Franchisee and business owner with Blo Blow Dry Bar, Michelle Krentz, shares how she first became part of this incredible franchise system and what she has experienced as a new Blo Blow Dry Bar owner.
Please tell us a little bit about your history with Blo Blow Dry Bar. How long have you been with the company?
I paid my franchise fee to Blo in September of 2018, and I opened my doors on May 10, 2019. Prior to opening Blo, I had absolutely no background in hair, but when I discovered Lexington did not have a dedicated blow dry bar, I realized that was what I needed to do! Working with Blo and their suggested vendors has been a wonderful experience, easing most of my fears as a new entrepreneur.
What first attracted you to becoming a business owner with Blo Blow Dry Bar?
I have always been interested in becoming a business owner, as I have entrepreneurs on both sides of my family. Because I didn’t have any experience running my own business, I wanted my first entrepreneurial endeavor to be part of a franchise to be able to garner that corporate support. The Blo model is unique because your community gets the benefit of having a locally owned-and-operated business with the support of a major conglomerate. My locals love visiting myself and my employees regularly, but the out-of-towners are already family with the excellence that is the Blo brand.
From a digital marketing perspective, what role has online marketing played in helping you reach new customers?
From a digital marketing perspective, online marketing has been the most important factor in my business’ immediate success upon opening our doors. Prior to opening we were able to run a successful Facebook lead generation campaign that allowed us to communicate directly with interested clientele, and in turn get them in the door. Since opening, our social presence has persisted, and additionally we have used paid search on Google to boost our search result presence.
As you look forward, what are you most focused on when it comes to growing your business?
My priority as I continue to grow my business will always be producing and ensuring great hair for our clientele because despite the many advertising options on the market, I believe that word of mouth advertising will always be a business owner’s strongest asset. With that said, you can’t garner word of mouth referrals if no one walks through your door. Because of that I will continue to work with LOCALACT to ensure that I am positioned well, both through social and Google, keeping the Blo brand consistently in front of Lexington females.
How do you think the LOCALACT support team handles your questions? Do you feel supported by the team?
My LOCALACT advisor has been an absolute dream from day one! He is patient with my onslaught of questioning and is quick to navigate me through what each metric means in my campaigns. I have never felt like he was giving me a hard sell, in fact he last told me to keep my budget the same instead of telling me to increase it. This kind of support really makes me trust LOCALACT.
How did working with LOCALACT help with your Grand Opening?
Prior to my Grand Opening, the LOCALACT advisor team set up a call with me to discuss what I hoped my strategy could/would be, any threats in location/competition/timing, and general questions about the Lexington landscape. After getting a feel for my expectations and other important information, we discussed budget and strategy. They then worked with corporate to coordinate the commencement of my social and google campaigns with the opening of my online booking portal.
Any additional thoughts or comments you would like to share?
I first learned about LOCALACT, and their services at the Blo Annual Meeting in Dallas in February. Prior to their live presentation, I remember reading the blurb in the agenda and thinking I didn’t need to pay much attention to that presentation because I’m a millennial and can handle my own digital advertising. About 45 seconds into the LOCALACT presentation, I knew I couldn’t have been more wrong. Their expertise in the franchise sector, especially their experience with Blo has proven to be a tool that has turned my business into an immediate success. Their services are not only worth every dime, but pay for themselves tenfold.