Has time pressure caused you to wonder whether to attend a training event or franchise meeting? Each of us has the same 1,440 minutes available in a day and choices about how we invest them have a great impact on franchise business success.

While webinars, intranets and social media like Facebook and Twitter provide very effective ways to connect and learn, face-to-face meetings are still important. However, with the time required for travel and the daily demands of business, many find it a challenge to commit time to attend.

Benefits of franchise meetings

Meetings and conferences give us the chance to enjoy the social aspects of mixing with our peers, strengthen connections, share ideas and explore problems in a different way.

Sometimes it’s simply being in a different place that helps us see solutions that were previously invisible.

Nonetheless, you might have invested time in attending a meeting and later can’t see the benefit, causing you to question whether to attend the next event. Of course, it doesn’t have to be this way.

Reasons franchise meetings fail to deliver

Here are some of the reasons franchise meetings fail to deliver -- and suggestions for what you can do as an attendee to help get real value from the time spent.

• Great positive vibe but no lasting impact: Upbeat meetings can be fun and increase our enthusiasm but, like a sugar or caffeine hit, often don’t deliver lasting benefits.
• Information and idea overload: We leave with a list of information and ideas but a nagging doubt that we’ll implement much of what we heard, either because we are busy, didn’t get enough information or can’t decide which good idea to use first.
• Reassured yet discouraged: While it can be reassuring to know we are not alone, talking exclusively what’s not working without trying to find solutions can leave us feeling discouraged and certainly doesn’t help solve problems.

Attendees play important role in delivering value

Whilst meeting organisers have much of the responsibility for delivering value, attendees play an important role too.

There’s much you can do to increase your chance of gaining fresh perspectives and solutions and help ensure a valuable return on your investment of time. Here are some suggestions:

• Be realistic about what’s working (and what’s not). Don’t waste the opportunity to get advice by ignoring your challenges but don’t just compare problems either. If business is particularly tough it can help to have a deliberate focus on finding solutions or opportunities.
• Prepare your mind to hear and share good ideas. Think ahead about your current challenges and what help or input you are looking for; and also be ready to provide positive suggestions for others based on your experience of what’s worked.
• Know your own franchise business priorities and goals. This can help you to decide which ideas and opportunities are most relevant now and reduces the feeling of information overload.
• Be curious to hear what’s working for others. A powerful phrase to get people talking is “tell me more ...”
• Create an environment for effective follow through. Make notes of key points and reminders of who to follow up for more information. Allocate time after the meeting to review your notes and decide (then do) the next steps.
• Finally, take time to say ‘thank you’ and let those whose advice has been valuable know how things turned out. This helps your fellow franchisees know their contribution was valued and encourages them to keep sharing.