Franchise Update Magazine Issue II, 2012 | Page 32

Grow Market Lead
30

CMO
roundtable:
Ron Parikh
CMO, Genghis Grill Franchise Concepts/
The Chalak Group

We have three strategies
in place for communicating and providing tools
to franchisees. First, we
provide weekly calls with
our low-volume units.
This is a good way for us to discuss their
marketing strategies every week. We believe that with open discussion our franchisees feel comfortable and stronger in
marketing our brand to our fans. With
coaching and guidance, it opens the flow
of communication. Brian and Jeff Durbin,
our Genghis Grill franchisees in Ellisville,
Mo., are a perfect example. They are
more of a lower-volume store, and with
weekly marketing calls and guidance they
had a 5 percent comp sales increase the
next year. They were also named Franchisee of the Year at this past year’s convention, based on customer service, number of complaints, comp sales, secret
shops, and overall operations.
Our second strategy involves discussing local store marketing practices on
monthly webinars. We do company-wide
webinars to update our system on what’s
going on in each department. As for the
marketing department, we make sure to
let others have the spotlight for 5 to 10
minutes to share successful marketing
ideas and stories. There is more credibility when you have your team sharing
with each other.
Third, it’s important to have marketing
tools readily available. We provide a file
library and print-on-demand service for
our franchisees to use at their convenience.
Should they ever need marketing documents such as business cards, coupons,
and flyers, we have approved artwork and
templates they can use.
As for reaching out to customers, we
have four different methods for staying
in contact with them:
1. Email marketing. We have merged
Franchiseupdate Iss u e II, 2 0 1 2

From a marketing perspective, what
are the keys to improving franchise
system response for existing
franchisees and customers?
our email database with our loyalty program. We currently have 750,000 fans in
our database, and we use this as an effective
tool to communicate our news and deals.
2. Social media. We are heavily penetrated in social media. We use the social
media channels to communicate to our
fans and find out what they are thinking, as well as to engage in conversations
with them.
3. Customer loyalty. We focus on our
“lost” customers (customers who haven’t
been back in 90 days) with our “We Miss
You Campaign,” where we offer them a
free bowl on their rewards card to get
them to come back.
4. We listen. Every Monday the corporate executive and leadership team
comes together to discuss the weekly
complaints that have come through,
and we make sure to follow up with the
customer within 72 hours.

Nikki Sicilian
Director, Marketing and Development
Buffalo Wing Factory & Pub

We have continued to
focus on the basics of
the restaurant industry,
especially during these
economic times, and on
including ways to reach
our customers.
Keeping with the basics, we look to
develop personal relationships. It’s simple,
inexpensive, and effective. This is the focal point of our marketing method and
philosophy. While we are still in the infancy stage of franchising, our corporate
stores have 20-plus years of success, with
increasing store comps each year. The
store-level performance has allowed us
to invest in a foundation and plan for
nationwide expansion.
Developing relationships remains the
strongest part of our culture. We implement this approach in many scenarios,
from recruiting prospects to carrying
out social media campaigns. It’s all about

the community, and we are devoted to
finding franchisees who are communityfocused. Part of our qualification process
tests their commitment to our culture
before signing.
Our current plan projects one franchise business consultant per 10 locations, above the industry standard. This
arrangement will ensure quick approval,
implementation, and feedback of local
store marketing and marketing co-op
campaigns. These consultants will have
the ability to help franchisees develop
marketing programs that are in line
with the brand’s mission, vision, and core
values. As a franchise that plans to grow
regionally and then nationally, brand
awareness is a huge focus.
Our current plan and budget are
developing. We initially focused on developing our website. This was our first
opportunity to explain how Buffalo Wing
Factory is different in the mature category
of the restaurant industry. Increasing retention is about consistently serving the
consumer great food.
At the restaurant level, easily executed loyalty programs have worked well.
For example, we play “Wingo” with our
customers, and lunch regulars receive
“Frequent Fryer” cards”; are enhancing our programs with companies like
LivingSocial; continue to increase social
media programs as they grow and prove
results; will increase traditional advertising methods where they are proven
effective; will continue to increase community activities, such as wing eating
contests, charity involvement, high school
programs, and local business programs;
and will begin PR movements where it
makes sense to increase local consumer
awareness as we grow.
This all may sound simple. However,
with the economy as it is, and being in a
mature market, continuing our progress
with loyalty and retention programs has
allowed us to be ahead of schedule compared with many new brands. n