IFA 2025 MARKETING, DEVELOPMENT, & TECHNOLOGY TOOLKIT
The IFA 2025 Marketing, Development, and Technology Toolkit is your go-to resource for elevating your brand through cuttingedge marketing, streamlined development strategies, and the latest in AI innovation. Inside, you’ll find expert insights, proven tactics, and practical tools from ten respected IFA supplier member companies. Whether you're refining operations or amplifying your brand’s reach, this guide is designed to help you achieve impactful, sustainable growth.
2 3 Time Management Habits of Successful Franchise Marketers By Sean Blanda, ActiveCampaign HQ
4 Crush Your Grand Openings Using PR: A Strategic Playbook for Maximum Impact By Brian M. Lowe, BML Public Relations
6 Balancing Brand Consistency with Local Customization in Franchise Marketing By Jessica Kottcamp, Constant Contact
8 Is Your Franchise Growing or Dying? How Franchise Websites Make or Break System Growth and Customer Acquisition By Joseph Mohay, Ignite Visibility
10 Revitalizing Your SEO Strategy for the AI Era By Andrew Beckman, CFE, Location3
12 AI for Small Businesses: Impact and Sentiment By Paychex
16 3 Changing Consumer Trends Every Franchise Needs to Know By Gabriella Ferrara, Scorpion
18 Modern Messaging Strategies Strengthen the Franchise Customer Experience By Chris Vaughan, Textellent
20 How to Get Franchisees to Care About Corporate Strategy By Adam Waid, Voxie
22 Bridging the Franchise Brand Gap: Strategy + Execution for Scalable Marketing By Amy Anderson, Wild Coffee Marketing
3 Time Management Habits of Successful Franchise Marketers
BY SEAN BLANDA, ACTIVECAMPAIGN HQ
ActiveCampaign HQ
enables franchises and multi-location brands to manage intelligent marketing automation and Fran-Dev from a single dashboard. Create and send personalized email and SMS campaigns across locations while maintaining brand consistency. Automate interactions to boost growth, efficiency, and profitability. With multi-account access, users can quickly deploy both corporate and localized campaigns at scale—saving time and money. This centralized platform empowers brands to control messaging and tailor communications for local audiences, all in just a few clicks.
At ActiveCampaign, we speak to dozens of franchise marketers each month and have noticed a theme: strategy is critically important, but the first order of operations is getting control of your time.
The most effective franchise marketers have thoughtful time management habits that help them do their best work. Here’s how they do it:
Habit #1: Moving from decentralized to hub and spoke
When you have a decentralized approach, any change to deliverables or campaigns is made manually. The more franchisees you add, the longer any strategy adjustments take to implement. Which is why the more you grow, the more chaotic your day feels.
In fact, difficulty coordinating across locations was the most cited challenge (44.8%) from our recent research report.
Your first step to get control of your time is to move to a “hub and spoke” approach, one where franchisees use the same tools, the same communication platforms, and run on the same marketing calendar.
“We realized we had no visibility into what our franchisees were doing with their email marketing,” explained Brittany Graff, Head of Marketing at Painting with a Twist . “Some were using different systems, some weren’t sending emails at all. We really needed a hub where we could have visibility into what was going on across all locations and provide branded resources to help them succeed.”
But be aware of being too draconian with your standardization effort. We’ve found that “The Consolidation Mirage” is real and can impair your ability to execute.
Habit #2: Creating clear brand guidelines with room for localization
If you create strict brand assets and guidelines, you’ll limit the creativity and agency of your franchisees. If your guidelines are too loose, your franchisees will be unable to build on each other’s success, and customers will get a disjointed experience.
“If content could be created for the franchisee that localizes it,
without a lot of work from the franchisor. That would be the fix," says Kristi Mailloux, Managing Partner of Three20 Capital.
Establish the constraints that allow your individual franchises to be creative, and then listen for feedback. Chances are, it will take some revisions to strike this balance.
"When we started providing completed templates and saved modules, we saw a 65% increase in the number of emails being sent across the system and a 25% increase in revenue attributed to email marketing. It was a huge win for our system," says Graff.
When you offer templates, you reduce or eliminate the time spent assisting each individual franchise with creating their own campaigns. You also save time chasing down off-brand collateral.
Habit #3: Building franchise community
In our recent study, we found that 35.2% of franchise marketers say a lack of franchisee engagement is a challenge. Instead, move your operations to a community-based approach where franchisees can easily share what’s working, what they’re struggling with, and answer one another’s questions.
Take a moderator role and empower your franchisees to freely share best practices. This has the dual benefit of empowering your franchisees and allowing trends to quickly surface so you can make better strategic choices.
Over to you
Creative work often takes large, unstructured blocks of time—that's difficult when you’re managing endless inbound requests. Begin by practicing the habits above to get to a place where you’re proactive, not reactive.
Interested in the stats included throughout this article? Learn more about how successful franchise marketers operate and download the full report now n
Matt Clare Commercial Director, Franchise Sales ACHQ
Email: mclare@activecampaign.com
ActiveCampaign HQ
1 North Dearborn St, 5th Floor Chicago IL, 60602 Email: achq@activecampaign.com
Website: www.activecampaign. com/franchise
Crush Your Grand Openings Using PR: A Strategic Playbook for Maximum Impact
BY BRIAN M. LOWE, BML PUBLIC RELATIONS
COMPANY BIO
BML Public Relations is an award-winning agency specializing in consumer-focused campaigns for franchisors and multi-unit franchisees. In 2025, BML launched Unveil , a 3-month strategic grand opening PR package designed to generate maximum local market buzz through print, online, and broadcast media coverage, increasing brand awareness, driving traffic, and cultivating consumer loyalty. Starting at $3,000 per location, Unveil is the ONLY PR package in franchising designed to maximize publicity, creating a lasting impression and setting each location up for long-term success.
Introduction
A grand opening should be more than a ceremonial ribbon cutting—it’s your chance to make a strong first impression, educate the market, generate buzz, and attract customers from day one. Public Relations (PR) has the power to turn an ordinary launch into a headline-worthy event—amplifying your reach through earned media, influencer collaborations, and authentic community engagement that drives real visibility and momentum. This white paper will outline how strategic PR can turn grand openings into powerhouse brand moments—fueling sustained momentum through a multi-wave approach that blends high-impact earned media, precision-targeted influencer collaborations, and strategically paid amplification to ensure each launch is a catalyst for long-term success.
The Role of PR in a Grand Opening
PR is about more than just getting press—it’s shaping perception, building anticipation, and fostering meaningful connections between a brand and its audience. With Unveil by BML, we approach grand openings with tactics that maximize your brand visibility through:
X Generating quality earned media coverage across local, regional, and national platforms
X Creating shareable moments that amplify messaging and reach through traditional and social media
X Engaging story-driven campaigns that capture interest beyond just an announcement
X Attracting influencers and community leaders to build credibility and awareness
X Driving foot traffic through strategic messaging and promotional tie-ins
5 Key Strategies for PR-Driven Grand Openings
1. Craft a Compelling Story
Grand openings should have a strong hook well beyond simply "new business in town." Whether it’s a groundbreaking product, a mission-driven focus, or an unexpected experiential twist, we build narratives that make openings feel like a can’t miss opportunity. Before pitching to the media, identify what makes the opening newsworthy. Is it a first-of-its-kind business? Does it offer something
unique to the community? Is there an interesting founder story? A strong narrative ensures media and local influencers see a reason to cover your opening beyond just a standard announcement.
2. Leverage Earned Media & Press Outreach
Earned media refers to publicity that a brand receives organically through news coverage without directly paying for placement. Earned media is a powerful tool for shaping perception and expanding reach. Create and distribute a compelling press release to local media highlighting the grand opening date, brand offerings, promotions, and why it matters to the local audience. Offer exclusive interviews, experiences or behind-the-scenes content to reporters to facilitate in-depth coverage. Earned media validates a brand’s presence in the market and, when leveraged strategically, fuels buzz, customer excitement, and establishes category leadership.
3. Activate Influencer & Community Engagement
Partner with local influencers to showcase sneak peeks before the grand opening. Conduct research to find influencers who best connect with your target consumer. Community involvement—through collaborations with local charities, giveaways, or invitations for city officials—adds credibility and fosters goodwill. Rather than relying on a single influencer event, layering multiple waves of engagement ensures ongoing media momentum.
4. Host a Memorable, Social-Media-Optimized
Event
Your grand opening must be visually and experientially engaging. Consider photo-worthy installations, interactive demonstrations, or live performances. Implement social media-friendly hashtags and provide branded merchandise or incentives for attendees to share their experience. Solid visuals paired with a great experience can ripple across social in your local market.
5. Capitalize on Paid and Owned Media
While earned media is critical, supplementing your efforts with paid social campaigns and digital ads targeted at local audiences will boost visibility. Additionally, ensure that the tone and voice of your website, email marketing, and direct communications reflect a consistent PR narrative, reinforcing your brand's presence ahead of the event.
Conclusion: More Than a Launch—A Legacy
A grand opening isn’t just a one-day celebration—it’s a multi-phased brand moment that shapes consumer perception. PR-driven openings utilize earned, paid, and owned channels to create ongoing pulse points of engagement that reinforce messaging long after launch. From securing media buzz to orchestrating immersive experiences, Unveil by BML ensures that every launch feels bigger than just an opening—it becomes a milestone people remember, talk about, and act upon. When executed strategically, PR doesn’t just make an opening successful—it sets the pace and makes a brand unforgettable. n
BML Public Relations 25B Vreeland Road, Suite 215 Florham Park, NJ 07932
Phone: 973-337-6395
Email: info@bmlpr.com
Website: www.bmlpr.com
Brian M. Lowe President & CEO
Balancing Brand Consistency with Local Customization in Franchise Marketing
BY JESSICA KOTTCAMP, CONSTANT CONTACT
Constant Contact simplifies digital marketing for franchisors with an all-in-one platform for email, social, landing pages, and more. Whether you’re an emerging franchise or an established system, our platform empowers franchisors to decide how much control to maintain at the top while giving franchisees the flexibility they need for local marketing success. Our powerful tools ensure brand consistency across the organization, provide franchisees with user-friendly resources, and support growth at every level.
Successfully marketing a franchise requires both strong brand recognition and rigorous local efforts. Franchisors must ensure their brand remains recognizable while also allowing franchisees the flexibility to tailor their efforts to local conditions. Recently, Constant Contact’s The State of Franchise Marketing report uncovered the challenges and opportunities that franchisors and franchisees are experiencing.
The Importance of Franchise Brand Reputation
One of the most significant challenges cited by franchisors was managing brand reputation across multiple markets. According to the report, 47% of franchisors cited this as their biggest hurdle, and 59% of franchisors emphasized consistency as the primary reason for setting marketing control levels. However, it’s not an all-or-nothing game; franchisors recognize that this control must be balanced with the need for local customization in order to drive results and performance, which 50% of franchisors also prioritize.
The Role of Franchisee Autonomy
So how do franchisees think about the level of control they have over their own marketing? It turns out that the level of control franchisees have over their local marketing efforts has a significant impact on their satisfaction with those efforts. A majority of franchisees with full control over their messaging (61%) report being very satisfied, compared to 38% with moderate control and just 20% with limited or no control, suggesting that a balanced approach, where
franchisors set broad guardrails that franchisees can operate within, perceptibly empowers franchisees.
Franchisor and franchisee perception of marketing controls helps to support that suggestion. In fact, the largest portion of franchisors stated that they allow franchisees moderate control over marketing (48%), while the majority of franchisees (53%) say they have full control. This suggests that the franchisors’ guardrails in use are done so in a way that does not significantly inhibit franchisees.
How Marketing Technology Drives Balance
At the end of the day, franchisors need their franchisees to be effective marketers—even within a controlled environment.When asked about the biggest barriers to marketing success, franchisees shared challenges like time constraints (34%), lack of marketing expertise (31%), lack of local support (30%), and outdated technology (23%), among others. But all of these factors can be addressed with the right marketing technology.
Employing the right marketing technology provides the marriage of autonomy and control, wherein franchisors can prioritize providing templates and tools to their franchisees that those franchisees are able to customize for their own local markets, thus achieving the control they need and satisfaction in their marketing efforts.
Additionally, marketing technology like AI content creation and marketing automation tools can help streamline these processes, making it easier for franchisees to make the most of limited time, budget, and expertise to execute local marketing while adhering to brand guidelines. And the results bear this out: franchisors who provide the right technology and support are 2.5 times more likely to have an adaptive, best-in-class marketing strategy.
A Path Forward
Balancing brand consistency with local customization is a delicate but essential task for franchisors. By setting smart guardrails, providing relevant training and updated templates, and leveraging AI and marketing technology, franchisors can empower their franchisees to achieve local marketing goals while maintaining brand integrity. Effective communication and collaboration are key to this process, ensuring that both franchisors and franchisees are aligned and working towards common objectives. By implementing these strategies, franchisors can create a marketing environment that is both consistent and adaptable, driving success and satisfaction across all markets.
Did you know Constant Contact has a multi-account solution built specifically for franchises? Our all-in-one platform simplifies digital marketing for franchisors—combining email, social, landing pages, and more in one place. Whether you're an emerging brand or an established system, you choose how much control to keep at the top while empowering franchisees with the flexibility they need for local marketing success.
Learn more at constantcontact.com/franchise or email partners@ constantcontact.com to request more info or schedule a demo. n
Constant
1601 Trapelo Road, Waltham, MA 02451
Phone: 1-855-854-8612
Email: partners@constantcontact.com
Website: www.constantcontact. com/franchise
Jessica Kottcamp VP of Partner Marketing
Contact
Is Your Franchise Growing or Dying? How Franchise Websites Make or Break System Growth and Customer Acquisition
BY JOSEPH MOHAY, IGNITE VISIBILITY
Ignite Visibility is an award-winning digital marketing agency specialized in serving franchises and multi-location service providers with a need for local discoverability and lead generation. Through its 'nationalto-local' execution model, Ignite's capabilities include search engine optimization, content, digital PR, paid media, social media advertising, and web development. As a 6x Inc 5000 company, Ignite Visibility has worked with 200+ clients, building customized digital marketing strategies that deliver real results. For more information on Ignite Visibility, please visit https://ignitevisibility. com.
Your website is the heart of your marketing strategy and often the deciding factor in whether you meet or miss your franchise sales and revenue goals. Even the strongest franchises can struggle when their website falls short of expectations. At Ignite Visibility, we understand what it takes to build high-performing websites for both franchise development and multi-location consumer marketing—plus the unique nuances of each. Our recent acquisition of Outliant has expanded our capabilities, adding advanced technology and design expertise. We deliver scalable, data-driven solutions that combine modern UX and SEO best practices. Our websites rank higher, load faster, and convert better, driving measurable business growth.
Franchise Development—Attracting the Right Franchise Buyers
Your franchise development website is your brand’s digital door to potential investors. When executed well, it acts as your best franchise recruiter—informing, qualifying, and converting high-quality prospects.
1. Communicate a Clear Value Proposition
Buyers decide quickly if your brand is worth their time. Your unique value proposition (UVP) must be instantly visible— above the fold on your homepage. Phrases like “Own the #1 Franchise” or “Take Charge of Your Future” paired with strong CTAs like “Download Franchise Guide” or “Request Info” can dramatically improve conversions.
2. Build Trust with Proof
Franchise buyers want proof, not just promises. They find value in real franchisee testimonials, success stories, and growth stats like “opened 3 units in 2 years” or “25% revenue growth in year one”. Authentic social proof is one of your site’s most persuasive tools.
3. Simplify Lead Capture
Friction kills conversions. Use simple, mobile-friendly forms, only asking for essentials. Offer valuable incentives like downloadable guides or webinar invites to encourage prospects to share their information.
4. Answer Every Question
Buyers want transparency about startup costs, training, support, and fees. Pages dedicated to FAQs, qualifications, and revenue potential help lower bounce rates and build confidence.
5. Make it Findable
Most buyers begin their search on Google. Your site needs to be optimized for AI-driven results and targeted national and regional keywords like “best franchise opportunities in [city].” We make sure your site delivers quality content, fast mobile performance, and strong SEO to improve search rankings and drive organic traffic.
Multi-Location Websites Drive National—to Local Customers
Your franchise website and its location pages are key to driving foot traffic, calls, and online orders. This is where real growth happens— at the customer level.
1. Location-Focused SEO
Each franchise location needs its own search-optimized landing page. This increases the chances of showing up in local searches and Google Maps, especially for “near me” searches.
2. Speed, Mobile Design, and Accessibility
Customers expect your site to load in under 3 seconds. Sites that are fast, mobile-optimized, and easy to navigate are far more likely to convert visitors into paying customers. Tools like lazy-loading images and structured menus create a seamless experience.
3. Localized Content and Offers
Showcase location-specific offers, staff bios, community involvement, and events. This helps customers feel a personal connection with the brand at the local level and can increase engagement and repeat visits.
4. Strong Calls-to-Action
Whether the goal is to book a service, place an order, or visit in-store, each page should include clear, action-oriented CTAs like “Order Now,” “Book Appointment,” or “Find Us Today.” These buttons should be easy to find across the page.
5. Authentic Imagery and Social Proof
Use original, high-quality photos and customer reviews to showcase real people and improve trust, engagement, and local SEO efforts.
Final Takeaway
Your franchise website should be a scalable growth asset. A high-performing franchise development site attracts the right buyers, while well-optimized local franchise pages drive consumer action and boost unit-level success. Together, they form the digital infrastructure that fuels sustainable, brand-wide growth. If your website isn’t delivering these results—or if it feels outdated or difficult to manage—it may be time to consider an update. Investing in a modern, optimized site can unlock new opportunities, strengthen your brand presence, and set you up for long-term success in an increasingly competitive market. Now is the moment to ensure your website works as hard as you do. n
Why Choose Ignite Visibility?
At Ignite Visibility, we don’t just build websites—we deliver real business results tailored to your franchise’s goals. Partner with us for a team that understands franchise business models and knows how to leverage technology to grow your brand online. Discover more at ignitevisibility.com/ franchise-marketing.
Revitalizing Your SEO Strategy for the AI Era
How Franchisors Can Evolve Organic Search to Drive Greater Localized Visibility & Customer Engagement
BY ANDREW BECKMAN, CFE, LOCATION3
Rethink Search Intent in the Context of AI
Location3 is franchising’s proven leader in driving digital transformation. We are a catalyst for revenue growth, offering strategic consulting and professional services specifically tailored to franchisors. Our expertise in datadriven marketing, technology infrastructure and digital media empowers our partners to thrive in the digital landscape. In addition, our platform (LOCALACT) provides your franchise owners with powerful technology that optimizes their local digital presence and media mix to drive customer acquisition and local revenue growth.
AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT and Gemini aren’t just indexing content, they’re synthesizing it. These large language models and tools are built to answer complex, conversational queries using authoritative sources. That means your content needs to go beyond keywords and start focusing on intent-driven topics and structured information. For franchisors, this means developing content that answers specific, high-intent questions your customers are asking at both the brand and local level. If you’re a fitness brand, for example, ensure your location pages and blog content address questions like “What’s the best gym near me for personal training?” or “What services does [Brand Name] in Austin offer for new members?” Here are recommendations to better impact tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini in identifying the exact questions being asked in your category while scaling location-specific content that provides clear, helpful answers to customers.
Embrace Structured Data and Semantic Markup
AI tools and models rely heavily on structured data to understand the context of a page, much like search engines. By marking up your content with schema.org data, including business hours, services, FAQs, customer reviews, and more, you’ll help the models better understand and surface your content in relevant results. For franchisors with hundreds of locations, this becomes even more powerful. Local Business schema, Service schema, and FAQ schema on location pages can increase visibility in both traditional and AI-driven search. You should also audit all local pages across your franchise network to ensure consistent, accurate structured data is in place and scalable via your CMS or platform integrations.
Double Down on Local Content Strategy
One of the most overlooked SEO assets in franchising is local content. AI prompt experiences tend to favor content that is contextually relevant and geographically specific meaning local content can be your differentiator. This doesn’t mean simply adding a city
name to a page title. It means creating localized blog posts, service pages, FAQs, and even customer stories that speak to the unique needs and preferences of each local market. We recommend building a scalable content framework where corporate provides topics, keywords, and creative direction, while content production focuses on localizing deliverables with market-specific details.
Optimize for AI Discovery, Not Just Rankings
AI tools are increasingly acting as intermediaries between search engines and customers. This is a shift from ranking for a keyword to earning citations or featured snippets in AI-driven responses. That requires building digital authority around topics your brand wants to own, especially at the local level. Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) will prioritize sites with high topical relevance, user engagement, and content freshness. It’s important to invest in creating "cornerstone" content and pages that act as definitive resources on topics relevant to your franchisees’ offerings, optimized for quality, depth, and authority.
Build Local Authority Through Offsite SEO
In the AI era, your offsite signals like reviews, local citations, backlinks, and mentions also matter more than ever. AI models are trained on vast amounts of online data, and third-party validation plays a role in how content is surfaced and trusted. Franchisors must ensure each business location has a consistent presence across directories as this information is critical to the customer journey. Incorporating reviews, citations and offsite content like Google Business Profile across your franchise system remains critical, as there is an increasing likelihood that location-based profiles will begin to surface sooner than later within prompt results on tools like ChatGPT.
Final Thoughts: Evolving for What’s Next
Customer behavior in seeking new information will continue to evolve. The AI era will reward brands that don’t just optimize for prompts and search rankings, but create genuinely useful, locally relevant, and trustworthy content that AI tools choose to surface. Franchisors who adapt their SEO strategy now to unify national direction with scalable local execution will be best positioned to capture attention, earn trust, and drive real-world customer action for their franchisees. The AI era is not the end of SEO, it’s simply the next evolution. Those franchisors who localize, structure, and modernize their strategy will lead the way. n
Email:
hello@location3.com
Website: Location3.com
AI for Small Businesses: Impact and Sentiment
BY PAYCHEX
COMPANY BIO
Paychex, Inc. (Nasdaq: PAYX) is the digitally driven HR leader that is reimagining how companies address the needs of today’s workforce with the most comprehensive, flexible, and innovative HCM solutions for organizations of all sizes. Offering a full spectrum of HR advisory and employee solutions, Paychex pays 1 out of every 11 American private sector workers and is raising the bar in HCM for nearly 800,000 customers in the U.S. and Europe. Paychex is proud to be a preferred vendor of the International Franchise Association. Visit the Paychex Marketplace to shop their expanding API library and start sharing data between Paychex Flex and your other favorite HR tools.
AIintelligence is everywhere these days. Tech companies consistently launch new platforms or upgrades to existing models. Workplaces are abuzz with daily talk of AI and its impact, from productivity to privacy and from security measures to questions about job replacement. At the same time, states are proposing legislation to provide guardrails on AI for businesses, as well as protect its citizens. So, what are small-business owners’ and HR leaders’ thoughts on artificial intelligence? Surveying a little more than 1,100 small-business owners and HR professionals at small businesses, the 2025 Paychex State of Small Business AI Report shares data and insights on the survey results.
The biggest find is that owners of small businesses—for this survey, those employing fewer than 500 people—are optimistic, with 72% expressing a somewhat positive to a very positive attitude toward AI and 82% viewing AI technology as helpful to their business. Not every respondent offered such praise, as 18% viewed AI as a threat. However, of those 18%, a hint more than one-quarter (26%) saw it as a threat because they said they feared being outpaced by competitors who could leverage AI more effectively.
What is your overall attitude torwards AI in business?
“There is FOMO about not using AI,” said Beaumont Vance, senior vice president of data, analytics, and AI at Paychex. “However, I think businesses know that if they don’t adopt technology, they could get wiped out.” Small business owners and their HR leaders seem to have embraced AI or at least the thought that the technology will benefit their business. Of those surveyed, 65% use artificial intelligence at work, with 61% using it daily. Seventy-six percent (76%) expected a moderate to significant impact in the next five years, and more than one-third (34%) anticipate significant transformation in their business.
Time Savings, Productivity, and a Key Driver
We know AI saves time. Just ask anyone who hasn’t had to wait on a phone to resolve a simple issue on their cell phone bill and, instead, got the answers required from an AI-powered chatbot in minutes. In fact, customer support is the overwhelming choice—at 64%—from respondents as to where AI is used most across their core business operations. The next five core operations are within percentage points of one another when it comes to AI use, between 34% and 42%, with employee retention lagging at 27%.
As for the use of AI across key business functions (departments), the survey found similar results as the core business operations: a key leader with 50% using it in HR and a clear function (sales and business development) in last place with 20% usage. In between were customer/client service, marketing, and IT. Respondents using AI in their businesses said there have been positive impacts, with 66% citing increased productivity. The chart below highlights other benefits of AI use reported in the survey.
What impact has AI had on your business?
In a recent Paychex podcast, OpenAI’s latest feature release on ChatGPT—Deep Research—was a topic of discussion. Members of academia have returned positive reviews on Deep Research’s ability to return a greater volume of results in a fraction of the time. However, the host also said Deep Research was asked, “What jobs will OpenAI and Deep Research replace that humans are doing right now?” A few notable roles popped up, including job recruiters and tax preparers. Check out the full list on the Paychex THRIVE Week in Review episode. n
Companies Is Easy, Fast, and Secure
Experienced Payroll Support Every Step of the Way
When you switch payroll providers and work with Paychex, we’ll help you:
• Pull data directly from your previous system
• Collect any necessary information to set up your account
• Process the first few payrolls for you while balancing year-to-date payroll data
Contact your dedicated Account Management Team to learn more: go.paychex.com/IFA-toolkit
3
Changing Consumer Trends
Every Franchise Needs to Know
Outshine the Competition and Focus on Delivering an Exceptional Experience
BY GABRIELLA FERRARA, SCORPION
COMPANY BIO
Scorpion is the leader in helping franchise businesses drive revenue through digital marketing solutions. With technology focused on maximizing results at every step of the client journey, Scorpion is pushing the industry forward past a focus on leads, and toward a focus on what truly matters: revenue growth. Backed by award-winning AI, unmatched data, and more than 20 years of marketing expertise, Scorpion helps local businesses win more customers and more revenue. With Scorpion, there’s no guesswork, only growth. To learn more, visit Scorpion.co
Customer expectations constantly evolve, and what worked yesterday might not resonate today. Franchises must understand these shifts, as ignoring them can lead to missed opportunities and declining customer engagement.
Scorpion recently surveyed more than 1,500 consumers to understand how consumers approach hiring local businesses. Here are three significant changing consumer trends that every franchise needs to understand and address to thrive today.
Faster Responses and Quicker Decisions
In an age of instant gratification, consumers expect speed and efficiency at every touchpoint. This isn't just about how quickly they receive their product or service; it extends to their initial interaction, inquiries, and the overall decision-making process. In a recent Scorpion survey, 54% of respondents said they decide on a home services provider in less than 4 hours.
Potential customers are researching multiple options, and the businesses that win are the ones that make it easy to get answers, respond quickly, and offer a smooth, customer-first experience. One key way to stand out is to offer a variety of ways for potential customers to interact with you, whether via text, chat, email, or phone. Our consumer survey discovered that 70% of consumers favor a company with multiple ways of contacting the business.
For franchises, this means improving everything from website load times and communication tools to response times for customer service inquiries. Implementing AI chat for immediate answers, streamlining online booking, and empowering franchisees to make quick, customerfocused decisions are essential for meeting modern consumer expectations.
Your Online Presence Remains Crucial
The customer journey overwhelmingly begins online. A franchise's digital footprint is often the first impression a potential customer has, and it needs to be accurate and engaging. This encompasses more than just a corporate website; it includes the online presence of each franchise location.
Consumers use online resources to research, compare, read reviews, and make decisions before ever making a call or stepping foot in a physical store.
Our survey highlighted these crucial consumer thoughts about reviews:
1. 67% of consumers check at least three different review sources before making a decision
2. 64% of consumers only consider businesses with at least a 4 out of 5-star rating.
3. 50% of consumers read at least seven reviews before feeling confident in their decision
To stay ahead, franchise brands must invest in their online reputation and provide a seamless, informative digital experience that allows potential customers to make informed decisions.
AI-Powered Search Improves the Process
The way consumers search for information online is undergoing a significant transformation, largely driven by the rise of artificial intelligence. Our survey found that 75% of consumers feel that AI improves the search experience for local businesses. Traditional keyword-based searches are evolving into more conversational, natural language queries, and AI-powered search engines are understanding intent and providing direct answers and summaries rather than just lists of links.
This shift presents both challenges and opportunities for franchise brands. Ensuring that your franchise location’s information is easily discoverable and understandable by AI models is becoming increasingly important. While AI continues to gain popularity, franchises can be prepared by focusing on these key areas:
1. Amplify Your Online Presence. Ensure your locations are in key directories, social media, and local guides.
2. Be More Conversational. Your website and content must follow suit as consumers search in a more conversational tone.
3. Focus on the Customer Experience. Set yourself apart through the customer experience. Showcase how you serve your customers through testimonials and reviews.
4. Highlight Your Expertise. Tout your experience in the community, your tenure as a business, and the experience of your team to help AI search engines understand what makes you unique.
Today’s consumer is informed, connected, and expects speed and convenience. By prioritizing faster responses, maintaining a strong and accurate online presence across all locations, and understanding how AI is changing the search landscape, franchise brands can not only meet these evolving expectations but also gain a competitive edge. Adapting to these three trends requires a unified strategy that sets local franchisees up for success while maintaining brand standards, ensuring your entire network is equipped to engage with the consumer of today and tomorrow. n
Gabriella Ferrara VP of Sales
Scorpion 27750 Entertainment Drive Valencia, CA 91355
Email: Gabriella.Ferrara@ Scorpion.Co Website: www.Scorpion.co/ Franchises
Modern Messaging Strategies Strengthen the Franchise Customer Experience
Evolving Preferences are Reshaping Engagement from Lead to Loyalty
BY CHRIS VAUGHAN, TEXTELLENT
Why Communication Strategies Need a Rethink
Textellent is an award-winning text messaging platform crafted by franchise veterans for franchise brands. Offering multi-location solutions with a franchisor module, it provides branding and compliance controls to suit every step of the customer journey. Rich multilocation SMS and MMS campaigns, autocampaigns, and templates can be shared across the franchise system. Built with deep franchise insight, Textellent integrates seamlessly with popular CRMs and franchise platforms to streamline operations and improve performance systemwide.
The way franchise brands communicate with customers is under more pressure than ever. Traditional marketing, like email, phone calls, and direct mail, no longer guarantees engagement. Email open rates are dropping, phone calls go unanswered, and consumers increasingly ignore messages that aren't timely or personalized. Franchises face added complexity: multiple locations, varying marketing expertise among franchisees, and the need for consistent brand messaging. Even well-intentioned outreach can fall flat. Add shifting customer expectations—speed, convenience, and mobile-first experiences—and it's clear that yesterday's playbook isn't enough. To stay competitive, communication must be seen as a core part of the customer experience, not just a marketing tactic. That means re-evaluating the message and how, when, and where it's delivered.
Franchise Customer Journey: Key Communication Moments
Each interaction with a customer is an opportunity to build trust (or lose it). Communication is key from when a prospect discovers your brand to follow-ups after their purchase/service. Key stages include:
X Discovery & Consideration: Capturing attention with timely outreach.
X Scheduling & Conversion: Make it easy for prospects to take action by offering quick ways to book/commit without delays or back-and-forth.
X Service Experience: Keep customers informed with confirmations, reminders, and updates during their appointment or service time.
X Post-Service & Retention: Follow up to say thanks, get feedback, encourage repeat business, reviews, or referrals.
X Reactivation: Reconnect with inactive customers through relevant, personalized outreach that reignites interest and loyalty.
Communication Channels: What's Working, What's Not
There are many ways to reach out to customers, so choosing the right channel is about effectiveness rather than convenience. The chart (see page 19) outlines the strengths and drawbacks of standard communication methods.
Communication Challenges Unique to Franchising
Franchise brands face different communication challenges than single-location businesses. A consistent brand voice across multiple locations must be weighed with local personalization and responsiveness. Not all franchisees have the same tools, training, or marketing
expertise, leading to gaps in execution. Managing opt-ins, customer data, and compliance (like TCPA and CAN-SPAM regulations) becomes more complex across locations.
Emerging Best Practices for Franchise Organizations
Leading franchise organizations are evolving customer communications to balance consistency and local control. These best practices are helping brands improve engagement across the customer journey:
X Let customers choose their preferred channel during opt-in or onboarding—text, email, phone, or a mix.
X Automate routine messages like confirmations and reminders to save time while maintaining responsiveness.
X Empower franchisees with pre-approved templates and tools to ensure brand consistency and ease of implementation.
X Monitor channel performance and adjust based on open rates and response times.
X Stay compliant with clear opt-in language and unsubscribe options.
These practices improve efficiency and strengthen customer relationships at every location.
Conclusion: A Smarter Path Forward
As customer expectations evolve, so must the way franchises communicate. Successful systems are moving beyond one-size-fits-all messaging to flexible, customer-centric strategies that align the right message with the right channel at the right time.
By rethinking communication as a key part of the customer experience, franchisors can boost engagement, loyalty, and empower franchisees to deliver consistently and efficiently.
Solutions like Textellent are designed specifically with franchise needs in mind, making it easier to manage text messaging at scale, automate touchpoints, and stay compliant while still delivering personal experiences. As brands look to modernize their communication stack, platforms built for franchising—and designed to integrate with key franchise systems and CRMs—can bridge the gap between corporate strategy and local execution while maximizing performance and visibility. n
Email: marketing@textellent. com Website: textellent.com
How to Get Franchisees to Care About Corporate Strategy
Show Them the Revenue Impact. Give Them the Tools.
Eliminate the Risk.
BY ADAM WAID, VOXIE
Voxie is the only SMS platform purpose-built for franchises—giving franchisors complete control and visibility while empowering franchisees to drive results locally. With automated campaigns, brandapproved templates, and role-based access, franchisees can engage their own contacts while staying on-brand and compliant. Corporate maintains oversight, sets strategy, and tracks performance across every location. From new lead follow-ups to win-back offers, Voxie helps franchise systems boost revenue with less effort—locally and nationally.
Franchisees aren’t just operators—they’re entrepreneurs.
They know their market, their customers, and what works at the local level. But when corporate sends down brand campaigns or strategic messaging, these initiatives can be seen as optional rather than essential—especially when they don’t come with proof. The disconnect isn’t due to unwillingness. It’s due to perspective. Franchisees want to win. And they want to do it in a way that works for their market.
So the path forward isn’t enforcement—it’s evidence.
When one Voxie customer tested corporate-approved SMS templates across a select group of franchise locations, those stores saw a 30% increase in revenue across the customer journey. That kind of proof turns skepticism into buy-in—and shows franchisees that corporate strategy can complement their local expertise. Here’s how to bridge the gap between national strategy and local execution—without losing either side of the equation.
1. Lead with Metrics, Not Memos
Franchisees make decisions like business owners because that’s exactly what they are. If you want them to adopt a corporate strategy, treat them as strategic partners who deserve real performance data—not just instructions.
Start small. Select a group of franchisees to pilot a corporateapproved campaign—like an SMS offer—and compare their results to locations that don’t. Share the results transparently.
One Voxie customer did just that: By testing corporate SMS templates across a sample group, they uncovered a 30% revenue lift compared to non-participating stores. When the rest of the system saw those numbers, they weren’t being told what to do—they were asking how to get in.
Why this works:
X Respects the franchisee’s need for proof
X Creates credible case studies based on real store data
X Shows corporate isn’t just suggesting—they’re testing, learning, and investing
2. Equip Franchisees with Tools Built for Autonomy
Even when franchisees are on board, time and resources are limited. They need systems that help them act—without giving
up control. That’s where Voxie comes in. It allows corporate teams to share pre-approved templates, branded messaging, and segmented audiences—while giving franchisees the flexibility to tailor communication to their local audience. Messages go out from franchisee-owned numbers, and analytics track performance at both the local and national levels.
This creates the ideal balance:
X Brand consistency at scale
X Local relevance and ownership
X Transparent performance measurement across the system
Execution isn’t forced—it’s facilitated.
3. Remove the Risk, Not the Flexibility
One of the biggest blockers to adoption isn’t resistance—it’s cost. Franchisees worry that sending more messages means spending more money without guaranteed returns. Smart franchisors are flipping that narrative. Rather than passing all costs downstream, many are covering the price of proven corporate campaigns—while allowing franchisees to fund their own local, one-to-many sends to eliminate the initial risk and prove the value.
Why this hybrid model works:
X Corporate ensures essential campaigns are executed consistently
X Franchisees keep the freedom to connect with their local market
X Everyone invests where it makes sense—and sees results faster
Franchisee mindset shift: From “This feels like an expense I can’t justify” to “This is a tool that helps me grow—on my terms.”
4. Build a Feedback Loop That Fuels Strategy
Top-down strategies don’t scale. The best franchise systems are powered by collaboration. Franchisees are close to the customer. They understand what resonates in their market. Creating a feedback loop that combines their insights with corporate analytics creates better campaigns—and stronger adoption.
Celebrate what’s working. Share success stories. Invite ideas. When franchisees see their input reflected in future initiatives, they feel like strategic partners—not passive recipients.
Voxie Insight: Franchisees who saw results early became champions. They shared tactics, trained peers, and even influenced future national campaigns. Corporate didn't just gain buy-in—they gained momentum.
Final Takeaway
Franchisees know their market. Corporate knows what scales. The brands that win are the ones that bring both to the table—and build strategies rooted in data, collaboration, and mutual respect.
Voxie helps franchisors do exactly that.
From national testing to compliant local execution, Voxie is the only SMS platform built for franchises. Ready to see how we help franchisees and franchisors win together?
X Request a Demo at voxie.com. n
Email: adam.waid@voxie.com
Website: www.voxie.com
Bridging the Franchise Brand Gap: Strategy + Execution for Scalable Marketing
BY AMY ANDERSON, WILD COFFEE MARKETING
COMPANY BIO
Amy Anderson is the Co-founder of Wild Coffee, a nationally recognized Fractional CMO and outsourced marketing firm specializing in franchise growth. Wild Coffee partners with fast-growing franchise brands to deliver strategy-led marketing leadership and flexible support models that scale with the needs of both corporate teams and local operators.
Franchise brands today face an increasingly complex marketing landscape. Rising customer expectations, digital scrutiny, and pressure to accelerate franchise development place heavy demands on internal marketing teams, many of which are lean and overstretched.
These teams are often responsible for everything from national brand campaigns and franchise recruitment to local store support, review management, and digital optimization. Yet few have the specialized skills, or bandwidth, to do it all.
A new model is emerging to close these gaps: a Fractional CMO supported by a flexible implementation team that can be embedded alongside internal staff or fully outsourced. This approach brings strategic leadership and the diverse, scalable capabilities needed to protect brand reputation and drive growth system-wide.
Why Strategy Alone Isn’t Enough
Many franchise brands recognize the need for better strategic direction and hire a Fractional CMO to bring clarity and focus. While this can provide short-term value, the model often falls short in practice.
Why? Because strategy without execution doesn't scale. Most fractional CMOs operate solo, without the support infrastructure needed to bring their plans to life. Meanwhile, agencies are designed to primarily focus on deliverables, leaving the strategic heavy lifting to internal teams that may lack the bandwidth or skill sets to carry it out. This is especially true in an environment that relies so heavily on multiple disciplines, from corporate branding and franchise development to local SEO and hyper-localized marketing. What’s missing is a fully integrated operating model, one that connects strategy with action, and leadership with execution.
How the Integrated Marketing Model Works
The integrated marketing model combines a Fractional CMO with an outsourced, fractional marketing team that can deliver fullservice execution. Together, they form a scalable marketing function that replaces or augments a traditional in-house department at a fraction of the cost.
This team can:
X Define brand architecture, franchise development messaging, and local marketing frameworks
X Design martech stacks that address multiple customer touchpoints and KPI needs, including CRM, online ordering, multi-location marketing, and analytics
X Act as a fractional outsourced marketing department, providing design, digital, content creation, and strategic services
X Bridge internal silos and create alignment between brand, development, and local execution
Brands benefit from:
X Greater consistency across markets
X Franchise development that is integrated and consistent with overall marketing strategies
X Faster campaign execution and improved adoption of brand resources by franchisees
X Elimination of the need to hire and manage multiple in-house marketing specialists
Unlike solo consultants or siloed agencies, this model brings accountability, efficiency, and strategic depth into one streamlined solution.
Impact in the Field
Franchise systems that adopt this model see meaningful performance gains across the board, often with accelerated timelines.
For example:
X One growth-stage food brand reduced cost per lead by 42% after integrating media, messaging, and CRM efforts under one strategic team.
X A wellness franchise improved online reputation scores across 30+ locations by centralizing listing management and review response.
X A regional brand launching in new markets reduced time-to-open marketing timelines by 40%, enabling faster ramp-up and more consistent results.
X Internal marketing teams report reduced burnout, better crossdepartmental alignment, and the ability to focus on long-term priorities instead of reactive requests.
These results stem not from bigger budgets, but from better alignment between leadership, execution, and goals.
The Future of Franchise Marketing Teams
In today’s fragmented franchise landscape, strategy without execution and execution without strategy leads to stalled growth, brand erosion, and frustrated operators.
The Fractional CMO + implementation team model closes this gap. It allows franchise systems to operate with the discipline, scale, and expertise of a mature marketing department without the cost or complexity of building one from scratch.
For brands navigating growth, market expansion, or brand transformation, this model is no longer a luxury. It’s a competitive advantage. n
Amy Anderson Co-founder
Wild Coffee Marketing 6919 W Broward Blvd Suite #154 Plantation, FL 33317
Phone: 855-263-3335
Email: info@wildcoffeemarketing.com
Website: wildcoffeemarketing. com
email and SMS campaigns across all your locations, with total control from one dashboard. All while giving each franchisee their own local, personalized voice.
