Global Franchise 9.2 - Issue 56

us a beloved addition to the city's culinary landscape. In 2023, we were recognized as the leader in customer service in Jamaica, a testament to our commitment to treating every customer like family. As we continue to grow, our focus remains on maintaining the highest standards of quality and authenticity. Looking beyond our current expansion, we are also exploring new menu items and sustainable practices to ensure our brand continues to thrive. This blend of heritage and innovation not only helps us reach a broader audience but also cements our place in the competitive U.S. food market. By carefully curating our menu, we can highlight the most iconic Jamaican dishes, preserving cultural integrity while catering to local tastes. Juici Patties’ success in the United States is a testament to the power of tradition and cultural heritage in a global market. By staying true to our Jamaican roots, we have carved out a niche for ourselves in a competitive landscape. As we continue to expand, we remain dedicated to delivering the authentic taste of Jamaica with every patty we serve, paving the way for future growth across the country. In the pursuit of the perfect marketing strategy, there’s often one crucial area that franchisors overlook. Dani Peleva, founder and CEO of Franchise Fame, explains the powerful connection between local search engine optimization (SEO) and a franchise’s online reputation. Every franchisor understands the importance of reputation for attracting and retaining customers, but manymiss the markwhen it comes to leveraging local business listings. This oversight often stems from a lack of understanding about howthe Google algorithmworks— andmore importantly, how it can be turned to your advantage. Google introduced Google My Business profiles in 2014, now known as Google Business Profiles. The goal has always been the same: helping local businesses get found more easily by potential customers. For franchises, an accurate and up- to-date local listing can make a huge difference – more queries, more walk-ins, and ultimately, higher sales. A local listing with positive reviews (and I emphasize positive reviews) is essential if you want your business to stand out online. The Google algorithm is highly sophisticated. It can either punish or reward your listing. If your listing contains incomplete or inaccurate information, Google penalizes you by lowering your visibility. But if your listing is filled with positive signals – high ratings, glowing reviews, and prompt responses to negative feedback – Google rewards you by boosting your ranking and increasing your visibility. I’ve worked with many franchisors and franchisees, and I’ve seen firsthand how some excel in local SEOwhile others lag. Consider two businesses, A and B, each with equally optimized local listings. The only difference? Business A has zero reviews, while Business B has 15. Even if both businesses are equally diligent in their SEO efforts – consistently posting updates and optimizing their listings – Business B will almost always outrank Business A. Now imagine that Business B is your competitor. By actively requesting reviews from their customers and responding to negative ones promptly and courteously, Business B outranks you on Google’s map pack. When this happens, you’re losing valuable business simply by overlooking a small but impactful action that could draw customers to you. Google Business Profiles are essential for any franchise looking to strengthen its online reputation and maintain a robust local presence. Remember, most people search for businesses online first. If you’re not generating and responding to reviews, you risk losing prospective customers to competitors who are. I always say that the best thing you can do for your franchise business – apart from hiring an agency – is to focus on building your review portfolio. Tweaking categories and other small details are useful, but if you want your listing to outperform the competition, your goal should be to generate as many positive reviews as possible. In the world of local SEO, those reviews are your golden ticket to greater visibility and, ultimately, more business. MAXIMIZING THE INFLUENCE OF ONLINE REVIEWS support have made it easier to manage and expand our units.” Let’s be real — restaurant franchisees are often stuck dealing with outdated operational procedures and labor-intensive methods. PayMore's commitment to technology and constant innovation offers a welcome change. Franchisees appreciate the ease of operation and the efficiency our tech investments bring. They see the value in our first-mover advantage and the incredible growth potential ahead. With our rapid growth, we’re on track to have a PayMore on every corner in the U.S. and beyond. Our next move? Expanding into markets like the GCC and Europe, and we’re on the lookout for experienced multi- unit or master franchisees to take us there. As Dan Rowe, CEO of Fransmart puts it: “People buy franchises to get to the next level — whether it’s building passive income, creating generational wealth, or finding a better work-life balance. Restaurant franchisees aren’t afraid to get off the rails they’ve been on if it means finding a smarter, faster way to achieve their goals. PayMore is that smarter, faster way.” So, that’s why seasoned restaurant franchisees are jumping on board. It’s simple – they see a clear path to success, backed by technology, operational simplicity, and a proven model that’s easier to scale than anything they’ve done before. And that’s a win-win for everyone involved. 51 GLOBAL-FRANCHISE.COM Ins ight