It's Showtime

To a newcomer, it appears to be a sea of suits and booths. But a franchise trade show veteran recognizes the scene as a sea of possibilities, seeing below the surface to that moment when an exhibitor and attendee flirt with the idea of forming a long-term relationship as franchisor and franchisee.

But what are franchisors looking for when they gaze out at that ocean of would-be franchisees? Irl Marshall has been an International Franchise Expo (IFE) exhibitor for four years running. Here, the president and CEO of commercial and residential cleaning franchise Duraclean International Inc. reveals what he looks for in an attendee.

Entrepreneur: Obviously, thousands of people pass your booth during a trade show. What initially catches your attention about a show attendee?

Irl Marshall: How they dress, what they say, how they present themselves, whether they make eye contact. If you want to crystallize it, we're looking for people who have an all-consuming dream, who are committed to doing what's necessary for success.

Entrepreneur: How can you tell which show attendees might become successful franchisees?

Marshall: Basically, it's a hunch. Because of our years of experience, we can sense which people are serious and motivated, and we try to very quickly come to a conclusion as to whether we want to spend time with them.

Entrepreneur: What is the most important question show attendees can ask?

Marshall: The one question I like to hear is "Why should I buy a Duraclean franchise?" That question quickly opens a conversational dialogue, allowing the attendee to qualify whether we're the type of franchise they're interested in.

Entrepreneur: What advice can you give show attendees so they're not overwhelmed by the hundreds of companies exhibiting at the show?

Marshall: [Many attendees] think the more information you get, the better off you are, which really isn't true. You need to [be selective about the information you gather], which takes some planning.

You may start with dozens of different ideas, but when you get home from the show, you should have a short list of six or seven different companies that truly interest you. -Janean Chun

Andrew A. Caffey, a lawyer in the Washington, DC, area, is former General Counsel of the International Franchise Association and an internationally recognized specialist in franchise law.

This article was originally published in the February 1996 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: It's Showtime.