2020 was undoubtedly a trying year for many businesses. With major hits to the economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses all over the country were forced to close their doors for good. Franchising, however, managed to stay afloat, with franchisors from various industries adapting their business models to the current economic climate.
Now that we have entered 2021 and COVID-19 is still very much prevalent in our country, franchisors continue to rework their strategies for the foreseeable future. By taking lessons learned from 2020 and applying a fresh perspective in 2021, franchisors can look at how to adjust their franchise development strategies.
In a recent article in ValueWalk, Mosquito Authority CEO and President, Chris Buitron, offers five tips for beefing up your franchise development plan in 2021:
- Extend your digital marketing and communications: In the world of social distancing and Zoom meetings, digital marketing has become more relevant and necessary than ever. Buitron recommends doing things like joining neighborhood Facebook groups to connect with your company’s demographics and building out your social media strategy to further your reach and stay connected with your audience.
- Open a career path for the unemployed: COVID-19 has forced many working individuals into unemployment. With more people considering entrepreneurship as a career path, there is a big opportunity for expanding your franchise community.
- Find different ways to expand your in-person grassroots efforts: Even with adhering to social distancing guidelines, you can still find ways to improve your grassroots marketing efforts. For example, Buitron says partnering with HOAs is a great way to reach potential customers.
- Give back, and create goodwill: Giving back to your community is extremely important during this time. Not only does it help you get involved in your community, but giving back also serves to show that your business is not just a service, but a resource as well.
- Be a dependable means of support for your franchisees: One of the big advantages of becoming a franchisee instead of starting a business from scratch is the benefit of a built-in support system. Buitron emphasizes the importance of continuing to show support to your franchisees in 2021 as we face some of the same challenges of last year.
While the new year has brought many of the same challenges as 2020, there are plenty of opportunities to continue growing your franchise network. To get more information on improving your franchise development plan in 2021, read the full article here.
