How We Generated 7X More Leads Than International Franchise Headquarters
Industry: Mental Health Care (Franchise)
Location: Ogden, Utah
Timeline: 4 months
Services: Silverback Authority Method
Key Results
- 60+ leads per month (vs. 2-3 from headquarters)
- 7X better performance than international franchise system
- 14 leads per week at peak performance
- Profitable business operations achieved
- Full staff utilization restored
The Challenge
Dr. Jack owned a Cereset franchise branch providing mental health care services. Like most franchise owners, he received minimal marketing support from headquarters – just a few basic materials and 1-2 leads per month. This wasn’t nearly enough to sustain operations or keep his staff busy.
Key Pain Points:
- Insufficient lead flow from franchise headquarters (1-2 leads/month)
- Limited approved marketing materials from corporate
- Franchise restrictions on marketing creativity
- Business struggling to cover operational costs
- Staff underutilized due to lack of patients
Franchise businesses face unique challenges – they must balance corporate compliance requirements with the need for effective local marketing that actually drives results.
Our Approach
Discovery & Compliance Review
We began by thoroughly reviewing Dr. Jack’s franchise agreements to understand:
- What marketing activities were permitted
- Required approval processes for new materials
- Existing corporate assets and their effectiveness
- Local market opportunities within compliance guidelines
Strategic Coordination
We set up a meeting with the franchise’s head of marketing to establish:
- Clear communication channels
- Material approval workflows
- Collaborative approach to campaign development
- Mutual goals for lead generation success
The corporate marketing team was supportive and even offered to create additional materials upon request, giving us confidence to move forward.
Implementation
Phase 1: Working Within Constraints
- Launched campaigns using existing corporate-approved materials
- Implemented tracking systems for proper attribution
- Set up Google Ads and Meta advertising campaigns
- Created landing pages within brand guidelines
- Generated initial leads but results were disappointing
Phase 2: The Bottleneck
- Requested additional marketing materials from headquarters
- Waited weeks for responses on new creative assets
- Created our own high-performing materials following our proven formula
- Submitted new assets for corporate approval
- Received no response from headquarters on approvals
Phase 3: Taking Responsibility
Rather than let our client suffer, we moved forward with existing approved materials while optimizing every possible element:
- Enhanced landing page conversion rates
- Refined ad targeting and messaging
- Implemented retargeting campaigns
- Added video content where permitted
- Optimized tracking and attribution
The Breakthrough
Once our complete system was launched with proper landing pages, Google Ads, Meta campaigns, tracking systems, and retargeting in place, results came quickly:
Week 1: 7-10 qualified leads
Week 2: 7-10 qualified leads
Weeks 3-4: Optimized to 14 leads per week
Dr. Jack was suddenly receiving 7X more leads than franchise headquarters had ever provided.
Results & Impact
Quantitative Results
- 60+ leads per month (vs. 1-2 from headquarters)
- 14 leads per week at peak performance
- 700% improvement over corporate lead generation
- Sustainable, profitable business operations
- Consistent daily patient inquiries
Qualitative Impact
- Business transformed from struggling to thriving
- Staff fully utilized and engaged
- Predictable revenue stream established
- Enhanced local market presence
- Proven system superiority over corporate approach
The Unexpected Challenge
Just as momentum was building and Dr. Jack was experiencing consistent success, we received a cease and desist letter from franchise headquarters. Despite our attempts to communicate and understand compliance requirements, corporate refused to engage in dialogue.
We offered multiple solutions:
- Transfer complete system ownership to the franchise at no cost
- Provide all marketing materials and intellectual property
- Train their team on implementation
- Modify approaches to meet any specific requirements
After receiving no response, we respectfully discontinued our services to avoid any franchise compliance issues.
The Aftermath
Within one month of stopping our campaigns, Dr. Jack was back to receiving only 1-2 leads from headquarters – the same inadequate flow that brought him to us initially.
Key Insights
This experience provided valuable validation of our approach:
- Local Expertise Trumps Corporate Templates: A medical facility in Utah requires different messaging and targeting than one in Los Angeles
- Custom Research Is Essential: Our Break Even Point Analysis identifies market-specific opportunities that generic corporate approaches miss
- The Silverback Authority Method Works: Our system consistently outperformed an international franchise’s marketing efforts
- Speed Matters: We can generate leads within days, not months
- Franchise Limitations Can Hinder Growth: Sometimes corporate restrictions prevent optimal marketing performance
What We Learned
This case study reinforced our confidence in the Silverback Authority Method. When we can implement our complete system with proper market research, targeted messaging, and optimized creative assets, results speak for themselves – even outperforming established international franchise systems.
The key takeaway: effective marketing requires understanding local markets, customer behavior, and implementing proven systems without artificial constraints.
Results may vary. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This business has since closed due to factors unrelated to our marketing performance.