{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Franchise Spotlight with Katherine LeBlanc","title":"What's Working in Franchise Development Marketing Right Now","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/c32a0b5a\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2162,"description":"Ziebart's Chief Growth Officer Larisa Walega and Franchise Assembly co-founder Liane Caruso join Katherine LeBlanc for a direct conversation about what's actually working in franchise development marketing right now. From portals to PR to GEO, this episode covers the channel decisions and budget tradeoffs that franchise marketers need heading into the next planning cycle. You'll walk away with a clearer framework for where to put your Franchise Development dollars and why.\nIn this episode:\nWhy contact rate, not cost per lead, is the metric that should be driving your portal decisions\nHow Ziebart funds PR outside restricted ad fund dollars and what 17 years of that investment produces\nThe Meta targeting shift that displaced Ziebart's website as their top Franchise Development lead source\nWhy GEO scores are replacing Google search spend in forward-looking Franchise Development strategies\nBrokers: what it actually takes to make them work and where brands are leaving money on the table\nThe resourcing gap in Franchise Development marketing and why consumer teams can't fill it\nGuest: Larisa Walega, CFE, Chief Growth Officer, Ziebart\nLarisa has spent 17 years at Ziebart, starting as a field marketing manager and growing into a role that now spans marketing, franchise development, data and analytics, and annual business planning. She thinks in compounding investments and long-view brand strategy — which makes her take on what's working in 2026 Franchise Development worth paying close attention to.\nGuest: Liane Caruso, co-Founder, Franchise Assembly and Fractional CMO\nLiane advises brands from emerging to 100-plus locations on marketing process, brand standards, and budget strategy. She also co-founded Franchise Assembly, which runs Mastermind programs for franchise CMOs and Franchise Development leaders. The cross-brand visibility she carries into this conversation sets her observations apart.\nHost: Katherine LeBlanc, Fractional CMO | Apollo CMO\nWant to go deeper?\n 🌐...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/rqCxo6LG_Iks0WXo6_ITwnSbJhT7oeTq-vZkhx8D2eQ/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9lYjQ3/ZGJkNDZkNTJlMWYx/ODkzMjdjZGE4OGI4/YmI1ZC5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}