Franchise owners, just like non franchise owners need to apply sound small business skills to what they are doing.
A common statement I hear is that marketing is too expensive. #Rubbish. If you’re a local business you can spread the word about your business without expense. Get busy and do the following at least:
Free marketing plan for a local business
- Social Media engagement. Get set up on all of them but as an absolute minimum. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram. Pinterest if you have time.
- Local free directories. Type in “free business listing [your town] and you’ll be inundated with websites offering free marketing. Get your details on there and try and include a link back to your website.
- Human Mail Shot. You know where your customers are so get walking and knock on doors. “Hi, I have just set up a new widget business, I live locally to you and I think I could give you a better deal, where do you get your widgets from at the moment? “
- Direct Mail. As above but post through letterboxes, residential or commercial. £50 on Vistaprint could get you 1000 leaflets. You don’t need to put a stamp on them you can just get walking
- Trading what you do for publicity. Lets say you’re a florist for example. You’d like to be at a wedding fair that costs £250 but you don’t have £250. You could however afford to give the organiser a fresh bouquet of flowers every week. £250 at retail might only cost you £75 at wholesale price. Trade your £250 worth of flowers for a free stand at the show. I have done deals just like this all my life!
- Recommend each other. If you sell business consultancy then why not recommend an accountant to your clients? The accountant can then recommend you in exchange. Win/Win. You could probably set up 10 of these right away!
- ABC – My initials but actually stands for “Always be closing”. It’s a Sunday and you’re at a neighbours bar-be-que. Someone there could be client of yours? I have sold franchises worth £50k at neighbours bar-be-ques – truly I have! Get talking and suggest to people that they could be dealing with you. If it’s not for them sow a seed a different way, e.g. “I run a local charity for lost cats, do you know anyone who might be interested in working with us”?
- If you don’t fancy it get a professional marketing agency to help you like www.developingbrands.co.uk