Your franchise just opened its 50th location, and while that’s certainly something worth celebrating, take a minute to think about whether you’d actually click on a news story about it if it weren’t your company.
It’s a simple question, but it’s an important one to ask before sending your next pitch or press release. What feels like big news inside your organization isn’t always going to catch the attention of a reporter or their audience.
Reporters aren’t looking for ways to promote your franchise. They’re looking for stories their readers, viewers and listeners will find interesting. Understanding the difference between what’s important to your company and what’s interesting to everyone else is a big part of successful franchise public relations strategies.
Fortunately, franchise brands often have more newsworthy stories than they realize.
Look Beyond the Announcement
A new location, executive hire or company milestone can be worth announcing, but the announcement itself isn’t always the most interesting part. Franchise systems are filled with people whose stories can give reporters a much better reason to care.
It could be a veteran thriving in a second career as a franchise owner, a family that turned one location into a multigenerational business or parents preparing to pass the company to children who hope to eventually do the same. Other opportunities may connect an owner’s experience to a career trend, local economic shift or growing market.
Finding those connections can turn a routine announcement into a human-interest or business story people actually want to read. They can also support franchise development by helping prospective owners see themselves in the experiences of people already succeeding within your system.
That kind of third-party validation can say something about your franchise opportunity that a recruitment ad simply can’t.
Become Part of the Stories Already Happening
Being newsworthy doesn’t always require something new happening at your company.
Your executives and franchise owners have expertise that can contribute to conversations already taking place. Economic uncertainty, changing consumer habits, labor challenges, new technology and trends within your industry can all create opportunities for your brand to provide useful insight.
The key is understanding what journalists are covering and offering the right expert at the right time.
That’s why effective franchise public relations isn’t about finding a reason to mention your company in the news. It’s about finding where your experience, people and perspective add something worthwhile to the story.
Before deciding your next announcement deserves media coverage, ask yourself one simple question: Would you click on it?
If the answer is no, there may still be a great story there. You just have to know where to look.
Ripley PR is an award-winning franchise PR agency that helps brands tell powerful stories, build credibility and drive growth. Recognized by Entrepreneur and Franchise Business Review as a leading franchise PR partner, we know what it takes to get your brand noticed. Call 987-977-1973 or contact us here today.
