Building Community: Franchise Integration

Franchises are often a headache for marketers and a dream for the parent organization. After all, who wouldn't want to sit back and collect licensing fees as franchisees adopt and effectively utilize a business model that you outline and manage?

But, what makes them such a headache for marketers?

These three words:

*At Participating Locations Only.*

In essence, individual franchises can bow out of any nationally based campaign or initiative they aren't fully in support of. Getting each franchise on the same page from both a technology, community and communication standpoint is often next to impossible.

This key phrase is the Achilles heel of any marketing effort on behalf of a franchise-based business. After all, what good is a promise if not every affiliated branch can deliver on it?

The first step, is understanding this fundamental question: How can companies market effectively when they have multiple (often very different) narratives?

Observe, Discuss, and Create

Recognize that each narrative needs to weave into each other and work together. The only time you have to worry about multiple narratives is when they contradict or oppose each other.

The creation of an internal community and scaling engagement will allow for each franchise to feel as though they are a key member of the larger parent company.

How can you do this effectively? Follow these steps:

Build Consensus

It's highly unlikely that you will ever achieve 100% satisfaction with any effort that you undertake. The key is listening to each side of the issue and choosing an effective compromise that will accomplish the original goal. Remember to avoid de-clawing initiatives in an effort to placate all parties.

Ensure Majority Support

For any initiative to work? At least 85-90% of the franchisees need to be willing to get on  board (probably more). Otherwise, your plan is doomed before it starts. Thus, don't move without the support of the majority of your franchise members.

Find Internal Evangelists

Who are your all-stars? Is it your sales team? Your customer service? Or your engineers? By identifying these key members within your business you should be able to hit the ground running for any initiative that you are planning.

Scale Technology Effectively

Is the same solution that works in Madison, Wisconsin going to work in London, England? Of course not. Then, why would you assume that each franchise would have the same level of tech savvy?

Any solution that you come up with will have to work at each franchise. Facilitate a solution that works and leave the bells and whistle add-ons to the individual franchises. Unfortunately, this may mean taking some of the cooler tech initiatives off the table for all but the most elite branches.

Different Problems? Different Tools.

Most franchises are consumer facing. However, multiple franchises exist that deal with individual contractors that interact within the B2B space. The key is having the patience to look at each community as its own separate entity. Start from the beginning and work your way back through until you have a situation your are content with.

Don't just plug and play. Remember to Observe, Discuss and Create.

Photo Credit: dan4th

tagged as community marketing, community narrative, corporate community, franchise communities, franchise community, franchise logistics, franchise marketing, meshing multiple narratives