FULL DISCLOSURE: Weekly Conversations with a WCFE Exhibitor

The scope of franchises exhibiting at the upcoming West Coast Franchise Expo is growing! Pizza Fusion, KidzArt and Pita Pit are only a few of the most recent businesses to sign on to exhibit for the WCFE, which takes place Nov. 5 to 7 at the L.A. Convention Center.

Think you have a lot to gain by exhibiting? Diane Carter, director of franchise administration and compliance with Express Employment Professionals, certainly thinks so. This week she shares her insights on why Express is exhibiting at this year’s convention.

Why is 2010 the right time to exhibit at the WCFE? 

We want to continue our exposure and presence in the West Coast markets. We have many California territories available and are actively searching for the right candidates. Our goal for 2010 and 2011 is to add 10 new franchises along the West Coast and the expo is the perfect venue for us to meet local investors. We are a fully franchised opportunity in an industry with expected revenue growth18 percent in 2010.  Projections for the industry show that as many as 25 percent of all the workforce in the U.S. will be contingent/contract staff in the next several years.

Are you targeting California expansion specifically?

Express has opened 87new offices over the past three years and has plans for at least 100 additional offices over the next two years in the U.S. and Canada. Much of this growth has come from California, and there are more opportunities available, which makes the expo a right fit for our growth outlook. We’ve been able to sell out the states of Oklahoma, Washington and Oregon and would love to eventually say the same about California.

What advice would you give someone who is considering exhibiting at any of the franchise expos?

My advice would be to have a definite follow-up plan in place when trying to attract new franchisees. The expo is a great place to meet potential franchisees, but with all the information they receive there, it is absolutely critical to have follow-up plan in place and execute it.

How has your business expanded in the first quarter of 2010 and how do you see the WCFE boosting those numbers?

Despite the recession in 2009, we awarded 15 new franchises, added two new branch offices and completed 17 re-sales. The first quarter of 2010 has also been good for us—our franchisees’ sales are growing each week and are currently 32 percent YTD over last year. We have awarded six new franchises, added another new branch office and completed seven re-sales. We’re hoping that the expo will help us generate even more leads, especially since California is one of our target areas.