Spring is here, bringing fresh energy and new opportunities for growth. Just as the season inspires renewal, we’re focused on helping your brand evolve and thrive. At All Points PR, we’re always looking for new ways to support your success and as we move into Q2, we’re excited to continue to drive growth together.

Our team is continuing to work behind the scenes, already brainstorming for the second half of the year. We’re incorporating your priorities into fresh strategies that we can’t wait to share soon.

At All Points, we’ve always embraced innovation, and AI is no exception. As early adopters, our team has been integrating AI into PR and franchise strategies for years. All Points COO Lauren Izaks, an adjunct professor at Northwestern University, has taught hundreds— from students to entrepreneurs and our team at All Points— how to effectively use AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance productivity and brand strategy. Our expertise allows us to help franchise brands harness AI effectively— here are our suggestions to make it work for you.

By handling the busy work, AI frees up time for strategy, innovation, and human connection— giving franchises a competitive edge in a fast-moving market. Many of our clients are already using AI to streamline operations. You can use it to manage customer inquiries, reduce staff workload, and ensure consistent communication all while making HR more efficient, from training new franchisees to standardizing employee manuals.

Additionally, it allows you to better analyze customer data to drive smarter decisions on products, sales, strategies, and operations. By scanning industry trends and tracking competitor activity, AI can quickly identify what’s working for your competitors as well as gaps in the market so that you can refine your own strategies and stay ahead.

Think of AI as an administrative assistant— it can handle repetitive tasks, organize information, and speed up processes, but it’s not a decision-maker and it still needs human oversight. Your judgment and creativity make all the difference. Like any tool, its value depends on how you use it. Just as accountants rely on calculators but still need to understand math, AI should be in everyone’s toolkit, but critical thinking and expertise remain essential.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our team. We'd be happy to talk more in depth about AI and all that it offers.

The Northern Illinois Franchise Association (NIFA) hosted its first event of the year at our brand-new All Points PR office in River North. Attendees gained valuable insights from Julie Bieszczat, CEO of Barney Enterprises and a 14-unit Wendy’s franchisee, on strengthening franchisor-franchisee collaboration.

Julie emphasized the importance of open communication, ongoing employee development, and a shared vision for growth as the foundation for long-term success. Innovation, such as AI-driven technology, thrives when both parties work together to implement new systems effectively.

Financial preparedness is also a joint effort, with franchisors playing a crucial role in site selection, training, and operational support. By fostering strong partnerships, franchisors can position their networks for sustainable growth.

Missed the event? No problem! Check out the key takeaways from our Q1 event by clicking the buttons below. Mark your calendars for NIFA’s Q2 event on May 14th— we’ll share more details soon on LinkedIn.

If you or someone in your franchise network is interested in speaking at or attending a future NIFA event, reach out to Lauren Izaks. As our valued clients, we’re pleased to offer complimentary registration for you and your franchisees.