FRANCHISE GROWTH
Cutting Through All The NOISE:
Building Lead Generation Campaigns that Actually Resonate BY M A R T Y M E N A R D - P R E S I D E N T, G I A N T C R E AT I V E
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ith close to 1,200 franchise brands and over 76,000 franchise locations that represent almost 50 different industry sectors, it’s abundantly clear that Canada loves franchising. Whether it’s owning them, working at them, or buying from them, it’s no accident that franchised businesses contribute over $100 billion to the Canadian economy each year, creating nearly two million jobs and making it the 12th largest industry sector in Canada. As exciting and encouraging as this is for the future of Canadian franchising, the flip side of that shiny coin means there are literally over 1,000 unique franchise brands, all vying for the same franchise leads that you are. And when you factor in the 1,000+ brokers, online portals, trade shows, and a digital publishing landscape that changes algorithms and the rules of engagement faster than you can say ‘WhatsApp,’ how does your franchise brand stay relevant? How do your lead generation campaigns cut through all that noise to locate, target, and generate quality franchise leads that are genuinely interested in joining your franchise family? Over the past decade, I have worked with emerging and established brands alike, and one of the things I see constantly is the disconnect between their overarching marketing strategy and their tactical execution. An uninformed tactical campaign can and will negatively impact your franchise lead generation efforts and in some cases, can even hurt your brand equity in new and existing territories.
20 The Franchise Voice // Summer 2023
Gone should be the days of casting wide nets through generic lead generation campaigns that target the masses, designed for high volume, low quality, and aimed at letting the franchise sales team sort through the deluge of low-to-no-quality leads. Successful franchise lead generation should no longer be an afterthought that receives the dregs of the marketing budget. Instead, it must be a meaningful allocation of resources to maximize engagement that helps create a real connection with your franchise prospects. Today’s franchising landscape is a buyer’s market, plain and simple. The most successful organizations are the ones doing their homework and ensuring that their franchise lead generation campaigns are given the same level of resource commitment as the brand’s overarching marketing strategy. So, how do winning brands elevate their digital lead generation marketing? Well, like everything else in the world of business and marketing, it starts with significant planning. Targeting the Right Audiences And I do mean plural. Canada is one of the most diverse nations in the world, as it’s home to 400 unique ethnicities split off into unique age groups. From millennials to Gen X, new Canadians to multi-generational families, Canada’s population is as diverse as their unique motivations for purchasing a franchisee. But here’s the good news: there’s a good chance your franchise organization has already done (some of) the www.cfa.ca | www.FranchiseCanada.Online