Sign-on to Social Media in Building Your Local Franchise

Opening a local franchise is a fantastic way to not only use your own entrepreneurial spirit, but also to leverage the history and brand recognition of the franchiser.

Taking this route in business, you can bring in profits from established brands without having to do the initial legwork, meaning you can focus more on turning your local franchise into a powerhouse within the community.

This is more helpful in smaller towns, but with a little bit of planning, you can succeed beyond your expectations in even the most crowded markets.

What's Your Plan?

Now, while it's true that opening a franchise can give you an initial advantage, you'll still need to have a game plan in terms of attracting new business and retaining current customers.

Yes, providing quality products and service is key; you'll also need to have a strong marketing plan in place.

Traditional marketing and advertising still works, but in the age of the Internet, you'll also have to be sure to include a strong social media presence in your strategy.

History of Social Media

Social media can be defined in a wide-range of terms, and therefore, you shouldn't limit yourself when designing your plan.

In the early days of the Internet, bulletin boards, message boards, forums, and group chat sessions could technically be thought of as social media.

As Internet technology evolved, more sophisticated connections could be formed through sites like MySpace.

Today, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram dominate the social media landscape by providing real-time interaction and sharing of content between users within seconds.

Why Social Media is Important to Your Franchise's Success

Because there are billions of people using social media on a daily basis, whether on a desktop or mobile device, your local franchise would be smart to keep up.

Today's social media tools can make or break the success of a local business, especially if you don't stay on top of things.

For instance, Yelp is a site that allows users to submit reviews of local businesses, good or bad, and others can read and comment on the reviews.

Receiving poor reviews on Yelp, or refusing to refute negative claims, can give potential customers the impression that the reviews are true and/or you just don't care. This is not a recipe for increased or return business.

How to Make the Most of Social Media

In the article, "Use Social Media to Build a Formidable Local Franchise," it's suggested that you engage your social media followers whenever possible.

If someone on Facebook posts a complaint about a transactional experience, immediately offer apologies and try to make the situation right.

Also, you could consider using social media to advertise coupons or special offers for customers in your local area. Finally, post often and encourage sharing.

This helps to spread the word about your business while building brand ambassadors in the local area and beyond.