Without a doubt, franchise exhibitions are a great chance to be able to get a wealth of advice and information in one place. Before Covid, they were face to face and held in large exhibition halls – however, potential franchisees now have online platforms such as FranchiseShow247 AND physical exhibitions to choose from (such as the exhibition in Olympia, London next month).
However you choose to gather your information and speak with franchised businesses, whether at an exhibition hall or virtually, here are our top tips to attending franchise exhibitions.
- Visit an exhibition with an open mind and a closed cheque book! No franchisor should ask you to pay any money at an exhibition.
- Take advantage of the number of seminars on offer.
- Browse as many stands as possible – not all of them will interest you, but it will be a good experience to visit those that do take your fancy as well as those that are in a sector that you know nothing about.
- Have a clear understanding of the amount of money you want to spend. If you are talking to a brand that you like the look of, ask them directly what the total investment will be including training, launch and working capital. There is no point spending time on a brand you cannot afford.
- Make sure that your credit history is in good shape, as it is possible that you will look for some back borrowing to support your franchise acquisition.
- Look for stands where the messages are simple, clean and easy to understand.
- At physical exhibitions – look for stands where the staff are proactive and lively, with a welcoming smile – but ideally not too pushy.
- Use exhibitions to get some good conversations going – to broaden your mind and see what is available in the marketplace.
Enjoy the exhibition and good luck with your business venture!
This post was contributed to FranchiseShow247 by Darwin Gray. . They are an exhibitor on the FranchiseShow247 Business & Professional services floor. You can visit their FranchiseShow247 exhibition stand here.
