In the article, which includes two great store photos, Brent talks about the success Lenny’s has had with its social media brand initiatives. He does a great job talking about how the brand has connected with its fans and followers to handle all social experiences, and has increased its social fan base better than its larger competitors.
Social media: Lenny’s meal ticket
by Michael Sheffield
Sub sandwich chain rewards fans, draws customers
Since launching its Facebook page three years ago, Memphis-based Lenny’s, which has 150 locations across the country, has grown its fan base to more than 85,000 followers, with an average of 578 fans per location. By comparison, Subway, with more than 37,000 locations around the world and 16.4 million followers, has an average of 442 fans per location, according to industry statistics.
Brent Alvord, president of Lenny’s, says the company has tapped into its followers through its Social Wednesday promotions.
Social Wednesday provides Lenny’s followers with coupons ranging from free chips and drinks to free subs, and has increased annual sales among the company’s top franchisees by more than 9 percent. Lenny’s top franchisees average about $694,000 per year. The top 5 percent of the company’s franchisees average around $1.2 million in sales per year.
Lenny’s top store is based at Memphis International Airport and is owned by Kelly Green Restaurants, which owns eight Memphis locations.
Alvord says Social Wednesday evolved from a Valentine’s Day coupon the company launched three years ago that gave customers a free sub. That giveaway alone increased the company’s modest fan base by 43,000 people. Alvord says Lenny’s increased its fans by another 20,000 last year.
The company worked with Chicago-based No Limit Media Consulting on its web initiatives.
“We analyze how many friends those people have and how many their friends have, which is more than 19 million people,” Alvord says. “It continues to build momentum.”
Nick Powills, chief brand strategist for No Limit Media, says Lenny’s has an active engagement with its customers through initiatives like Social Wednesday.
No Limit estimates a non-Facebook fan will spend about $150 per year in the restaurant, while a Facebook fan will spend $310 annually.
“If you can increase impressions, you can encourage them to come in more,” Powills says. “It’s important to build your fans organically. If it’s a popularity contest, I want to win one with real people instead of names I bought from someone else.”
In addition to the customers participating, Alvord says franchisees have to buy in to the promotions.
“They’re independent owners, so we cannot mandate particular things and I can’t fix pricing or an offer,” Alvord says. “So we try to make sure it’s something they’re OK accepting and something we think will be appealing to the guests as well.”
Reuben Brunson, president of Rocket Fuel, which works with its clients on social networking projects, says the best way for a company to succeed in social media marketing is to make sure it is creating a targeted message for its web audience, which is most likely different from the traditional audience. That lack of a message distinction is often where campaigns fail.
“There are things you can do on the web like ask questions and start conversations,” Brunson says. “But you have to be careful to not come across too sales-y. That doesn’t mean you can’t do specials, but you don’t want to be unbalanced.”
Brunson says direct conversation with customers can create a level of trust, and if done the right way, your customers become your best advertisers. But only if they trust you.
“In the old days, if you had a great experience at a restaurant, you’d tell your friends or coworkers; same with negative experiences,” Alvord says. “In today’s world, people tell their Facebook friends. We can head off negative exposure and seek the customers out to make it right, but we can also proactively seek customers. It’s prime territory.”
Read the article on the Memphis Business Journal site
As we all know that in today's time the importance of business increasing day by day and people prefer to have their own business. To start a business franchise play a wide role and which is really effective.
ReplyDeletea franchise is
INTERNATIONAL CONCEPT OF WORK FROM HOME
ReplyDeleteWork from home theory is fast gaining popularity because of the freedom and flexibility that comes with it. Since one is not bound by fixed working hours, they can schedule their work at the time when they feel most productive and convenient to them. Women & Men benefit a lot from this concept of work since they can balance their home and work perfectly. People mostly find that in this situation, their productivity is higher and stress levels lower. Those who like isolation and a tranquil work environment also tend to prefer this way of working. Today, with the kind of communication networks available, millions of people worldwide are considering this option.
Women & Men who want to be independent but cannot afford to leave their responsibilities at home aside will benefit a lot from this concept of work. It makes it easier to maintain a healthy balance between home and work. The family doesn't get neglected and you can get your work done too. You can thus effectively juggle home responsibilities with your career. Working from home is definitely a viable option but it also needs a lot of hard work and discipline. You have to make a time schedule for yourself and stick to it. There will be a time frame of course for any job you take up and you have to fulfill that project within that time frame.
There are many things that can be done working from home. A few of them is listed below that will give you a general idea about the benefits of this concept.
Baby-sitting
This is the most common and highly preferred job that Women & Men like doing. Since in today's competitive world both the parents have to work they need a secure place to leave behind their children who will take care of them and parents can also relax without being worried all the time. In this job you don't require any degree or qualifications. You only have to know how to take care of children. Parents are happy to pay handsome salary and you can also earn a lot without putting too much of an effort.
Nursery
For those who have a garden or an open space at your disposal and are also interested in gardening can go for this method of earning money. If given proper time and efforts nursery business can flourish very well and you will earn handsomely. But just as all jobs establishing it will be a bit difficult but the end results are outstanding.
Freelance
Freelance can be in different wings. Either you can be a freelance reporter or a freelance photographer. You can also do designing or be in the advertising field doing project on your own. Being independent and working independently will depend on your field of work and the availability of its worth in the market. If you like doing jewellery designing you can do that at home totally independently. You can also work on freelancing as a marketing executive working from home. Wanna know more, email us on workfromhome.otr214423@gmail.com and we will send you information on how you can actually work as a marketing freelancer.
Internet related work
This is a very vast field and here sky is the limit. All you need is a computer and Internet facility. Whatever field you are into work at home is perfect match in the software field. You can match your time according to your convenience and complete whatever projects you get. To learn more about how to work from home, contact us today on workfromhome.otr214423@gmail.comand our team will get you started on some excellent work from home projects.
Diet food
Since now a days Women & Men are more conscious of the food that they eat hence they prefer to have homemade low cal food and if you can start supplying low cal food to various offices then it will be a very good source of income and not too much of efforts. You can hire a few ladies who will help you out and this can be a good business.
Thus think over this concept and go ahead.