by Matthew Pigott and Alex Waite, MP-PR

In the current economic climate, a number of companies believe the key to survival is getting in the crash position and waiting for the turbulence to pass. But what can you see with your head between your legs?

If you want to get market share in a recession, it’s more important than ever to continue marketing, even if you have to do it through gritted teeth. If you don’t, people are likely to have forgotten all about you when the inevitable upturn comes.

“If you stop advertising a brand which is still in its introductory phase, you will probably kill it – for ever. Studies of the last six recessions have demonstrated that companies which do not cut back their advertising budgets achieve greater increases in profit than companies which do cut back.”
David Ogilvy, On Advertising

PR, like advertising, is part of the marketing mix. If nobody is reading about you, or for want of a better word, seeing you, then nobody is going to know anything about your products, services, what your brand stands for or, most of all, why they should buy into it.

The message is simple: the more exposure you have, the more trust you build with potential franchisees – as long as they keep seeing that you’re there.

Have you ever wanted to reach out and tell more people about the positive things happening in your company? Do you want to recruit more franchisees? Do you have lots of regular, interesting news that never sees the light of day simply because you don’t have the time write it, let alone send it out to the right people? At a time when digitised information is taking over its printed predecessor, do you wish you could increase online coverage about your company, and upgrade your chances of being discovered by potential franchisees searching for new business opportunities on Google?

Words reveal your intentions. They highlight the kind of company you are, and that is why it’s essential for you to choose your words carefully. Better still, why not let the professionals do it for you?

A good PR firm is the interface between your company and the outside world via the media. It performs a pivotal role in your developing relationships with other businesses and/or consumers. Ultimately, it should change the way everybody perceives your business – for the better!

Did you know that one of the best ways to gain solid publicity is through interviews with key company executives? By positioning yourself as an authority in your chosen field, you’ll gain added respect and kudos at industry level and will also enjoy increased interest from potential franchisees. There are fewer ways to ensure a positive impact on both your reputation and your bottom line.

If you’ve never used a reputable, specialist PR service before and decide to include one in your new strategy, within a few months you’ll begin to see more of your company’s name in the press, online as well as on radio and TV.

These are just some of the things MP-PR can help orchestrate. It’s what they’re known for in the franchise industry. It’s what they’re experts at.

Ask yourself a question: could your company benefit from the right words said at the right time to fuel interest in your franchise and help boost recruitment?

MP-PR understands the national publicity needs of franchisors and the local publicity needs of franchisees. And has strategies that will help your network to grow in these challenging times.

To find out more about how MP-PR can help email: recruitmorefranchisees@mp-pr.co.uk or call Matt Pigott on 07903 723 898 or 01932 244 679. You can also visit www.mp-pr.co.uk