How to Spot a Great Franchise Opportunity

As a franchise public relations firm we have had the opportunity to work with some truly fantastic franchises and anticipate being able to work with many more.  We've had multiple friends ask us about the franchise industry and how it works.  Getting into a franchise opportunity can easily be a fantastic business idea, but how do you spot the a great franchise opportunity?  There are a couple signs that you've found yourself a great franchise opportunity, which include the following:

1- Earning potential is there: When you're trying to figure out if the franchise opportunity you have found is a good one you must evaluate what kind of earning potential is really there.  Can you make a decent living from the franchise?  Ask yourself what kind of money you truly need and want to make, then determine what the potential is from your franchise opportunity.  You will need to estimate the potential earnings.  Some franchisors make this type of information public and publish this kind of information in a document (Franchise Disclosure Document/FDD).  If not you may want to speak with other franchisees about the earning potential.

2- Satisfied franchisees:  If you decided to speak with other franchisees regarding the earning potential you might as well ask how satisfied they are with the franchise.  Meet and discuss with them to get their honest opinions on the franchise.  You may also want to find and speak with ex-franchisees as well.  Get as well-rounded of an opinion as possible.  If you find that a good portion of franchisees that you've spoken with are pleased with the franchise then you may have a great franchise opportunity on your hands.

3- Strong support system from franchisor: Does the franchise opportunity you have found offer any kind of training or support?  Support from the franchisor is important and really, quite crucial at the start up stage.  When you're trying to get your franchise up and running it will become important to have the training and support from the franchisor, especially to help your franchise grow.

4- Overall growth: If you are looking to become involved with any franchise you must see some sort of company growth otherwise what's the point, right?  Ongoing growth in the number of franchise units is a good indication that the franchise itself is growing and obviously you want to be apart of a franchise that is growing.  Seek information about the type of industry that the franchise is in as well to help form an opinion.

5- The fit: While all of the above criteria will be crucial when deciding on whether a franchise opportunity is good or not, the most important is how the franchise fits or connects with you.  If you don't feel that the franchise is a good fit for you then the earning potential, satisfied franchisees, support from the franchisor, and overall growth won't mean much to you.  Really consider what the franchise is all about and how that fits with you and your core values and interests.

Looking for more tips on how to spot a great franchise opportunity?  Feel free to leave us a comment or contact us.

Relationship Building as a Franchise

A successful relationship between a franchisor and franchise can lead to long-term growth for a franchise and the strength of that relationship is arguably one of the most important parts of owning a franchise.  The relationship, especially that between a franchisee and franchisor, is a very distinct type of relationship and as a franchise PR company, we have seen that with many of our PR clients.  It is often compared to that of a relationship between an employer and employee, but really it is quite different.  Whether you are the franchisee or franchisor, odds are you see the importance of building a solid relationship together and that relationship is all important when it comes to helping your franchise grow.  After doing franchise public relations for so many different franchise companies we have compiled a few of our own suggestions on building solid relationships as a franchise.  Here are a few tips on building strong relationships within a franchise:

1- Seek to improve those communications skills: When it comes to building a relationship between a franchisee and a franchisor communication is key.  Practice your listening skills and truly take the time to understand where each other is coming from.  If a serious issue or crisis arises you need to be able to work together as a team to get through it.  As a franchisor you need to make sure you are keeping your franchisee in the loop to the best of your knowledge and abilities.  As a franchisee you shouldn't be afraid to speak up if something seems amiss, but you should however be able to organize your thoughts and pose questions to your franchisor in such a way that you work towards solving problems instead of starting new ones.  

2- Have a little faith: As a franchisee it is important to have a little faith in your franchisor and vice versa.  Having faith in what one another is doing is one of the best ways to develop trust with one another, which is absolutely key in the relationship building process.  Policy changes and all sorts of issues could potentially crop up, but standing behind your franchisor is important to the relationship building process.  Draw upon those communications skills we mentioned in tip #1 as part of having faith in one another stems from having open communication with one another.  

3- One-on-one visits: Never underestimate the power of a one-on-one visit as a franchisor.  Most franchises have sales visits, conventions or meetings that are scheduled all throughout the year.  These types of events are great to attend as a franchisor as they give you a great opportunity to communicate your visions for the franchise.  Attending these types of events shows prospective and current franchisees future potential for the growth of the franchise and opens the communication floodgates.

Looking for more tips on successfully building relationships as a franchise?  Feel free to comment below or contact us.

Tying the Holidays into Your PR Tactics

Now is the time to give your PR strategies and tactics a holiday slant.  Working the holidays into a PR campaign, event, or press release can attract attention when done well.  As a franchise public relations firm we always work hard to ensure that our clients get the maximum amount of coverage throughout the holiday season.  Here are a few tips on tying the holidays into your PR tactics:

1- The holiday pitch: Consider how you will pitch your stories during the holiday season.  Pitching your stories in waves could prove to make your release much more successful during the holiday season.  What do we mean by waves?  By waves we mean pitching your story at multiple, critical times.  Pitch your story well before the holiday, especially if you are trying to get your business or franchise featured in a particular magazine's special interest section which will air at a certain time.  The second wave should be done two to four weeks before the holiday.  Some reporters need stories at the very last minute before a holiday and need a release to fill a vacancy, so pitching last minute could actually prove to be successful as well.

2- Have multiple story ideas: Gearing up for the holidays you should have multiple story ideas lined up way ahead of time.  Having multiple ideas in the works is always a great idea since you never know exactly what journalists are looking for, so give them a little bit of everything to help ensure getting some holiday buzz during the holiday season.

3- Run a contest: A holiday contest is a great PR tactic to have at your disposal.  We have seen some of the best, most effective contests done during the holiday season.  Throwing a fantastic holiday-themed contest could provide your business or franchise with some great exposure during the holiday season.

4- Create a poll:  Another great holiday PR tactic is creating a holiday-based poll.  We have seen some of our franchise public relations clients get some exposure from a good poll.  You could create a poll about "the hottest holiday gifts of this season."  When a poll is interesting, people typically will respond.  This could be as simple or complex as you want to be, but it could generate some buzz around your business or franchise.

Looking for some more holiday-based PR tactics or have your own ideas that you would like to share with our franchise public relations team?  Feel free to leave us a comment below or contact us.  

Promoting Your Business or Franchise During the Holidays

The holidays are once again upon us and with that in mind you and your franchise are probably gearing up to heavily promote your business or franchise's services and products.  A big part of franchise PR is preparation for the holiday season.  Whether your franchise or business is promoting a service or product, the holidays make for great opportunities to grab press attention.   Grabbing headlines during the holiday months can be a little more difficult, but keep the following tips in mind to get some great recognition for your franchise or company:  

1- Holiday news cycle: Before you try to take the holiday angle when promoting your business or franchise's service or products, make sure you know the holiday news cycle.  The holiday news cycle gives loads of opportunities for all organizations and whatever product or service they sell.  Publications everywhere are filled with special features on all sorts of topics ranging from holiday outfits on a budget to finding the perfect gift for $50 or under.  If you are looking to target a weekly or monthly publication you need to begin pitching in advance to secure your spot in your desired publications.  

2- Deck out your press releases during the holidays:  Press releases sent out during the holidays, whether your company does them in house or is working with a franchise public relations firm, need to have that holiday slant.  The holidays provide a great time to start creative campaigns which could include an online contest or video creation contest.  Whatever you choose to do, it needs to be fun, exciting and needs to snag some holiday headlines.  Press releases that surround your holiday PR tactics should be as fun and exciting as the holiday contests you are running.  The point is you have to have your press releases truly stand out during the holiday season in order to stand out from the rest of the crowd also trying to grab headlines during the holiday season.  The goal is to make your press releases the ones journalists want to feature.  

3- Getting some visibility:  As we said before, getting some attention from the media during the holiday season can prove to be quite difficult, so in order to be seen and get some visibility you must be willing to think outside of the box.  That is the nature of public relations.  To get some visibility consider gaining additional exposure by creating a feature news release.  A feature news release is typically written like a news article and are used by various media outlets as source material.  Newswires have feature news calendars that cover a variety topics, which includes holiday themes.  The themes correspond with publication dates.  Distributing your feature news release to the appropriate editors in advance of the deadline is a great way to increase your business or franchise's visibility during the holiday season.

As a franchise PR firm we know that getting great press can be difficult during the holiday season.  If you are looking for more tips and tricks on promoting your business or franchise during the holiday season feel free to comment below or contact us.  

Marketing Your Franchise

While owning a franchise is great for the instant brand recognition and potential for immediate sales, it does not necessarily ensure success.  To make sure your franchise is always growing, you must consider your marketing efforts to keep growing.  As a franchise PR firm, we know how vital public relations and marketing is to a franchise looking to prosper.  Here are a few tips on marketing for your franchise:

1- Know your consumer:  Odds are if you purchased your franchise then you probably purchased it for a reason, such as its potential.  Believing isn’t enough though.  You must know your consumer and be able to adapt and make adjustments according to changing trends.  Your franchise must be able to meet consumer needs.

2- Turn to promotion: Once you have figured out who your consumer or target audience is you should know what mediums they use to seek information.  Turn to promotion to push your products or services through advertising campaigns, TV and radio commercials, Internet advertising, and direct mail incentives.  All should be done in combination with franchise public relations efforts.  Most franchise's will have a public relations firm that specializes in franchise public relations.  Working with a public relations firm, whether you are a business or franchise owner, will help provide solid guidance and help initiate effective campaigns.   

3- Powerful marketing collateral: Marketing collateral is a great way to provide potential customers with information on your franchise or business.  The more unique and engaging the collateral the more likely consumers are to hang on to it and read it rather than ignore it or throw it away.  Marketing collateral includes brochures, white papers and sales videos.  

4- Effective website: Having a great website is extremely important these days.  With millions of people shopping online, your franchise or business must have an effective website that informs potential customers of who your company is, what your company does and brings in sales.  If you are a franchisor, make sure you look into the rules regarding having a website for your own piece of the franchise pie.  If you are allowed to create your own separate page, do so.  

5- Implement a marketing database: Implement a marketing database as a way to help you log your marketing progress.  A database will help you stay organized and keep track of your customers and any new leads.

If you are looking for more tips on how to market your franchise, feel free to comment below or contact us.

Make Your Press Conference Successful

In a previous blog we mentioned events associated with public relations.  One of those events is the press conference.  Press conferences can be very successful for your franchise or business when it is done in the right way.  What makes a press conference successful versus unsuccessful?  Multiple factors make up the answer to this question and we though we would cover that in a blog.  Here are a few tips on making your press conference successful:  

1- Pick a good date and time:  Choosing Christmas Day or an even lesser known holiday isn’t a great day to hold your press conference on.  Time is also another factor.  If you decide to throw your press conference right at the rush hour time slot reporters will not be pleased having to fight the traffic just to attend your conference.  Try to choose a day that is holiday free and time appropriate to ensure the max amount of coverage, after all, the point of throwing a PR event like a press conference is to get coverage.  

2- Take control:  Always keep in mind that you and your franchise (and perhaps your franchise public relations firm if you are working with one) run the show when it comes to a press conference.  You are throwing the event and you control it.  Reporters shouldn’t be shouting out questions or speaking out of turn.  You have the right to call on reporters and answer the questions you wish to answer.  It’s your show, so take control.

3- Manage your time wisely:  Most press conferences don’t run very long.  Some will run for fifteen minutes, some for a half hour and some for perhaps an hour.  Always keep the time in mind.  Make sure you are covering exactly what you wished for the press conference to cover.  Don’t waste time or stall.  Get straight to the point.

4- Watch how you answer questions:  During a press conference, be prepared for a full battery of questions.  Know what questions you are willing to answer and which questions you are not comfortable answering.  If you are working with a public relations firm they will get you prepared for this type of event. 

5- Preparation is key: Preparation is a vital part of holding a great press conference.  Do a basic run through of possible questions and answers that may get asked of you and your franchise during the press conference.  A mock press conference is a great way to help you prepare for the real deal. 

Have any great tips you can recommend on throwing a successful press conference?  Feel free to leave tips below or contact us.  

Building Relationships with the Media

One of the driving forces of franchise public relations, or really just public relations in general, is the relationship between those in public relations and those in the media.  Those in PR want to spread the word about a client and the media provide the vehicle or ability to do so.  The relationship between the two parties is essential for both to succeed.  Here are some tips on building strong relationships with those in the media:

1- Value:  Before you approach anyone in the media, such as a journalist, evaluate your story and your pitch.  Ask yourself, “Why is this story important?  In public relations the criteria for any piece you create are: timely, human interest, significance, prominence, and proximity.  Now ask yourself a question based off of each of the criteria, for example, “Does my story have significance?” or “Is my story timely?”  If you can’t answer the questions with solid answers, then you can’t expect a journalist to have any interest and you should reconsider pitching the story.  To build a solid relationship with the media you must provide them with a story they will want to use.  In the future, they may remember you and be more willing to help you.

2- Approach: Once you have determined your story is journalist-worthy, you must carefully consider your approach as this is key to the start of developing a good relationship with anyone in the media.  Know the publication you will be pitching to.  Know the scope and look at their editorial calendar so you know the topics that are planned.  This way you can time your pitches and give them the types of pieces they will want at the correct time. 

3- Know the journalist: If you pitch a story to a journalist that is outside the realm of their area of interest, then you will be wasting their time and that is no way to start a solid relationship with anyone.  Pitching relevant stories to the right journalist is an excellent way to build credibility and appreciation from a journalist whose time you will not be wasting.  Also, dig through past pieces of what a journalist has written to get a better idea of the type of pieces they typically cover.  That’s a great way to assess your own piece and see if you think your piece will be something they are interested in.

4- Honesty: Always, always, always be honest!  Lying to a reporter is a huge no no.  Besides the fact that lying is unethical, it will only give you a bad reputation.  Lying will completely destroy your relationship with anyone in the media.  Journalists will not even bother reading pieces you send if they have to continually check your facts because they can’t trust you. 

5- Be available: Try your best to always be available if a reporter calls with questions or needs any additional information.  If you miss the call you run the risk of the journalist going to another source for information or scrapping your story all together.

Looking for more tips on building relationships the media?  Feel free to comment below or contact us.  

Increase Your PR Efforts

As a franchise public relations agency we will go to any length necessary to help our clients succeed.  We strongly believe in doing whatever you can do to increase and pump up your PR efforts.  Any PR agency will tell you that there are a few extra activities your franchise or business can do in addition to your current PR campaign.  Here are a few tips on increasing your PR efforts:

1- Charity involvement: A great way to increase your PR efforts is to get involved with a charity.  Research and contact local charities to see what types of opportunities are available to your franchise or business.  Promote your company’s good will in addition to your current tactics.

2- Partnerships: Partnership events are a great way to bump up your PR efforts.  Consider partnering with a local, similar business to your own and throwing an event.  Partnering will help you to maximize the press coverage for the event.  It’s a great way to team up with another similar business and bring a wider audience together. 

3- Community involvement: Try contacting your local Chamber of Commerce to find out more about events that you and your business or franchise could participate in as an addition to your current PR tactics.  Helping out the community is another way to show your company or franchise's good will and do something great.  

4- Local media involvement: Contact local newspapers and magazines to see what types of opportunities they have for submitting articles or advertisements to help promote your franchise or business.  This is a simple yet great additional way to increase your PR efforts.  

5- Sponsorships: Consider sponsoring a local sports team as another great way to promote your franchise or company.  It is a sure fire way to get your company or franchise’s name out there.

For more tips on how to increase your PR efforts feel free to leave us a comment below or contact us.  

Measuring PR Results

It may seem like a difficult task, but measuring the results you achieve from your public relations campaign is crucial.  Measurement helps provide you with the details of how successful or how unsuccessful your PR campaign was in achieving your campaign goals.  What would be the point of identifying your goals, intiating tactics and then never understanding the impact those tactics have had on your goals?  There wouldn’t be much of a point.  Consider the following tips when measuring PR campaign results:

1- Set Specific, Measurable PR Goals:  You cannot expect reasonable results if you set unrealistic goals, so with any goal you set along the way with any PR campaign, make sure you are setting goals that are achievable.  Make sure  the goals you set are also measurable.  Again, what good are tactics if you cannot measure their success rate?  Not very good at all.  

2- Use Analysis Tools: There are many tools out there on the market today to help you analyze your PR campaign progress, so use them throughout your campaign as a way to help track your results.

3- Analyze Everything!: Analyze everything and anything!  Track and evaluate any company, product, service or spokespeople mentions, check industry trends, check competitors and monitor any issues and pay attention to issue responses.  A good PR agency knows that throughout any PR campaign you need to make sure you are analyzing everything and anything related to your campaign to ensure your efforts are paying off.  Analyzing will also let you know what is not working allowing you to change course if necessary.  

4- Don't be Afraid to Change Tactics: While monitoring your PR efforts don't be afraid to change tactics and strategies quickly if you find that they just aren't working for you.  If you find that you are not seeing the results you were looking for from a tactic, then try something new.  Never underestimate the power of a solid backup plan.  Come up with some strategies or tactics that can be used just in case a tactic is not working for you.  

5- Outcomes and Changes in Public Opinion: At the end of your PR campaign determine the outcome and see if there have been any changes in public opinion about your company or brand.  After all, one of the goals of public relations is to shape the way the public feels about a company or brand.  Check out what people are saying about your company or brand on the internet via social media, blogs or forums.  It should give you a pretty good indication of the impact your PR campaign has had on the public.

If you're looking for more tips on measuring PR results, feel free to leave us a comment or contact us.  

Creating a PR Brochure

A PR brochure, like many materials in the world of public relations, is meant to inform, engage and call people to action.  Creating a PR brochure can take on various forms and hold all sorts of information.  A physical PR brochure is a piece of paper that is typically folded into three sections and contains information regarding an event, company, brand or anything else that a company wants to share with the public.  An online brochure will act the same as a physical brochure, but should utilize keywords for search purposes.  A PR brochure can also double as a company brochure providing vital background information on a company, but the PR brochure can also serve a more specialized purpose and can be used to achieve a specific goal as a part of your PR campaign.

While many people lump PR brochures and sales brochures into the same category, they are really quite different.  What is the big difference?  While the typical PR brochure does aim at getting donations, support, or buyers, the PR brochure is mainly informational.  It is similar to a press kit where you as a PR agency, provide information in such a way that it may persuade an action from someone, but it isn't as "in your face" like a sales brochure would be.  If you are looking to have a brochure created for your franchise or business, make sure you know the type of information you want to give to the public and how you want that information perceived.  Here are a few tips for creating a successful, informational PR brochure:

1- Make it stand out: Strive to create a brochure that stands out amongst all the rest.  Lets face it, no one wants to create a brochure that totally flops and is tossed out by everyone and anyone that receives it, so make yours unique.  Make it visually interesting and eye-catching.  Make it a piece that no one wants to throw away.  As a Chicago PR firm we know that isn't always the easiest task, so if you feel that this is an area where you're having trouble, then don't be afraid to call in the PR experts.

2- Make it newsworthy: Making your PR brochure newsworthy is a big part of the key to success.  Ensure that your PR brochure is viewed as newsworthy by making sure that it is relevant, significant and timely.  Always try to strike while the iron is hot.  The brochure won't be able to stimulate interest if the target audience does not find the information important to them.  Anyone that reads your brochure wants to feel like they have need that you may be able to meet and that is what the PR brochure should provide.

3- Make it fit your company's identity: PR brochure's should always fit your company's identity.  Your brochure needs to show your company's identity and be consistent with your representation as it is seen in other places like your website, business cards, sales sheets, etc.  If your brand is fun, exciting and upbeat then your brochure needs to reflect that.  Utilize your company's motto, philosophy and mission statement in your brochure.  A PR brochure is a really great way to show off your brand's personality a bit more, so do just that.

The Basics

Lastly, here are a few of the basics not to forget when creating your brochure:

- Your company name (you could forget!)
- Logo (branding in general)
- Mission
- Goals
- Reason for the PR brochure
- Why the reader should think it's important
- Call to action
- Contact information

If you're looking for more tips on creating a PR brochure or any other PR collateral, feel free to leave us a comment or contact us.

Facing Up to a 'Monster' PR Crisis

Popular energy drink brand Monster is currently facing up to a monster public relations crisis.  The brand is being linked to the death of a child who consumed the product.  As a public relations firm always looking to protect our clients, we cannot imagine how difficult this particular crisis has been on the brand. Let's examine the brand and story a little further:

The Product

Before we talk about the story itself, let's familiarize ourselves with the brand and product.  The Monster Beverage Company produces some of the most popular energy drinks on the market today.  Aimed at a young demographic, the drink is top choice to many young teenagers.  The drink itself contains the caffeine equivalent to nearly seven cans of Coca-Cola.  Yes, seven!  Since it's creation in 2002, the product has received plenty of flack from the media as fear of its harmful effects spread.  

The Issue

In 2011, the family of 14-year-old Anais Fournier blamed The Monster Beverage Company for their young daughter's death alleging that energy drink caused her death.  The girl had consumed two 24-ounce cans in two days.  Her parents stated that the high levels of caffeine contained in the drink aggravated an existing medical condition.  This ultimately caused a heart attack.  Aside from the 14-year-old's death, the FDA is already investigating the deaths of four other people who also ingested the beverage shortly before their passing.  The FDA has reported multiple emergency room visits from people who have consumed the drink with complaints stemming from vomiting to chest pains to heart tremors.  Monster denies any link between their product and the deaths, but is denial the best method? 

Handling the Issue

Touching an issue involving any consumer casualties is difficult no matter how you look at it, so how does a company protect itself and its consumers?  

1- Messaging: We suggest, with any issue really, that consistent, strong messaging is key.  What you say and do during a crisis will be put under a microscope, so make sure your messaging is strong and keep it consistent. 

2- Gain control: The minute you lose control, you'll lose likely never get it back, so it must be you and your company or franchise's mission to stay in control of the issue. You and your franchise or company need to always have control over an issue and that's where working with a top notch franchise public relations agency comes into play. A good PR agency can help you keep control.  

3- Put customers first: In a situation such as this one, it is important to put customers first.  Their safety might just be in danger and it is your responsibility as a brand to let them know they are not in harms way and that as their chosen brand, you will always protect them.  In crisis situation like the one Monster is facing up to, the most important thing they can do as a company is show compassion for their customers otherwise their customers will just go out and choose another energy beverage to consume.    

4- Swift action is key: Acting quickly, especially in a situation like this, is important.  Waiting it out on a subject that is as touchy as this one would only make the brand appear to be more at fault.  Waiting also leads to speculation and lets the public come up with their own interpretations of the truth, which is never a good thing.  Make your point known and get your side of the story out.

5- Use your resources: Whenever you find yourself or your franchise or business in the midst of a crisis use any resources you have at your disposal.  Your website and social media pages are good places to put up statements.  Make sure all your communications bases are covered.

Looking for more tips on tackling a monster crisis?  Leave us a comment below or contact us.

Using a PR Agency

Are you and your franchise or business in need of some PR guidance?  Finding a public relations firm to rely on could take some solid research, but finding the right public relations firm is worth its weight in gold.  How do you find, and ultimately choose, the right public relations firm for your franchise or business?  Here are a few suggestions:

1- Determine your goals:  Before you start out looking for a public relations firm to work with, determine your goals.  What do you want the PR for your franchise or business to achieve?  You need to know where you are headed as a franchise or business so that when you speak with potential PR agencies you can accurately brief them on what you are looking to do.  An agency can better assess your situation and give you better service suggestions when they understand who you are, what you need and what you are looking to do.    

2- Consider your budget: As the head of your business or franchise you must consider your budget.  How much can you afford to spend on PR services?  Assess your money situation to figure out where PR services fit.  If you have a solid budget allowing for use of a public relations agency, then give it a shot.  If your purse strings are a little tight you may want to consider a freelance PR consultant.  A good PR consultant could provide you with adequate assistance without breaking the bank.  

3- Consider your industry: When you’re looking for a public relations firm or consultant, consider the industry that you and your franchise or business are in.  Try searching an online directory for PR firms or consultants that understand your industry and have previously done work for other companies in your industry.  If you do not intend on using a directory, then ask around for recommendations.

4- Location: You may be tempted by the credentials of an agency in a different state then your franchise or business, but try to stick with something local.  Why?  You will probably need to meet regularly with the firm you choose and constant travel probably isn’t in your schedule or company's best interests.

5- Package offerings: When you’re in the preliminary stages of picking a PR firm to work with you will start by seeing what packages a firm suggests.  Be wary of firms that attempt to give you a “standard package.”  If the package sounds like it works for your franchise or business, then perhaps its okay, but really examine what “standard” means.  It’s vital that your franchise or business is receiving proper care, so see if the prospective public relations firm offers you a tailor-made package.

Looking for more tips on picking a PR agency?  Comment below or contact us.   

Handling Bad Publicity

Unfortunately, bad publicity happens.  You and your franchise or company are not perfect.  How many times have we all heard the old adage, "there's no such things as bad press," or at least some spin off of that phrase?  Is that true?  Well, perhaps, but as a Franchise Public Relations Agency, we try our best to keep our clients out of any bad publicity.  If you find yourself or your franchise catching some backlash for a bad move, consider the following steps to help recover:

(1) Develop a plan: Developing a plan should come before you ever encounter a crisis.  You should always be prepared for battle.  Have a step by step strategy outlined and when the time comes and you need to implement it, you will know exactly what steps to take.  Always plan ahead!

(2) Choose a spokesperson:  Appointing a spokesperson is another step that should probably be taken before your franchise or company receives bad press.  Your franchise or company's spokesperson should be someone that is capable of staying calm during media enquiries, can handle pressure and will respond well to difficult questions.  

(3) Keep people informed (to a point!):  This is a tough one!  You've got one of two options typically: A- to speak out or B- stay silent.  The tough part is knowing which way to go.  If you're facing extremely bad publicity for something major, you may want to stay quiet until you've thoroughly thought about how you will address the media and the public.  Typically speaking out is the best way.  Speaking out gives you the ability to try and put out the fire surrounding your franchise or company.  Saying the wrong thing could seal your fate, so proceed with caution.  

(4) Press statement: Preparing a well-thoughtout press statement could really serve you and your franchise or company well during times of crisis.  Why?  Reporters have a knack for finding a story with or without explanation from key members of the company they are writing the story about, so take the initiative to get them the information they are looking for before they create a story with incorrect information.  

(5) Post an explanation: If you feel that it is safe to take matters into your own hands, then use your website to post an explanation.  This will allow you to get your side of the story across to the public directly.  Let the public hear your side of the story.

(6) Find some positive in the negative: While enduring bad publicity, try and find some positive through all the negative.  Perhaps there's a good news angle waiting to be uncovered.  

(7) Consider a PR Firm:  If you and your franchise or company are not currently working with a great public relations company, consider doing so.  A great public relations firm can help you successfully navigate the waters of both good and bad press.  A PR agency can help you complete all of the steps listed above.  

Looking for more tips on how you and your franchise or company should handle bad press?  Feel free to leave a comment or contact us.