4 Local PR Strategies to Boost Franchisee Business

Striking the right balance between corporate and local marketing is tricky.

Franchise brands are most successful when they have a professional, consistent image portrayed to the public, but one which is also localized enough that smaller-scale communities feel in touch with it.

So, how can franchisees help drive business through marketing targeted to customers in their area?

Media attention is key – it crafts a story and helps reach as many people as possible, often without costing as much as other marketing campaigns.

Here are 4 Local PR Strategies to Boost Franchisee Business:

1. Have a creative, exciting franchise launch. When you’re preparing for the grand opening of your franchise, go a little outside the box to garner media attention. While a well-crafted press release will work to get some media to cover your story, the best may need more to get their attention. If you’re opening a golf franchise, for example, one idea would be to hold a mini-competition on the day of a launch with a local celebrity competing against the public.

2. Partner with a transitions employment program. Work with a local organization that helps people with disabilities transition to the workforce. Whether it’s veterans, young adults with autism, or underprivileged youth trying to secure employment, this is not only a great way to help those in your community – it’s also a great story the public would want to hear about.

3. Sponsor fundraisers, sports teams, and amazing individuals. Is there a major fundraiser happening in your area? Partner with it. Know of a sports team that doesn’t have money for jerseys? Sponsor them. By helping a needy cause in your community, you’re directly giving back to your customers. The media gravitates to goodwill stories like this, and will most often be happy to provide some coverage.

4. Get to know the media in your area. Seems simple enough, but sometimes it really is about who you know and not what you know. Even if you have a top-notch press release or a great story that needs coverage, knowing a reporter can make it that much easier to get a story covered when you need it. You can sometimes meet and interact with journalists on Twitter and Facebook, or can meet them at various fundraisers and community events.

To learn more about entrepreneurship through franchising, attend our free monthly webinar, Franchise Ownership as a More Stable Career Path. The webinar is free, but you need to pre-register, which you can do online by clicking on the linked seminar title.

You may also register by calling 866-246-2884.