Whether you are looking to buy a franchise or want to know more about franchise operations in one or more industries, trade shows offer you the opportunity to do both.
Franchise expositions give you the chance to talk to several franchisors about investment and location availability and, at the same time, discuss your worries and questions with your potential business partners. Choosing whether or not to attend an expo requires weighing the time and expenses it will cost you against your reason for going there. These may differ based on location and the goals you are trying to reach. No matter your intention for attending, you will want to take full advantage of your franchise expo visit.
Give It You All
Franchise expositions are usually held on weekends, but at times, they begin earlier. The important thing is to be there at the beginning when the energy and enthusiasm are still high, and it’s much easier to start a conversation with other attendees. Then, stay around for the entire event. For instance, let’s say the event is set to hold on Friday and Saturday. You should arrive Thursday evening and try to connect with other people at the hotel. This will make you feel more at ease with your surroundings. You also become more recognizable at the event and more likely to initiate conversations with others.
At the start of the expo event, you will be attending different seminars and asking plenty of questions. But you need to avoid leaving early because appointments for follow-ups and further discussions are often scheduled towards the end of the event. Franchisors have been busy at their show booths, so the last couple of hours (if it’s a one-day event) or the last day of the event is a great time to start making future plans and relationships. Keep the dates clear in your diary so that you can be as thorough as possible and take full advantage of the expo event.
Be Strategic
There will be a variety of seminal topics and show offerings at the expo event, and they all provide some kind of valuable information. However, you need to focus on the things that will help you reach your goals. While scheduling your time, only choose seminars that suit your needs and interests. Perhaps you need tips on how to conquer your fear or avoid common mistakes when running a new franchise. You might even be able to attend a seminar focused on the type of franchise you prefer.
Check out the expo schedule and speakers at the event, and start marking it up prior to the show. Get ready to ask franchisors, franchise owners, and other professionals present at the event plenty of questions. You may start this right in the hotel bar before the show actually begins. This is also a great time to seek out ideas and recommendations.
Before going to a trade show, try to schedule a brief meeting with franchise representatives or other people you would love to see. Connect with more people each day. The end-of-day conversation helps you recognize and meet with the key players in the franchise section that interests you. In most cases, those nights help strengthen relationships and contribute more to your success as a franchisee than going to show booths or just sitting down in a seminar room.
Get Your Stakeholders Involved
Sharing your experience at the expo event with your stakeholders (which can be your spouse or people who may hold equity in your franchise business) will make it easier for you to reach joint, fair decisions. Involving another person also helps ease the hard work of turning colleagues into friends, whether that happens on the show floor or when sharing a cup of tea with a potential franchisor.
Franchise expositions give you an opportunity to weigh up investment options and network with people who will determine the location of your future franchise. Go there with confidence, be well-organized, and get ready to make the most out of your franchise expo visit.
