Top Takeaways fom Netsertive's December Franchise Executive Roundtable

Netsertive recently hosted its December Franchise Executive Roundtable, where franchise leaders came together to address key challenges and share best practices in communication, marketing, and franchise development. The discussions offered valuable insights into optimizing franchise operations, enhancing owner engagement, and future-proofing franchise development strategies. Here are some key takeaways: 

Communication: Message Clarity in Franchising - Best Practices for Owner Engagement and Team Communication

The conversation surrounding communication emphasized the need for clarity, consistency, and engagement across all channels. Franchisors face the ongoing challenge of balancing the frequency and content of communications with franchisees to ensure they are engaged without being overwhelmed. Here are some key strategies discussed during the roundtable:

Key Insights and Strategies:

• Multi-Channel Communication Approach: A combination of weekly newsletters, chats, and calls, alongside centralized, searchable archives, makes information more accessible. Incorporating AI to improve searchability is an emerging best practice.
• Franchisee Engagement: Recognizing franchisees through shout-outs or involving them in content creation during calls is a great way to increase participation and build a sense of community.
• Franchise Business Coaches (FBCs) Role: FBCs reinforce communications during check-ins, helping bridge any gaps and ensure messages are received and acted upon.

Marketing: Content That Converts - Storytelling for Franchise Marketing Success

The marketing session focused on the power of storytelling to connect with both potential customers and franchisees. With the evolving landscape of digital marketing, the conversation explored the importance of content that resonates and converts.

Key Insights and Strategies:

• Organic Lead Generation: There was a lively discussion about the effectiveness of "organic" lead generation, with a shift toward using content that tells authentic franchisee stories. This type of content builds trust and is more impactful in the long run.
• Evaluating Sales Performance: Attendees emphasized the importance of analyzing sales teams’ performance throughout the conversion funnel, especially in light of shifting advertising platforms like Meta (Facebook and Instagram), as opposed to traditional search engine ads.
• Integrating Webhooks with FranConnect: Utilizing integrations like webhooks in franchise marketing systems such as FranConnect ensures a seamless flow of information and helps in tracking leads and conversions more accurately.

Franchise Development: Future-Proofing FranDev - Attracting High-Quality Candidates in a Changing Economy

The franchise development discussion focused on adapting to changing market conditions while attracting high-quality candidates to grow and sustain franchise systems. With a focus on the evolving nature of franchise development, several key insights were shared:

Key Insights and Strategies:

• Defining "Future-Proofing": Participants discussed the challenge of future-proofing franchise development in an uncertain economy. They emphasized pipeline analysis to identify bottlenecks and ensure a steady flow of high-quality candidates.
• Election Cycles and Candidate Decision-Making: The influence of political cycles on franchisee decision-making was highlighted as a potential delay factor, with some brands using these times as an opportunity to push candidates through the final stages of the sales process.
• CRM Utilization: Proper use of customer relationship management (CRM) systems can streamline the discovery process, ensuring that franchise development teams are tracking leads effectively and avoiding conversion bottlenecks.

Franchise Advisory Councils (FACs): Enhancing Peer-to-Peer Communication

The roundtable also explored the role of Franchise Advisory Councils (FACs) in facilitating communication and improving franchisee engagement. The discussion highlighted how to structure and utilize FACs to ensure they are effective in supporting the franchise system.

Key Insights and Strategies:

• Effective Implementation: FACs should be implemented at the right stage of growth, typically when reaching around 100 units. The composition should balance corporate alignment with franchisee representation to maintain honest and open communication.
• Clear Role Definitions: Establishing bylaws and clear roles within FACs ensures productive and focused conversations. This approach helps align franchisees with corporate goals while allowing for constructive feedback and representation.

Conclusion

The December Franchise Executive Roundtable provided insights for franchise leaders seeking to improve communication, marketing, and franchise development efforts. By implementing the strategies shared during the event, franchisors and franchisees can position themselves for sustained success in a competitive and ever-evolving marketplace.