The National Franchise Exhibition - How to plan your day

The National Franchise Exhibition and the Growing Your Own Business Exhibition & Conference is open from 10am each day, closing at 5pm on Friday 7th October and 4pm on Saturday 8th October.

To purchase tickets please call the hotline on 0870 7771048 or visit www.franinfo.co.uk. Callers can purchase tickets in advance by credit card for £8 each or £7 for two or more. Admission on the door is £13.

The National Franchise Exhibition in Birmingham features over 250 tried and tested business concepts, offering opportunities to appeal to every interest and skill including management and business consultancy, video and game rental, and manufacturing tool and equipment solutions.

Pre-plan your day
Ideally, to ensure you see as much as possible, you should visit www.franinfo.co.uk and research who is exhibiting. Then arrange meetings with exhibitors at the event to gain an insight into the potential demands and rewards of running a franchise. By meeting face-to-face with the many established franchisors at the event, you can easily find out all you need to know about what franchise companies offer and how to establish and maintain a successful franchised business.

Among the companies exhibiting will be: Advanced Protection Systems, Auditel, Bartercard, BB's Coffee & Muffins, Blue Sky Villas, Car Medic, Cash Generator, Chamberlains Security, Chemex, ChipsAway, Kall Kwik, Kumon Education, Lasertech, Local Group, Mail Boxes etc., McDonald's Restaurants, Molly Maid, Pronuptia, Signs Express, Snap-On Tools, Snappy Snaps, Subway and Wimpy International.

Attend the seminars
The National Franchise Exhibition offers all the expert advice you need on franchising. The series of highly informative free seminars run by the British Franchise Association (BFA) across both days are an ideal way to find out more about becoming a franchisee or franchisor. They will include advice and specific success stories from leading speakers from the UK franchise industry, who are all BFA members or affiliates.

11am and 2pm daily - 'An introduction to franchising' - for prospective franchisees.
These free seminars are for aspiring business owners new to franchising. They will address issues including: the benefits of franchising versus other business formats; what the franchisor looks for in a franchisee; what a franchisee should look for in a franchisor; the size and the expected growth in the franchise market; the initial choice of franchise; the business plan; and the finance and how to get it.

12.30pm daily - 'How to franchise your business' - for prospective franchisors.
These free hour-long seminars consist of a short introduction to franchising as a means of expanding an existing business or developing a new venture.

Network in the 'Women in Franchising' Zone
Networking is a superb way to gain a real insight into franchising. The National Franchise Exhibition includes a women's networking area where female entrepreneurs can network with other likeminded people and listen to experts such as Rosemary Conley CBE, famous health and fitness guru and owner of the Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Clubs.

'We are delighted to sponsor the Women in Franchising Zone at this year's National Franchise Exhibition,' reflects Rosemary Conley, CBE. 'There are so many exciting opportunities for women in franchising and the Women in Franchising Zone offers a golden opportunity to exhibit the diverse range of franchises available to a wider audience.'

Dawn Charles, who founded the global networking organisation A Woman's Place, will be leading a Worklife Balance workshop at the event, where she will share her experiences with fellow women.

'Networking is an increasingly important skill in business to build relationships with potential contacts and future customers,' says Dawn. 'Successful networking requires the ability to listen, establish rapport, empathise and identify common ground - something women are naturally very good at doing.'

The women in franchising zone will run across both days and will include four presentations per day. Other speakers include Pam Bader who will talk about franchising, Medics on the Move who will talk from a franchisees' perspective, Judy Behl who will talk about growing a woman-friendly franchise brand, and Cathy Stewart, who will explain why franchising, family and flexibility equals fun.

Visit the Exhibitor Presentation Theatre
Hearing the founder of a leading franchise explain the idea behind the business can be fascinating. These FREE seminars will provide you with invaluable insight into a variety of franchise opportunities.

Gain valuable advice at the Growing Your Own Business Exhibition & Conference
Take the chance to find out how to build your business for long-term success. Co-located with the National Franchise Exhibition, Growing Your Own Business features companies and experts offering highly valuable advice and services to enable businesses to expand much faster, increase their efficiency and, most importantly, improve their profitability and develop sustainable growth.

The conference features high profile keynote speakers, well-known business owners and experts on the issues that entrepreneurs face in developing a business. The keynote speaker on Day One of the event is Nighat Awan, OBE., Chief Executive of The Shere Khan Group.

Also speaking on Day One of the exhibition is Rocky Mirza, Founder of iBETX. The keynote speaker on Day Two of the event is Perween Warsi, CBE, Founder & CEO of S & A Foods.

Furthermore, visitors will also be able to visit the free Business Advice Zone, which offers small business owners one-to-one advice from experts as well as invaluable networking opportunities with their peers.