 Visiting Franchise Expositions Franchises, like most business that are for sale, can be found in a range of different media but keep an eye out for those franchise expositions that are regularly held all over the country.
The expositions allow you to meet the franchisors who will set up their own presentations and will be far more informative than say, reading an advert in a newspaper. They will give you a chance to learn about the franchises in more detail and will also give you the opportunity to speak to the franchisors personally. Expositions will usually be attended by a number of franchisors and therefore it is important for you to prepare which type of franchises you are looking for. Preparing will allow you to confine your time into those franchises that are more suited for you: otherwise you may waste time being talked into something that you have no interest in at all. You should also compile a list of questions that you may want to ask the franchisor should they not cover any of your concerns in their presentation.
When attending the exposition, take notes and collect as much promotional information as you can to help you review the franchises in your own time. It is also an idea to take the franchisor's business card so that you can contact them if you have any further queries. Be sure that you visit each presentation for every franchise that you have interest in: do not feel pressured if the franchisor claims that there are limited offerings and time is of the essence (this is rarely so). Give yourself the time to visit and compare the franchises and be confident that you have chosen the one that is best for you. Should you decide at the time that you have found the franchise you are looking for, there is no need to sign a contract or make any payment (see next heading) until you have investigated the franchisor's offerings in much more detail. Seminars If you are interested in franchising, but are unsure of where to go, the British Franchise Association runs a number of Franchise Seminars throughout the year. They are relatively cheap to attend (free in Scotland), and can give you good advice on choosing and running a successful franchise; as well as answering your questions. Check the British Franchise Organisation website for details of forthcoming seminars. A number of free seminars are also available from The Franchise Alliance in various locations throughout the year, providing help on running and funding a franchise. Check the Franchise Alliance Seminar website for more details. Launch The franchisor should have a planned launch campaign that has been used in similar circumstances and has proved to be successful. This period in any business is crucial: being exceptionally crucial to a franchise as you are letting people know that a recognized brand leader is now operating in their area. Maintaining a high-profile for the first few months, at least, is a cost you must budget for: if you don't need the anticipated budget, great! Even brand names have to go and get customers and you will soon see the tie-up between marketing budget and revenue.
Article Index
1 Whats It All About?
2 Premises/Outlet
3 Franchise Expositions
4 Investigating the Franchise
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