National Meetings Provide a centralized platform to transfer ideas, technologies, successes, challenges and many other things that are critical to the success of both the franchisor and their franchisees.

You settle into your seat just as the lights dim. The audience falls into a hushed anxiety. Stage whispers are heard throughout the room. There is an electric air of anticipation. And then…music plays, strobes dance, actors recite their lines…. IT has begun!

A Broadway play? A blockbuster movie? Nope…. A Franchisor’s Annual National Meeting!

A what? Yes, you heard me right. A National (or “annual”) Meeting!

Almost every franchisor that I can think of has some kind of annual national meeting. It’s a time for the franchisor and the franchisees to get together, review the year that has just passed, take stock of what is going on, and often a chance to glimpse pieces of the future.

National meetings, like franchisors themselves, come in all sorts of “flavors, varieties and sizes”. Some franchisors, particularly those that are large and mature have annual meetings that have musical revues, lavish banquets, and fanfare and reverie that match any Las Vegas show!

Why? Perhaps it's to make the event more fun, or to show how successful the company is, or has become. Perhaps it’s to help make a statement. Sometimes it's to make people look forward to coming to the next meeting, and at other times it's to help attendees feel as they are at a giant pep rally.

Other National Meetings are more austere. While they may have little fanfare and little flash they may be great meetings none the less.

Irrespective of whether the national meeting is fancy or plain, it is almost always a very important event for both franchisees and the franchisor. In fact, they are so important that many franchise agreements specify that franchisees are required to attend their franchisor’s annual/national meeting. The franchisee may even be required to pay a fee to attend this annual or national meeting. Failure on the part of a franchisee to attend a meeting or a series of meetings can, in some franchises, jeopardize a franchisee’s right to remain as a franchisee!

If that seems draconian, consider the importance of a national meeting. These meetings allow a franchisor to do many things that are important for the success of both the franchisees and the franchisor.

They provide a centralized platform to transfer ideas, technologies, successes, challenges and many other things that are critical to the success of both the franchisor and their franchisees. They give the entire franchise system an opportunity to get together, mingle, exchange ideas, learn, network and many other things that are worthwhile.

If you are considering joining a franchise system, you should find out about the franchisor’s annual meeting and see if they provide you with what you are looking for.

Not sure of what to look for? Here are 12 good reasons national meetings are important.

1. Update training for the franchisees.

Let’s face it. No business is static. Things change, and it’s critical to stay on top of new technologies. Annual meetings give the franchisor an opportunity to update franchisees on new technologies and systems. It’s also a chance for the franchisor to hold large classes, which better allow the franchisor to bring in industry, or “in house” experts. Bottom line…. Ongoing training is critical in any business, and national meetings are a great venue to help improve the skills and service capabilities of the entire franchise system

2. Build team spirit, and unity

Franchise systems are great places to build a strong team spirit. Not only can a franchisee and a franchisor work more closely together with better teamwork, spirit and unity; National meetings can also be a way to transfer that spirit directly to the employees of the franchisee. Some franchisors encourage their franchisees to bring their employees to the franchisor's national meeting so that they too can feel that they are an important part of a winning team. This boost in spirit can build loyalty, reduce turnover, inspire better performance, and raise the bar on performance goals throughout the franchise system.

3. Recognize outstanding performance by franchisees

Everyone likes to be recognized for a job well done. National meetings are a great way to recognize not just the performance of franchisees, but also the performance of the franchisee's employees. Those people who receive recognition very often cherish both the recognition and the acknowledgment of a job well done. It makes them feel appreciated, and it makes them want to do even better in the future. An additional benefit for the franchise system is that both the franchisees and their employees can see what others have succeeded in doing. I cannot think of a more powerful way to convince others that performance can be elevated than to show that others have successfully done so. Of course, a good healthy sense of competition can't hurt either.

4. Introduce new products, services and technologies

Staying ahead of the pack involves more than just updated training. It also involves the introduction of new products, services and technologies. Whether it's a new way to make a particular product, the latest styles that customers will want, a streamlined way of delivering your service, or any of the many changes that affect a business, every franchisee needs to stay on top of their industry. Recent shifts in technologies, including Internets, Intranets and Extranets are good examples of changes that will impact almost everyone's business. National meetings provide a wonderful venue to learn about them and other things that affect your business.

5. Build Personal Relationships with other franchisees

Sometimes we forget how important other franchisees can be in terms of helping us to succeed in our business. National meetings are an excellent place to meet other franchisees, build relationships with those that you already know, establish relationships with those you don't, and exchange success formulas that can be invaluable. Often, we focus exclusively on the services that are provided by the franchisor. We forget that perhaps the most important part of any franchise system are the other franchisees. National meetings give the franchisees a chance to see their counterparts from all over the country, and even all over the world, and to get together, spend high quality, focused time to learn from each other.

6. Discuss key issues affecting and impacting the franchisees

Every business has challenges. Whether they are basic issues like hiring and staffing, effective ways to combat the competition, or high tech issues like intranets and point of sale systems, its important to focus on them. Other key issues like franchisor/franchisee relationships, system-wide communications, and directions for the future are all worthy of discussion in a national forum. Such a venue allows for broad-based discussion of the issues and a forum for improvement.

7. Talk about Competition

National meetings are a great place to focus on "those other guys", the competition. Whether your competition comes from other franchised systems, regional or national chains, or even independents, competition is something we always have to be aware of. Its great to hear solutions to competitive threats irrespective of whether those solutions come from the franchisor, other franchisees, or outside experts, and national meetings are the perfect places to define overviews of how to deal with the competition.

8. Exchange ideas

Sometimes a franchisee can feel quite alone. He or she may be alone in a geographic area, and may not get a chance to interact personally with other franchisees. National meetings usually have lots of structured events, but also there is usually a considerable amount of flexible time for franchisees to sit with others, exchange ideas, and learn new things.

9. Bring in Outside Experts

This can be the highlight of a national meeting. At National Meetings that I have attended over the years, I have heard and seen experts in every field from technology to motivation. Almost without exception, these presentations have been invaluable. As individuals we could probably never afford to bring in some of these experts, but as a group, they can become affordable and accessible. It's also a chance for the employees of a franchisee to benefit from this additional expertise.

10. Celebrate Success

Everyone loves a good party! If you are part of a vibrant, growing system it may be a real bonus to be able to celebrate the things that have gone well. I know that many organizations tend to focus on problems yet to be solved, rather than milestones already accomplished. It seems that we devote precious little time to patting others and ourselves on the back, even though that recognition is well earned. National meetings can help rectify this oversight. There can be fancy banquets, seemingly endless award presentations, and entertainment of the first order. Lots of times this spotlight on success can provide the perfect focus that allows us to put our business year into perspective.

11. Provide Update training

Just like new products services and technologies, basic training needs to be updated, reinforced and offered if a franchise system hopes to be as successful as it would like to be. Although teaching the "basics" may not be the most glamorous part of a national meeting, it sometimes can be the most beneficial to the franchisees and to their employees.

12. Network for products and services with other franchisees

Some franchised systems give great latitude to their franchisees when it comes to purchasing, advertising, marketing and other key areas. National meetings cannot only be great places to exchange ideas, they can also be great places to build networks that can add to profit. Perhaps you will find another franchisee with whom you can combine some purchases with, or perhaps you can set up a system to back each other up with part time help. Whatever you get from networking, it will be important, and can be very profitable.

When it comes time for you to select a franchise, very few people ask about national meetings. They're certainly not the first thing that would come to my mind either, but like every other part of a good franchisor's system, national meetings can be extremely valuable and important to your long-term success.

More than any other event, annual/national meetings may be the single best source of information, updates, networking, training, and many other things that will help your business succeed. On top of that, they can be great fun.

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