Sitting in a packed ballroom at the San Luis Resort in Galveston, Texas, for the biggest gathering in company history of the Pinot’s Palette franchise network was a huge reminder for why these annual meetings are so successful.
No, it’s not to hear the CEO give his vision for the company and share the latest accolades. Although that happened.
No, it’s not to pack up a bunch of freebies from vendors to take home for the business. Although that happened. (Cue the extra luggage for check-in, please.)
We’ll even credit HQ for fronting fabulous – and proprietary – programs that, in the case of this brand, have helped take a paint and sip franchise opportunity from infancy to the fastest-growing paint and sip chain in the world. Houston, we have lift off!
But, that still isn’t why all of this meeting and greeting is so off-the-charts awesome.
It’s all about the franchisees and the real-life experiences they share out in the field. That’s what makes a good franchise system a great franchise system and, by default, one heck of a convention.
Franchisees are the best professors in the classroom.
The best practices at a franchise convention are monumental. From the welcome reception and happy hour to the main stage – the interaction of franchisees gets to the very heart of what’s great about franchising as a business model.
The “veterans” of the system are a wealth of wisdom. The franchisees with that gifted DNA as savvy local store marketers become game-changers for other franchise owners looking to up the ante back home.
The peer-to-peer “how did you do this?” networking is what makes a panel of experts on stage a huge touchdown for business. Before you know it, a four-star resort full of franchise owners cannot wait to get back to their four-star businesses back home and implement the same stuff as soon as possible.
For yourself, but not by yourself – a convention reminder.
For the rest of the year, franchise owners can be busy running franchises. But a great franchise convention is the ultimate reminder they are not alone out there.
The power of a brand, the scale of a chain, the camaraderie of network all float to the surface at a great franchise convention.
Roaming the halls of this beachside paradise, you hear franchise owners call out to each other by the names of their studio locations. “Hey, Ridgewood!” “How’s it going, Vegas?”
Seasoned Pinot’s Palette zees are telling newbies to “give me a call if you need something.” Reminder…this is in ADDITION to the support being delivered by the corporate team. And that’s when it happens.
In case you want to know what it’s like to be an elite member of an awesome club, …this…is….it!
Comments