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Here at Franchise Direct, we’ve just about gotten over the excitement of the IFA convention in San Diego in mid-February. And very shortly, we’re going to be publishing video interviews we conducted at the convention with a number of franchising’s luminaries.

But the franchising world keeps turning and those franchisors looking to improve the quality of their leads might want to act quickly and book their place at the International Franchise Expo, which is barely two weeks away.

Held at the Walter E Washington Center in Washington D.C. from the 20th to the 22nd of March, the IFE brings together hundreds of the top concepts in franchising, covering a wide range of investment levels. Franchisors looking to find their franchisees of tomorrow will find a curious and informed audience in Washington.

Given the difficult state of the economy, franchisors are going to have to work extra hard to rein in franchisees and the International Franchising Expo is one of the most established venues for finding future franchisees.

Find out all the info you need here.

The IFA Annual Convention is winding down today and, what a weekend it was. Franchise Direct was everywhere during the convention, so keep an eye on this blog over the next days and weeks for videos and interviews from San Diego.

It was an uplifting weekend, underlined by President Bill Clinton’s address to the convention on Sunday. Clinton said welcomed the Government’s bank bailout late last year, saying it saved the economy from a ‘total meltdown’.

Clinton also welcomed the people Barack Obama has appointed to steer the economy back on track.

“The president has a good economic team. I know. Most of them worked for me . . . This is the same crowd that gave you balanced budgets and surpluses.”

Finally, if you couldn’t make it to San Diego, here are a few photos from behind the scenes of the festival taken by our multimedia team in between video shoots. Enjoy!

With the IFA Annual Convention in full swing in San Diego, it’s worth pointing out that the franchising world extends beyond America. Franchise Direct was present in London recently for The Franchise Show in London and it was another blockbuster event.

Taking place at the massive Excel centre in London on February 6th and 7th, the Franchise Show brought together franchisors and franchisees from all over the world. There were over 100 exhibitors on hand, with the cream of UK franchising, a few master franchises and some Americans franchises as well. The event was also open to the general public and provided a great opportunity for those curious about franchising industry to learn more about the industry

For Franchise Direct, the event was opportune time to get closer to the franchising community, and in particular, showcase our fantastic interactive capabilities. Visitors to the Franchise Direct stall were given a chance to interact with the Franchise Direct website and see firsthand how our range of video podcasts and franchise videos work. We got great feedback on our website and a number of visitors discovered an outstanding and innovative way to promote their business.

Franchise Direct also held a draw among franchisors for a free six-month platinum interactive pack. Dozens of franchises entered, with Antal ultimately winning. We hope this interactive pack will provide Antil connect witha number of new franchisees.

Overall, the weekend was a great opportunity to network. Thousands of people were in attendance and there were a wide range of informative seminars to take in. All told, franchising conventions, as we’ve been learning first hand in San Diego and London lately, are inspiring places for getting closer to the world of franchising.

Greetings from the IFA Convention here at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego.

Here’s a report from the Convention floor. The whole world of franchising has descended upon San Diego. President Bill Clinton addressed the convention yesterday, with a speech based on the Convention’s theme: ‘Building Local Businesses, One Opportunity at a Time’. Watch this video for a peek at what’s happening inside the convention. Franchise Direct also spoke exclusively with a number of franchisors about what makes the Convention so unique.

Be sure to keep checking the Franchise Direct blog for updates from the Convention. We’ll soon be uploading an interview with IFA President Matthew Shay. You won’t want to miss it.

One of the biggest events on the franchising calendar starts this weekend at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, as the International Franchise Association’s 49th Annual Convention gets underway. No one will bring you closer to the event than Franchise Direct, one of the world’s leading portals for franchise opportunities. From February 14-16, our multimedia team will be on the convention floor, producing video reports for our website that provide a first-hand look at everything happening at the convention.

For anyone with even a passing interest in the franchising industry, the IFA’s Annual Convention is one of the highlights of the year. Since franchising constitutes such a wide range of business interests, it is a truly unique experience to witness the wide world of franchising together under one roof. Unfortunately, not everyone can make the trip to San Diego. But don’t worry if you can’t attend. Franchise Direct will be there, bringing the IFA Convention home to you.

Starting from Saturday, we will be posting daily updates from the IFA Convention on our franchise blog. A daily video report will provide you with a sense of the atmosphere around the Hyatt, while featuring interviews with a number of attendees inside the convention.

The IFA Convention is always blockbuster event that generates huge interest from the world of franchising and beyond, and this weekend’s gathering will be no different. The main event of the weekend will undoubtedly be a speech by former President Bill Clinton. The 42nd President will be delivering the Opening General Session address, which will deal with the convention’s theme: ‘Franchising: Building Local Communities, One Business At A Time’. But there will be so much more happening at the convention—everything from conferences to summits to workshops. If you can’t attend the summit or are too busy with various engagements in San Diego, let Franchise Direct be your eyes and ears during the weekend.

Starting from Saturday, check out our blog for insights from San Diego. Franchise Direct’s multimedia team regularly produces outstanding video content, such as the weekly Business Insights series featuring Franchise Direct CEO Sean McGarry. You can be certain that the Franchise Direct blog will bring you so close to the IFA Convention, you’ll feel like you’re in San Diego.

So if you’ve ever been interested in owning a franchise, or are curious about what happens at the IFA Convention, be sure to check out Franchise Direct’s franchising blog. Starting from Saturday, we’ll provide a daily portrait of what happens when the world of franchising convenes under one roof.