Social Media Marketing By Franchise Companies Can't Be A Part-Time Gig

             


If you are an executive, or even the owner of a franchise concept, don't worry about all the buzz around social media. Don't pressure yourself into doing social media, just because a growing number of other franchisors have started getting their feet wet. Just keep doing what you're doing. I'm sure that you are totally euphoric about your current franchise marketing successes...

Being the Community Promotions Director for a powerful and influential website like Small Business Trends has some perks. One of them includes spending a great deal of time actually reading what some of the columnists on the site are writing about. In this case, what Lisa Barone of Outspoken Media just wrote about social media marketing...

"The companies that have a hard time with social media are the ones who try to sit on the fence. They know they should engage, so they do….halfway. They’re dipping their toes in without making it part of their day-to-day routine. You need to schedule social media time the same way you schedule in all your other commitments. It has to be given the same attention and priority. By setting aside time to talk to people, to tweet fun things, to connect with your audience on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc, you help establish your presence and make it a real part of your organization. It’s important that you develop a consistence schedule so that users trust your presence."

Paul Segreto, a strategic $$ partner of mine, and the co-host of our Franchise Today Show (Heard every Thursday at 2 ET, here) and I were just discussing this very thing. Paul's really good at strategizing with franchise companies on how they should implement their social media marketing efforts. I mean he's really good.

Go here to see what his new "90-Days To Social Media Success" franchise program is all about.

Lisa Barone's article over at Small Business Trends, " Can SMB Owners Make Social Media Useful?" is a must-read for those about to dip their feet, toes, or fingers, into the social media marketing space.

If you are a franchisor, or even a franchisee, please don't pretend that social media marketing isn't going to be important to your business success. It's happening all around you.

Comments

[Tom Shivers]

I agree you're either in or out. Many of the SMB Owners I know say "but who has time to keep up with social media?" And I say, that won't make it go away. My guess is that for every 5 SMB Owners who don't take advantage of social media there is one who figures it out and takes the biz away from competitors who don't.

[Cindy Richards]

Very good job on this one, Joel. I have been following you for about a year now, and you are everywhere! You seem to understand this social media stuff. I love your articles.

Keep it up!

Cindy R.
New York, NY

[The Franchise King]

Hi Claudia,

Thank you!

What franchise are you a part of?

The Franchise King
Joel Libava

[Claudia Guzman]

Great information. I am a franchise owner as well as an advocate of social media for business. I am using social media as one way to market my business!