When you think of a brand, you might think about its familiar logo, catchy slogan, or signature colour scheme. While these things can be included as defining aspects of a brand, a company’s brand is more than just that. It’s the tangible, but it’s also the intangibles—how people think and feel about a company. This, of course, is more difficult to nail down.
When a prospective franchisee is investigating franchise opportunities, the franchise brand itself is one of the main components he or she will want to consider. What are the hallmarks of a strong brand, and does this brand have them? How strong and unique is the brand? How is the brand supported and protected by the franchisor? What happens when the system wants to or needs to refresh its branding?
Read on for insight into the world of franchise brands.
Brand vs. branding
A company is made up of people, offices, products, and services. The company’s brand is made up of the perceptions that consumers have about them. This also includes the perceptions held by internal stakeholders: the company’s management and employees. How do people create these views and opinions about brands? That’s branding—the ways by which a company or business generates awareness and conveys its values to people. These are the activities that help shape the way people, both inside the company and outside, think and feel about it.
Because of this, great branding doesn’t equal a great brand. Any company could spend a wad of cash on splashy branding, but without conveying the right messages to the right people at the right time, it would all be for naught. A cool logo, for example, does not make for a strong brand; more substance is required for people to react to a brand. A strong brand message should resonate throughout the company.
Branding, franchising, and you
Strong brands and strong branding are particularly important in the franchise industry, where franchise systems must be able to differentiate themselves from competitors in order to build the brand.
The branding should be able to tell you the system’s unique aspects and offerings. It could be the same for both franchisees and consumers—for example, a proprietary blend of coffee that can’t be found anywhere else. Or, in the case of a cleaning service that uses environmentally friendly products, the unique benefit to the consumer is fewer chemicals used in their home, while a franchisee might see the benefit of a proprietary operating system and products.
When evaluating a franchise’s brand strength, consider first the look and feel of the brand and branding instead of more quantitative aspects such as how many units it currently has or how long it has been in business. Zero in on its unique features—what makes it different—and how well they’re imparted to others.
Strong brands are built from the inside out, so one of the easiest ways to spot a strong brand is to speak with those who are charged with nurturing, growing, and maintaining it. These people should consider themselves ‘brand ambassadors’ and be able to easily convey the brand’s message.
A prospective franchisee should also reflect on how the brand and branding are being managed. Consistency is vital to both branding and franchising; it’s important that this is monitored so everyone’s investment is protected.
Rather than policing, franchisors should ensure brand buy-in among employees and franchisees and that everyone is aware of the consequences of inconsistencies. A good place to look for this is in the system’s training, as this is what will impart consistent operations and branding to each new location.
Before signing on, a prospective franchisee should be comfortable and confident in the franchise system’s established branding, as well as the support provided to help franchisees stay within brand guidelines, such as marketing materials created by the franchisor.
Refreshing brands
Part of maintaining a strong brand involves knowing when to update, change, or refresh the branding to stay current in the marketplace. In a franchise system, this is important for franchisees to note, as it will impact them directly.
The “when and how” of these updates should be outlined in the franchise agreement. They could include, for example, renovations to the bricks-and-mortar location, or a redesigned logo. Ultimately, calculated updates can leave the system stronger than before, provided franchisees and employees view the refresh as an investment in its future and not a burden.
When making a brand decision, whether it’s smaller, like where to buy your morning coffee, or a much larger one, such as joining a franchise system as a franchisee, an individual’s reaction to the brand plays an important role. As a prospective franchisee, examine the brand and branding of the systems under consideration and be wary of choosing the “sizzle” over the “steak”; look for a strong, clear, consistent brand and branding that makes people want to align with it.