Myth-Guided Franchise Marketing: Disspelling the BYOB! Myth
The "BYOB!" Myth
Imagine this television commercial: a bunch of teenage kids in a
house, eating junk food, playing video games with rap music
blasting. The narrator says: "Hey kids: tired of listening to
your parents? Why not do whatever YOU want to do! Join the Army!"
Ludicrous, right? (Imagine the kids' surprise when their hair
gets buzzed off, they're issued identical uniforms and that
whole "reveille thing" is explained for the first time.) No one
in their right mind would advertise so foolishly, would they?
That would be like recruiting a franchisee, one who must
faithfully comply with a system of rigid rules and guidelines,
with ads that say :
"Entrepreneurs Wanted!" "Imagine the freedom! Imagine the
opportunity!" "Promote yourself to President!"
I call it the OYOB! (Own your own business!) and BYOB! (Be your
own boss!) marketing myth. To see if you've been infected, check
your own marketing materials for these tell-tale phrases: "Own
your own business!" "Be your own boss!" "Achieve financial
freedom!" "Fire your boss!" "Take control of your life!" or
similar variations.
It's not easy to avoid. Believe me, I know. I've probably
written more franchise brochures than anyone on the planet, and
it's hard work to avoid the easy slogans. But make no mistake:
falling into the BYOB! trap is one of the most dangerous
mistakes franchisors make. And it's the cause of much of the
conflict in franchisor/franchisee relations.
Many franchisors attract prospects with the promise of freeing
them from oppression and giving them the chance to gain control.
There's only one problem: Franchise systems are built on
adherence, not independence. Franchisors want implementers, not
rebels. They often recruit individuals who are yearning to break
free from their harness, but as soon as the contract is signed
the franchisor expects them to docilely slip into their harness.
Requiring conformity, adherence to an established system and a
shared identity is not a bad thing. That's what gives
franchising its power. So why do franchisors often attract the
wrong people by setting the wrong expectations?
The mything link
Why, you may ask, do we sell the opportunity to join a
conformist system via a dream of individualism? Why have we, as
an industry, perpetuated the link between BYOB! and franchise
ownership?
First, because it's an easy sell. It makes your ad copy pop. The
dream of being freed from day-to-day tyranny is a powerful one.
Telling one's boss to take this job and shove it is the real
American Dream. It's Easy Rider. It's Thelma & Louise. It's One
Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Unfortunately, it promises about
the same outcome.
Second, too few franchisors have actually given much thought to
their franchise marketing message. They tend to just say what
everyone else says: B.Y.O.B.! Many commission marketing research
and branding platforms at the consumer level; more need to
create a thoughtful strategy and platform for their franchise
brand.
The third reason for the prevalence of the myth is the influence
of commissioned franchise salespeople and brokers who are
compensated for short term sales, not the long-term franchisee
performance or satisfaction. By the time the franchisees start
storming the castle, the commissions are spent and the
salespeople are long gone.
Another reason for this myth could be that many who founded and
lead franchise companies are, indeed, entrepreneurs and project
their own values onto the franchise prospect. They assume that
what would motivate them would motivate a prospect. But the fact
is that few founders could survive very long as franchisees of
their own systems. Those who are looking primarily for
implementers should not seek entrepreneurs. One franchisor per
system is enough (and, according to some, still one too many).
Be all that you can be... with our franchise.
The Army's effective recruitment advertising does not say "Be
your own boss," or "Do what you want." It says "Be all that you
can be," and, more recently, "Be an Army of One." It appeals to
the individual's self-interest: Communicating what the prospect
will gain, what he or she will learn, how joining the Army will
make him or her look to others and feel about his or herself.
But it sells the benefit of being part of something greater than
oneself, of being disciplined and following directions. Above
all, there is a regard for the brand, the team, even the rules
themselves and the benefits they provide.
Ultimately, the importance of avoiding the BYOB! myth goes
beyond effective recruitment and setting realistic expectations.
Its importance goes directly to establishing and preserving the
trust between franchisor and franchisee that is critical to
their mutual success. As Peter Birkeland states at the end of
his recent book "Franchising Dreams," establishing high levels
of trust with franchisees is the most critical problem for
franchisors. "For those who cannot achieve that," states
Birkeland, "The problem of control is a never-ending battle of
wills."
How franchisor's can avoid the B.Y.O.B.! myth
1. Develop a franchise brand positioning platform.
Recognize that your franchise is a separate (though
interrelated) brand from your consumer brand, and develop a
franchise brand development platform. The platform is generally
a document of 10-20 pages that commits to paper the brand
identity of the franchise program, specifics of the target
franchise prospect, enumerates the benefits of the franchise
program in terms that relate to the prospect, and includes a
25-50 word description of the franchise program that everyone in
your organization, franchisees included, should eventually be
able to recite from memory.
2. Be sure your marketing communicates the franchise brand
position. From your lead generation materials (print ads,
postcards, in-store messages, mini-brochures, digital brochures,
website) to your follow-up materials (franchise brochures,
videotapes, email messages, eBrochures), personal interactions
and even the portrayal of franchisees in consumer advertising
should be consistent with the Franchise Brand positioning.
3. Get your salespeople and brokers on-board.
Experienced, reputable salespeople and brokers can be useful in
generating interest and following up, but you must be careful
that the prospects they bring you - and the prospects you sign -
match your profile, are adequately capitalized, have a clear
understanding of the franchisor/franchisee relationship and have
realistic expectations.
4. Be honest. In franchise sales, honesty truly is the
best policy. The prospects who respond to dreams of freedom and
easy money are the ones you will spend the most time and money
dealing with. Smart franchisors want smart franchisees. And
smart franchisees respond to the truth. If you're still working
toward excellence, tell them where you are in the process. Then
keep working toward it.
5. Re-sell your current franchisees. To calculate how
many times you need to re-sell franchise owners, add up every
royalty check they'll write and add 1. Continue to promote and
reinforce your vision of the franchisee/franchisor relationship
internally, and try to positively help those who are the
farthest from buy-in in selling their franchise or exiting the
system.