Franchise marketing: allocate responsibilities before you launch

When you turn your existing business into a franchise network, marketing needs to work without you personally approving every post. At the same time, customers must experience a consistent concept. The solution is a clear division of work between independent businesses: what the franchisor produces, what the franchisee is responsible for and which messages need reviewing. Agree this before promising marketing support to your first franchisee.

1. Map the work behind your current marketing

Start with what actually happens in your business, rather than a wish list for a future organisation. List recurring tasks: website updates, photography, advertising, local partnerships, social media and opening-hours information. Note who does the work, what expertise it requires and which external resources are used.

This often reveals a hidden dependence on the founder. Perhaps the image library is on your phone, while offers are agreed verbally and published by someone who already knows the business. Such ways of working are difficult to pass on to a new business owner.

Then divide the tasks into three groups:

• Shared production: for example, core marketing materials, an image library and overall campaign planning.
• Local delivery: for example, keeping opening hours accurate, running local activities and publishing approved materials.
• Joint decisions: for example, a local partnership that could affect the reputation of the entire brand.

Assign responsibility for each task. Avoid phrases such as “the parties will work together” unless you also specify who takes the initiative, supplies the necessary information and makes the decision.

2. Describe support in terms of specific deliverables

“Marketing is included” is a vague promise. To a franchisee, it could mean anything from ready-made templates to the franchisor managing advertising and generating a steady flow of customers. Describe the support in terms of what you can actually deliver.

Specify, for example, which materials will be provided, how they may be used and whether local adaptation is included. Also explain who commissions external production and who pays when a franchisee wants something beyond the core materials. The issue here is the division of work, not setting the franchise fee.

Make a particular distinction between a commitment to deliver and an expected result. Providing campaign materials is not the same as promising a certain number of customers. If you present previous campaign results, make the context clear, including which outlet and period they relate to. Past results are no guarantee of success in a new location.

Sweden has specific legislation: the Act (2006:484) on Franchisors’ Duty to Provide Information. It requires franchisors, well before a franchise agreement is entered into, to provide clear, comprehensible written information about the implications of the agreement and other relevant circumstances. Your description of marketing support must therefore match the agreement and what you actually intend to deliver. The Act does not remove the need for clear contractual terms.

3. Allow local flexibility with clear review rules

A successful franchise network needs both brand recognition and a local presence. Franchisees often know their local area best, but should not have to devise all their communications from scratch. Decide what can be published straight away and what needs prior review.

One practical approach is to allow ready-made templates to be used with limited changes, without further approval. New product claims, major partnerships or locally produced campaigns may, however, need reviewing. Specify which changes are permitted: for example, addresses, opening hours and local images for which the necessary usage rights have been secured.

Also agree:

• which team or role receives materials for review,
• what supporting information the franchisee must submit,
• what response time you commit to,
• what happens if no response is received,
• how incorrect materials will be corrected or removed promptly.

Sweden’s general Marketing Act (2008:486) also applies within franchise networks. Among other requirements, marketing must not be misleading. Internal approval does not make an inaccurate claim permissible, and the allocation of responsibilities in the franchise agreement does not, on its own, determine legal liability towards third parties. Have a lawyer review the provisions on responsibility and any particularly sensitive marketing messages.

4. Secure accounts and test the workflow

Document who registers and administers local accounts, business profiles and advertising tools. Decide which permissions each party needs and how access will be managed when an employee leaves. Use individual access permissions where the tools allow, rather than a shared password circulated between businesses.

Also distinguish between control of an account and rights to its content. Images, videos and text bought by your existing business cannot automatically be used by all future franchisees. Check the licence terms and obtain broader usage rights where necessary.

Finally, test the entire workflow using a specific local activity. Ask someone other than the founder to find the materials, adapt them, request approval and prepare them for publication. Note where instructions or decisions are missing. Put recurring procedures in the operations manual, while keeping key commitments and responsibilities in the agreement.

Practical takeaway: Before offering marketing support, draw up a simple responsibilities table covering each task, deliverable, decision-maker and responsibility for costs. If a new franchisee can use it without verbal explanations, you will have a much stronger foundation for shared marketing.