The dream of entrepreneurship runs strong in the US. That’s probably why over 60% of Americans want a business of their own one day. It offers a powerful appeal to the self-determinism that runs through our culture.
It may also help explain why there are around 770,000 franchise locations in America alone. For the entrepreneurial-minded person without a specific business idea, it’s a way to hit the ground running.
Of course, a franchise works like most other small businesses in a lot of ways. That means you often need small business support services to keep things running smoothly from one day to the next. Keep reading for three things you should know about how support services can help grow your franchise.
1. Tech Support
Major franchises like the big fast food operations include a lot of very specific technology and built-in support services, such as providing a website. For smaller franchises, though, you often find yourself on your own in terms of establishing an online presence beyond some boilerplate copy.
That makes technical support a key element in building and maintaining your online presence. It also play an important role in customer support for small businesses as solutions like chatbots become more prominent.
2. Recruiting and Hiring
For many people, a franchise is the very first business they own. That means they’ve only ever been on the interviewee side of an interview. That can make finding and hiring employees a real challenge.
After all, how do you separate good answers from well-rehearsed answers if you’ve never done it before?
For first-time owners, that can make a staffing support business a godsend. Staffing services with experience in your industry already know what kinds of questions they should ask. It also means they can separate out good candidates from bad with a lot more ease than you can your first time out.
3. Marketing
Big franchises often take on some of the heavy lifting in terms of marketing with national campaigns that keep the brand top of mind. You’ll only get limited support for franchises with smaller franchises in those regards. The franchisor might offer some rewritten ads you can use or basic marketing copy, but you can expect TV campaigns that support you.
That means you need your own marketing strategy that supports the business. For first-time owners, this can also prove daunting. Fortunately, you can find marketing companies that specialize in franchise-related marketing.
Finding the Right Support Services for Your Franchise
You can find a vast array of support services for your franchise, so how do you settle on the right ones? Always start with the essential needs.
You need the technology that supports your business on the job at all times. That means you need good tech support.
You cannot survive without employees. That means you need a good staffing service.
No business can survive without solid marketing. That means you need a marketing firm with franchise experience.
Buzzhive Marketing does specialize in franchise marketing. For more information about our franchise marketing services, contact Buzzhive Marketing today.