Franchise Video Marketing with Dan Wiley
Showcasing the Story behind the Brand with Dan Wiley
When it comes to engaging video content, Brand J has been leading the charge with our secret weapon: Dan Wiley. Since 2019, Dan has been showcasing his mastery of video skills with a focus on franchise development, telling the story of countless franchise brands. After years of showcasing the story behind a brand, Dan is stepping into the spotlight to share his expertise, as well as what is trending in franchise video marketing.
What types of videos have the best exposure, and why?
Wiley: When an entrepreneur is exploring your brand for their next (or first) franchise business, they’ll do whatever they can to discover the truth about how it will impact their life and their family. The best thing that you can do to win the attention and trust of desirable candidates is to show them the true stories of your passionate and driven franchisees.
The most successful videos that we produce have been our mini documentaries, which capture the inspiring stories of real people who partnered with a brand and have found success through hard work and close relationships with their franchisor and fellow franchisees. Entrepreneurs connect with these stories on a human level. They come to see the brand as a legacy, not just a business.
How do you tailor video content to resonate with specific franchise audiences?
Wiley: The decision to buy a business is one of the biggest that a person will make in their lifetime. Matching up the right entrepreneur with the right franchise brand requires meticulous vetting on both sides. At Brand J, we obsess over our clients’ buyer personas and try to get inside their heads as much as possible. The first-time business owner is coming into it with very different questions and goals than the established entrepreneur who is looking to expand their portfolio. Depending on the brand, it may be necessary to produce a range of video content targeting both individually. The specifics of cost, industry, culture, and geography should all influence your targeted filmmaking decisions in big ways.
How do you ensure consistency in branding and messaging across franchise marketing videos?
Wiley: The main goal of Brand J is to always take a journalistic approach to each individual business. The most diligent and industrious entrepreneurs will settle for nothing less than a cohesive brand with strong messaging and a clear identity. We have worked with franchise brands of all shapes and sizes across every industry. Each one has its own unique story to tell. When we shoot video interviews with franchisees and the franchisor support staff of a given brand, I don’t say “cut” until we’ve uncovered the real story, and can tell it in a compelling way across all of our video content.
Where should these videos be posted for maximum exposure?
Wiley: Your brand should have a presence across most platforms. No more excuses about not having time and/or not being tech savvy. Your future franchisees may not be expecting to discover their next business venture on a social app, and that’s why it’s the perfect place to hit them with brand recognition and concise messages about the opportunity. Once their interest has been piqued, they’ll visit your franchise development website, which should be peppered with a series of professional explainer videos, franchisee testimonials, and corporate support content.
Are there any specific challenges unique to creating videos for franchise marketing?
Wiley: If you’re reading this, you know that franchise marketing is the most challenging form of marketing. Any agency or broker can bring you a large quantity of leads, but in the world of franchise sales, quality is everything. It takes a lot of extra work and planning to craft highly targeted video content that appeals to serious entrepreneurs, but it is well worth the effort.
What trends do you see in franchise filming this year?
Wiley: Franchise marketing feels like the Wild West at the moment. Between new AI technologies and ever-changing social media trends, a lot of brands are willing to diversify their approach and experiment more than ever before. The ongoing trend in video production is to give your brand a healthy presence in every possible platform and format, from simple short-form social stories, to long-form high quality franchise development videos and podcasts. This may feel overwhelming to many, but with the right approach, your brand can reach a massive audience.
Why is it important to trust a professional with franchise video marketing?
Wiley: High quality video content is more accessible to businesses than ever before. Anyone can make a nice looking video with their phone and upload it to the major platforms. The big downside is that it is much harder to stand out from the crowd and get eyeballs on your content. A good franchise marketing agency will be made up of people with an entrepreneurial mindset. At Brand J, we obsess over our clients’ primary franchisee personas, and produce a large variety of video content tailored specifically for them.
What advice would you give to franchisors looking to upgrade their video marketing?
Wiley: Not all entrepreneurs are created equal. You should offer prospective franchisees a wide variety of video content that explores the brand from different angles. Many people will connect with your brand after seeing a story about the life of an existing franchise owner. Others will respond best to hard-hitting interviews with your corporate support team. If they’re genuinely interested in your brand, they’ll eagerly consume every last bit of it and become invested before you even have your first phone call. There is a lot that goes into a highly tailored video marketing plan, so of course I recommend talking to the specialists at Brand J. We do the heavy lifting and educate our clients along the way.
Start a Conversation with Brand J
Would you like to explore how our franchise video marketing services can create engaging content that perfectly captures your brand’s story? We’re here to assist in crafting compelling brand story videos, paving the way for you to connect with your next potential franchise owner. Fill out our form here to start a conversation. We look forward to learning more about your brand.