At Franchise Performance Group (FPG), we’ve helped over 150 franchisors grow their brands through effective franchise lead generation strategies. Based on our extensive experience, here are the top three ways for franchisors to generate leads and build a robust pipeline.
1. Optimize Your Digital Advertising Strategy
Digital advertising, particularly through Google Ads and Meta (Facebook/Instagram), remains one of the most cost effective ways to generate high-quality franchise leads and fill your pipeline with qualified and closable franchise candidates.
Google Ads Best Practices for Franchisors
- Prioritize your budget on hyper-focused keywords and phrases with high intention and predisposition to your franchise category.
- Ex: “How do I start a children’s tutoring business” and not “best franchise to start”
- Focus on “phrase match” bidding strategy and not “broad match.” Broad match might get you more form fills and the appearance of more leads, phrase match will earn you less form fills but more qualified candidates.
- Create dynamic search ads with multiple headlines and descriptions. Avoid unsubstantiated superlatives like “hottest new franchise” and lead with your numbers, such as average unit sales. You have limited space to answer the following questions:
- “What business are you in?”
- “What is your value as a franchise?”
- “How much money can I make?”
- Use ad extensions to drive traffic to specific parts of your franchise development site. Give yourself multiple entry points and calls to action. This is a fantastic use of real estate to answer the questions above.
Read more how other franchisors are maximizing their ROI on their Google Ads.
Meta Advertising Tips
- Design scroll-stopping ads that quickly communicate your value proposition
- Leverage Meta’s Advantage+ placement for optimal ad distribution leading to more impressions and conversions.
- Navigate special ad category restrictions by focusing on compelling messaging and creative.
Key Metrics to Aim For:
- Google Ads: CPL under $200, 1% or higher lead-to-close rate. Keep in mind a large percentage of your leads will go to the franchise opportunity website directly and not click the Google ad call to action, especially if they search for your brand name directly. To get a true cost per lead, you must monitor the increase in organic lead activity and assign some contribution to Google.
Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram): CPL under $100, 0.5% or higher lead-to-close rate. Again, many leads will go to your website directly without clicking the ads’ call to action. Therefore, these leads may be tracked as organic when the true source is advertising. Ensure that you monitor the increase in organic lead activity and assign some value to Meta advertising. When designing display ads, lead with your numbers, not catchy but meaningless phrases like “Make real dough with pizza.”
2. Implement a Comprehensive Lead Nurturing Strategy
Generating leads is only the first step. A robust nurturing strategy is crucial for moving prospects through your pipeline.
Key Components:
- Create a robust franchise opportunity website that converts over 2% of unique visitors to form fills.
- Initial 10-14 day nurture sequence (5 emails and 3 texts). If you need
- 12-month “life support” plan for longer-term nurturing
- Multi-channel approach combining email, SMS, and retargeting ads
- Personalized communication based on prospect behavior and preferences
Content Ideas:
- Franchisee testimonials and success stories
- Customer testimonials
- Brand leadership interviews
- Industry insights and trend reports
- Behind-the-scenes looks at your franchise operations
- Educational content about franchising and your specific opportunity
Remember to implement lead scoring to identify your most engaged prospects and focus your efforts effectively.
3. Leverage Content Marketing and SEO
While paid advertising can deliver quick results, a strong content marketing and SEO strategy provides long-term, sustainable lead generation. FPG measured the average franchise buyer goes to a website 18 visits and reads over 3 hours worth of content. Your franchise opportunity website is your hub for most lead nurturing content.
While paid advertising can deliver quick results, a strong content marketing and SEO strategy provides long-term, sustainable lead generation. FPG measured the average franchise buyer goes to a website 18 visits and reads over 3 hours worth of content. Your franchise opportunity website is your hub for most lead nurturing content.
Key Strategies:
- Develop a content-rich franchise opportunity website
- Create a downloadable franchise information ebook (aim for 15-30 pages)
- Regularly publish blog posts, articles, and videos addressing common franchise questions
- Optimize your content for both traditional and voice search
- Guest post on reputable industry websites to build authority and backlinks
Focus Areas:
- Educational content about franchising
- Industry-specific insights and trends
- Success stories and case studies
- Transparency about your franchise opportunity (including financial performance)
To maximize the impact of your content:
- Ensure all content is mobile-optimized
- Use a mix of formats (text, video, infographics) to cater to different preferences
- Promote your content through your social media channels and email lists
- Continuously analyze performance and refine your strategy based on data
By implementing these three strategies – optimized digital advertising, comprehensive lead nurturing, and robust content marketing – franchisors can generate a steady stream of high-quality leads and build a robust pipeline.
At FPG, we’ve seen these strategies drive significant results for franchisors across various industries. Remember, the key to success is continuous optimization based on data and a commitment to providing value to your prospects throughout their journey.
Our mission at FPG is to make it easy for skilled entrepreneurs and worthy brands to find each other. By focusing on these top lead generation strategies, you’ll be well on your way to connecting with the right franchisees to grow your brand.