It's all about passion.
Over 2,500 franchisees, franchisors, entrepreneurs, experts, and executives attended the biggest and first-ever virtual Franchisee Summit in the Philippines. The event was graced by world-renowned franchise relationships guru Greg Nathan, who shared what the Franchisee Wheel of Excellence is all about.
In a recent article, I talked about the first piece of the Wheel which is Build Supporters. I discussed the importance of having a healthy and fruitful relationship with supporters in order to become a successful franchisee and how to build supporters the right way.
Engage with the Brand: The second piece in the Franchisee Wheel of Excellence
The second piece in the Franchisee Wheel of Excellence has a great deal to do with passion. Nathan calls it “Engage with the Brand.” During the Summit, he said that engaging with the brand means being passionate about the brand and the works of the organization.
Passion is sometimes hard to find, to have, and to impart. But with hard work and putting your mind, heart, and soul in what you do, you start to sow passion in your life and you become passionate in your craft.
So, how can brand engagement and passion help your franchise business succeed?
1| Being passionate about your brand improves your reputation
“Your brand is your reputation,” shared Nathan. If the customers think and feel only the good things about your brand and your products and services, then your reputation is good. Being engaged in your brand and being passionate in what your company is all about immediately transforms your outlook, decisions, actions, and relationships for the best.
Moreover, as a franchisee and leader of your business, you have the power to influence your team. This means that if you are passionate, then your team will also be passionate in their roles and responsibilities. Once passion runs in the blood of your business, your brand will surely have a reputation of excellence, positivity, and success.
2| High-achieving franchisees have strong brand passion and engagement
According to Nathan’s research, high-achieving franchisees have strong brand passion and engagement. This means that if a franchisee is completely passionate and fully committed and engaged with the brand, the sales and overall performance of the business are continually impressive.
Most importantly, this strong passion in the brand also brings about higher satisfaction in life in general. Therefore, it is very important that as a franchisee and leader of your business, you breed passion in everything that you do and in everyone that you relate with.
3| The ripple effect of brand passion
Nathan said that being passionate about your brand is infectious and your passion causes an amazing ripple effect in your business.
“When you as a franchisee are passionate and enthusiastic about your business, your team is going to be passionate and enthusiastic too, and they are going to pass that on to your customers and your customers are going to have a better experience,” he said.
But this ripple effect will not happen without you starting it. As the leader of your business, you have to see the importance of your influence and put it to great use in order to breed passion in your team. This ultimately improves customer experience and enhances brand reputation.
Best practices and personal learnings in Jollibee
Multi-unit franchisee of Jollibee and CEO of Padilla Group Danny “Jun” Padilla, Jr. was one of the experts invited to the Franchisee Summit. Owner of eight Jollibee branches in Metro Manila and Visayas and recipient of several awards in the annual Jollibee Franchise Awards, Padilla shared tips and best practices of his experiences with Jollibee regarding brand engagement.
1| Be a brand ambassador in your store, your community, and with everyone you encounter
Padilla said that franchisees should be present and hands-on in their business and should experience everything about the operations and the system from start to end. He also shared that Jollibee has a corporate social responsibility program called “Bucket for Bakhawan,” where they plant a tree for every bucket of Chicken Joy purchased.
This level of passion is what makes Jollibee one of the best and most-loved brands in the country.
2| Contribute to your franchisor
“[Franchisees should] participate actively and constructively in all discussions, councils, or activities,” shared Padilla. Open communication is key to contributing healthily to your franchisor and to the overall organization. You should make yourself heard but always remember to do it respectfully and constructively.
Padilla added that a franchisee’s relationship with a franchisor is like a marriage and it should be nourished, evaluated, and given importance through the years.
3| Actively network with fellow franchisees
Learning from your fellow franchisees is always a great way to improve your own business. You as a franchisee should seek to learn about best practices and find ways to enjoy the company in order to work together harmoniously in making the brand and system better.
At the end of his insightful discussion, Padilla shared some of his personal learnings. He answered the question, “What gets me out of the bed in the morning?”
By showing photos of him with his kids and family, he said that he is doing his best to inculcate in his children the love for business and the love for the Jollibee brand. He shared that his father is the first-generation franchisee, and he is the second one and with that, he dreams to also pass this legacy on to his children.
“We attend family business classes for succession planning and it really helps our family,” he added.
This kind of brand passion and engagement shows how a love for a brand can change the life of a franchisee and those around them. It also portrays that passion can be passed on to others and it can ultimately bring about success and satisfaction.
“Passion is indeed infectious,” Padilla concluded.
As seen in Esquire.
Learn more about the franchise journey of successful Filipino franchise brands and their best practices in the book "12 Strategies of Franchising." Get FREE Nationwide Shipping here: https://www.francorp.com.ph/books