The document explains the concept and process of content marketing, emphasizing its role in engaging prospective customers without hard selling. It outlines the importance of creating valuable content tailored to target audiences, especially in franchise development, to address customer questions and objections. Additionally, it illustrates various successful content marketing strategies and examples that enhance brand awareness and generate leads.

1. Content Marketing Explained
Fishman PR
Rachael Wachstein
630.269.3725

2. Overview
• Content Marketing: The Golden Rule
• What is Content Marketing?
• The Content Marketing Process
• Our Content Marketing Reality
• Content Marketing Examples
• Stay Tuned- Content Menu

3. THIS IS CONTENT MARKETING
Our client had a recurring problem. Prospective
customers consistently had the same questions
about their services…
Do we need to hire a biohazard remediation
company? Can’t we do the clean up ourselves?
Fishman PR created three short animations to
address those issues with the intention of getting
customers over their objections to hiring the client.
The animations are used by the client in a variety
of ways from email blasts, as resources on their
website and in direct communications with
potential clients.
http://youtu.be/aljXqIgf0Lk
http://youtu.be/EZKyLBRnJ4g
http://youtu.be/CGUTRWNQNDM
Content marketing for
franchise systems comes
down to creating content
that prepares the
franchise prospect or
customer to close a deal
or make a purchase.

4. What is Content Marketing?
Content marketing is the practice of communicating with your target
audience without hard selling. Instead, you are delivering high quality
information that makes the consumer or franchise prospect more intelligent.
The idea of this strategy is that if a company delivers consistent, ongoing
valuable information to target audiences, they will reward you
with their business.
WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING?

5. Top Benefits of Content Marketing
• Search Engine Optimization: Search engines reward businesses that publish
quality, consistent content. Search engines are a major source of website
traffic.
• Lead Generation: Content is key to driving inbound traffic and converting
leads.
• Establish Expertise & Trust: Providing valuable information w/o direct selling
establishes a brand as the trusted expert Who better to buy from, or do
business with than the trusted expert?
• Brand Awareness: Providing content of interest to the target audience will
keep the brand top of mind.
WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING?

6. Content Marketing
Content marketing can be utilized for many different purposes…
– Franchise Development/B2B Sales
– Consumer Sales
– Customer Retention
– Reputation Management
WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING?

7. Content Marketing for Franchise Development
Buying Has Changed Forever
The franchise buying process has fundamentally changed. It is no longer
about the needs of the brand. Prospects are spending more time on the Web
doing independent research, obtaining information from their peers and
other third parties. Franchise brands that recognize this revolution in the
franchise sales process and focus on the needs of prospects will experience
system growth.
WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING?

8. A banner ad is an example of the old way of marketing a
franchise opportunity. It is all about the brand and the
franchise opportunity but does nothing to engage and
educate prospects.
The Entrepreneur’s Source also wants to sell franchises
but they use a value added content marketing approach.
WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING?

9. Close
The Content Marketing Process:
Content Marketing in a Perfect World

10. INBOUND MARKETING FOR FRANCHISE LEAD GEN
• Map out the sales process or cycle
• Define your target audiences and develop buyer personas
• Create content based on the sales cycle and buyer personas
• Set conversion goals
• Deploy the content strategy
• Analyze results and modify accordingly
The Content Marketing Process
Strangers Visitors Leads Franchise SaleEvaluationAwareness

11. Close
1. Map out the sales process or cycle
INBOUND MARKETING FOR FRANCHISE LEAD GEN
What are the paths to take a franchise lead
from awareness, to evaluation, to purchase?
Start by determining the path a lead would take
when navigating through the sales funnel.

12. Close
2. Define your target audiences and develop
buyer personas
INBOUND MARKETING FOR FRANCHISE LEAD GEN
A buyer persona is a composite sketch, representative of a segment of your target market.
A persona is focused on the roles and responsibilities of particular franchise prospects or
customers that you are going to try to establish dialogue and conversation with.
In franchise sales, the focus is on the desires, needs and problems of the franchise
prospect.
• What issues or problems do they have that the franchise opportunity can solve?
• How will the franchise opportunity fulfill the needs of the franchise prospect?
• What common questions and objections come up regarding the franchise opportunity?
How will you answer these questions?
• How will you get them over their objections?

13. Close
3. Create content based on the sales cycle and buyer personas
INBOUND MARKETING FOR FRANCHISE LEAD GEN
Problem/Solution: What are the three to five problems that your prospect is faced
with that your franchise opportunity can solve for them?
Success factors: What are the tangible or intangible metrics or rewards that the
prospect associates with success, such as leaving the corporate world or income
potential?
Perceived barriers/Objections: What factors could prompt the prospect to question
whether your franchise opportunity is right for them?
Buying process: What process does this prospect follow in exploring and selecting a
franchise opportunity?
Decision criteria: What aspects does the prospect look at in evaluating and
comparing your brand vs. alternative franchise opportunities? The decision criteria
should include insights both from prospects who chose a competitor and those who
decide not to invest in a franchise at all.

14. Close
4. Define your conversion goals
INBOUND MARKETING FOR FRANCHISE LEAD GEN
Conversions can take many forms. You have to know what action you want a
prospect to take in order to get them there.
• Filling out a franchise application
• Requesting more information
• Downloading an ebook or franchise report
• Signing up for a newsletter
• Scheduling an appointment
• Making a purchase

15. Close
Evaluation
Visitors Leads
INBOUND MARKETING FOR FRANCHISE LEAD GEN
What content assets can be deployed to help advance franchise leads to the next stage in the
buying cycle? Now that you know the paths a lead might take to convert into a franchisee, what
type of content assets should they receive to nurture them along the way? Take an inventory of
existing assets and identify assets that need to be developed. Deploy the content strategy.
Awareness
Whitepapers, Ebook, Kit,
Checklist, How-To Video,
Educational Webinar
Evaluation
Case Study, Franchisee
Testimonials, FAQ, Franchise
Report
Franchise Sale
Live Webinar w/Sales
Team, Discovery Day, In
Person Meeting
5. Deploy the content strategy

16. Close
Email Marketing can be used at various stages of the buying cycle.
INBOUND MARKETING FOR FRANCHISE LEAD GEN
Drip email marketing programs
Drip email marketing campaigns engage your
franchise prospects with a series of email
messages delivered at scheduled intervals.
Over time, as people respond, you'll learn
more about their needs and interests.

17. Close
INBOUND MARKETING FOR FRANCHISE LEAD GEN
Nurture email marketing programs
Nurture email marketing campaigns are a type of
drip marketing program that takes undecided
franchise prospects along an educational path,
keeping your franchise opportunity top of mind
until the prospect becomes sales-ready.

18. Close
Evaluation
Visitors Leads
INBOUND MARKETING FOR FRANCHISE LEAD GEN
Example Content: Content can be
offered as an incentive to fill out a
lead generation form. The type of
content downloaded and the
information collected in the form
will help segment prospects.
Here’s what a conversion path may look like:
Visit company blog >> Convert on ebook call-to-action
>> Click through to site on ebook nurturing campaign
>> Navigate to Get More Franchise Information Page >>
Click through to site on franchisee testimonial nurture
email and download franchise report>> Receive link to
franchise application email >> submit franchise
application>> Receive call from franchise development
team >> Become a franchisee

19. Awareness Convert Close
Strangers
First you need to get prospects to your
website or blog.
PR - Raising awareness of the brand and franchise
opportunity.
Blogging - Creating high-quality content optimized for
SEO. Content should not be overtly promotional or
feature sales language at this stage.
Social Media - Networking through channels like
LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Paid Ads - Targeted social ads, PPC campaigns, etc.
Word of Mouth - If your franchisees are happy, they will
tell others about the opportunity.
INBOUND MARKETING FOR FRANCHISE LEAD GEN

20. Content Marketing for Consumer Sales-
The content marketing process for consumer sales is the same as the franchise sales
process. Begin by mapping out the buying cycle, develop buyer personas, create
content to move prospects further down the sales funnel, set KPIs, deploy your
content strategy, measure, analyze and modify.
WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING?

21. Close
Content Marketing Reality

22. In a perfect world you would follow the content marketing process laid
out in the previous slides but the reality is that you have to start
somewhere.
The following are some of the projects
we’ve worked on…

23. EXAMPLES OF CONTENT MARKETING
Franchise Development Campaign - Blog, email Marketing, Online Outreach
Target: Franchise Brokers
Objective: Keep the franchise opportunity top of mind with brokers through engaging, informational and “ego baiting”
content. Increase the number of franchise deals done through broker networks.
Tactics: Created a blog specifically for franchise brokers, offer content that they care about, post content to the broker
portals, create email drip campaigns targeted to brokers with useful information to help them sell the franchise
opportunity to prospects. The comprehensive strategy focuses on audience engagement for greater lead potential.
Brand Hub - Blog

24. Brand Hub (blogging platform)
Target: Property Owners
Objective: Customer Retention
Tactics: Write unique, in depth articles on topics of
interest to property owners.
Success: The blog is the 4th most trafficked page
on the website. We promote the blog with bi-
monthly e-newsletters to their customer base.
EXAMPLES OF CONTENT MARKETING
Brand Hub - Blog

25. Brand Hub
Target: Utility Company Executives and Program Managers
Objective: Brand Awareness, Establishment of the brand as an expert in
conservation products.
Tactics: Write unique, in depth articles on topics of interest to utility
company executives and program managers.
Brand Hub
Target: Law Enforcement, Funeral Directors, Crime Victims, Property
Owners
Objective: Brand Awareness, Lead Generation, Search Engine
Optimization
Tactics: Write unique, in depth articles on topics of interest to Law
Enforcement and other target audiences, distribute content via
eNewsletters and online outreach..
EXAMPLES OF CONTENT MARKETING
Brand Hub - Blog

26. Social Media Engagement
Target: Consumers and prospects
Objective: Brand Awareness, Lead Generation, Search Engine
Optimization
Tactics: Write unique, thoughtful and engaging social media posts that
focus on creating a community.
We opened the page with 0 fans. Today we are at 18,000+ with no
paid ad support.
EXAMPLES OF CONTENT MARKETING
Social Media Marketing

27. Email Marketing
Target: Tradeshow attendees and franchise prospects
Objective: Brand awareness, get attendees to visit the booth
Tactics: Create email blasts and distribute at various intervals leading
up to the show, institute a call to action by setting up an appointment
scheduler
EXAMPLES OF CONTENT MARKETING
Email Marketing

28. Infographic
Target: Law Enforcement
Objective: Brand Awareness & Referrals, Inbound Links for Keywords
Tactics: Pitch infographic to online influencers, authoritative websites & blogs.
Newsletter/email Campaign
Target: Property Owners
Objective: Customer Retention
Tactics: Send property owners
a monthly newsletter with links
to the brand hub where they
can share content with their
networks.
EXAMPLES OF CONTENT MARKETING
Infographics & eNewsletters

29. Animated Demonstration Videos
Target: Customers with questions about the crime scene cleaning
process
Objective: Provide answers to common concerns, sales, SEO
Tactics: Created a series of animated videos to explain the client’s
process, online distribution of optimized video content for search
engine ranking benefits
EXAMPLES OF CONTENT MARKETING
Documentary Short
Target: Prospective clients and their families, media
Objective: Provide insight into the benefits of having professional in
home care for dementia patients vs. trying to do it yourself
Tactics: Created a moving short documentary about a patient, her
family and their caregiver to educate the public and generate media
interest on the topic.
*Animation and complex video production projects can be added for an additional fee
Multimedia Content

30. EXAMPLES OF CONTENT MARKETING
Online Media Outreach
Target: Links to client brand hub from
authoritative websites
Objective: SEO, LEAD GENERATION
Tactics: Created an infographic and pitch
around Halloween and blood cleanup and
conducted outreach to influential online
sites. UMV: 45+ Million
The placement resulted in a huge spike in
website traffic.
PR & Content Marketing Integration

31. CONTENT MARKETING MENU
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