The lease is signed. Construction has begun. The franchisee is hiring. The grand opening date is circled on the calendar.
So, when should the PR campaign begin?
If the answer is “When we have an opening date,” you’ve already lost valuable time.
A successful new store opening campaign doesn’t begin with a press release sent a few days before the ribbon cutting. Instead, your PR agency should be working weeks – or even months – in advance to build awareness, develop media opportunities, and create reasons for the local community to get excited about the brand.
However, PR agencies can’t do it alone. The strongest opening campaigns are partnerships among the agency, franchisor and franchisee, with each playing a distinct role.
To generate attention that ultimately brings customers through the doors, the PR agency needs information and resources from both the franchisor and franchisee.
The franchisor should provide:
The franchisee should provide:
The PR agency then brings these elements together into a cohesive strategy. It identifies the strongest stories, develops media angles, plans events surrounding opening day, and conducts targeted outreach designed to keep the campaign moving.
Importantly, effective PR goes far beyond issuing a press release for the new store opening.
For example, my agency spent several weeks developing and executing a media and community outreach strategy for the opening of a national catering brand’s new location. The strategy included coordinating a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the local Chamber of Commerce, securing coverage across local print, online and broadcast outlets, and connecting the franchisee with local businesses and community organizations. As a result, the opening garnered more than 4.4 million impressions while creating valuable relationships and opportunities for future business partnerships.
Every brand and market is different. Still, the following timeline provides a useful framework:
This is when the foundation should be built.
The PR agency should interview the franchisee, understand the franchisor’s objectives, and identify potential business, lifestyle, community, and human-interest stories. It should also create a targeted media list that includes local business publications, radio and television stations, community outlets, newsletters, bloggers, and relevant influencers.
At the same time, the agency should prepare the franchisee for interviews with key messages, talking points, sample questions, and guidance on potentially sensitive topics.
Meanwhile, the franchisor and franchisee should establish clear communication protocols. The franchisee needs to know what they can discuss independently and when questions should be referred to the franchisor.
They should also provide media-ready assets, including professional headshots, logos, product images, renderings, and interior or exterior photography.
Now the campaign shifts from preparation to active outreach.
Simply emailing a press release to the local newspaper or community website may result in little more than a calendar listing on the new store opening – if it gets noticed at all.
A skilled PR agency knows which outlets cover the industry, which journalists write relevant stories, and what type of pitch is most likely to get their attention. Depending on the opportunity, that may mean a formal press release or a highly personalized pitch.
At this stage, the PR agency should pursue opportunities such as franchisee profiles, business stories, product samplings, radio interviews, influencer visits, and television segments.
The franchisor and franchisee, in turn, need to be responsive. Media opportunities often move quickly. If a reporter requests an interview today or tomorrow, waiting several days to respond can mean losing the opportunity entirely.
As opening day approaches, the PR agency should follow up with priority media and remind them about the event.
A concise media alert can provide reporters with the essentials: where to go, when to arrive, who will be available for interviews, and what visual opportunities they can expect.
Ideally, an agency representative should also attend opening day events and serve as the media liaison, allowing the franchisee and operations team to focus on customers.
No reputable PR agency can guarantee news coverage. If an agency promises a television appearance, newspaper feature or line around the block on opening day, that should raise questions.
What franchisors and franchisees should expect is preparation, strategy, proactive outreach, communication, and follow-through.
A strong PR partner will create the right opportunities, build meaningful connections, and put each location in the best possible position to earn attention and establish a lasting presence in its community.
Tracy Tilson is President and Founder of Tilson PR, a full-service public relations firm serving national and regional clients with a seasoned team that spans across the country. Tracy has built an impressive reputation with B2B and B2C clients of all sizes in a variety of industries, from national consumer and retail brands to restaurants and franchise companies.
