exPert Advice
usiNg Your locAl
KNoWledge to P romote
Your sociAl mediA
Local knowledge and personality can be
extremely advantageous when it comes to
promotion of localised services. The strength
of a brand is usually established by existing
marketing strategies, so adding the extra
dimension of a local social media platform
can enhance further brand development that
would otherwise be left unexplored.
“one of the central
benefits of running a
franchise business is that
your brand’s identity is
recognisable before you
have even begun to target
your local area.”BrANd seNsitive sociAl
mediA PArticiPA tioN
Remember, social media is essentially a
conversation between two people, in this case
yourself and your customers. But a note of
caution, this is not your personal social media
account, you are representing your business
and the franchise business, so be sure you are
representing it in the best light possible.
Appropriate marketing and social media
strategies will depend highly on the policies
and guidelines of your specific head office.
Appropriateness can relate to both the content
and the delivery. Devising clever, engaging
content must always be balanced by the
guidelines and restrictions of your brand.sociAl mediA
resPoNsiBilities
In most franchise business models, it’s the
franchisee’s business who owns the customers
and customer relationships, not the head office
brand. And more than likely, your customers
are interacting with social media, both with
friends and brands that they trust and like.
Social media is an imperative marketing tool
that can contribute to your own business
without relying on any marketing funds
from head office or nationally rolled out
campaigns. Used correctly, and within the
brand constraints you operate, social media
is essentially a free marketing tool that is
only limited by your time, creativity and
imagination. Well, mostly time.