CMO Q&A: What Methods and Tools Do You Rely on To Provide Your Marketing Team With a Personal Touch for Franchise Candidates?

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 what marketing tools or methods they use to provide their marketing team with a personal touch for franchise candidates.

Michael Barrette, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer, Dippin' Dots & Doc Popcorn
We use many of the tools that are common for franchise businesses, including online videos, lead portal ads, and magazine ads. We also share franchisee testimonials and distribute news releases. But the most valuable tool is our staff at the franchising office. We guide franchisee prospects through the entire process of due diligence right up until discovery day and then, ultimately, to the date of signing and preliminary training. We also continue to provide resources and personal support, not only through the franchising office, but also through the marketing team and with field support staff. Read full profile.

Kieran McCauley, Vice President of Marketing, HealthSource
During a discovery day event, we walk prospective franchisees through the quarterly promotional schedule, showing them everything from the POP kits each franchisee receives, to advertising elements and local clinic marketing activities. We then review all the systems available from our various partners to execute social media, email, custom printing, and media buying locally. They leave the day knowing what to expect, and that is a big selling point for our brand. Read full profile.

Amy Przywara, Chief Marketing Officer, Sylvan Learning
Our marketing plan is set up so that prospects understand what we do for them and what they need to do themselves. Local marketing is truly a key part of success for a franchisee, so we want to make sure they understand this. We have a local marketing team that works with franchisees as well as an online portal called MARC that guides them through everything they need for a local marketing plan. We help get our prospective franchisees excited for this business opportunity. Read full profile (p. 47).