As it comes closer to opening a new franchise, the thought of marketing the launch and business has to be front and centre. While franchisees benefit greatly from the assets provided by the brand, they need to catch the attention and interest of their local customer base. Your franchise, employees, and technology may be ready, but a vital part of the launch is getting your potential customers or clients ready too.

No franchise can successfully launch without notifying the relevant consumers that it is open for business. And while you might have the help of your franchisor for general brand marketing in terms of content and creative, you’ll need to create some local hype around your new franchise to get people walking through your doors. Here are some simple tips to get the buzz going, written in collaboration with F45 Training.

Sneak peeks

While the general public may know the bigger brand, they might not know one is opening up on their doorstep. A sneak peek is the perfect way to let them know without revealing too much. By only showing a sneak peek to the community, potential customers will  start thinking about you before they’ve even stepped inside. Whether it’s a short video clip of a section of your shop or studio on social media or a taster of your product as people pass by, it will generate interest.

Local influencers

Social media is the perfect platform to find relevant influencers (with a decent number of followers) who would be keen to talk about your franchise. While this can cost you a significant amount of money, a little bit of upfront capital won’t hurt if it gets the word-of-mouth strategy up and running. With well-known Facebookers and Instagrammers spreading the news, your new franchise won’t only gain some much needed attention but also an element of trust and legitimacy in what you offer.

Opening deals

An opening deal is an easy way to give consumers a reason or the motivation to sign up or walk through your door in the first place. If you’ve bought an F45 franchise for sale, for example, you could make a good first impression and gain vital initial interest by offering a discount or first free session. When people start getting in touch or stopping by to find out about your deal, you and your staff can  share more information about your service. This builds upon the initial interest, and allows you the chance to further sell what you have to offer.

Generating some local buzz around your new business shouldn’t be left to the marketing efforts of the broader franchise. Your franchise will be situated in a specific location and home to a unique  consumer base–your launch should be tailored to spark their attention and interest. Creating this buzz need not be expensive. With the help of some local influencers, a good opening special, and a sneak peek for locals, you will generate some much-needed awareness.