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‘Tis the season to give and to receive. If you’ve just opened your franchise this year, chances are you’re hoping you’ll get some business building gifts in your stocking this holiday. Here are five things you might want to ask Santa for that can set you up for the year ahead.
1. Marketing Consultant
There are numerous areas where you can spend your marketing dollars. Where should you start? Where should you focus? Are you making the right choices? By hiring a marketing consultant you can spend more confidently and increase your chances of seeing a return on your investment in the coming year.
2. Ad Spend
When you’re just getting started, you need to increase your ad spend to let customers in your area know you’re around. But, now is the time when money is tighter than ever. Ask Santa for more money to invest, or opt to become increasingly more strategic in the New Year with where and how you spend your money. Track your returns and you’ll be able to see that ad spend pay off in dividends as 2019 rolls in.
3. Influencers
2019 is set to be the year where influencer marketing takes off. For you, having influencers in your area or industry talk about your franchise or your specific location can help you generate more foot traffic to your store. Finding these influencers isn’t always easy, though. In addition to asking Santa to bring you a few key players, look closely at the people your customers are watching and then reach out to them to find innovative ways to collaborate.
4. Social Media Posts
Santa might not be able to write social media posts for you but he can bring you tools that will help ease the social media posting overwhelm you might be feeling as you get started in your franchise. By asking Santa for the paid plans on some of your favorite social media scheduling networks, such as Buffer, Meet Edgar, or Planly, you can get out ahead of social media and enjoy more time with your family instead.
5. Wall Calendar
Although you might be tethered to your smartphone, which likely stores all of your important schedules and meetings, having a physical calendar helps you see the bigger picture. It’s nice to have both when you’re just getting started on your journey as a franchise owner, so you can see where you are and where you’re going. Pro tip: Use your wall calendar to track your growth throughout the year. Next year at this time, you can look back and see how far you’ve come, celebrating your successes.
Whether you ask Santa for these gifts or not, they’re worth considering adding to your arsenal as the New Year rolls around. Do yourself a favor and think carefully about how you’ll market your new franchise in 2019 and then give yourself the gift of a profitable franchise by setting yourself up with the right tools.
Susan Guillory is the President of Egg Marketing & Communications, a marketing firm specializing in content writing and social media management. She’s written three business books, including How to Get More Customers With Press Releases, and frequently blogs about small business and marketing on sites including Forbes, AllBusiness, The Marketing Eggspert Blog, and Tweak Your Biz. Follow her on Twitter @eggmarketing.