International franchising is the buzzword of franchising this year. The stagnant domestic markets are sending franchisors searching for greener pastures in new countries. Very shortly, Franchise Direct will be releasing its second-annual list of the Top 100 Global Franchises.
If global franchising is what interests you, you really need to get to Washington DC this weekend for the 19th annual International Franchise Expo. Trade shows play a huge role in marketing a franchise brand and there are few better opportunities in the year to meet the world of franchising.
Tony Foley, international director with United Franchise Group explained to Franchising Times why the conference consistently draws such a broad international audience:
"The IFE’s reputation globally is by far the biggest component,” said Foley. “However, their marketing efforts and the fact that the United States is still considered the birthplace of franchising and therefore if one wishes to learn how to franchise, learn about exciting franchise opportunities, speak with franchise experts across a number of industries, the only real place to accomplish all of this is by attending the IFE. In addition, the IFE provides a solid value by presenting a very professional venue and environment for companies to showcase themselves. The educational components are excellent and add a much needed learning portion to the event.”
The IFE conference has been going on for nineteen years, which shows that international franchising is certainly nothing new. But the push to foreign markets has never been greater and this weekend at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center is certain to be a great experience.
If you are going to Washington, educate yourself with our first Top 100 Global Franchise rankings. And if you can’t make it to DC this weekend, but would love to visit a franchise expo near you, our tradeshow calendar has many other suggestions.