International Franchise Expo Concludes

Some 300 Franchise Exhibits Are Displayed at the Washington Conference Center

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Blue MauMau) - The International Franchise Expo, a trade show of hundreds of franchise related booths, concludes Sunday at 4pm ET. The show, held in the nation's capital amidst Yoshino cherry trees that have just come into bloom, is one of the largest of all shows meant for those who are considering a franchise. The Expo has franchise concepts at various levels of investment. Besides the booths and the opportunity to speak with franchisor representatives, there are also various educational seminars for franchise buyers - from choosing the right franchise to how to finance one.

There are some 300 franchise exhibitors at the Washington Convention Center, from 7-Eleven to Sign-A-Rama. That's in the ball park of last year's number of exhibit booths.

Attendance Light?

A few franchisors commented to Ms. Janet Sparks, Blue MauMau's reporter for the show, that attendance by prospective franchisees seemed somewhat light this year at the 16th annual expo. Said one, "It doesn't have the same excitement as it used to have. The show needs to be energized."

Another executive declared, "Large franchisors do not seem to attend the show any longer." A franchise buyer added, "Where are the famous franchise brand names?"

Considering how the expo's organizer, MFV Expositions, has been adding new regional shows, such as the South Show in Florida last year, the consistent number of franchisors exhibiting at their signature event in Washington, D.C. must look promising for the growth of franchising.

Some speculated that the increase in these regional shows may have impacted attendance at the IFE, observing, "MFV just had the Expo in Mexico and Paris so those exhibitors would not likely attend the U.S. for another."

Other exhibitors had quite a positive experience. After nearly a decade of not having a booth at the show, Mr. Steve Hammerstein, CEO of quick-print chain ICED Franchise Development, observed, "Although we won't know the results of the show until we have had a chance to follow up on our leads, it looks like we have had a lot of international inquiries."

More shows closer to home makes the buying process more convenient for franchise buyers. And the growing number of franchise concepts exhibiting on all of the shows collectively makes more choices to see for more franchise buyers.

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Photo by the monk