Assess the benefits of franchising

THE NATIONAL FRANCHISE EXHIBITION
NEC

Birmingham 6th & 7th October 2006

Ideal for entrepreneurs looking to start and run their own franchise businesses, The National Franchise Exhibition will offer visitors the chance to meet a wide range of well-established franchised companies, allowing them to assess the benefits of running their own business as part of an established franchise brand.

The National Franchise Exhibition features over 250 tried and tested business concepts, from health and fitness, motoring and recruitment to computing, cleaning and children's activities. This gives visitors the chance to find the business that is the ideal match for their interests and skill.

Among the companies exhibiting will be Apollo Window Blinds, Auditel, BB's Coffee & Muffins, Car Medic, Cash Generator, Chemex, Chips, Contours Express, Dent Wizard, Goodyear/Dunlop, Kall Kwik, Kumon Education, McDonald's, Mr Electric, Prontaprint, Prokill, Quick Crepes, Signs Express, Snap-On Tools, Snappy Snaps, Subway, Select Appointments and Wimpy International. All exhibitors present, whether members of the association or not, have been accredited by the British Franchise Association (bfa), whose members abide by the bfa code of ethics and have all proven to be viable enterprises. In addition, there will be experts from the bfa, bankers, accountants and solicitors to help with every key issue from raising finance to legal contracts.

A series of highly informative free seminars are being run by the bfa across both days for everyone looking to find out more about becoming a franchisee or franchisor. They will include valuable advice and specific success stories from leading speakers from the UK franchise industry, who are all bfa members or affiliates.

Franchise Match-Making Zone

A new feature for The National Franchise Exhibition is the Franchise Match-Making Zone, which has been created to help match visitors to the franchise businesses best suited to them.Visitors will be able to consult at 'dating desks' where they can identify the level of investment and category of business they are interested in. They will be presented with a list of the most suitable franchise options and a bespoke route around the exhibition.

Women in Franchising Zone

The Women In Franchising Zone, supported by Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Clubs, is a dedicated area which includes a full conference programme and franchisee networking zone designed to assist woman entrepreneurs in finding the franchise company most suited to their needs.Featuring a number of experts from the business world offering free advice to women interested in all aspects of franchising, speakers will include Rosemary Conley, a leading entrepreneur and founder of the countrywide Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Clubs, and Rachel Elnaugh, founder of Red Letter Days and more recently a 'Dragon' on BBC's Dragon's Den. The franchisee networking zone will offer visitors the opportunity to speak with existing female franchisees and share their knowledge and experiences.

The Growing Your Own Business Exhibition & Conference

The Growing Your Own Business Exhibition features companies that offer small business advice and can help established businesses to develop and grow. The exhibition will be supported by a free conference with seminars providing practical advice and information on all aspects of growing a business. Speakers include leading advisors, consultants and successful entrepreneurs who will provide case studies and success stories.

The Growing Your Own Business Exhibition and Conference will offer something for everyone.