5 Tips to Make it Easy for Franchises to be on Brand
SpeedPro is a leading B2B large format printing franchise who works with franchisors to supply consistent vehicle wraps, signage, environmental graphics packages, grand opening kits, event tents and more to their franchisees.
- Create cardinal rules.
Brand standards can be very detailed and can get complicated, which serves its purpose and is necessary in some applications. However, busy owners and their marketing teams may not take the time to pore over every detail, so it is helpful to establish one to three nonnegotiable brand rules. For example, X brand element is always X color in every application. If these rules are very explicit, simple and constantly reinforced, they will be widely followed in the system.
- Follow your own brand standards. No exceptions.
Almost every franchisor has at least the one employee or department that’s constantly ignoring the brand rules. It does not matter if it is only one order of pens or just for this one trade show event, when you break your own brand standards as the franchisor, no matter how minor the infraction, you are simultaneously confusing the owners and their teams and endorsing deviation from the brand.
- Select one centralized national vendor.
Find a national supplier as a one-stop shop for all locations that can maintain consistent quality, color, etc. and has all of your brand standards and design files. For example, when franchisors work with SpeedPro to provide vehicle wraps, wall graphics, window clings, signage, trade show booths, banners, grand opening kits, etc. each franchisee is able to get the approved design tailored to their custom specs for their vehicle or location within the bounds set by the franchisor. Franchisors can also negotiate a discount at a national level to incentivize franchisees to work with the preferred supplier so that it’s a win-win for both the franchisor and the franchisees.
- Offer Online Ordering.
Anything the franchisor can do to reduce friction in the process, the more likely the franchisees and staff are to utilize the branding correctly. Offering online ordering in a custom storefront that is setup for your branded items like grand opening kits, signs, window clings, floor decals, event tents, banners, trade show booths, etc. on a national level makes it seamless for franchise owners to get what they need and makes it easy for the franchisor to ensure compliance. A custom online ordering option is what you can expect from a national supplier like SpeedPro.
- Allow customization where needed.
Deciding to what degree marketing materials are locked down versus editable is an important decision for each franchisor to make based on the needs of the system and the strength of the brand. When franchise owners feel too restricted, they may feel the need to create their own materials entirely. A common example is if there is a particular product or service that the location does not offer and all of the corporate materials include that product or service, the franchisee may refuse all corporate marketing.
Taking the burden of designing and ordering branded products from scratch off of the franchisees, allows owners more time to focus on their business.
If you are looking for a branding partner, work with SpeedPro on a national level. SpeedPro is a 120-location B2B large format printing and signage franchise that services locations anywhere in the U.S. SpeedPro works with each franchisor to establish custom brand guidelines, products and discounts on items like signs, wall murals, window clings, floor decals, trade show booths, banners, A-frames, event tents, grand opening kits and more to ensure that every location receives the same quality and consistency.
Partner with SpeedPro to make it easy for franchisees to be brand compliant. Contact [email protected], call 720-930-4596 or visit www.speedpro.com/franchising-brands.