Franchising is one of the fastest ways to scale a brand—but it’s also one of the most challenging. Finding the right franchisees, marketing to potential business owners, and building a scalable business model requires both strategy and creativity. In a recent episode of How They Scaled It, Alex Pujji, founder of Right Left Agency and key driver behind the explosive growth of the studio craft franchise Pinspiration, shared her insights on scaling through franchise marketing.
From Digital Marketing to Franchise Growth: A Natural Progression
Alex started her journey in digital marketing, building Right Left Agency into a powerhouse for performance-driven advertising. Her passion for the startup phase of a business led her to take on a new challenge—helping Pinspiration scale from just two locations to over 45.
Her unique background in digital marketing gave her an advantage in the franchise space, which is traditionally reliant on expensive broker networks and outdated sales tactics. Instead of following the status quo, she leveraged digital channels to revolutionize lead generation for Pinspiration.
Finding the Right Franchisees: A Data-Driven Approach
One of the biggest challenges in franchising is finding not just any franchisee, but the right franchisee. Many franchisors struggle with closing deals because they don’t have enough qualified leads in the pipeline. Alex and her team approached this challenge with a volume + quality strategy:
- Massive Lead Generation: They produced an emotional, high-energy marketing video showcasing the Pinspiration experience, and distributed it across social media, driving thousands of leads per week.
- Lead Qualification & Automation: Instead of sending all leads to sales, they built an automated filtering system using detailed application forms.
- Counterintuitively, increasing the number of questions on the form actually increased conversions. Why? Because it made the opportunity feel more legitimate and exclusive.
- Leads were then scored in Salesforce based on financial viability, business experience, and personal drive.
- Marketing-Sales Synergy: The sales team only engaged with the most qualified leads, ensuring their time was spent on serious buyers, not unqualified prospects.
The Role of Emotional Marketing in Franchise Growth
Franchise marketing is unique because you’re not just selling a product—you’re selling a lifestyle. Unlike traditional consumer marketing, where purchase decisions are made in seconds, franchise decisions take months of research, legal reviews, and financial planning.
To address this, Alex focused on emotional storytelling, rather than generic franchise messaging. Instead of saying “Own a creative business,” they switched to messaging like “Have you always dreamed of owning a creative business?” This subtle shift led to higher engagement and better lead quality.
Common Mistakes in Franchise Marketing (and How to Avoid Them)
Many franchisors struggle because they rely on old-school marketing tactics and fail to create a pipeline of strong, qualified leads. Here are some key mistakes Alex highlighted:
- Focusing on Desperation Over Fit: Many franchisors try to close every lead, rather than filtering for people who have the financial and business acumen to succeed.
- Lack of Volume: Some brands think they can succeed with 10-15 leads per month. But franchise deals are a numbers game—fewer than 5% of leads will make it to final approval. Without a high-volume funnel, it’s impossible to be selective.
- Vague Marketing Messages: Too many franchises fail to capture the feeling of the business. Instead of vague phrases like “Own a business”, successful franchise marketing immerses people in the day-to-day reality of the opportunity.
Where Franchise Marketing is Headed
Looking ahead, Alex believes franchise marketing will become even more data-driven and competitive. As ad costs rise and digital channels evolve, franchisors will need to:
- Leverage Automation: Lead scoring, CRM integrations, and AI-driven qualification will be crucial.
- Prioritize Brand Reputation: With online transparency at an all-time high, franchises with poor reviews or unhappy franchisees will struggle to grow.
- Expand Beyond Social Ads: While Facebook and Instagram were key to Pinspiration’s growth, the future will involve a blend of paid media, SEO, PR, and partnerships to reach franchise buyers across multiple touchpoints.
Want to hear the full conversation?
Listen to Episode 01 of How They Scaled It on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3tEL2ZY70iq6qr2rKSWuDG
Final Thoughts
Franchising isn’t just about growth—it’s about sustainable, high-quality expansion. The Pinspiration case study proves that a strong digital marketing foundation, combined with strategic lead filtering, can revolutionize franchise sales.
For franchisors looking to scale, the takeaway is clear: Don’t rely on outdated methods. Build a system that attracts, qualifies, and converts the right people—because your franchise’s success depends on it.
To learn more about Pinspiration, visit Pinspiration.com
