People love local. From home grown heroes to the corner coffee shop owned by a neighbor to the talented teenager who makes it on the national stage, we have a genuine affinity for the people and businesses that make up our communities. We want them to succeed. And rightly so – we relate so easily to the hard work and success that our neighbors achieve because that’s what we want for ourselves.

Multi-location brands and their owners face a particular challenge when they consider marketing strategies that make successful connections with local customers. On one hand, brand recognition is almost guaranteed – most interested consumers will have heard of the brand even if there’s not one close by. On the other, consumer sentiment can easily shift to cynicism: “Oh great, another national conglomerate…” How then do multi-location brands differentiate themselves and make truly valuable consumer connections at the local level?

Local Connections Drive Brand Success

At Curious Jane, we specialize in helping multi-location brands develop local solutions that solve this complexing question. Let’s look at some best-in-class industry examples and the lessons they provide:

Chick-fil-A – The big daddy of fast-food franchising, Chick-fil-A does many things right, including creating meaningful relationships with their customers. While the brand handles national marketing and operational excellence, local owners are encouraged to become integral parts of their communities through church, recreation and youth activity sponsorships. In fact, community leadership is a key criterion for awarding operators franchise rights to operators.

CrossFit – This fast-growing fitness program with thousands of locally-owned locations stands out for several reasons. While its network of instructors and workout frameworks are national, the look and feel of each participating gym is decidedly local. By tailoring touchpoints specifically to local audiences (suggested workouts can vary by weather, regional events or even quirky community traditions), customers become part of a distinct community of like-minded people rather than just a member at a corporate gym chain. The brand has created national buzz and empowered local affiliates to take full advantage through its unique business structure.

Dutch Bros – The multi-location beverage stop got its start in 1992 in Grant’s Pass, Oregon. Dutch Bros has consistently focused on local marketing and community support to make meaningful connections with its customers. We think their combination of face-to-face, pre- opening sampling and recurring charitable campaigns clearly differentiate the chain from the national behemoths. It’s high touch marketing with a heart.

Music Go Round – We’re a bit biased here but this multi-location reseller of musical instruments and gear has tapped into music’s natural ability to bring people together. Many stores are hubs where families, kids and neighbors share their passions and create community. The Stockton, California location has become a remarkable nexus for the town’s thriving independent music scene. Its social media feeds not only promote the store but make local connections by spotlighting the community’s many musicians and the location’s slate of in-store events. 

To Thrive, Multi-Location Brands Must Make Local Connections

In all of these examples, the key to the brands’ success has been dynamic and focused local marketing. Whether it’s Chick-fil-A’s insistence on local sponsorships and hyper-targeted media or Music Go Round’s willingness to let franchises leverage their obvious community connections via social media, multi-location brands thrive when local marketing plans allow for creativity, customization and community enhancement.

For more than 20 years, we’ve helped national and emerging brands not only tap into local customer populations but build real community with consumers. If you would like to find out more about our local/national brand development philosophies and how we operate, please reach out. We’d love to start a conversation!