In a recent CFA Learn & Grow Webinar, Entrepreneur magazine editor in chief Jason Feifer shared insight into how to develop a media strategy, how to pitch, and more.

Gaining press coverage for your franchised business can be a daunting task, especially for new and emerging systems, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right approach and resources, you can create buzz around your brand and attract new franchisees. By gathering data from surveys or sales figures, providing interesting talking points, and utilizing public relations firms that specialize in the franchise business model, you can ensure your message gets into the hands of the media.

Additionally, when faced with bad press it’s important to remain open and transparent while working alongside communications teams and to determine what information can be shared responsibly.

Recently, Entrepreneur magazine editor in chief Jason Feifer hosted a CFA Learn & Grow Webinar, in which he shared some of his first-hand insight into how CFA Members can generate press interest for their franchise system. Here, we’ll look at just some of the insights Feifer shared in the webinar; drawing from his experience covering the franchising industry with Entrepreneur, a publication regarded as a premier source for everything small business.

Make the Most of Your Data
In the webinar, Feifer speaks about how businesses can gain more media attention and coverage by looking into their data or reaching out to survey companies. As an example, Feifer cites a dating app that partnered with a survey company to ask people about their opinion of certain professions in terms of attractiveness when it comes to dating. This provided them an opportunity to enter the dating industry conversation, engage with the public, as well as make their name familiar with those interested in their business.  

The media coverage that resulted in the survey data was also used to show investors that the business was relevant as getting picked up by the press required it to be “a player in a broader consciousness.” It is advised that instead of pitching stories or features about themselves, businesses should investigate creating interesting data sets, which could be written about by others. By doing this, they could discover trends such as for example, which menu items of a quick service restaurant brand are selling more than others. This could create a potential story for reporters who might be interested in the “why” of that trend.

This provides an exciting way for businesses to get on people’s radar while being more creative than simply relying on their marketing talking points. By utilising data collected from surveys or sales figures correctly, franchisors can provide interesting information that can be shared via media outlets and social media alike.  Not only does this allow for better exposure for them, but it also presents an opportunity for prospective franchisees to learn something new about the products/services offered by a franchise concept.

How to Pitch and Work with Publicists
Feifer discusses different ways of pitching, with the primary suggestion being to hire a publicist. There are many public relations firms that specialize in franchising, such as CFA Members Fishman Canada. When looking for a public relations agency, it is important to ask their clients about how effective they have been, as well as gathering information about how well they understand their marketplace and ability to tell a brand’s story accurately.

It’s also important to determine if they have built strong relationships with people in the media. Ultimately, what matters when trying to catch the attention of a reporter is understanding their mindset.

When it comes to pitching story ideas to reporters, Feifer explains that journalists don’t just want pitches; they want stories that will interest readers. When working with a PR firm to pitch story ideas to the media, it is important to work with an agency that understands the market and has good relationships with media outlets and so they can pitch relevant information and interesting stories that reporters will want to share with their readers.

Dealing with Bad Press
In order to effectively deal with bad press, one must be mindful of what the publication running the story is looking for and not argue with them. A great example of this cited by Feifer was when Home Depot’s CEO Frank Blake faced a PR crisis after the company got hacked and sensitive information was released. Blake knew that other companies had responded to similar situations by closing off communication and lawyering up, but he believed that would make it seem as if they had something to hide. So instead of battening down the hatches, he chose to be open and communicate with transparency. His communications team worked alongside his lawyers to decide how much they could share without being irresponsible.

Join us at a Learn & Grow Webinar!
Hosted by leading franchise experts on a variety of hot topics, CFA Learn & Grown webinars will keep you up to speed on what’s happening in your industry! All Learn & Grow Webinars are FREE for members of the CFA and are now eligible for CFE Participation Credits! Attendees can receive 50 CFE participation credits for each webinar. Visit www.cfa.ca/events/learn-and-grow-webinars/ to learn more.