Happy New Year! We’re grateful to be kicking off 2026 together. Our new branding, Connected at Every Point is live—consider this newsletter your official first look.

 

For us, being connected isn’t new; it’s the foundation of how we work. It means understanding your goals, staying in lockstep with your priorities, anticipating what’s next and supporting you at every turn.

We’re always asking ourselves, “What worked and what didn’t,” because that analysis paves the way for improved strategy development and execution. With that in mind, we’re carrying forward the strategies that defined our clients’ success throughout 2025. Below are four examples, two franchise development and two consumer, where our teams drove exceptional results in 2025, and where we’ll continue to focus our energy in 2026.

Concentrated in-market outreach paired with thoughtful digital strategy proved especially effective. By combining targeted email campaigns, localized PR and strategic LinkedIn content, we helped brands spark meaningful conversations with high-intent prospects—resulting in 21 in-person meetings and more than 440 million press impressions.

Content remained a critical driver of top-of-funnel awareness, prompting a focus on web optimization and conversion. Through site audits, refreshed content for SEO and GEO and tighter calls-to-action, one initiative delivered a 40% increase in qualified leads and a 257% year-over-year rise in organic traffic.

High-quality, consistent content continued to drive strong engagement throughout the year. Our team coordinated multi-location photo and video shoots to support seasonal campaigns, franchisee features and national social strategies—capturing 1,000+ photos, producing 200+ video assets and driving a 44% increase in total social engagement.

Earned media remained a powerful visibility driver. By tapping into timely news cycles and lifestyle trends, we secured 20 local TV segments, supported by a coordinated social strategy that fueled a 500% increase in followers and delivered 200+ custom graphics for localized outreach.

We can’t wait to see you this year! Make sure to let your Point People

know or email Jamie Izaks if you’ll be at any of the same events.

February 23rd – 26th in Las Vegas, NV

March 24th – 27th in Las Vegas, NV

May 13th – 15th in Chicago, IL

May 16th – 19th in Chicago, IL

One of the most common and complicated questions that comes up in franchise marketing is: Should the franchisor or the franchisee manage local social media pages, or have them at all? It’s a fair debate, and the answer isn’t one-size-fits-all; however, one thing that is certain is that without clear guidance, local pages can easily stray off-brand.

 

The best way to strike a balance is to equip franchisees with structure, not just access. At All Points, we often recommend a tiered approach that offers local operators room to engage with their communities while maintaining consistency in brand tone, visuals and messaging. This starts with strong guidelines, and continues with regular check-ins, ongoing training and creative support from your internal team or agency partner.

 

Franchisees who are empowered with the right tools and boundaries can create authentic, community-based content that drives real engagement. If your system doesn’t yet have the infrastructure in place, such as a defined tone of voice, compliance checklists and branded content templates, it may be better to centralize social media under the franchisor’s control, or delay launching local pages, until you're ready to scale that responsibility confidently.

 

The good news? Once those systems are built, franchisees can be a brand’s greatest storytellers. The current trend across social platforms favors light-hearted, conversational content over promotional posts. With the right creative direction and brand personality

in place, franchisees can lean into this entertaining style while still aligning with your

core values.

Successful growth doesn’t come from quick resolutions or last-minute strategies; it’s the result of year-round foresight, alignment, and disciplined execution...

In franchising, where relationships, strategy, and storytelling drive growth, AI can’t replace the human touch—however, it can help us work efficiently and more creatively...

With events like FLDC, RFDC and franchise expos in full swing, franchisors have a prime opportunity to put their best foot forward with prospective franchisees...

The Northern Illinois Franchise Association (NIFA) is an IFA-certified Franchise Business Network designed to connect and support franchise professionals across the Chicagoland area. Founded by Jamie and Lauren Izaks, franchise attorney Andrew Bleiman, NIFA hosts quarterly gatherings that bring together industry leaders for conversations that move the industry forward.

 

Each event typically welcomes around 50 attendees, creating an intimate, high-value environment where real connections happen. Our first event of 2026 will be held on Wednesday, March 18th, and planning is already underway.

 

As we shape this year’s event schedule, we’d love to involve you. We’re looking for speaker ideas, potential sponsors and future host locations that can help make each event even more valuable for the franchise community. We’d love to spotlight you and share your expertise.

 

If you’re interested, reach out to Lauren Izaks for more information, and don’t be surprised if Jamie reaches out to you.