ers come back and spread the word in an authentic way .
How do you go about creating a “ customer-centric ” marketing and brand philosophy ? Given all the metrics we ’ re pulling , we have the capability to see what our customers ’ behaviors are in our restaurants . From there , we mold our menu and our service based on what those metrics indicate . We are also heavily committed to customer engagement in the digital landscape , making us fully aware of conversations customers are having . We find it extremely valuable to take part in these conversations about the brand to explore our guests ’ opinions .
Describe your marketing team and the role each plays . I have a lean , yet experienced marketing team . My marketing coordinator handles social media and customer engagement , and my director of marketing handles local store marketing , design , and anything going on at the store level . They both come from working in East Coast Wings & Grill restaurants , so they speak the “ server ” language and bring with them firsthand understanding of the impact our marketing programs will have at the store level .
When it comes to helping the brand connect with franchise prospects , why is it so important for the marketing department to have a “ personal touch ”? I think it ’ s important for any brand to have a strong and defined marketing department when selling a franchise because marketing is probably the top discipline prospective franchisees are most nervous about executing on their own . Knowing that they ’ re provided with marketing resources is very assuring , and our team collectively has more than 35 years of experience in restaurant marketing . Additionally , we have a very handson approach to helping our franchisees and walking through all the steps , which they ’ ve shown to really appreciate .
How does this help your franchise sales and development effort ? What ways / tools do you rely on to do this ? Many aspects go into increasing franchise sales and development efforts , including our marketing expertise . We ’ re able to provide relief to many new or prospective franchisees . We see a lot of people who have past experience in the restaurant industry or in owning their own business but , more often than not , marketing their new store on their own is what they are apprehensive about . To conquer this fear , we get down and dirty : we research third-party data to understand the market , do a trade area analysis for them , and even go so far as to teach their designated agents how to go out and shake hands and kiss babies . We welcome hand-holding and believe in a show , not tell , approach . Whether it ’ s my team or me , we go directly to the store and demonstrate the process to the franchisee .
Do today ’ s prospects expect more from the franchise marketing department ? What , and how do you provide it ? It ’ s not that they ’ re expecting more ( they ’ ve always wanted a lot of marketing help ), it ’ s just that marketing has changed . It ’ s no longer about designing a flyer or using clip art to create a poster . It ’ s much more innovative and is about being able to come up with a meaningful social media campaign that ’ s going to drive business on a certain day . Again , it ’ s not that they ’ re more demanding , it ’ s just the work is different and the mediums have changed . As marketers , we have made sure that we have the right tools in our toolkit to meet those needs . We staff appropriately , have relationships with the right vendors , stay on top of relevant trends , etc .
How is technology changing the way franchise marketing is done in terms of one-on-one contact ? A lot of marketing departments would like to do marketing remotely , but there is a certain level of really needing to get in there and feel it . You have to be there to properly assess the entire situation . All of the marketers in our program go out to the stores and evaluate issues and opportunities so we can produce effective results .
How are you assisting your existing franchisees with more contact and transparency ? What are their immediate needs ? We ’ re there for everything and anything they need . Their immediate needs are establishing realistic goals . From there we create buzz about the restaurant in the local community , ultimately driving traffic to their location . Whether they ’ re struggling to meet numbers or want help hosting a blogger event , we ’ re in the store helping them make it happen .
How do you work with other internal departments and does technology help ? It ’ s a constant dialogue . Technology doesn ’ t hurt , but nothing beats an oldfashioned conversation . All day , every day , each department is sharing information and giving input on initiatives . We very much have an “ It takes a village ” attitude .
How do you manage costs and budgets for the marketing department ? Our budget is derived from percentage of sales and then we manage the cost based on what we need to spend to accomplish our goals . It ’ s all about prioritizing .
Do you see vendors as business partners ? Why / why not ? Of course ! We want our vendors to be just as invested in our success as we are . We ’ re constantly looking at all different types of vendors to make our franchises more profitable . The last thing we want to do is be at odds with vendors — it ’ s a waste of time . It ’ s important to build and maintain healthy relationships with them .
How have marketing strategies / tools changed over the past decade ? How have you adapted ? It used to be that you could go out in any given market , spend a substantial amount of money on TV , and you would be fine . You would reach everyone and they would have gotten your message . We can ’ t do that anymore because media is so fragmented . Smaller brands have to be more creative . With so many more efficient ways to reach consumers you need to recognize what will achieve the most bang for your buck . In most cases , digital , social , and using PR creatively are the most cost-effective ways to reach consumers . These are also the most authentic ways to reach target consumers . For example , in 2015 we shifted our focus to PR and influencer marketing , leading us to produce more than $ 1.4 million in ad value and $ 4.3 million in publicity value for a fraction of the budget the same amount of media would have cost .
What advice would you offer to aspiring CMO executives ? Listen to your people in the field , especially your operators . Start with the end in mind for any project and learn how to roll with the flow . n
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