Franchise Relations Summit: Track I Social Media Risk Moderator: Andrew Perrin Larkin Hoffman Ashley Betzendahl Manager, Interactive Media Goddard Systems, Inc. Speakers: Deb Binder VP, Marketing & Communications Ingage Consulting Andy Giefer Director, Digital & Social Media Anytime Fitness LLC
Ashley Betzendahl Goddard Systems, Inc. Manager, Interactive Media Part I: Impact of Interactive Media and Franchise Development
The Impact of Interactive Media A strong interactive and digital presence is an important franchise lead generator Successful consumer social media engagement engages prospects Social media is part of the due diligence process and often the discovery process
The Impact of Social Media Provide value to your fans across multiple social platforms but only join ones that align with your brand i.e. TGS does not encourage parents to checkin to location-based social networks
Facebook & Franchise Sales Include a visible lead generation tab on consumer brand page Don t necessarily need a separate Facebook Page
Facebook & Franchise Sales: Advertising Facebook advertising June 20 August 31 Audience: 960,000 in developing states Targeted Audience Based on: Gender Age Interests
Facebook & Franchise Sales: The Results Demographic we typically reach on Facebook:
Facebook & Franchise Sales: The Results The demographic reached during our franchise development Facebook ad campaign:
Beyond Facebook & Franchise Sales YouTube Utilize current brand YouTube page Become an Owner playlist Twitter & Blog Need a separate presence Provide tips about franchising, marketing, entrepreneurship Information about your brand
Ashley Betzendahl Goddard Systems, Inc. Manager, Interactive Media Part II: Monitoring Social Media
Importance of Monitoring Listening is MORE IMPORTANT than Speaking Need to know what people are saying about you before you join the conversation Who, What, Where? Who is talking about you? What about? Is there an issue? Is training needed? Where are customers talking? Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogs/Forums?
Monitoring Tools Free Google Alerts Yahoo Alerts Bing Alerts Paid Radian6 Hootsuite Paid and free versions BrandWatch SproutSocial What to Monitor? Your brand(s) mentions Your brand(s) online reviews Your competition Your industry Review Site Monitoring Many free and paid monitoring systems do not pick up review sites
What Can You Find? The Good, Bad and Ugly.and sometimes the threatening
Top 5 Suggestions 1. Listen before you speak What are people saying? What is the tone? What are they saying about your competitors? What are your competitors saying? 2. It s not about the number of people connected it s about engagement ROE is the new ROI 3. Provide VALUE Don t talk about yourself, talk about what matters to your customers 80/20 rule 4. You don t need to be on every social network If your customers are not there, and it does not align with your brand don t join! 5. Franchise Sales and Consumer: Use an integrated interactive approach It s not just about Facebook don t forget about SEO, SEM and digital display ads!
Deb Binder Ingage Consulting VP, Marketing Communications Encouraging Franchisees to Participate in Social Media
Getting Franchisee Participation
Why Is It So Hard? Don t Tell Me What To Do they re independent and entrepreneurial They don t get social media What is this social media thing? they re older They re too busy They don t see how social translates to branding or sales OMG! What if someone says something negative about my business!? they re scared
How to Get Franchisees to Participate Responsibilities Assign one person in your organization to own your social media Focus your social media efforts Make it normal business for the franchisee - Include social media in the marketing calendar - Tie some NOT ALL content to marketing events contests, giveaways
How to Get Franchisees to Participate Make it easy and interesting for the franchisee Write and develop content for them Write generic posts, Tweets. Create YouTube videos. Teach them how to make the content theirs Encourage them to add their own local events and photos.
How to Get Franchisees to Participate Make it easy and interesting for the franchisee Reward them for their own content and results Reduce convention / conference fees Free advertising Rebates Contests for them
How to Get Franchisees to Participate Do ongoing communication Include in ongoing corporate communication Special webinars. Include visuals of posts, results and have successful franchisees speak on the webinar. Include in annual convention Share and engage What other franchisees are doing What competition is doing Posts made by other franchisees Company and franchisee results What social media is doing in general
Top 5 suggestions to Increase Franchisee Engagement in Social Media Programs 1. Encourage each franchisee to assign one person to own your social media. 2. Integrate social media into your overall marketing efforts 3. Develop content for franchisees to make it easier for them 4. Ongoing communication 5. Share
Andy Giefer Anytime Fitness, LLC Director, Digital & Social Media Winning With Decentralized Social Media
Winning With Decentralized Social Media Control doesn t scale Local engagement delivers on our brand Empowered & accountable franchisees SEO benefits of local social
Example: Gallatin, TN
Example: Gallatin, TN
Corporate s Role Set the strategy & lead by example Set them up for success: education, tools, content Franchise-wide initiatives: promotions, brand advocacy 3M: Monitoring, management, measurement Highlight authentic, spontaneous, on-the-ground content
Example: January Membership Campaign
Example: Mining Authentic Local Content
What About Franchise Growth? Social proof: strong social is a good indicator Customers make great franchisee candidates Help people visualize themselves as owners Highlight successes and milestones Need content? Answer your top 10 FAQs
What About Franchise Growth?
Top 5 Suggestions 1. Great content is local; find a way to tap into it 2. Celebrate your community, not just your brand 3. Minimize risk through education and tools 4. Think of social & SEO as symbiotic, not siloed 5. Don t be afraid of some crossover between consumer & franchise social efforts
Questions? Moderator: Andrew Perrin Larkin Hoffman Ashley Betzendahl Manager, Interactive Media Goddard Systems, Inc. Speakers: Deb Binder VP, Marketing & Communications Ingage Consulting Andy Giefer Director, Digital & Social Media Anytime Fitness LLC
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