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PR Industry Impacted by Franchise Revolution
(EMAILWIRE.COM, August 06, 2004) Norwalk, Conn. -- How many hats do you own? If you work in franchise public relations, plan to wear as many of them as possible. Franchise companies require more from public relations than just trade press, says eNR Services, Inc., a Norwalk, Conn.-based public relations services firm specializing in franchise PR. To help franchises succeed, PR pros must switch gears and take on a larger and often less traditional role that involves everything from franchise development to franchisee communications.
"As a franchise grows, its needs for public relations grow as well," explains Brian Q. Smith, executive vice president of eNR. "And the PR industry must stay on top of those needs to help franchised businesses succeed. We're finding that public relations is taking a much more critical role in every area of the franchise company - from corporate headquarters to the franchisee level."
eNR has evolved as a result of working for franchises. Within the last two years, the firm's Grassroots PR Program has helped it expand into a multi-million dollar operation. It's now the largest provider of PR services to the franchise industry - with Ben & Jerry's and Chem- Dry among its long list of franchise clients.
eNR reveals the five critical PR needs of today's franchise company:
Franchisee Development. As companies expand their territories, they need PR help to seed regions and cities with news about the new job prospects they offer. And, franchisee prospects need help performing due diligence when they consider investing in a franchise. Press releases, franchisee trade shows and online marketing help supply the information so important to potential franchisees.
Local Brand Building. Franchisees run businesses - not marketing agencies. Yet, their roles usually include the complicated task of introducing a new brand to a new market. And, local consumers often do not recognize the franchise name, products or services. Enter PR specialists to define and communicate the franchisee's brand to targeted buyers in the local community.
Grand Openings. When a new franchise location opens its doors, public relations steps in to promote the new business's opening. The franchisee - now a member of the local business community - needs to turn local residents into new customers. Some agencies have developed systems to accommodate franchises with multiple openings per month. eNR always includes a grand opening program in its Grassroots PR Program.
Franchisee Communications. As franchises grow larger, the workload at corporate headquarters seems to grow exponentially. Sometimes, corporate communications falters, leaving franchisees in the dark about the company's comings and goings. That's where PR agencies can help pick up the slack. PR deliverables such as newsletters and local press releases can help fill the information gap.
Internet Marketing. Franchises are looking for new ways to attract prospects. Now they are spending money on creative new marketing strategies, especially those leveraging the Internet. "There is more to the web than online press kits," says Smith. "For a year and a half now, eNR has been aggressively promoting clients' content online, and even including online advertising opportunities."
About eNR, Inc.
eNR Services, Inc., headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., creates and delivers local news to the local media. The company's hallmark service, the Grassroots PR Program, establishes a local presence for businesses with multiple locations. The company provides content development, up-to-date media contacts, news distribution, and managed publicity programs. Through its Grassroots PR Program, eNR has become the largest provider of public relations services to the franchise industry. Other clients include direct selling companies, automotive dealerships, real estate agencies, financial services providers, public relations firms, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations.
eNR also offers several Web-based services to increase local media pick-up and increase the visibility of distributed press releases. Grassroots Newswire(tm) provides the local media a weekly re-distribution and archival of local news. eNR's FeatureLinQ(tm) service proactively markets press releases and other online content through search engines and other available online marketing tools. For more information, visit www.enr-corp.com or call 1-888-607-9101.
Company Website: http://www.enr-corp.com
eNR, Inc. Contact:
Renee Shallis
Director of Communications
email: rshallis@enr-corp.com
voice: (203) 849-7224
This press release was issued through GroupWeb Emailwire.com. For more information on press release distribution, go to http://www.emailwire.com.
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