Lots of people find great benefit in attending a Franchise Exhibition when considering a Franchise. It can be a great way to find out not just about the business but the people involved. Unless it’s a multi-national organisation there should be the opportunity to meet the Franchisor and generally get a ‘feel’ of the company’s ethos.
First impressions are very important and you’ll know very quickly if it’s a good match for what you’re looking for. It’s a bit like the feeling when buying a property, you know almost immediately if it’s the one for you!
Some of the larger exhibitions can seem a little overwhelming so consider taking someone with you for morale support and to help you keep focused on the opportunities that will be best suited to you. It can be easier than you imagine to become distracted with all the noise, goodie bags and stands competing for your attention. It’s important to keep focused on your aspirations and what you ideally what to achieve with a Franchise. It’s a good idea to have a plan before you attend to help you identify your key skills and the key opportunities you’d like to find out more about. This will help you when reviewing all the material after the show for you to make a more informed decision about taking the next step.
With the opportunities you are interested in see if there are existing Franchisees you can openly speak to about their experiences with the business.
You should be made to feel welcome with a friendly and non-sales introduction, even if it’s the last few minutes before the show closes, remember first impressions count!
It is advisable to only take additional material away from the show that is the most relevant to what you want to achieve. This will help avoid any overwhelm or too many choices when reviewing your options.