If you’re just getting established after franchising your business, chances are you don’t have a public relations firm on tap to generate
media exposure for you and your franchisees. The good news is that there are a number of easy ways that you can effectively do it yourself. Here are five ways to get publicity and get media attention for your new franchised business and raise your profile.
You can gain invaluable media exposure by entering business awards. Brand awareness, credibility and trust is built when organisations win awards. Being a sponsor for the awards themselves can also open doors in terms of networking and media opportunities.
When your franchise wins an award or reaches a milestone, shout it from the rooftops. Issuing timely media releases when something notable is achieved is important. There are a number of distribution services that are available, such as Medianet and PRWire, to help you get the word out to the right people at the right time.
Source Bottle is a site that sends out potential media leads to businesses that have signed up for free. Each business can specify what industry they are in and other relevant details so the media leads are targeted and relevant. It’s then left up to the business owner to take up the opportunities presented.
Putting the personal face on your franchised business can really boost exposure and build trust. Think about sponsoring major community or charity events, and make sure you and your franchisees are regularly seen at business networking gatherings.
Of course social media is a wonderful way to generate media attention for your franchise. It’s cost-effective, easy to use, and can reach a wide audience. Take for example when the cast of the Lion King did an ‘impromptu’ performance on a flight from Sydney to Brisbane in 2014 and posted it on social media. The consequent viral media attention connected with millions of people worldwide (it had 23 million views on YouTube alone) and provided positive exposure for the show and Virgin Airlines. As this example shows, it’s important to be attuned to opportunities for publicity as they arise, and recognise when something happens that people will find interesting, or fun.
You don’t have to have a professional team to get media exposure for your franchise. With these five tips, you can make sure your message gets out there.
Thanks for reading,
The Franchise Institute Team
1300 855 435
