Why you should attend a franchise exhibition
Trying to decide if a franchise exhibition is worth your time?
For many, spending a day on your feet trekking around multiple exhibitor stands and being ‘sold to’ may not be the most appealing idea of a day out. However, with the franchise industry continuing to grow and a broad range of investment opportunities out there, there are some great benefits to being under the same roof of so many franchisors.
Whether you’re brand new to the industry or an experienced franchisor looking to diversify their portfolio, Snap Fitness Head of Sales, Kristen Horler, has shared her top reasons why you should consider attending:
1. Franchise owners have high success rates
Franchised businesses are a huge part of our lives and give you the platform to build a successful career with an established brand.
The most recent National Franchise Survey by the British Franchise Association revealed that over 90% of franchisees reported consistent profitability. Compare that to going it on your own, with around 20% of independent businesses failing within their first year and only around half surviving beyond five years.
2. You’ll discover multiple opportunities under one roof
We always encourage people to explore all the options available to them and there’s no better place to do that than a franchise exhibition. It’s time efficient too; seeing the range of franchise opportunities available in one day can save hours of online research and virtual exploratory meetings.
You also get to evaluate franchisors in real time, seeing their commitment and the quality of their presentation at an exhibition.
3. You get to ask the hard questions
If you’ve done your research in advance and know which brands that you’d like to speak to, you can ask the hard questions to the team in person. You’ll likely pick up extra insight into their business model, values, and growth plans that you might not get from online research or phone calls.
Seeing how the team interacts with you and potential franchisees, as well as how they respond, will give you a feel of their culture and whether they’re a good fit for your values and goals.
If you’re going there with an open mind, you’ll have the chance to learn about an industry you previously knew nothing about. There’s no such thing as a bad question and by having open and honest conversations with the exhibitors that are there, you’ll see what opportunities match your goals and if you click with the team.
4. There’s a great speaker schedule
In between walking the floor and visiting exhibitor stands, there’s usually a packed supporting speaker schedule for you to enjoy which will provide a great insight into franchising and the current trends in their industry.
Exhibitors may also bring along successful franchisees who share their own journeys and give you an opportunity to learn from their experience.
5. You’ll have more clarity on your next move
You’ll likely leave the event with various franchise prospectuses and leaflets tucked under your arm, armed with a wealth of information.
If you went to the event with an open mind about franchising, attending the event will likely have helped you narrow down what you want to do next and which franchises that you’d like to dig a little deeper into. The experience can also contribute to you making a more informed decision and reduce the risks regarding your investment.
Franchise exhibitions are usually free to attend and are a great way to see your options if you’re considering a career change or a new investment. Our next event will be at the popular National Franchise Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham across 4th and 5th October - to claim your free ticket for the event, click here.
If you want to talk to our friendly Snap Fitness team, we’ll be there on stand N300.