Running a franchise is exciting—no doubt about that. But let’s be real, it’s a big responsibility too. Aside from the franchising costs and financing, you’re not just running a business. You’re leading a group of people who’ve trusted you with their investment, time, and belief in what your brand stands for. And if you want that vision to thrive across every location, you need an innovative, flexible franchise marketing strategy that works for everyone, not just at the top but also on the ground level.
Marketing a franchise is a different beast. You’ve got to keep the brand consistent while offering franchise opportunities and helping franchisees succeed in their unique markets. It’s about giving them the tools, the playbook, and the confidence to tell your story well, wherever they are.
So let’s break it down. Here’s how to create a franchise marketing strategy that grows your brand and empowers your franchisees.
How to Create a Franchise Marketing Strategy
Creating a franchise marketing strategy isn’t just about big-picture branding—it’s about giving your franchisees a clear, effective roadmap for local success. From setting a budget to tracking results, here’s how you can build a franchise strategy that keeps your brand strong and helps every location grow confidently.
1. Set a Budget
Everything starts here. Before you plan anything, get clear on how much you’re working with. You’re likely pulling from a marketing fund—usually made up of franchisee fees—so it’s essential to be transparent about how the money is spent.
What works well is splitting your budget between big-picture branding efforts (think national ads, PR, digital campaigns) and local marketing support. Franchisees will usually have their own local spend, too, so give them some structure. Help them understand how to make the most of their budget without feeling like they’re winging it.
2. Get Clear on Your Goals
What exactly are you trying to accomplish? Is it more foot traffic to stores, better brand awareness, more online orders, or franchise growth?
Whatever it is, be specific, and help your franchisees align with those goals at a local level. For example, if you’re focused on increasing online visibility, you might run paid search ads nationally while encouraging locations to optimize their Google Business Profiles locally.
When everyone’s working toward the same finish line, you see better results across the board.
3. Know Who You’re Talking To
You probably already have a good sense of your ideal customer, but don’t assume that the same audience exists in every community.
Give franchisees a strong base, like customer personas and key messaging, but encourage them to adapt based on their local market. A store in a college town may lean younger, while one in the suburbs may need a more family-focused approach.
You set the tone. They add the local flavor.
4. Pick the Right Marketing Channels
Not every channel is right for every audience, and you don’t need to be everywhere to be effective. Your role is to figure out which platforms make sense for advertising for franchises—maybe that’s Google Ads, Facebook, Instagram, or even YouTube—and then create franchise models that help franchisees understand where to focus locally.
For example, you might handle national Facebook campaigns while they run local promotions on their individual pages. Or maybe you provide social templates, and they just plug in their store details. That depends on the specifics of your franchise agreement.
Keep it simple. Make it easy for them to stay active where it matters most.
5. Build a Strong Online Presence
If you’re not online, your franchise marketing strategy basically doesn’t exist. Your brand’s website should be solid, mobile-friendly, and easy to navigate. Better yet, create individual pages or microsites for each franchise location. That helps with SEO and quickly gives customers the local info they’re looking for.
Also, make sure your franchisees have what they need to keep their online listings updated. Things like store hours, phone numbers, and photos make a huge difference when someone’s deciding where to spend their money.
6. Create and Share Content
People want to connect with your brand, not just buy from it. Content helps make that happen. From blogs and videos to emails and social media posts, your job is to help franchisees with franchise management and give them content that speaks to customers in an authentic way.
Create a shared content library, build out templates, and even create a monthly calendar they can follow. The easier you make it for them, the more likely they are to actually use it and stay on brand while doing it.
7. Track What’s Working
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Put systems in place to track performance across channels—national and local. That includes things like:
* Website traffic
* Ad performance
* Social engagement
* Online reviews
* Customer feedback
Then share that data. Make it digestible for franchisees so they know what’s working and where they can improve. Franchise marketing doesn’t have to be a guessing game.
8. Teach Your Franchisees to Be Marketers
You don’t need every franchisee to be a marketing pro, but they need to understand the basics of starting a franchise and marketing it effectively. That starts with training, during onboarding, and throughout their journey with your brand.
Host webinars. Create how-to guides. Offer support when they hit a wall. Most importantly, remind them that marketing is about building relationships, not just running ads.
When your franchisees feel confident and supported, they’ll market your franchise with more intention and impact.
Local Marketing Tips You Should Share With Franchisees
Local marketing offers advantages and disadvantages for franchises. This is where your franchisees can shine or fail. Here’s what you should encourage them to focus on to ensure success:
Keep the Brand Consistent
This is non-negotiable. Consistency builds trust. Make sure every location uses the same logos, colors, fonts, and tone. Customers should have the same experience whether they’re in Manila or Quezon City.
Create a brand guide and stick to it. If franchisees want to customize anything, have a review process in place. Local flair is excellent—just ensure it still feels like your brand.
Lean Into Content Marketing
Stories connect people. Encourage franchisees to share local wins—maybe a customer testimonial, a behind-the-scenes look at their team, or a post about a local partnership.
The key? Keep it authentic. People love real stories from real people in their community.
Focus on Local SEO
Help your franchisees understand the power of being found on Google. Step one is claiming and optimizing their Google Business Profile. Then come the reviews, the keywords, and the local backlinks.
Teach them to use terms their customers are actually searching for, like “best breakfast near me” or “fast oil change in QC.” It’s a small shift that can make a big difference.
Partner With Local Influencers
Influencers aren’t just for big brands. Micro-influencers—people with 1,000 to 10,000 followers—can make a difference in local markets.
Encourage franchisees to reach out to local foodies, fitness coaches, bloggers, or parents with strong community followings. A simple post or story can drive serious foot traffic.
Be Social—But Strategic
Social media is a must, but it can get overwhelming. Give franchisees tools to make it easier, like templates, approved hashtags, and photo libraries.
Encourage them to post about local events, new products, team milestones, or anything else that adds personality to their page. Additionally, remember that responding to comments and direct messages is a significant part of the role. It demonstrates that there is a real person behind the account.
Get Involved in the Community
Nothing builds trust like showing up. Franchisees should be active in their neighborhoods—sponsoring events, setting up booths at local festivals, or even hosting workshops.
It’s not just good for business—it makes the brand feel like part of the community.
Take Franchise Marketing to the Next Level
Your franchise strategy isn’t just about advertising for franchises or sales funnels. It’s about connection. You’re building something bigger than yourself—a network of people who believe in your brand and want to grow with it.
Your job is to give your franchisees the tools, guidance, and confidence to market consistently, effectively, and uniquely local. When you do that well, you create a brand that’s not just recognizable but respected.
So take the lead, build the blueprint, and let your franchisees bring it to life, one community at a time.
