Franchise Opportunities Live 2012, an event with a new format that aims to bring together prospective franchisees with suitable franchisors in a more efficient and cost-effective manner, will take place on the 7th and 8th September at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Heathrow Hotel.

In addition to welcoming all members of the general public, organisers Venture Marketing Group are matching potential franchisees from their extensive databases against the franchisee recruitment profile of attending franchisors. This is followed by holding in-depth telephone conversations with prospects, and pre-arranging one-to-one meetings between the two parties over the course of the two-day event.

This approach provides significant advantages to both parties in the difficult area of franchisee recruitment: franchisors can be assured that they are talking to people who are pre-qualified as having the passion, desired background and capital to join their network; prospective franchisees have the guarantee of scheduled one-to-one time with the brand(s) they are interested in, rather than attempting the sometimes daunting task of searching through a large exhibition hall with thousands of other people and limited time available to them. Prospective franchisees attending the scheduled meetings will also benefit from one night’s free accommodation in the hotel and an invitation to an exclusive ice-breaker evening with franchisors on the Friday night.

The bfa will be hosting the Franchise Advice Lounge, with representatives from the Association alongside industry experts including banks, solicitors and consultants. This is an opportunity to seek out free, individual answers to any questions attendees have about every aspect of franchising. In addition, the bfa are holding a series of seminars to provide objective advice and a wealth of information to both prospective franchisees as well as those looking to start franchising their own business.

Other features of the event include a Franchisee Panel, where existing franchisees will discuss and answer questions about their own experiences, such as what they’ve enjoyed and what they would do differently – invaluable anecdotal advice that can only be sought at such an event; and a Business Plan Clinic, with financial experts offering advice to maximise chances of securing capital – saving time for both franchisors and franchisees.

The bfa accredits all exhibiting brands as ethically-operating franchises, and all businesses looking to take a stand at the event are encouraged to contact the bfa to learn more about the straightforward, standards-based accreditation process.

By combining the pre-arranged meetings with an exhibition, informational seminars and the chance to talk with bfa representatives, a range of professional experts and current franchisees, Franchise Opportunities Live offers the chance for anyone looking to invest in a franchise business, or simply find out more, to further their knowledge. Entry is free, and tickets can be booked by clicking here.