INTRO

Virginia Beach, VA-based Pool Scouts is a premier pool service franchise focused on delivering a quality, consistent brand experience while providing pool cleaning, maintenance and minor repair services at residential properties. Technicians (“Scouts”) are trained in testing, monitoring, treating and servicing pools and can provide ongoing service as well as help at the beginning and end of the summer season.

With over 50 territories across eight states, Pool Scouts offers a great opportunity as a low-cost franchise in the pool services industry with available territories across the United States.

PROBLEM

When Pool Scouts first retained Mainland, they did so to execute a B2B PR and content strategy designed to increase the investor interest in the brand. Pool Scouts was launched in 2016 as the second brand under the Buzz Franchise Brands umbrella, with the first being the 100-unit pest maintenance franchise Mosquito Joe. With over 10 million residential pools in the U.S., there wasn’t a major leader in the pool maintenance franchise segment, and the industry lacked a company that prioritized professionalism. Pool Scouts set out to fill that gap, but, as an emerging brand, it needed help in finding qualified franchisee prospects. Mainland had already seen massive success pitching Mosquito Joe, so when Pool Scouts was launched, Buzz Franchise Brands knew Mainland could be a valuable partner in spreading the word about the franchise opportunity.

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and created a boom in the home services segment, the Pool Scouts franchise opportunity was suddenly more relevant than ever. As people spent more time at home prioritizing home improvement projects, Pool Scouts’ socially distanced consumer offering and home-based business model was in high demand. The brand needed a strong B2B PR strategy to capitalize on this opportunity.

SOLUTION

To add appeal to a wider franchisee audience, Mainland focused on positioning Pool Scouts as professionals in the residential pool maintenance world and leveraging the increased consumer demand story to drive interest. Mainland hit the media hard during 2020, finding creative ways to showcase Pool Scouts’ franchise opportunity on local media outlets.

The pool maintenance franchise was featured on several local media segments that promoted the business opportunity amid COVID-19. In May, Mainland secured a placement on WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida highlighting Pool Scouts’ boost in business due to the pandemic, as well as a placement in PoolPro Magazine to advertise the Pool Scouts’ 70% increase in year-over-year sales. In June, Mainland secured a placement on the IFA Franblog to highlight Pool Scouts in an article about how remote franchise brands are thriving during the pandemic, and in July the brand’s growth story was featured in the Lehigh Acres Citizen.

These media placements, along with a strategic, monthly content strategy on 1851 Franchise, continued steadily throughout the year.

RESULT

By implementing a creative, B2B PR and content strategy that promoted Pool Scouts as a lucrative and relevant franchise opportunity, Mainland has been able to maximize the brand’s reach in the local markets they serve. In 2020 alone, Pool Scouts secured 32 media placements, with a PR value of $1,667,600 and an ad value of $481,600.

HOW MAINLAND WON

Mainland was able to take the premier pool service franchise and capitalize on a boom in the home services segment. In turn, franchisee prospects across the country were able to find the Pool Scouts opportunity and join the emerging brand primed for growth.

Account manager Julie Green notes that the positive response has allowed the brand to continue to grow and maintain consistent systemwide sales despite the COVID-19 pandemic. This is reflected in both the brand’s 46% growth in systemwide revenue and its impressive franchise development momentum, with 14 new franchisees added, 32 territories sold and nine territories opened in 2020.

“Pool Scouts had our best year ever in 2020,” said Pool Scouts President Michael Wagner. “We were able to tell our story from a brand and franchisee perspective throughout the year and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This enabled our franchisees and prospective franchisees to learn more about Pool Scouts and why our business model and focus makes sense. With three TV spots, 40 interviews, 20 publications, 12 articles on 1851 Franchise and 13 franchisee articles published, the momentum in 2020 was incredible thanks to our partners at Mainland. We have started out 2021 in the same way and are looking forward to a banner year again!”