A major shift is underway in the world of franchising.
Millennials and Gen Z aren’t just making up the new workforce — they’re quickly becoming the next generation of franchisors.
These digital-native, brand-savvy entrepreneurs are reshaping what it means to grow a successful franchise network. They're bringing new expectations around technology, transparency, and trust — and if you're a franchisor looking to scale, adapting to these expectations is critical.
Let's break down why this matters, and how franchise brands can stay ahead.
Millennials and Gen Z: The New Leaders of Franchise Growth
First, a quick look at who we're talking about:
- Millennials (born 1981–1996) are now approaching their prime earning years, with many already owning businesses or looking for franchise opportunities.
- Gen Z (born 1997–2012) are the youngest entrepreneurs in the market, with strong digital skills and a drive for independence.
Both generations:
- Grew up with the internet and expect brands to be transparent and authentic
- Prioritize values and purpose as much as profitability
- Trust peer reviews and online word-of-mouth more than traditional ads
- Expect technology to simplify processes, communication, and customer engagement
Franchise brands that ignore these new expectations risk falling behind.
What This Means for Marketing: Authenticity Is Everything
The days of traditional sales-heavy messaging are over.
To engage Millennial and Gen Z franchisors — and their customers — marketing must feel real, relatable, and trustworthy.
These generations look for:
- Real voices: They trust testimonials, peer reviews, and user-generated content more than slick advertising. (See NiceJob’s Social Proof feature)
- Brand values: They want to support brands that stand for something — whether it’s sustainability, community impact, or inclusion.
- Transparency: Glossy marketing claims without proof come across as suspicious. (Do the young people still say “sus”?)
Shift your focus from promoting features to sharing authentic experiences. Highlight real success stories from current franchisees and showcase your brand’s real-world impact.
What This Means for Reviews: Proof Before Promotion
In a world where anyone can find a brand’s reputation in two clicks, online reviews are a cornerstone of trust.
For Millennials and Gen Z:
- A strong review presence is a basic expectation — not a bonus.
- Freshness matters — outdated reviews are a red flag.
- Response rate matters — how you engage with both praise and criticism is a measure of professionalism and care.
If a prospective franchisee or customer researches your brand and sees few reviews — or worse, poor ones — it will hurt your growth efforts.
Proactively gather reviews at every opportunity. Implement automated review request systems and empower franchisees to build their own strong local reputations as part of your brand's overall marketing strategy.
Pro Tip: NiceJob has features that automate review requests, help you run campaigns to get repeat business, pull reviews into your social media or website, and help you engage more quickly with your customers leaving reviews using AI replies.
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NiceJob’s set-and-forget customer review software automatically gets you reviews and shares them on Facebook, Instagram, and more so you can become top rated.
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How to Build a Franchise Brand That Appeals to Millennials and Gen Z
Winning the next generation of franchisors isn’t just about looking cool — it’s about building a franchise system that feels empowering, forward-thinking, and authentic.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Showcase Real Success Stories
Share real experiences from your franchisees — how they built their business, overcame challenges, and found success within your system.
What to do:
- Publish case studies and franchisee interviews
- Highlight franchisee achievements on social media and your website
- Encourage franchisees to leave video testimonials
2. Digitize and Automate
Make sure everything from marketing to operations is tech-enabled, intuitive, and efficient.
What to do:
- Offer marketing platforms that automate reviews, referrals, and social posting (like NiceJob ✌️)
- Provide mobile-friendly tools for managing their business on the go
- Give access to real-time dashboards so franchisees can track performance instantly
Franchisees want to spend more time growing their business, not wrestling with outdated systems.
3. Empower Local Marketing
Millennial and Gen Z franchisees crave a mix of structure and freedom. They want strong brand support, but they also want room to localize marketing to connect authentically with their communities.
What to do:
- Provide editable marketing templates and brand assets
- Offer social media toolkits franchisees can customize
- Encourage local events, collaborations, and community partnerships
Authenticity happens at the local level — your brand should support it, not stifle it.
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Where small business owners, entrepreneurs, and franchise owners come to learn how Reputation Marketing can propel their business growth.
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4. Invest in Reputation Management from Day One
Building a powerful franchise brand starts at the grassroots: the reputation of each location.
What to do:
- Implement easy-to-use review generation tools
- Train franchisees on how to ask for, manage, and respond to reviews
- Monitor online sentiment across platforms and coach franchisees on best practices
Reputation isn’t just customer-facing — it’s franchisee-facing too. A strong review presence can sway prospective franchisees who are evaluating your system.
Millennials and Gen Z are not just the future — they are the present reality of franchising. Their expectations around marketing, technology, reputation, and brand values are reshaping the industry at every level.
Franchise brands that lean into authenticity, invest in online reputation, digitize operations, and lead with clear values will be the ones that remain competitive and attract new franchise partners.
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The automated growth software that will effortlessly get your business more reviews, referrals, and repeat bookings
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