create and distribute content such as infographics , e-books , and white papers ,” says Vilchis . “ They become subject matter experts in their fields through these types of valuable content , with many also creating a series of podcasts or vlogs . The PR opportunities and tools available to franchisors are virtually endless .”
Lorne Fisher
DIY , partnership , or both ? Handling PR is a tall , time-consuming order , and when it comes to their PR efforts , most franchisors today look for some kind of outside help . Larger franchisors , say more than 100 units , typically possess the infrastructure to handle some PR tasks themselves , if not all . For instance , basic franchisee communication , internal memos and notifications , and system support can be managed internally , while an outside PR agency may handle local and national media pitching , events , and even store openings .
Lorne Fisher , CEO of Fish Consulting , believes that for brands to truly maximize their internal marketing talent , they need to rely on outside agency partners to help handle the PR load .“ You have talented people at your brand , but they can ’ t do everything and can become overwhelmed without some outside assistance ,” he says .
Nick Powills
Vilchis says this is why brands often choose to use their marketing director to manage an outside PR agency .“ Media relations and PR is a specialized service and requires people with knowledge , experience , and time to get the job done right . A PR firm knows what types of angles will appeal to the media and knows how and when to communicate with journalists ,” she says .
Because agencies work with media all the time , they have established relationships . Agencies also invest in tools such as media databases and media monitoring platforms that franchise brands typically do not have . Building relationships with media requires a vigorous outreach and follow-up franchisors often don ’ t have time or money to invest in .
“ Handling PR in-house , you control
every hour and every effort put into telling your brand story ,” says Nick Powills , chief brand strategist at No Limit Agency . “ The negative is that the media will not see that story as thirdparty credibility , as they expect you to say you are great .” And , he cautions , if you only have a small team , you won ’ t be able to network and build as many relationships as an agency can .
It ’ s important to focus on creating a collaborative relationship with your PR agency , says Fisher . “ Find a PR partner that cares passionately about your brand and your goals . Your PR partner should be low maintenance , understand what you want to do , and help get you there . Every PR agency has its own culture . Find one that fits well with your brand ’ s culture .”
Magus is a prime example of the collaborative ap-
Rich Hope
proach between franchise brand and PR agency . She says Kiddie Academy uses a combination of in-house and outsourced PR . “ Our in-house team knows the brand and our franchisees . The agency staff helps scale our outreach . This hybrid model allows us to scale up efforts without adding a lot of salary and overhead to our organization . You can make it work without PR expertise in-house , but someone in-house has to really work in partnership with the agency to drive strategy and messaging .”
Rich Hope , chief marketing officer at Jersey Mike ’ s Subs , says he too thinks the best way to handle PR is as a partnership between in-house personnel and an outside firm . “ In-house , we focus on preparing our franchisees to respond to the press or appear on-air . We use an outside firm to handle most of the content and media contacts ,” says Hope , who was an outside vendor himself before coming on board with Jersey Mike ’ s .
Sabina Gault
Choosing an agency Identifying PR partners is itself all about the relationship . Sabina Gault , president of Konnect PR , says public relations can be less about what a firm can do for your brand and more about chemistry , as most offer many of the same services . “ Do you like the people who work there and who are going to handle your account ? Then you have to look at what services you really need and whether you can bundle up as many of those in one company ,” she says . It can be challenging to deal with several firms for different services such as marketing , PR , social media , etc . Having an all-in-one solution can make things easier .
She also says to ask agencies situational questions such as , “ What would you do if …?” These queries allow an agency to showcase its ability to handle a variety of issues and will provide a clue to how well their culture meshes with yours .
Powills says to think of the evaluation process as four key buckets : relationship , strategy , service , and results . “ That is a good barometer for identifying the right agency for you . Have them explain how they are different in each of those categories .”
“ It ’ s a mix of referrals , research , and instinct ,” says Vilchis , along with your brand ’ s unique needs . For example , if your brand has a high risk of crisis situations , make sure the PR firm has experience in crisis communication . If your PR objective is strictly franchise sales , make sure the firm has experience in that area , and can share case studies and results from other franchise systems . If you are seeking a creative team to handle consumer PR campaigns , get a feel for the agency ’ s creativity and ask for examples of successful innovative consumer campaigns , or ask them to come up with a sample campaign designed specifically for your brand .
In the end , the right chemistry between a brand and an agency , a well-crafted message , and implementing the right tools to the right audiences makes all the difference in the success of your PR efforts . ■
Franchiseupdate ISSUE II , 2016 17