Franchise Marketing Collateral is Essential for Franchising Expansion
Franchise Marketing Collateral: Why You Need It and How to Do It Well
By Neal Clark, Senior Marketing Specialist
So you’ve worked hard to build a strong franchise business model. You’ve thought through every detail during the franchise development process. Now, you're ready to tell prospective franchisees exactly why, out of a myriad of franchise opportunities, your franchise concept is the best. You've rattled off a hundred facts to state your case. Now all you need in order to sell a franchise, and close the deal, is to meet with them.
But what if you don’t get that chance? Like you, many of your potential franchisees are looking to be as efficient as possible with their time. Unfortunately for you this means NOT meeting you. Within their search for the right franchise opportunity, they will want (to use an old analogy) “to take a peak under the hood before buying the car.” They will want more information from you before giving you the chance to sell them.
Since you will not have the benefit of that face-to-face meeting, you'll need information that can speak for you. The information about your franchise opportunity needs to be in a format that can be sent to potential franchisees for review and consideration. You will need to arm yourself with some good, strong franchise marketing collateral pieces. Your marketing collateral must be easy to understand, informative, enticing, attractive, and actionable.
A good collateral piece should be doing the selling for you. Often times strong collateral will not only sell effectively for you, it may even have the potential of selling BETTER than you. It will also free you up to generate more business leads.
So what does it take to get great collateral? While the following information should not replace getting a good marketing professional to help you create your franchise marketing collateral, these are some crucial elements to consider…
1. First things first, in franchising, information is key; set out to clearly define your franchise opportunity for your prospective franchisee!
- Who are you? At its most basic level, this question asks what your business name is, the industry you are involved in, and where people can find you (your contact information). Going a little deeper, this also means defining what core beliefs you stand for.
- What do you do? This would be the products you sell or the services your business provides. Basically, the “who you are” and the “what you do” could also double as a mission statement for your company. Tell a story, how and why you started this business.
- How does that benefit me? Just like a superior resume, you’ll need to clearly communicate what benefits the prospective franchisee will gain by owning one of your franchises. However, great care must be taken to define benefits in terms the prospect understands and cares about. Remember, it’s not about you.
- Why should I choose your franchise compared to all other franchises out there? What is your USP; your unique sales proposition. This is your main argument as to why they should choose to invest their time and money with you. Have you created a new niche or at least redefined one? Is your franchise’s product/service demonstrateably better somehow? Are you more qualified? Are the products/services your franchise model provides a better value? (And remember to back up your claims rather than use empty, vacuous words like “better value” or “higher quality.")
- What do I do now? Simply put: make sure to have a strong, clear call to action. Don’t do all the legwork and then—by omission of a call to action—effectively say to your prospect, “Thanks for reading about us!” You need to lead them through your franchise qualification process (see article: “The Franchisor’s Biggest Mistake”). Tell them how to contact you and tell them to do it NOW. Even better, incentivize them to contact you within a given period of time.
In the end, if you can’t clearly, succinctly and convincingly describe the “who, what and why” of your franchise concept, then how do you expect your prospective franchisee to know?
2. Formatting—Know your prospect’s preference, then deliver the message correctly!
Do you know how entrepreneurs like to receive franchise information? Is it via e-mail, presentation, direct mail or hard copy brochure? Also, how is the information you need to communicate best presented? Since there are a multitude of formats you can choose from in presenting “collateral” materials to your prospective franchisees, make sure to know the one that is best for your target and for your information.
In the case of e-mail, perhaps the best way to send your collateral would be via attached PDF document or via e-mailable “newsletter” format. As such, your collateral will need to be formatted and designed very differently than if you were to have a hard copy brochure. Information flows differently in each format—a person reads a hard copy brochure in a much different way than they do an electronic file.
Furthermore, there are positives and downsides to consider for both electronic documents and for hard copy formats:
- Hard copy brochures—Hard copy brochures lend a great deal of legitimacy to a company. Slick hard copy documents that are designed well give a sense of success. They can be touched and held. A reader will look at it multiple times in one sitting. However, they are less adaptable and you have to mail them, which is much slower in the electronic age.
- E-mailable Documents—E-mailable documents are quick; a prospect asks for more information, you can give it to them instantly. They are also more malleable; if some of your information has changed, you can change the electronic file quickly and cheaply vs. reprinting all new documents. However, they do not have the tangible aspect that a hard copy brings. Also, e-mails are often flagged for follow up, and if you’re anything like me, flagging an e-mail for follow up does not ensure that I’ll always do so. Or, perhaps the e-mail is opened; the attachment is saved, and then promptly forgotten about.
The point is: consider your target, consider your information and needs, then format and deliver your collateral accordingly.
3. Design to be remembered!
Whatever format you choose to present your franchise opportunity, make sure the information is “dressed for success.” Strong information presented in a weak design will likewise be weakened. Remember, people are visual, and they do make decisions based on first impressions. If you develop a mediocre looking piece of collateral, be prepared to be viewed as, well... mediocre.
On the other hand, if you dress your franchise information up to look its best, then prospective franchisees will see you as being successful. Furthermore, they will know that you take a great deal of pride in your business concept and will be more likely to believe that you’ll do everything it takes to make it succeed.
To get your information presented in a design that is “dressed for success,” make sure to consult with an expert in graphics and marketing. Rather than trying to do it on your own, invest in your business by utilizing a good professional who will guide you to success.
While the previous information is not meant to be a complete guide to franchise marketing collateral, these points offer some basics guidelines for getting starting. Think through these basic components and see what you come up with…
In the end, franchise marketing collateral may be your only pass for entry into your prospective franchisee’s mind. Get your ticket and use it wisely!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neal Clark is the Senior Marketing Specialist for The Franchise Maker. He began his career in Los Angeles at the national ad agency Rubin Postaer and Associates, working on the Honda National and Regional accounts. With five years experience at the largest independent advertising agency on the west coast, and with over a decade of experience in the advertising industry, Neal Clark expertly manages the strategic planning and research, creative concepting and production, and media planning and buying for clients in a variety of product and service categories, including automotive, financial, real estate, restaurant, technology, legal, and a variety of niche services industries.
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