Scorpion Releases the Franchise Marketing Playbook, an IFA Preferred Vendor Resource, to Help Brands Drive Local Growth

As an IFA Preferred Vendor, the new framework is designed for IFA members to provide a data-backed roadmap to align national strategy with local execution and help franchisees reach profitability faster

SALT LAKE CITY, June 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Scorpion, the leading provider of digital marketing and technology solutions for franchise organizations, today announced the release of the Franchise Marketing Playbook. The playbook is tailored to members of the International Franchise Association (IFA), the world's oldest and largest trade association representing franchising. Scorpion has been an IFA supplier member since 2015. In 2025, IFA named Scorpion its preferred vendor in the National and Local Digital Marketing Lead Generation category.

The playbook is available to IFA members and gives franchise brands the standards, KPIs, and strategies they need to align corporate marketing with local franchise execution. It draws on survey data collected from more than 100 franchise brand leaders, along with consumer research Scorpion conducted with more than 2,000 homeowners and 1,000 business owners.

"The playbook provides a strong strategic foundation, connecting sound marketing principles with practical execution while reinforcing the importance of alignment, accountability, quantifiable results, and partnership across the franchise system," said Gary Robins, Vice Chair, IFA Board of Directors; President, The G & C Robins Company.

Scorpion's research found that 1 in 2 franchise brands gave themselves a C or lower when asked to self-evaluate their marketing performance. One in 3 said they're still working to get better alignment across marketing and internal departments, and 1 in 4 said they don't have the KPIs, reliable reporting, or infrastructure to make confident decisions.

At the same time, the data shows exactly what separates high-performing brands from the rest:

• Brands with a speed-to-lead time of 30 minutes or less report same-store sales improvements at a rate 66% higher than slower-responding brands (among those with stronger growth of more than 5%).
• Nearly 9 in 10 franchise brands that graded themselves B or higher are reviewing their marketing strategies at least once a month.
• 70% of brands reinvesting more than 5% of monthly revenue into marketing reported improvement in same-store sales.
• Brands that develop marketing strategy alongside their local owners report same-store sales growth above 5% at three times the rate of brands where the home office acts alone.

"Franchise marketing has always had a complexity that's hard to solve at scale: aligning national strategy with local execution while giving franchisees a real path to profitability. That's what drove Scorpion to build the Franchise Marketing Playbook for IFA. We wanted it grounded in data rather than best guesses, something that is a tried and true growth plan," said Gabriella Ferrara, Vice President of Strategic Sales at Scorpion.

The Franchise Marketing Playbook covers how to structure local versus national strategy, which KPIs every franchise system should track, and how to build reporting that gives corporate teams and franchisees visibility into what's working. It also covers the consumer side, noting that 83% start their search for a service provider online, and 65% are open to AI-assisted intake experiences.

"A marketing playbook gives franchisees a clear roadmap with data-supported paths to growth," said Jennifer Brandeen, COO, International Franchise Association. "And it will make it easier for them to launch, market, and scale profitably while still aligning with their brand standards." 

The Franchise Marketing Playbook is available now in the IFA Resource Center at franchise.org and scorpion.co/franchises/ifa-playbook. IFA membership is required for access.

About Scorpion

Scorpion is the leader in helping franchise organizations succeed through RevenueMAX, a complete collection of digital marketing solutions created to drive maximum revenue. Scorpion is pushing the industry forward past a focus on leads and toward a focus on what truly matters: revenue growth. Backed by award-winning AI and more than 25 years of marketing expertise, Scorpion wins franchises more customers, more revenue, and most importantly, better ROI. With Scorpion, there's no guesswork, only growth. Learn more at Scorpion.co/Franchises.

About the International Franchise Association

The International Franchise Association is the world's oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations, and educational programs to protect, enhance, and promote franchising and the approximately 832,000 franchise establishments that support nearly 8.8 million direct jobs, $907.3 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy, and 3% of GDP. To learn more, visit franchise.org.

Contact Information:
Kailee Butler
Scorpion Public Relations
[email protected]

SOURCE Scorpion