Four Franchise Marketing Strategies that Lead to Success

As a staffing franchise owner, you have a lot on your plate—and that includes figuring out how to successfully reach both the clients and candidates you need to stay up and running. But by relying on some effective franchise marketing strategies and tailoring them to fit your needs as a staffing franchisee, you can stand out from the competition and thrive. From using digital marketing techniques to building strong local relationships to leaning on your franchisor’s brand, we’ll walk you through some of the essential approaches you can take. 

1. Develop a marketing plan

First and foremost, a well-structured franchise marketing plan is key to success. At its most basic level, the primary components of a good franchise marketing plan should include identifying your target audience, defining brand positioning, setting a budget, establishing specific goals, and creating metrics to measure success. With all these pieces together, your marketing plan will serve as a clear roadmap for attracting clients and candidates, by making sure that all of your marketing efforts are aligned and effective. 

And as you’re building your marketing plan, you should also be conducting thorough research on your local market. This will give you some insights into your local competition, while shedding light on your target audience’s preferences so you can tailor your marketing efforts to their needs and behaviors. For example, if your branch is located in an area where a large percentage of the population speaks Spanish, you’ll probably want to produce both English and Spanish versions of any marketing materials you create. 

One last note: Don’t forget your franchisor’s brand! Your marketing plan should sync up with your parent company's branding guidelines and overall strategy. This provides a consistent experience for your target audience—so they’re not confused by your branch taking a radically different approach than they’ve seen other locations take—and helps you leverage your franchisor’s brand's reputation and resources. 

2. Lean on your franchisor’s brand recognition

We’ve already touched on this briefly, but operating under an established and reputable franchisor brand offers you huge advantages for franchise success. If you’re a Spherion franchisee, our brand recognition and credibility can open doors, draw in new clients, and instill confidence among candidates who choose to work with you.

This is exactly why brand consistency is so valuable. You want to make sure your target audience knows that your franchise location will provide them with that same level of success and stability, and maintaining brand messaging, visual identity, and customer experience across all locations helps to reassure them of that. With a unified brand, you can build trust and loyalty among every branch’s clients and candidates, who know that they will receive the same high-quality service and professionalism.

If your franchisor is similar to Spherion, they likely provide extensive marketing tools and materials, as well as a corporate marketing team for additional support and guidance. These resources can give you a huge leg up, because developing them from scratch is typically time-consuming and expensive for new franchisees. 

All that’s to say: Don’t be shy when it comes to leaning on the power of the franchisor brand to boost your marketing impact and grow your business.

3. Explore local digital marketing options

In a world that’s growing increasingly digital every day, having a strong online presence is non-negotiable for any successful franchise. But depending on your market, you can adjust some of your digital marketing tactics to more effectively connect with your community and find the right clients and candidates.

• Local SEO: SEO can make a big difference in how easily people can find your franchise online. Make sure your website is optimized for local search terms, keep your Google Business Profile updated, and get listed in local directories. 
• Social media: Building a local following on social media helps you stay connected and top of mind. Share interesting content, interact with followers, or use targeted ads to reach the people who need your services—or all three! 
• Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising: PPC is another targeted approach. With PPC, you can create ads for specific demographics and areas, ensuring that your message reaches those most likely to become clients or candidates.
• Email marketing and content marketing: Sending out regular, informative emails keeps your audience engaged and informed, while creating valuable content like blog posts and newsletters helps establish your franchise as a go-to resource.

With a combination of some of these tried-and-true local digital marketing strategies, you can create the kind of steady customer base you need to grow your franchise.

4. Test out other local advertising opportunities

Beyond digital advertising, there are plenty of on-the-ground franchise advertising options for you to take advantage of to grant you more visibility in your local market. Using these offline tactics in conjunction with digital marketing strategies is an especially effective and well-rounded way to connect with your target audience.

• Think about using print ads in local newspapers, radio spots, billboards, and direct mail campaigns to reach more people in your community.
• Sponsoring local events and community initiatives is another great way to get your name out there—simultaneously building goodwill and raising awareness of your staffing services.
• Networking and building relationships with local businesses and organizations are also important. Attend local business meetings, join community groups, and collaborate with other local enterprises to create a strong support network and increase your reach.
• Participating in job fairs and industry events is a fantastic way to showcase your staffing services directly to potential clients and candidates. These events offer great opportunities to make personal connections and demonstrate your expertise.
• Lastly, don't underestimate the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Providing exceptional experiences for your clients and candidates means they're more likely to recommend your services to others, helping you build a positive reputation in your community.

Time to reach out and engage with your audience

That’s it for now! Let’s recap the key marketing strategies we’ve covered for staffing franchises. We talked about creating a solid marketing plan, using local digital marketing, and exploring traditional offline advertising options. We also talked about harnessing the power of your parent brand and working with their marketing team to access their resources and expertise.

Now it’s time to put these strategies into action! Try introducing some of these marketing techniques, and watch your franchise grow and thrive.