Being an entrepreneur no longer means just standing behind the counter and serving the customers. Today’s an entrepreneur goes out to advertise his brand and outlet to get maximum profits. This is being done keeping in mind the competition faced by each and every brand. With increased competition among brands, newer ways of luring customers are being conceived and practiced. A franchisee depending only on franchisor for the success of his outlet can never taste success. A franchisee need to take an initiative to lure more and more clients and customers to his outlet. The article discusses the ways to exercise local marketing at the franchisees’ end.
Why local marketing?
Many aspirants and new franchisees may have the question in mind that if they have paid franchise fee and fee for marketing to the franchisor, then why do they need to go for advertising at their level. It is true that a franchisor charges for marketing but that is carried out nationally. The franchisor does not ever market a particular outlet of any region. That has to be done by his franchisees locally. As mentioned an outlet can not be successful if the franchisee just stands behind the counter serving customers. He has to learn to sell his services/products by making them popular locally also. This can be done by getting out from behind the counter and mingling with the customers, visiting other businesses, participating in community events, etc.
Marketing at a local level
Various ways of marketing locally are as discussed below:
Select and target consumers: It is of utmost importance to select the target for the brand. If the product/service is more suitable for kids and youth, then advertising on television late at night would never work. Moreover putting hoarders outside schools, colleges, institutes will be ideal to attract the youth. However, if the product/service is for ladies then advertising it on television during afternoon would be rewarding. Therefore before marketing locally also, it is essential to select your consumers.
Local media assistance: With the coming up local channels, advertising on television and newspapers has become more reasonable and easier. People of a particular state usually take a local newspaper or magazine and watch the local news channels also. Therefore adverting locally can be helpful to make your outlet known.
Opt for digital way: Franchisees may think that being online or digital does not come under local marketing. In fact, with consumers getting increasingly net savvy, local online advertising is expected to grow in the coming years. Local digital media includes Google Maps, Yahoo Local, and online yellow pages. Local search is a powerful tool, increasingly replacing printed Yellow Pages.
Create a social page: Going one step ahead, it can do wonders for a franchisee to create his own web page on social websites like face book, twitter and LinkedIn etc. He can market his outlet, sitting at home and without investing any money also. Moreover he can start discussions about the use and feasibility of his outlet and attract many consumers this way also.
Register with online retail websites: It is the age of e-commerce. People not only buy products but also avail services on discounts from the various e-commerce sites. This has become more progressive with websites like snapdeal.com, myntra.com, sosasta.com, Fashion and You etc. Shahnaz Husain, Founder and Chairperson, Shahnaz Husain Group says, “The Shahnaz Husain parlours, seen on e-commerce websites like snapdeal.com are franchise salons and they do their own promotions and deals to further their own business.”
Sales and yearly discounts: Franchisees can ask the franchisor for yearly discounts in his outlet to clear out his old stock. This can be a great way to enhance traffic to his outlet.
Attend social meeting, parties: However busy a franchisee is, he should never lose an opportunity of making social visits. It can add to his outlet’s success in the long run. Attending social gatherings and parties can be the best source for meeting new people and making them aware of a new branded outlet.
Long term relationship: The brand name can attract customers but making them loyal depends on the franchisee. Attracting a new customer costs about five times as much as keeping an existing one. To do this, encourage a relationship with the customers outside of the buying interaction. Direct mail, e-mail, social media, blogs etc can all contribute towards building a relation.
These are few ways of enhancing sales and marketing the outlet at the local level. Franchisees surely should avail ideas from the franchisor to market the outlet. The franchisor can be the best source of knowledge to any franchisee.
Making a franchise outlet a success depends on hard work and marketing skills put in by the franchisee. So all the franchisees there start working on the advertising skills from day one to reap maximum benefits!
