We know: You got into the pizza business to make pizza, not market it. Marketing is a daunting challenge for any business owner, but franchises come with their own unique set of challenges. The one good thing about owning a franchise, though, is that you have access to a proven set of marketing materials and strategies; all you need to do is deploy them correctly and add a dash of your own innovation now and then. Here are a few tips to market your pizza franchise successfully:
- Study and categorize the market according to how each part of it interacts with your business. For pizza franchises, your market is the people in your community who will be eating your food. They often fall into several categories, such as dine-in families, take-out customers, sports fans and teams, companies, or special-event groups like birthdays, retirement parties, etc. Try to identify as many sub-groups of customers as you can. Think of certain promotions that will appeal to them and other ways you can turn them into repeat customers, and consult your franchisor for tips.
- Make contributions to the community. For pizza places, it makes perfect sense to start a community vegetable garden, for example, and invite families to come tend it. Have special discount nights, such as veterans’ night or teachers’ night. Choose a local charity to make an annual donation to, and make the donation an event in itself, with your food there. Customers love to buy from places they feel are making a unique and positive impact in their community.
- Apply the franchisor’s proven marketing strategies on a local scale. This is the part you don’t have to worry so much about. Your franchisor will provide you with ready-made marketing materials for events such as the grand opening, the rollout of new products, and other company-wide promotions. These materials will be your bread-and-butter, and your own innovation in the community will take your franchise over the top.
Ready to make Rosati’s a part of your community? Visit our franchise page for more information.