Franchise Update Magazine Issue IV, 2012 | Page 16

Grow Market Lead

By Evan Hackel

Optimize
Your Franchisee Conventions
Part 2: Delivering maximum benefit

Part 1 of this three-part series addressed how to improve attendance
at franchisee conventions. In part two, we discuss how you can make
your convention an event that provides the maximum benefit to your
franchisees. As with part one, we use results gleaned from an online
survey conducted by Speak!, Ingage Consulting, and Franchise Business Review, which drew responses from nearly 200 franchisors.

T

How long is your
convention?

here is no better advertisement or promotion of your
convention than having a
top-quality event. “Your
annual meeting can have a tremen- More than
dously positive effect on a franchisee’s
4 days
productivity, profitability, and passion
2.1%
for the brand,” says Katrina Mitchell,
CEO of Speak!
When you have a winning event,
the franchisees who attended not
4 days
only put it on their calendar as
a must-attend for next year,
8.6%
they pass along that feedback to franchisees who
3.5 days
did not attend, and to
new franchisees. But
9.6%
how to determine the
right mix of speakers,
networking, vendors,
and other intangibles
to make your convention a winning event
for all involved?
3 days
• Length. One fac30.5%
tor not to be underestimated is the length of
your convention. While this
can be a determining factor
in whether or not franchisees
attend, it can also have an impact
on the benefits franchisees take away.

14

Franchiseupdate Iss u e IV, 2 0 1 2

Even the most attentive listener can
be overwhelmed by too much information presented within the relatively
short time span of a conference. Information overload can detract from the
core message you want to get across
1 day
and, worse, leave attendees wondering
3.2%
what it was they heard.
Fortunately, according to our survey, most franchisors understand or
are sensitive to having a convention that is not too long, at least
from a calendar perspective.
2 days
According to those surveyed,
14.4%
80 percent said their convention was three days
or shorter.
• Agenda. While creating a convention that
minimizes time away
from the home office
is important, the most
crucial element of a convention is the agenda.
2.5 days
According to franchisors
31.6%
who have surveyed their
systems pre-conference,
franchisees expect the following from their convention,
in order of ranking:
1) Time to network with their
peers (25.8%)