Consistent Branding is Key to a Successful Franchise

If you have turned your company into a franchise, you realize by now keeping everything the same across the board is what builds the brand. But after selling a few franchises you start having franchise owners finding their own way of doing things and this causes inconsistency from your original business and its values that got you to where you are. If you recommend something the owner will see it as an option and will find a cheaper method. So if you are known to have the nicest towels in your bathroom all of your franchises should be known for that.

We have noticed in industries where something is delivered or you make house calls and use a delivery vehicle there are a lot of issues with inconstant brand. One franchise owner may be a die hard Ford guy while the other likes Chevy vans. Or the new start up just may want to use what he already has for a year while the business gets going. The other problem you will find is when it comes time to get that brand you have worked so hard on, the cool logo you paid a designer to help design and the colors you lost sleep over trying to decide what is best to stand out. When it comes to this point you want them to all look the same, but today everyone has a buddy who can do that cheep or I have a friend who does it out of his garage on the weekends. Do you want to trust your brand to that? DO NOT give your franchise owners this power, Make them pay the premium to keep what you envisioned standard.

People don't realize that from sign shop to sign shop things vary so much you could never have the same look. McDonald's has one place make all of the menus and ships them to the franchises, this is not up for discussion constant results.

If you consistently wash your van on Sundays before the new work week and restock any items, then so should they. If your image gets damaged in an accident or fender bender get it fixed right away. All of these things reflect right back to you and your brand.

Be relentless in the details, in this case sweat all of the small stuff. and make sure you can walk into any store show up at some ones house or business and the customer knows exactly what they will get. That is the key to a great franchise.