Franchise Update Magazine Issue II, 2016 | Page 21

Evaluating Franchise Marketing Agencies?
Ask for their Marketing Disclosure Document.
Franchise prospects have the ability to evaluate different brands based on a common process which we
all know as the FDD. It’s time for franchisors to flip the script when exploring new (or reviewing current)
agency relationships with an industry standard MDD – Marketing Disclosure Document

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ll franchisors headed to the Franchise Consumer Marketing Conference (FCMC) this June are
seeking powerful ideas and new relationships
that will help them make smarter decisions
when it comes to marketing their brand in an increasingly digital world.
That’s certainly the right strategy/approach – but
how do you make sure to get the most out of the
events you attend and meetings you arrange at
FCMC and other franchising trade shows?
The answer lies in the MDD (Marketing Disclosure
Document) – an FDD-like document recently developed by our company, 919 Marketing, that helps franchisors conduct their own due diligence with regard to
potential (or current) marketing partners.
At 919 Marketing, we believe franchise marketing agencies should be held to the same standard as
franchise brands. Franchisors should have the opportunity to review an FDD-like document within which
the agencies they’re exploring (or reviewing) share
the good, the bad, and the ugly about their company.
Franchisors must be transparent with their prospects.
So, too, must marketing agencies be transparent with
franchisors.
We hope to equip all franchisors with access to the
MDD so they can take their due diligence game to the
next level starting with this year’s FCMC. We will be
handing out print copies of the MDD at our tabletop booth throughout the show and will share a
digital version via our LinkedIn company page when
the show begins on June 21, 2016. We encourage
any and all franchisors, franchisees and suppliers to
provide their comments/feedback via LinkedIn, on
FranSocial or in person during FCMC.
In the meantime, speaking of “looking under the
hood,” here’s a sneak peek at a few things the franchise
community will find within the 16-item Marketing Disclosure Document that will be revealed at the FCMC:

1. The Strategic Planning Process − How does the
company create the winning playbook for success? Does
it include action items, competitive insights and clear,
measurable goals that have been set mutually?
2. The Hours and The People − Will the franchisor
have the opportunity to influence the people working on
the account and meet them personally? Does the agency provide transparency over the hourly rate and how
often which people are working on the business?
3. The Evaluation Process/Scorecard − Is there a
clear method for evaluating performance? We recommend a quarte