Posted:27-November-2013
etyres explains why marketing is vital for your franchise business
Running a successful business is about more than just doing your job to the best of your ability. Competition is fierce whether you are engaged in supplying and fitting tyres, cleaning offices or selling fast food.
This is why marketing is such a vital tool in the modern business world. However, it requires special skills and know-how in areas ranging from digital campaigns to social media.
Joining a franchise with a pro-active and effective marketing team can give you an enormous head start in this area. Franchise Owners are not only investing in a business with a proven track record, but are also able to reap the benefits of their expertise and enterprise.
Therefore, a key factor to look for when you are preparing to invest in a franchise is whether the company has a marketing department working to increase brand awareness and drive sales to your door.
Clive Edwards, Senior Marketing Manager of etyres, a leading online tyre retailer which has been operating successfully for two decades, explained: “Today marketing is about more than just putting a couple of adverts in the Yellow Pages and maybe a local parish magazine.
“When you are getting to grips with your new business, it can be hard to also focus on all the marketing aspects you need to employ to make your business a success. Online campaigns, blogs, online directories, Google AdWords, social media engagement, these are just a handful of the marketing tools and functions that will play a key role in the development of your new business.
“This is why I believe a successful franchise needs to have a dedicated team responsible for centrally managing a multi-channel marketing programme.
“The benefits are enjoyed across the network and also Franchise Owners can tap into this resource to gain the edge over their local competitors.”
There are several key areas where the Franchise Owner can work alongside the Franchisor to maximise the full marketing potential for the branch:
Internet
The internet is an enormous market place and companies with vision and ambition are exploiting every avenue it offers to promote their brand and generate income.
Whether consumers are looking for the best price, recommendations from other satisfied customers or simply checking out a companies credibility, the internet can provide all the answers, which is why franchise owners need to have all the bases covered.
etyres create unique online landing pages for all their new Franchise Owners which makes it easy for local customers to find them. The web pages also provide etyres Franchise Owners with a chance to blow their own trumpets, publishing praise from customers and updating their personal etyres blog.
Staying online, email campaigns can reach a massive audience and are a fast and efficient way to generate sales.
Edwards said: “Marketing is about being pro-active, targeting your customers with lively and engaging email campaigns. We operate a very efficient emailing system which targets customers with discounts and special offers.”
Social media is another key facet to marketing and you cannot afford to ignore it. etyres marketing team engages daily with our Facebook and Twitter followers, offering them advice and information, plus discounts and prizes, such as iPad minis and tickets to the British Grand Prix. All this activity creates a great buzz around the brand and is mostly funded by the marketing department.
Events
Local shows and exhibitions are a great way to build contacts and generate business, but they can also be expensive. etyres have a selection of banners, display boards and equipment which franchise owners can borrow in order to ensure their stand looks smart and professional. etyres also hand-pick a number of events for Head Office to attend, such as the Motorhome and Caravan Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham, which last year attracted almost 100,000 visitors. This is a massive audience to reach out to and it benefits all its branches around the UK.
Collateral
Leaflets, cards, posters, you may once have casually dismissed them as ‘bumph’, but combined with online display ads, they play a vital role in promoting your business, so it is important they are slick, engaging and portray a professional image.
“It’s no good handing out dog-eared business cards or tatty leaflets with no obvious message, they will go straight in the bin,” according to Edwards. “etyres has an in-house graphic designer who takes the pressure off having to design a special piece of marketing collateral and provides the network with stylish and professional material.
“This might seem like a small matter, but it is precisely this attention to detail that a national marketing team can develop and hone to project its franchise owners in the best possible light.
If customers know you are there and have confidence that you can deliver a high standard of service in every respect, they are more likely to buy into your business and remain loyal - and that is what marketing is all about.”
Interested and want to know more about etyres?
The etyres profile outlines all aspects of their franchise opportunity and allows you to contact them for further information or to ask a question.
