CMO Q&A: How Do You Go Create a Customer-Centric Marketing and Brand Philosophy?

In each issue of Franchise Update magazine, we profile franchise CMOs and marketing leaders, asking each the same set of questions. Throughout the year, we'll be selecting one of those questions and providing answers from those profiles. If you want to learn more about these franchise marketing leaders and their thoughts on other topics, we've provided links to their full profile where available.

This week we asked them to discuss how they create a customer-centric marketing and brand philosophy.

Amy Przywara, Chief Marketing Officer, Sylvan Learning
We truly listen to the consumer. We have created ways to hear directly from those who chose us and from those who didn't. Our product is based in doing well for a child - and we do, over and over again. We know that if a family gives us a chance, we work. So we constantly look at why a mom or dad chooses another solution, try to find the similarities in those who go somewhere else, and then try to address them.

Michael Barrette, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer, Dippin' Dots & Doc Popcorn
First, we listen to franchisees and customers. We can't sit on our laurels and assume that the next generation of potential customers will automatically gravitate to both of our brands. We continue to invest resources to make sure we remain relevant to the consumer by connecting within popular culture and some influencers on an opportune basis. Through our marketing advisory committee, made up of franchisees, marketing leadership, and key sales staff, we solicit ideas and have collaborative discussions. We evaluate different promotional concepts based on opportunities we have in our development pipeline with promotional partners. We then send quarterly marketing calendars to all franchisees in advance of each quarter. Read the full profile here.

Katherine LeBlanc, Chief Marketing Officer, Painting with a Twist
Organically, through the experience we provide. Walk into one of our studios and you are greeted, shown to your spot, and encouraged to pop a cork! Our guests feel like they are walking into a friend's home when they visit us. It is core to how we interact with our guests, so it's an easy sell to our franchisees. Read the full profile here.