Whether it’s to increase brand awareness, meet realistic potential prospects to start the conversion process, or to seal the deal with a prospect, expos provide the ideal face-to-face environment.

By Lawrence Dvorchik

There are many channels and methods of lead generation, however, year after year, one remains constant, critical for success, and a leading driver of quality leads: faceto- face engagement. Experts throw around statistics to entice franchisors to advertise, but there is one thing that remains true: chances of closing a sale dramatically increase when a meeting is pre-scheduled before you get to the show.

Franchise expos offer a most effective and efficient means of getting to know a prospective franchisee by placing your development team in an environment geared to engage in face-to-face interactions with qualified prospects, and get a better feel for whether they match what your franchise is looking for in a partner.

As an Expo organizer, I am able to say that at all MFV Expos in the U.S.— the International Franchise Expo, Franchise Expo South and Franchise Expo West — we work diligently to help exhibitors generate the maximum  ROI possible. Each venue draws in thousands of prospective franchise owners, and through creative marketing, PR and engagement initiatives, we are able to increase the number of visitors and meetings, without adding additional expenses for the exhibitor.

Attendance at the expos continues to climb among prospects and franchisors alike. While prospects realize the value of attending expos to more deeply investigate the brands of interest and actually look their future potential franchisor directly in the eye, more franchisors are reallocating funds to take advantage of the value and return that exhibiting provides.

Expos create more purchases than all other marketing efforts, including advertising and direct mail. Closing a sale with a trade show contact is more than one-third less expensive than closing a sale with a different lead, according to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research.

“Franchising is, and always will be, about establishing relationships. Expos allow the opportunity for prospects to put a face and voice to the person they have been communicating with over the phone, via email or social media.”

Franchising is, and always will be, about establishing relationships. Expos allow the opportunity for prospects to put a face and voice to the person they have been communicating with over the phone, via email or social media. Similarly, franchisors view expos as an opportunity to get face-to-face with prospects that may have been initiated through other channels, or start a new relationship by speaking directly to someone in person. Many new franchisees are solidified once they meet face-to-face at an expo. The following tips will help make the most of in-person meetings for both franchisors and potential franchisees.

GET THE WORD OUT

Laying the groundwork prior to the expo starting can often make the difference between a good and a great expo. Take advantage of all the show organizers offer, and invite your prospects in the area to come meet you on-site. Add banners to your website and email newsletters promoting your participation, and show people how they can get access to come see you. Your booth is an advertising investment, make sure to maximize its use. Before you set off for a franchise expo, make sure you’ve mentioned in your advertising and marketing materials your availability for personal meetings. Letting people know you’re available to chat with them might just make it easier for a potential lead to approach you.

THE OLD-FASHIONED CARD SWAP

The one-on-one meeting will make the greatest impact and will provide you with an opportunity to hand off your business card — another reminder of who you are. It’s tangible, has contact information and should provide a resource, such as a website, where the other party can learn more. It’s old-fashioned but still effective. Business cards still matter; we have limited memory and we’re bombarded by new information every day. A business card is a physical touchstone that will trigger the memory of the other party.

Make note of a couple of key points of the conversation you had helping you remember that person and will help your communication when you follow up with them.

Because you might meet briefly with an abundance of leads at an expo, schedule a time right then and there to meet with each of them in the near future. Not only does that let leads know they’re on your radar, but it will also make them feel appreciated.

FOLLOW UP WITH AN EMAIL

Following up is critical. Make sure that you send an email within 24 to 48 hours of meeting a valued prospect, and keep the engagement and discussion moving forward. Ask for the best time to have another call to discuss the opportunity, and don’t let a qualified prospect have time to review the multiple franchise concepts they may be considering. Stay at the forefront of their mind with your communication.

According to Ilise Benum, author and founder of Marketing Mentor, the best way to follow up is to personalize your email and offer the prospective franchisee a few deliverables for them to review and consider. “If too much time passes before you follow up,” Benum writes, “the conversation may slip into the recesses of the person’s mind or blur with that of someone else he met recently and it won’t have as strong an impact.”

Whether it’s to increase brand awareness, meet a certain number of realistic potential prospects to start the conversion process, or to seal the deal with a prospect, expos provide the ideal face-to-face environment. Upcoming MFV Franchise expos include Franchise Expo West, Oct. 6-8 in Denver, and Franchise Expo South, Jan. 12-14 in Dallas. The 2016 International Franchise Expo took place June 15-17 in New York. For more information about any of these events, email me or krosalen@mfvexpo.com. 

Lawrence Dvorchik is vice president of Marketing, Media and Communications for MFV Expositions. Find him at fransocial.franchise.org.

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