Franchising

Many franchisors utilize Twitter to communicate their products and services to would-be customers.  But how do you know if your social media efforts are paying off?  Can you pull up a real-time report to see just how many new leads you’ve created over the past week?  If you find an interesting conversation taking place about your franchise opportunity, are you able to effectively get a business development rep involved and respond in real-time? We’ve posted this video to demonstrate the powerful functionality that’s created by integrating Salesforce and Twitter together in your franchise lead generation process. ... (more)

Designing a Process for Awarding Franchises – Part 2: Management

“The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.” -Albert Einstein   In my previous post, titled “Designing a Process for Awarding Franchises – Part 1: Leadership”, I looked at the notion of how designing a process of awarding franchises has to start with prioritizing around the characteristics that your franchisees should have.  Without fist hashing out this issue, it will be largely unproductive to tactically begin putting together a process that can be managed.  For example, creating a system for “selling” franc... (more)

The Five Most Important Aspects of IT for Franchisors

(Photo: source) I came across a rather interesting question that was posed on Linkedin yesterday which prompted this post. The question was “Which thesis about IT within emerging franchise networks most appeals to you?” The author, Heath Waldorf, is putting together a thesis paper and was looking for some insight. I obliged…. Information Technology within franchise systems would appear to be a scarcity judging by the lack of conversation on the topic. A few quick searches about franchising and technology will pull up a handful of dated articles on intranets (which are rapidly b... (more)

Fundamentals: Franchise Lead Generation with Google Adwords

As a follow up to yesterday’s post about effectively managing lead-flow, I’ve posted another video showing what I’ve found to be very useful and effective tools for lead generation. You might want to consider incorporating Google Adwords campaigns into your repertoire for franchise lead generation. The ability to target micro-channels and create highly relevant campaigns for specific target markets, along with the powerful analytical capabilities and budget options served up by Google Adwords makes it a no-brainer to incorporate into your overall strategy. The benefits of Adwords... (more)

Are Emotionally Engaged Buyers Really What You Want?

Is creating an emotional bond or emotional engagement really what you’re after when working with prospective candidates who are interested in your franchise?  If your job function is in franchise sales you’ll probably say “Yes”.  If you’re a CEO you’re likely thinking “No?”.  The nature of the franchisor-franchisee relationship is complex and must begin with a proper alignment of expectations if you want to achieve long-term viability. By definition, an emotionally charged buyer is someone who makes a buying decision based on feeling rather than rationale and reality.  This crea... (more)