Creating a comprehensive digital marketing strategy

We hear many stories of franchise brands that have struck gold in one digital channel or another. Many brands and agencies talk about the secret sauce they’ve found in a particular approach.

Here’s a story of one of our favorite brands that has found success not in only one tactic, but via effective social media ads with productive search ads and a high-converting franchise development website.

Director of Franchise Development Ken Kanzaki has been working with Charleys Philly Steaks for several years. Today, he spearheads the growth of the franchise system that specializes in Philly-style cheesesteaks and is nearing 1,000 open locations. Much of that success has come from Charleys’ strategy of using multiple digital marketing channels in tandem to lift the brand.

The backstory

Charleys Philly Steaks was founded in 1986 by Ohio State University student Charley Shin with a single campus location. Charleys built a reputation on serving made-to-order cheesesteaks using premium ingredients, including USDA choice steak, all-white meat chicken, and fresh vegetables.

Charleys’ growth stemmed from an adaptable business model, which thrived in diverse locations. In addition to its impressive brand recognition, Charleys provided comprehensive training programs, ongoing operational support, and cutting-edge marketing strategies to help franchisees reach their goals.

Becoming a leader 

Not long ago, with 600 franchise locations, Charleys’s leadership was curious about breaking into the next phase of growth and brought on Kanzaki to revamp its strategy. He and his team sought to elevate their marketing and franchise development efforts. They understood that achieving their ambitious growth goals required more than just incremental improvements. What they needed was a comprehensive strategy to amplify their brand voice, attract high-quality franchisees, and create a buzz that would resonate throughout the franchise industry.

The strategy

Charleys’ approach to franchise development was methodical and organized. The team clearly defined the brand, business model, and support system. They built a strong foundation for creating a popular, nationally recognized QSR franchise brand. The next step was to establish a clear and direct path to advertise the franchise opportunity.

To achieve this, Charleys focused on developing a content-rich, visually engaging franchise development website that was search engine optimized. The goal was to convert social media audiences and web visitors into qualified leads by effectively telling the story behind the brand. This foundation allowed for the design and testing of targeted ads, the creation of ongoing SEO-focused content, and regular strategy benchmarks to implement necessary changes to their digital presence.

Through these efforts, Charleys aimed to not just generate leads, but to attract the right kind of franchisees who would contribute to the brand’s long-term success and vision. By focusing on quality of leads over quantity, Charleys positioned itself to sizzle in the franchise world and turn up the heat on the brand’s growth plans.

The results

“We’ve set several company records with website visitors, conversions, and deals closed through our website,” Kanzaki says. “The numbers speak for themselves. With more than 200 units sold since the launch of our new franchise development marketing campaigns, there is much to celebrate. Through our efforts, our team has been able to maintain a website that converts at 7.87% or 2.6x the industry average. We have also been able to establish an impressive Google Ads click-through rate at 15.73%, which is also above the industry average.”

“Charleys is a brand that has achieved every goal they set in front of them,” says Jason Weaver, a lead generation expert consulting with Charleys Philly Steaks. “We’re able to take advantage of the strong brand presence of Charleys Philly Steaks with a well-structured ads campaign and a website that converts at more than 2.6x the industry average. To bring people to a website and convert them into leads at this rate is almost unheard of in franchising.”

The Takeaway

If you’re wondering how you can take your franchise marketing efforts to the next level, it’s time to take a fresh look at how you’re approaching digital marketing for franchise development. 

The old ways of doing things do not matter anymore. Charleys has shown us what’s possible when you really nail your online strategy. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been in the game for years, it’s worth asking: Are you making the most of a smart social media ad strategy, search ad targeting, and content that really speaks to potential franchisees? 

Is your digital marketing really bringing the zing to your franchise opportunity? If not, it might be time to spice things up!

Jack Monson, president of Brand J, and Sophia Giordano-Scott, senior editor of Brand J, work with dozens of franchisors in digital marketing. Monson is also the owner and host of “Social Geek,” the top podcast in franchising.