When it comes to local marketing responsibilities, franchisors and franchisees are feeling a little tension. Franchisors and their national marketing teams are dedicated to protecting the quality and consistency of brand collateral and messaging. But they also really need local marketers — franchisees — to be self-sufficient in creating and producing their own materials.

DM Magazine reported 64% of franchisees identified marketing as one of their top priorities. And yet, franchisees aren’t always marketing gurus, themselves, and many of them expect guidance from their brands’ national marketing teams.

So, neither side is particularly happy. Franchisees need more support, and franchisors need a way to provide that support — and protect the brand — without overextending their already maxed-out to-do lists.

One of the most impactful ways franchisors have been able to achieve this balance is by outsourcing print marketing efforts to a single-source solution vendor that can partner with local and national marketers to streamline campaign creation and ensure consistent branding. When a company finds the right partner for the job, the impact can be enormous.

Three Ways Outsourcing Your Marketing Supply Chain Can Bridge the Gap

In short, outsourcing marketing supply chain management gives franchisees the support they need to launch campaigns more efficiently and reach their target audiences — without franchisors feeling the need to micromanage or sacrifice other key initiatives to make time for local marketers.

1. Centralized Collateral: Control Meets Customization

The first step in executing any marketing campaign is creating collateral. Traditionally, this is a bottleneck. Local owners email HQ for a file, wait for a response, realize they can’t edit the PDF, email back, and so on. Or worse, they make their own version in Paint.

This is where the risk of brand dilution is highest.

The solution is a centralized, digital platform—a “brand portal”—that allows franchisees to access pre-approved collateral. But it’s not just a static library; it’s a dynamic workspace.

With tools like OTP Create, you can upload templates that lock down critical brand elements (logos, fonts, core messaging) while leaving specific fields open for customization. A franchisee can log in, select a “Fall Promotion” flyer, add their specific address and local offer, and hit order.

Why this works:

• For You: You sleep better knowing every piece of collateral in the market is 100% on-brand. You stop fielding low-level design requests and focus on strategy.
• For Them: They get immediate access to professional-grade marketing materials. They feel empowered to react to local market conditions instantly.

2. Trusted Printing & Distribution: Eliminating Logistics Headaches

Even if the design is perfect, execution can fail at the print shop. Franchisors rarely have time to vet local printers for every franchisee, nor should they. Leaving franchisees to find their own vendors often leads to inconsistent paper quality, poor color matching, and missed deadlines.

By centralizing your supply chain with a single partner, you gain access to a trusted network of production facilities. This isn’t just about buying power (though the cost savings are real); it’s about quality assurance.

A partner like OneTouchPoint ensures that a banner printed for a location in California looks the same as one printed for a location in Maine. Furthermore, we handle the complex logistics of kitting and distribution. Whether it’s a complex POS kit or a direct mail campaign targeting a specific radius around a store, the logistics are handled automatically.

Why this works:

• For You: You ensure brand consistency across physical materials, not just digital files. You streamline operations by removing the burden of print management from your team.
• For Them: They don’t have to waste time calling print shops or worrying about paper stock. They click “order,” and high-quality materials arrive at their door or their customers’ mailboxes.

3. Powerful Business Insights: From Guesswork to ROI

Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of the local marketing gap is the data gap.

In a decentralized model, HQ has zero visibility. You don’t know which franchisees are marketing aggressively and which are dormant. You don’t know if the “Spring Sale” flyer is actually being used. Reliance on ad hoc reporting from franchisees leads to inaccuracies and data gaps.

When you centralize your marketing execution through a platform like OTP One, you gain a “control tower” view of your entire network. You can track inventory levels, see which templates are most popular, and monitor spend across regions.

This data allows you to optimize your ROMI (Return on Marketing Investment). If you see that the top-performing 10% of locations are all using a specific direct mail piece, you can roll that strategy out to the rest of the network with data-backed confidence.

Why this works:

• For You: You get analytics to guide strategic decisions. You can identify under-performing locations and offer targeted support before it’s too late.
• For Them: They benefit from “proven” strategies. Instead of guessing what works, they are using tools and templates that the data shows are effective.

Closing the Gap for Good

For CMOs and senior directors managing multi-unit organizations, the goal isn’t just to “manage” the chaos—it’s to eliminate it.

Outsourcing your marketing supply chain management isn’t just a logistical fix; it’s a strategic move. It frees your national team to focus on brand growth and innovation while giving local owners the autonomy and tools they crave.

When you partner with a single-source solution vendor, you aren’t just buying print. You are buying brand security, operational efficiency, and a happier, more successful franchise network.

To learn more about whether OneTouchPoint is the right single-source marketing solution for your organization, we invite you to contact us today or request a quote on your next project.