INTEGRATION OF MEDIA RELATIONS INTO THE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY OF A FRANCHISING COMPANY

In the context of high competition in the educational services franchising market, the role of public relations as a tool for increasing the efficiency of franchise sales is becoming increasingly important. This article explores the specific features of public relations in franchising, where communication campaigns are conducted simultaneously in two segments: business-to-business (B2B, potential franchisees) and business-to-consumer (B2C, parents of students). Using the example of SmartyKids, the existing promotion tools were analyzed, the limitations in working with the media were identified, and a tactic was proposed for strengthening the brand’s positioning through systematic interaction with specialized publications, expert positioning of the CEO, and the organization of press tours. The results of the study demonstrate the potential for integrating media relations into a comprehensive franchise promotion strategy to increase its visibility and conversion into sales.