In franchising, we’re all within the enterprise of constructing manufacturers. We need our franchise system to develop, and to that finish the corporate itself should have strong and constant branding to assist native and nationwide development. The different aspect of the coin is attracting certified prospects to purchase into your model. Your branding technique should be constant together with your gross sales efforts and is usually additionally utilized in franchise improvement.
Brands don’t promote manufacturers, individuals do.
While this text goals to talk to the C-suite and these on the entrance line of interacting with candidates, the steps can apply to any individual seeking to construct a private model on social media.
What is a private model?
According to Investopedia, a model is an intangible advertising or enterprise idea that helps individuals establish a firm, product, or particular person. It is to not be confused with a brand or slogan. And manufacturers aren’t simply for corporations anymore. People are creating personas to construct authenticity, belief, and to create and nurture relationships.
Why construct one?
In the franchise improvement course of, candidates are doing their analysis lengthy earlier than they ever decide up the telephone or fill out a type on-line. They need to know that the corporate they’re contemplating “marrying” for the following 10 years is a firm that aligns with their values, cares about their success, and has an lively presence on varied digital platforms. Why? It reveals relevance, ahead pondering, and transparency.
CEOs, CDOs, CMOs, VPs of improvement and advertising, gross sales groups, and anybody who interacts with potential candidates ought to set up a robust social media presence. And whoever is the face of your model ought to think about growing a private model.
6 tricks to construct a private model
Building a private model requires time, a plan, and the willingness to be a bit susceptible. These are simply a few steps to get you began, nevertheless it’s as much as you to remain related, participating, and constant. (No stress!)
1) Do some soul looking and determine who you need to be on-line. How would you like individuals to understand you, and what do they want or need from you? Your private model should be a reflection of each your self and the model you’re constructing.
2) Identify which platforms you need to focus on and ensure they’re updated and correct. Make positive your entire social media handles are according to one another so that you’re straightforward to seek out and comply with. Be in all places you may be. Your social channels ought to in the end drive visitors again to your web site and/or weblog, and not everybody you’re making an attempt to succeed in is on each channel. For franchise improvement, at a minimal, you have to be on LinkedIn and Facebook. Some CEOs have their very own Facebook web page that they use in assist of the model’s Facebook web page.
3) Work with a designer to construct your model belongings. Make positive your cowl photographs are well-designed and constant on all platforms and that your profile photograph is skilled, updated, and constant throughout all platforms.
4) Develop a content material calendar and be constant. As C-suite professionals, executives, and managers you’re busy, and social media will typically get put on the again burner. But should you create a calendar and establish what you need to share, it is going to be a lot simpler to deal with. At a minimal, publish 3 to five occasions a week. Align your posts together with your company and/or gross sales advertising technique and occasions.
5) Your content material needs to be informative, personable, and human. Share firm successes and highlights, information tales, and behind-the-scenes exercise. Video is a nice technique to present who you might be – and it doesn’t at all times should be professionally produced. Authenticity is essential.
6) Be participating! Comment on different individuals’s posts, and reply to feedback and messages on yours. You have the chance to attach with others and construct belief by social dialog – and it’s free (besides, after all, for the time)!
Building a private model on social media does take time, however you can see it helps set up credibility, thought management, and belief for candidates, partnerships, and staff. Make it a precedence and a part of your organization’s advertising technique.
Liane Caruso is a franchise advertising skilled specializing in digital advertising, social media, gross sales and advertising alignment, and technique. She launched helloCMO, a franchise advertising consultancy devoted to fractional CMO or outsourced CMO engagements for franchise manufacturers and suppliers. Find her on LinkedIn or contact her at 312-526-3996 or (*6*).
