7 things to know: UK franchise expo snapshot

The Birmingham franchise exhibition is the second largest in the UK providing a wide display of current leading franchises from Britain and overseas. Next year’s national franchise exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham is scheduled for 20 – 21 February 2015.

Here are 7 things you need to know:

1. Attendance at the two day franchise exhibition was strong according to the British Franchise Association, indicating renewed confidence in the franchise sector.
2. Who was there? International brands attending the franchise exhibition included Home Instead Senior Care, Auntie Annie’s Pretzel Perfect, Granite Transformations, Mailboxes Etc, Pack & Send, GS Beauty Group and a special appearance by deputy chair Dina Dwyer Owens of the Dwyer Group USA – one of the world’s largest franchise organisations.
3. There was strong representation from the adult fitness sector and there was a high number of enquiries for Anytime Fitness, Fit Four Less and Jets 24 Hour Fitness.
4. A number of local UK franchise systems were also showing confident growth; the Belvoir Group for instance, has about 160 offices and expansion plans for over 300 new territories. Over 15 years the Belvoir franchise group has provided specialist residential letting services and remained separate from traditional real estate agency businesses.
5. Entertaining methods of attracting the often weary exhibition goer – an essential skill and a great illustration of the ability of the franchise to present the benefits of the franchise system. One franchise brand bringing its own special sense of humour was a magic maths franchise.  It didn’t take long to realise that Professor Poopenshtinken’s Magical Maths fully understood the challenge of teaching young children the technical aspects of mathematics and new that making it fun and entertaining was a winning way of breaking through.
6. Free frozen yoghurts and coffee handouts – but no surveys from franchisors asking people what they thought of their freebie. An opportunity missed which no doubt give others an opportunity next year to make better use of their franchise exhibition.
7. The UK remains one of the few major countries that has no specific franchise legislation. This provides significant opportunities for homegrown and international franchise systems to grow their franchise now that economic conditions have improved.