Visiting a Franchise Exhibition
The industries operating in the franchise sector are many and varied. Going along to one of the five franchise exhibitions supported by the bfa is an ideal way of seeing the breadth of opportunity available to prospective franchisees. You will also be able to meet face-to-face and discuss your suitability with a number of franchisors. Advice for visiting an exhibition Whether you are looking to become a franchisee or expand an existing business through franchising, the bfa delivers free one hour seminars on both days of the exhibition to act as an introduction for potential franchisees and franchisors. If you have just started your research process attending a seminar is a great starting point to gaining a broad understanding of what franchising is. If you are more advanced in the research phase, take the opportunity to speak to a variety of franchisors from different sectors. By keeping an open mind, you may come across a franchise which you find both attractive and suitable, but you may not have found had you narrowed down your search criteria. Staff from the British Franchise Association will be on the bfa stand to answer questions and provide prospective franchisees and franchisors with the services that will help them structure the necessary due diligence. At the London Olympia exhibition, we will be at stand number C210. Membership of the bfa is thought to be a key criteria when assessing potential franchisors. Franchisors apply to become bfa members by meeting standards set by the Association, thereby establishing that their franchise represents a fair and ethical opportunity. The companies you will see at bfa sponsored exhibitions are accredited bfa members or have been assessed by the bfa for the purpose of exhibiting. The bfa has produced a guide for those visiting an exhibition so that they are aware of the differences. Click here to access the guide on the bfa website. Date for your Diary British & International Franchise Exhibition The next exhibition will be the British & International Franchise Exhibition taking place in London towards the end of March. This is one of the largest exhibitions out of the five and will feature over 200 companies from various industry sectors. Franchises present will include Coffee Republic, Cash Generators, Snappy Snaps, Threshers Group, Dream Doors and Thorntons Chocolates to name but a few. A further highlight of the exhibition is a series of free seminars run by the bfa. They include:
23rd & 24th March - Olympia, London
The free hour long seminars offer essential franchise advice and information to aspiring business owners new to the franchising concept. The panellists are all either bfa affiliated or bfa members.
Admission on the door is £13 but you can order your free ticket in advance from the bfa website homepage at www.thebfa.org. Don’t delay – order your ticket today!
