America’s Franchise Brands Power Jobs and Communities…Stone Ward Helps Them Grow

Local communities feel the gains first

Franchise businesses translate national growth into local wins through steady employment, skills development, charitable giving, and neighborhood reinvestment. All of our franchise clients have active philanthropies that are making a positive impact across the country. And, several of our clients are active in the IFA’s VetFran initiative, which supports education, mentorship, and financial incentives for veterans. 

How Stone Ward helps franchises grow at every level

As a full-service marketing and PR firm, we’re longtime partners to several recognized franchise systems. Stone Ward works alongside these clients in their national brand building, local store marketing (LSM), employee recruitment, and franchise development. We’re Little Rock-based with offices in Northwest Arkansas and Chicago, and the franchises we represent are in all 50 states, including the top 10 states recognized for “fastest” franchise growth: Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Arizona, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Florida, Colorado, and Maryland. So, how do we support continued franchise growth and expansion?

1) National brand platforms that scale locally
We build insight-driven creative platforms, PR plans, and media strategies that travel from franchise headquarters to every market they serve, so franchisors and franchisees see real-world results.

2) Advanced performance marketing
From pipeline-filling performance media to CRM and loyalty, we connect the dots for awareness that leads to consideration, conversion, repeat visits, and purchases. Our analytics team ties media mix and creative to custom unit-level KPIs (AUV, traffic, ticket), measuring and reporting to prove what’s working.

3) PR that builds trust and earns share of voice
We craft narratives, grounded in compelling storytelling and data, to target media that share the message with the right audiences. The outcome is relatable headlines, stories that resonate, and stronger, sustained brand reputation.

4) Franchise development marketing
We help franchisors attract qualified candidates with audience personas, content, and paid media optimized for cost-per-applicant conversion, supported by thought-leadership PR and third-party validation.

5) Issues & reputation readiness
From business disruptions to operational updates, we help brands manage change with proactive message architectures, powerful franchisee communications, and media readiness, so the brands we represent lead the way.