It is more crucial than ever to communicate the story of your brand when marketing a franchise business. Storytelling can be an effective approach to connecting with consumers who are increasingly seeking brands that are meaningful and purposeful.
Customers establish an emotive connection with the brand through storytelling, which establishes the company as a trustworthy entity and enhances credibility by elucidating the company’s unique value proposition in comparison to its competitors.
By employing the StoryBrand Framework, you can develop an engaging narrative that effectively communicates your distinctive values and mission, all while fostering audience loyalty.
The Importance of Brand Consistency in Your Franchise Marketing Plan
The significance of brand consistency is undeniable for the majority of businesses, but it is particularly critical for franchises that are attempting to market their enterprise across multiple locations.
Customers can effortlessly recognize the brand and anticipate the experience they will have upon entering any of its locations by developing a consistent narrative. This also assists in the development of consumer trust and guarantees that you are fulfilling the same commitment across all channels.
According to the 2021 Brand Consistency Report by Marq, 33% of businesses that maintain brand consistency generate more revenue than those that do not.
Moreover, brand consistency aids in the reduction of confusion among franchise proprietors, who are all striving to achieve the same objective.
Your brand messaging becomes coherent and consistent across all franchise locations by offering a single point of reference to direct them. This franchise-focused marketing approach enables proprietors to reduce expenses by utilizing pre-approved marketing materials that are consistent with the identity of their franchise.
First Things First: What’s Your Why?
Your brand story is inextricably linked to the recognition of the significance of brand consistency, and it all begins with your purpose.
What is the purpose of your business? What is the essence of your mission and fundamental values? Customer buy-in is significantly contingent upon the effectiveness of your communication of your “why.”
For instance, Nike’s objective is to “inspire and innovate for every athlete in the world.” The Nike client base is aware that their purchase is not merely a product; it is a symbol of excellence and the pursuit of new frontiers.
Patagonia’s “Don’t buy this jacket” campaign serves as an additional noteworthy illustration. Although unconventional, it served as a testament to their dedication to sustainability and distinguished them from their competitors.
Your ultimate objective is to inspire individuals to identify with your values and aspirations and to establish a personal bond with the brand. Your “why” serves as the conduit that will facilitate this process.
Collaborating with a franchise marketing agency or a content marketing strategist can assist you in formulating a compelling purpose statement and producing content that aligns with your fundamental principles.
Using the StoryBrand Framework for Franchise Digital Marketing
The process of developing a brand narrative does not conclude with an explanation of the why. Additionally, you require a plan for conveying the information.
This is the point at which the Storybrand Framework is implemented.
Donald Miller’s StoryBrand framework is a seven-step process that is designed to generate narratives that inspire individuals to take action.
It commences with the development of a protagonist who could capitalize on your brand. This establishes the framework of your narrative and establishes an emotional connection between your business and your consumers. The Framework proceeds by introducing an external issue that impedes their ability to achieve their objectives and then demonstrates how they can utilize your product or service as a solution. Customers develop trust in you as the narrative advances, as they perceive themselves as integral to it and have confidence that you comprehend their challenges.
The seven main components of the StoryBrand Framework are as follows:
- Hero: The individual to whom you are addressing in your content. It could be an employee, a potential consumer, or an individual who is interested in learning more about your business.
- Issue: The issue that requires resolution. It could be a customer service issue, a market disparity, or something else entirely.
- Guide: The individual or entity that provides your hero with direction throughout the narrative. It could be a mentor, a product, a service, or even something as basic as a website.
- Strategy: The strategy or concept that your protagonist must implement in order to achieve success. It could be a strategy, a tactic, or any other form of action.
- Call to action: The action that you are urging your hero to perform. It may involve the registration for a service, the installation of an application, or the completion of a purchase.
- The joyful ending: The successful result that your hero achieves as a result of responding to the call to action.
- The moral of the tale: The lesson that the story imparts regarding the consequences of inaction.
In the past, the four Ps of marketing, as identified by marketing expert Philip Kotler – Product, Price, Place, and Promotion – have been used to define a franchise brand. The StoryBrand Framework defines brands by incorporating an additional three Ps: Purpose, People, and Promise.
Let us delve deeper into each of them:
- Purpose: This is the mission statement or “why” of your brand, as we previously discussed. It should be customer-centric and cater to their requirements.
- Individuals: Who makes up your clientele? What is their age? What are their desires and requirements?
- Guarantee: Why should they trust you over your competitors? What strategies will you employ to resolve their issue more effectively than any other individual?
Responses to these questions will facilitate the development of persuasive brand messaging that does not resemble a sales proposal. Rather, it should motivate individuals to take action, establish trust, and demonstrate the reasons they should select your business over others. This strategy is particularly advantageous for franchise digital marketing, as it provides consumers with a more compelling narrative that fosters a stronger sense of connection to the business.
Franchise Marketing Strategies for SEO
The StoryBrand Framework and brand stories in general are the sole tools employed by the majority of franchises for fast-paced advertising and marketing copy. Nevertheless, it can also be employed to generate franchise SEO content, which will enhance the visibility of your website and business on search engine results pages.
There are several franchise marketing strategies that can be implemented to improve your franchise’s search engine optimization (SEO).
Create Hero-Focused Copy With Keywords in Mind
The initial step is to generate content that emphasizes the protagonist of your narrative (your consumer). In an effort to optimize your search engine rankings, it is imperative that you use keywords when formulating this content.
For instance, suppose you are a franchise that specializes in home security systems. Your keyword phrase may be “installation of home security systems.” In this scenario, you would generate content that emphasizes the ways in which your product can assist individuals in securing their residences and providing them with a sense of security. Incorporate these keywords into your copy in a manner that is natural and engaging for both humans and search engine algorithms.
Always consider the search intent and pain points of your target audience, as well as how your product can be used to simplify their lives or resolve their issue. This will enable consumers to identify with the narrative and increase their likelihood of taking action.
If you desire the combined force of effective copywriting and franchise-focused marketing, you may collaborate with a full-service digital marketing agency.
Research and Identify Relevant Keywords for Each Step of the StoryBrand Framework
Your franchise SEO efforts should not be limited to your primary content. Additionally, it is imperative to conduct research and identify pertinent keywords for each stage of the StoryBrand Framework, which content marketing services can effortlessly execute.
Consider your StoryBrand Framework as a customer’s voyage to the solution on a larger scale. Ask yourself: What keywords would they employ at each stage?
For instance, if they are in quest of a home security system installation, they may conduct a search for “What are the best home security systems,” “How much does it cost to install home security systems,” or “Are DIY home security systems a viable option?” Incorporate these keywords into your blog posts and other content that pertains to each stage of the StoryBrand Framework.
Ensure Consistency of Message Across Platforms
One aspect of franchise-focused marketing is that it is not feasible to generate narratives that are dispersed throughout the organization.
Garon explained that this is due to the fact that each campaign has a specific objective, and the more we operate in divisions, the more difficult it is to reach that destination.
“You should all row in the same direction to achieve the end goal with the least amount of friction possible.”
In this manner, your consumers can share the same narratives, regardless of the platform on which they are located.
Your franchise marketing agency and content marketing strategist assist in the transformation of your SEO blogs into social posts, Google Ads campaigns, and other forms of content that are disseminated across the internet.
Optimize Your Website and Landing Pages With the StoryBrand Structure in Mind
The StoryBrand Framework is frequently employed in marketing copy, and we will not prevent you from employing it in this manner. However, your websites and landing pages are essential in this procedure.
Optimize your website and landing pages in accordance with the StoryBrand framework. This entails emphasizing the ways in which you can facilitate the process of consumers taking action and progressing through the Framework’s stages.
This could encompass interactive elements, such as quizzes, that assist consumers in more accurately identifying their requirements, or call-to-action buttons that are positioned throughout your website.
In any case, ensure that the design is intended to facilitate the rapid and effortless discovery of the desired information.
Leverage Internal Linking Strategies for Increased Visibility
Additionally, the StoryBrand Framework’s various stages offer an exceptional opportunity to capitalize on franchise marketing strategies and internal linking. Internal links are strategically employed to facilitate the efficient crawling and indexing of your website’s pages by linking from one page to another.
By connecting each stage of the Framework, you can demonstrate to search engine bots the central theme of your narrative and the interconnections between each component. This will facilitate their comprehension of your website, which may result in improved search engine rankings.
Aligning Your Marketing Efforts Across Your Franchise
There are numerous methods to incorporate the StoryBrand Framework into your franchise marketing strategy; however, its full potential cannot be realized unless your endeavors are consistent throughout your franchise.
According to Garon, marketing alignment occurs when “a single point of contact, a captain or, in our case, an Account Manager, identifies the areas of need and improvement, cascades that The team is informed, and they subsequently agree on the shared objectives.
Your content marketing strategist or account manager ensures that the message is written consistently throughout and that all stakeholders, from employees to partners, are on the same page.
Make every endeavor to disseminate the information. Brand storytelling is in contrast to conventional marketing in that it involves forging an emotional bond with your consumers. In order to accomplish this, it is important to evaluate all available platforms, including email campaigns, social media, and other channels.
