So you’re ready to start looking for a franchise opportunity? A great way to meet new people and learn more about the industry is to attend trade shows. Read below on how you can make the most of trade shows and find the franchise opportunity you’ve been looking for.
Research…before attending a trade show you’re going to need to do your research. Find out what types of companies are attending the show and which of these businesses you are interested in. Read up about these businesses, does their messaging inspire you? Would you be motivated in this business? If you answer yes, then email in advance of the trade show and organise to meet these people one on one. Once you have done your research, prepare key questions that you want answered. This will save you time and portray you as a more realistic candidate for their franchise.
Once you have done your research ahead of time and you’re at the trade show…take time for yourself. Separate yourself and walk around the exhibition and see how the different stands interact with you. Assess how you’re approached, are they professional? Are they friendly? Most importantly ask yourself, could you work with these people? This is also a good time to look again at the messaging that they are promoting on their stands. Is there branding consistent with what you have previously researched? Working in business you need to have good people skills, from managing employees to networking with other businesses, so attending these shows will give you a good indication of how these business deal with people and potential clients.
Is your time valuable? Make the most out of your time at the trade shows by attending the seminars. These are often held throughout the day and a big part of the shows. This is a brilliant way for you to gain real life experience and knowledge from people who work in the franchise industry every day! Attending seminars from real franchisors will make you realise what exactly they look for in a potential franchisee and listen to what they consider to be important in becoming a successful franchisee. Listening to these seminars will help you make decisions on the type of franchise and type of people you want to go into business with. Listening to panels with existing franchisees is also really beneficial in influencing your decision making. Listening to real life experiences within franchising is great because it will let you hear both the positives and negatives that existing franchisees have gone through on their journey.
Ultimately, if you follow the above you will have a successful and informative trade show but…hopefully you will identify a franchise opportunity to explore in more detail. Trade shows are a great way to get a feel and understanding for the industry as well as existing franchise opportunities.
