What is Franchise Marketing & How to Create a Marketing Strategy

Most franchise systems stumble at one crucial point: franchise marketing that fails to bring every location together under one strong brand. When each franchisee handles marketing their own way, your message gets lost, customers get confused, and your overall growth starts to stall. What looks like independence often turns into disconnection.

Meanwhile, competition is fierce—there are approximately 851,000 franchise establishments in the US in 2025, up 2.5% from prior years. Without a unified marketing strategy, your brand risks fading into the background. Inconsistent messages don’t just weaken recognition—they drive customers toward franchises that look more professional and trustworthy.

We’re going to show you how to fix that. You’ll learn what franchise marketing truly means and how to create a strategy that strengthens your brand across all locations while giving franchisees the freedom to succeed in their local markets.

What is franchise marketing?

Franchise marketing is the process of promoting both the overall franchise brand and its individual franchise locations to attract new customers and potential franchisees. It involves developing marketing strategies that uphold brand consistency while allowing local flexibility for each franchise owner.

In simple terms, franchise marketing ensures that every branch, whether it’s a restaurant, fitness center, or retail store, delivers the same brand message and customer experience while adapting to local market needs.

Ultimately, franchise marketing plays a vital role in maintaining brand integrity, supporting franchisees, and driving sustainable success for both the franchisor and the entire network.

Types of franchise marketing

Franchise marketing can be divided into two main categories: operational franchise marketing and franchise development marketing. Both play vital roles in the growth and sustainability of a franchise business, but each has distinct goals and strategies.

Operational franchise marketing

Operational franchise marketing is centered on the customer side of the business. Its primary goal is to boost sales, support franchisees, and enhance the performance of each branch within the network.

This type of marketing often includes both national and local promotions—such as social media campaigns, regional advertising, and community-based events—tailored to the needs of specific markets. 

For instance, when you see a nationwide TV ad for a popular fast-food brand or a localized billboard promoting a nearby branch, that’s operational marketing in action.

It also goes beyond advertising by providing continuous support and training to franchise owners. This helps them address challenges, improve operations, and maintain consistent brand standards across all locations.

Franchise development marketing

Franchise development marketing, on the other hand, is focused on expanding the franchise network by attracting new franchisees. The goal is to present the brand as a promising business opportunity for investors and entrepreneurs.

Strategies often include national and online campaigns, participation in franchise expos, lead generation through digital platforms, and showcasing success stories from current franchise owners. By highlighting the benefits of franchise ownership, such as proven systems, training, and brand recognition, development marketing helps convert interested prospects into committed partners.

A strong franchise development marketing plan is crucial for long-term growth. It ensures consistent expansion while maintaining brand quality, helping the franchise thrive in both local and global markets.

How to create a franchise marketing strategy 

Creating an effective franchise marketing strategy involves balancing brand consistency with local flexibility. Whether you’re managing a new franchise or a well-established brand, having a clear plan ensures that every location connects meaningfully with its audience while maintaining the company’s overall identity.

Define your goals

The first step in building a franchise marketing strategy is to define your goals. Start by setting company-wide objectives, such as increasing brand awareness, improving customer retention, or boosting revenue across all branches.

Then, establish franchise-specific goals. 

For instance, newer franchises might focus on smaller goals like growing local visibility, generating leads, or reaching a specific number of customers in the first few months. More established locations can set broader targets, such as improving local reputation or increasing customer loyalty. 

Clear, measurable goals help guide your marketing efforts and ensure every franchise stays aligned with the brand’s overall vision.

Understand each location’s target audience

Each franchise location operates within a unique community. Understanding the local audience’s demographics, preferences, and behaviors helps tailor your marketing approach. 

Encourage franchisees to conduct local market research—identifying who their customers are and how they engage with businesses. The more personalized the strategy, the stronger the local connection becomes.

Choose the right marketing channels

Effective franchise digital marketing requires selecting the right mix of online and offline channels to reach your audience.

• Social media marketing: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok allow franchises to build brand awareness and engage with local communities
• Email marketing: Perfect for nurturing leads and keeping customers updated on local promotions
• SMS marketing: A direct way to deliver timely offers and reminders
• Content marketing: Helps establish authority by sharing helpful blogs, guides, or videos
• Digital advertising: Includes pay-per-click (PPC) ads, social media ads, and Google Ads to drive quick visibility
• Local marketing: Hosting events, sponsoring community activities, or partnering with nearby businesses strengthens neighborhood ties

A professional franchise marketing agency can help coordinate these efforts to ensure each location benefits from a balanced and effective strategy.

Create your local versus national marketing messaging

Franchise brands need both local and national marketing messages. 

National campaigns maintain brand consistency and highlight the company’s values or new offerings. Local messaging, on the other hand, connects with the community by addressing regional needs or cultural nuances. 

When done correctly, this combination ensures the brand feels both recognizable and relatable.

Start building out your content calendar

Consistency is key in franchise digital marketing. Develop a content calendar that outlines what to post, when to post, and on which channels. Include a mix of national campaigns to seasonal promotions. A shared calendar ensures that all franchisees stay on schedule while keeping their content aligned with brand guidelines.

Monitor your performance

Once your strategy is in motion, track your performance regularly. Use analytics tools to measure key metrics such as engagement rates, conversions, website traffic, and customer feedback. 

This data helps identify what’s working and where adjustments are needed. Continuous monitoring allows you to refine your franchise marketing efforts, ensuring every location reaches its full potential.

5 successful franchise marketing examples

Franchise marketing thrives on creativity and digital innovation. Here are five well-known franchises with successful marketing strategies and the reasons behind their success:

7-Eleven: Pop culture and user-generated fun

7-Eleven is smart at connecting with pop culture and involving fans. In 2025, they sponsored the When We Were Young music festival, setting up lounges for fans to recharge and enjoy free Slurpees. 

They also launched the “#CarsOf7Eleven” campaign, encouraging car lovers to share pictures of their cars at 7-Eleven stores. Over 43,000 photos were posted, and the brand created a weekly “Friday CAR-ousel” to highlight the best posts.

This strategy works because it makes customers part of the fun. Fans create content for 7-Eleven, share it with friends, and feel connected to the brand. It’s interactive and gets people talking without heavy advertising costs.

McDonald’s: Viral trends turned into real products

McDonald’s Australia spotted a viral TikTok prank about a “Strawberry Matcha” drink. Even though it was a joke, fans wanted it. 

McDonald’s responded by launching a Matcha Latte, an Iced Matcha Latte, and an Iced Strawberry Matcha Latte in select stores. The trial went so well that they rolled it out nationwide.

This strategy succeeds because McDonald’s listens to its audience and acts fast. They turned social media buzz into real products, created excitement, and made fans feel heard. Limited availability also sparked urgency, making customers rush to try the new drinks.

Subway: Local connections and personal touch

Subway lets each franchise manage its own social media to connect with local fans. As part of this strategy, each individual location highlights promotions, new menu items, and partnerships with local influencers.

This works because the content feels personal and relevant. Customers see Subway as part of their community, not just a big chain. By tailoring messages to local tastes, Subway drives engagement all while keeping the global brand consistent.

Dunkin’: Influencers and seasonal excitement

Dunkin’ teamed up with singer Sabrina Carpenter to launch the Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso. Fun, playful ads showcase the drink, while a $5 meal deal encourages visits during winter.

This strategy works as it combines influencer appeal with limited-time offers. Fans get excited to try new drinks, share the experience online, and visit stores for the deal. Dunkin’ creates buzz, urgency, and repeat visits—all while staying trendy and relevant.

Crumbl Cookies: Weekly surprises and social buzz

Crumbl Cookies posts new cookie flavors on TikTok every week, keeping followers excited. Fans and influencers share their tasting experiences, boosting reach and engagement.

This strategy works because it mixes consistency with novelty. Weekly surprises keep customers coming back, while social sharing builds trust and spreads the brand naturally. Crumbl taps into trends and influencer power, creating a fun and highly shareable brand experience.

How to market your franchise with Vista Social

Managing multiple franchise locations can be complex, but Vista Social simplifies this with tools designed for multi-location businesses. Here’s how Vista Social supports franchise marketing.

Manage multiple locations from a single dashboard

Vista Social allows you to oversee all franchise locations in one centralized dashboard. You can monitor campaigns, track content performance, and see engagement metrics across all outlets without logging into separate accounts. This centralization helps ensure brand consistency and saves significant time for marketing teams.

Team management/user groups

Assign roles and permissions to team members across headquarters and local franchises. By creating user groups, you can control who can post and edit content, ensuring smooth collaboration between corporate marketing teams and franchise managers.

Profile groups for each location

Organize social media accounts by location to streamline posting and monitoring. Creating profile groups in Vista Social allow marketers to schedule localized campaigns while keeping each location aligned with the overall brand strategy.

Social media scheduling tools

Schedule posts in advance for all locations to maintain a consistent posting schedule. This feature ensures campaigns are timely, even when managing dozens of franchise units.

Social media analytics/reporting

Vista Social provides in-depth analytics and reporting for each location. Track engagement, follower growth, campaign performance, and ROI. By analyzing these metrics, franchises can make informed decisions and replicate successful strategies.

Social inbox management

Centralize messages, comments, and reviews from all locations in a single inbox. Quick responses build customer trust and loyalty while simplifying customer service across multiple channels.

Create your franchise marketing strategy

Creating a strong franchise marketing strategy is key to growing your brand across all locations. The right strategy helps you reach local customers while keeping your brand consistent. 

Using smart franchise digital marketing tools can make it much easier to run campaigns and track results without the stress. From social media posts to email campaigns, digital strategies make sure every franchise location connects with the right audience and drives more business.

Take your franchise marketing to the next level with Vista Social. Manage, schedule, and track campaigns across all your locations in one simple platform—and grow your brand faster and smarter.

Franchise marketing FAQs

What is a franchise?

A franchise is a business model where a franchisor allows a franchisee to use its brand, systems, and ongoing support in exchange for fees and royalties. This setup helps the business expand quickly while keeping a consistent brand image across multiple locations. Franchisees benefit from a proven business model making it easier to start and run a successful business.

What are the challenges in marketing a franchise?

Marketing a franchise comes with unique challenges. Businesses must maintain brand consistency across all locations while making marketing messages relevant to local customers. Coordinating campaigns for multiple franchisees, ensuring compliance with brand guidelines, managing different budgets, and tracking results for both corporate and local efforts can be complicated. A strong strategy and support from a franchise marketing agency can help overcome these challenges.

What are the types of franchises?

Franchises can be classified in several ways, each with different marketing needs. By industry, franchises can be in food, retail, or services. By ownership, they may be single-unit, multi-unit, or area development. By business model, they can operate as product distribution or business format franchises. Each type requires tailored marketing strategies, including franchise digital marketing, to support growth and ensure brand standards are followed.

What is an example of a franchise?

A common example of a franchise is a business where franchisees operate locally using the franchisor’s brand, systems, and marketing materials. This approach allows them to run a business under a recognized and trusted name, benefiting from proven marketing and operational strategies. Examples like these demonstrate how effective franchise marketing and franchise digital marketing help both corporate and local owners succeed.