As an introvert, I appreciate the ease and brevity that can come from an email or text exchange. If there’s a chat option for customer service, I’m generally choosing it instead calling a CSR who will remind me my call with be recorded for quality assurance and training purposes.
But as a communications professional, I also understand the value and importance of real-time conversations and in-person meetings, especially when it comes to career choices. Take franchising, for example. A franchisor hosts a Discovery Day to give you an opportunity to size them up and vice versa. I like how Franchise Business Review describes it:
Discovery Day … allows you, the invited franchise candidate, to get a true feel for the franchise company you’re interested in. It’s an opportunity to get to spend time with their top executives and understand their core values and what they believe will make you a successful business owner. Conversely, Discovery Day is an important way for franchisors to size up their top candidates and determine who are best qualified to help them grow their brand.
That in-person meet-and-greet is a big factor in building that franchise relationship. But the Discovery Day is only one step in a multi-faceted process. A strong support system and continuing guidance from your corporate team is just as important.
Another great way to continue to build a bond with your franchisees? Host an annual conference. Those once-a-year touchpoints allow your franchise team to celebrate a year’s worth of wins and discuss challenges you’ve overcome. It’s also an amazing opportunity for franchisees to network and learn new methods to grow their business.
A PR agency who understands the franchising space can be a valued partner as you navigate the franchisee relationship. At Ripley PR, we include everything from crisis management to media outreach to content creation in our franchise public relations strategy. We’ve also helped multiple franchisors plan and host their conferences. Whether it’s your first or your 10th, having support onsite to help you field questions, offer directions and coordinate vendors helps take the pressure off.
Just you know, we’re pretty great with Discovery Days, too.
As your franchise continues to grow, make sure you’ve got the right partner in your corner. Call Ripley PR at (865) 977-1973 or contact us online.
