Many of our Smoothie King franchisees have never owned a business. Everything from finding a site to operating their store is entirely new. Fortunately, we’ve aligned our processes, field managers and resources to deliver the education, motivation and support to set our franchisees on the path to success.
One of the most important aspects of our support comes in the form of marketing. We’ve developed a local store marketing recipe designed to help new franchisees from the get-go.
Ingredient #1: Assigned Marketing Managers
Marketing is both an art and a science and is one the key drivers for the sustained success of any business. Knowing not everyone is a marketing guru, Smoothie King provides franchisees with dedicated field managers to help them on the right track. Our marketing managers help create a store opening plan and are there as an ongoing resource to answer any questions.
“We make it our mission to work one-on-one with new franchisees when requested to ensure all our stores are opened successfully,” said Jamison Young, Smoothie King marketing manager for the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast region. “From that point on, we assist in implementing a robust marketing program and provide tools to help franchisees capture the attention of their communities.”
Ingredient #2: Store Opening Kits
If your marketing strategy isn’t being executed at least 90 days before you open your doors, you may have trouble attracting guests when your store opens.
“Ideally, the marketing phase should begin the moment you sign on to open a store,” said Jamison. “The biggest mistake I see new franchisees make is simply not thinking of marketing. Really, you’re always marketing, even if your store hasn’t opened yet. Simple tactics like sending out grand-opening flyers or putting up a ‘coming soon’ sign during construction can generate buzz and get people talking.”
Many of these store opening materials are readily available to franchisees in the store opening marketing kit, where they also have the ability to work with trusted vendors to order on-brand coupon books, flyers, grand opening banners and other promotional materials.
Ingredient #3: Community Relations Programs
As a franchisee, building buzz around your Smoothie King location should always be top of mind. One form of marketing that continues to be profoundly effective is community involvement.
“If I had to give advice to anyone interested in owning a Smoothie King, it’s that you should definitely engage your local community,” said Jamison. “Start by introducing yourself to surrounding businesses and being actively involved in community events. It’s important to get your feet on the ground and meet people. Nothing gets individuals more excited about going to a location than having a personal connection with the brand and a lot of times that connection can start with the owner.”
Smoothies are easy to transport, making them ideal to include in fundraisers, catering events and charity runs. At the same time, our mission to inspire people to live a healthy and active lifestyle aligns perfectly with school and community athletic programs.
Ingredient #4: An Open Mind for New Ideas
Beyond our nationwide campaigns, franchisees benefit most from local store marketing support. Some of our best ideas come directly from Smoothie King franchisees.
“We listen to our franchisees and find out what’s working for them in their markets. That helps our marketing program continuously evolve and improve,” Jamison said.
Jamison notes that countless successful marketing programs involving both digital and direct marketing have come directly from conversations Smoothie King’s marketing managers have had with franchisees. “It’s our goal to use all the information we gather from the field to provide each franchisee with the best tools available,” he added.
With Smoothie King’s local store marketing support, franchisees have access to proven, high-level strategies and tactics. Learn more about joining our network of Smoothie King franchisees by downloading our Franchise Kit.
