According to a recent Entrepreneur article, “The Top 10 Franchises of 2015,” the most successful franchisors in the US have at least one thing in common: direct mail marketing.
Direct Mail is a powerful tool for communication with any audience, whether they are existing customers, or new prospects surrounding current or soon-to-open locations. From demographic-specific campaigns, to geographic saturation, and to select customer promotions, direct mail does it all, and results in transactions more than virtually any other medium.
The Top 10 Franchises of 2015:
1. Hampton Hotels – 2,000 hotels in 16 countries. 400 additional units planned.
2. Anytime Fitness - 2 million members. Opens over 300 new gyms per year.
3. Subway – Over 42,000+ locations in 107 countries.
4. Jack in the Box – 2,250 units, 80% owned by franchisees.
5. Supercuts – More than 2,500 locations. 144 new franchisees, 124 stores opened in 2014.
6. Jimmy John’s – Over 2,100 units. 300 new stores salted for 2015.
7. Servpro – 1,700 unit franchise. Operating for 46 years.
8. Denny’s – 1,710 units. Home of the $300 (you read that correctly) Grand Cru Slam breakfast.
9. Pizza Hut – Commands more than 15% of the entire US pizza market.
10. 7-Elevin – 54,500 stores operating worldwide.
*Source: Entrepreneur.com. Web & Print. “The Top 10 Franchises of 2015”. Jason Daley, January 2015
From Hampton Hotels, who notably used direct mail to promote their 100% Satisfaction Guarantee campaign (which has now become the industry standard), to Denny’s, with some franchisees citing a 7 to 1 return on investment using coupon mailers, one thing is for sure, direct mail drives sales, retention, and new customer acquisition.
Karin Harrison, Marketing Manager for Outdoor Living Brands, an Inc. 5000 franchisor operating fast-growing brands such as Mosquito Squad, has done just that. "If you're a franchise company looking for a direct marketing partner, I would definitely recommend looking at Taradel,” says Harrison. "Their full service, turnkey EDDM program, allows our franchisees to quickly plan an effective direct mail program, and then get back to managing their business.”
In a Digital World, Direct Mail Works Even Better
So, why is direct mail so effective compared to other marketing channels? There are many reasons, but here are some of the most frequently cited benefits:• It delivers a tangible, physical, and “real” experience.
• USPS mail is viewed by consumers as credible, trustworthy, authoritative, and legitimate.
• Impressions matter. Direct mail delivers a powerful impression, and studies prove that, “…the brain is more emotionally engaged with direct mail” compared to digital ads. *
• It can be targeted to broad, or extremely narrow audiences, with personalization.
• Direct mail typically delivers “solo” without competing offers (ie: Google SERPs)
*Source: EveryDoorDirectMail.com. Article. "Direct Mail Impressions Matter". June 2015.
And now, with turnkey direct mail platforms available, such as the White Label EDDM solution powered by Taradel, any franchisor can open up direct mail to its franchisees, right out of the box.
Your Franchisees Will Love You 
A Franchisor has to balance its brand guidelines, operational processes, franchisees, customer expectations, and marketing strategy among other things. This is not an easy task.
But the marketing is what drives growth for both franchisees and corporate. In fact, the marketing tools and resources that they provide to their franchises, are ultimately, the same tools that drive revenue upstream. Dollar for dollar, direct mail drives more transactions than digital, and virtually every franchisor in the US can use this battle-tested form of marketing to grow business.
Why Your Franchisees Will Love Your Direct Mail Program:
• Brand-approved creative (ie: postcards, flyers, coupons, etc)
• Emphasizes benefits and features to prospective customers
• Lures new business with exciting offers and promotions
• Increases visibility; Increases demand for products or services
• Provides clear direction of how the audience can redeem offers
• Wards off competitors and maintains brand relevance at local level
In summary, franchisors who implement a direct mail platform for its franchisees create a win-win situation. Franchisees gain the ability to effortlessly launch turnkey direct mail campaigns to drive sales, and the franchisor boosts revenue across the board while maintaining full control of the brand and messaging.
The success of the “Top 10” US franchisors speaks for itself.
Is your direct mail solution tired or outdated? Or worse, not available to franchisees at all? Need to drive business growth?
Here's the link you've been waiting for.