrepreneurship — and a strong public relations strategy is key in reaching the best candidates for your franchise brand.
Here are 4 things to consider when creating a strong public relations strategy for your franchise brand:
The Power of Brand Awareness
Brand awareness is essential for franchise development. Now more than ever, consumers are choosing to support brands with values close to their own. This also holds true for entrepreneurs when they are researching a brand for potential business opportunities. Public relations efforts allow you to share more about your business, your ideas, and your core values by ensuring your message reaches your target candidates during every step along the way to finding the perfect business opportunity. An effective public relations strategy should include earned media placements in publications and outlets that your candidates trust, thought leadership opportunities for C-suite members, award submissions, social media outreach and digital efforts as well. A cohesive plan ensures that your main messages and core values are repeated consistently in every type of communication — creating a solid awareness of your brand.
The Value of Third-Party Endorsements
The goal of public relations is to generate a positive brand image through developing relationships between an organization or brand and its target audience. When journalists write about your franchise business or quote your leadership team members as sources in their articles, this positions your brand as an expert in your industry. These third-party endorsements effectively earn the trust of your audience. Through securing earned media coverage in national publications, broadcast outlets, podcasts and franchise trade outlets, your reputation and available business opportunities are positioned front and center to your target audience.
The Benefits of Becoming a Thought Leader in Your Industry
Thought leadership is an integral part of both building a brand and growing your franchise network. This approach is also a great way to stay connected with key stakeholders and attract new candidates. Through thought leadership opportunities, you can give voice and credibility to your brand’s mission and core values. A solid thought leadership outreach plan includes speaking at industry events, securing accolades through award submissions, and building your online presence through earned media placements featuring your leadership team members. Thought leadership opportunities provide a way to expand reach as each of your leadership team members have specific areas of expertise to share. Whether it’s company culture, business advice, industry knowledge or consumer advice, the variety of insights from your leadership team members is invaluable. By participating in thought leadership opportunities, you communicate to your audience that you are abreast of all the unique changes and happenings in your industry, further validating your brand’s credibility as a leader in franchising.
The Positive Impacts of Sharing Your Franchisees’ Stories
In addition to sharing your brand story from a corporate level, another way to attract potential franchisees to your brand is by sharing your franchisees’ success stories. When candidates read or hear about the successes of your franchisees, they can better envision what it would be like to be a franchise owner themselves. These success stories can help validate your business as an opportunity and answer questions that candidates may have, such as what type of support is offered from corporate, how fast they can grow their business, how to navigate tough times and more. You can leverage franchisee stories through local news outlets, franchise trade publications, podcasts, franchise and business trade publications and broadcast media.
By increasing brand awareness, leveraging third-party endorsements, pursuing thought leadership opportunities, and promoting your franchisees success stories, your franchise brand will soar to new heights!
Keep in mind, you don’t have to do it alone! At Hemsworth Communications, we stay up to date with the latest trends in public relations, as well as the ever-changing trends of the franchising industry across all sectors. With our thoughtful approach, we are committed to helping franchise brands secure qualified leads through strategic public relations efforts.
Contact us to start building your plan today!