Franchise Events Have Been Cancelled Due to COVID-19. Here's What You Can Do Instead.

Alice Tuffery, writer

Published at 12/04/2020, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 6 min

Franchise Events Have Been Cancelled Due to COVID-19. Here's What You Can Do Instead. — Photo © franchise-events.jpg

Are you missing out on a business expo you were looking forward to? Here are some of the best franchise events taking place over the next few months.

Every year, countless events are organised to support those looking for extra support when it comes to running a business. As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, they’ve all had to be either postponed or cancelled completely. But don’t worry – you don’t have to give up all hope of accessing your industry leaders’ greatest insights.

Thanks to modern technologies, there are plenty of ways to broaden your knowledge, develop your business and network with likeminded individuals. We’ve found some of the best virtual events taking place, but before we get into them, let’s take a look at how else you can spend your spare time.

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Working towards business growth during the COVID-19 lockdown

You may be stuck at home, running your business from behind your computer screen, but that doesn’t mean you can’t carry on developing your franchise unit. Many of us have never had so much free time – we no longer have to spend time commuting back and forth, or travelling to meet with business partners or clients.

So, here are just a few ideas to help you make the most of your time.

1. Carry out in-depth research

There are always new technologies and techniques emerging to help entrepreneurs build their businesses. Take this time to delve into some of the latest advances in your industry, and consider ways to incorporate them into your operations. Whether you capitalise on a trend or take advantage of a useful team video calling platform, you can improve the productivity of your business if you know what’s out there.

To get started, read our article: The Latest Tech Trends Innovating Home-Based Businesses.

2. Take part in an online course

Even the most experienced business owners can broaden their knowledge when it comes to business operations. Completing an educational programme online should help you run your franchise unit more efficiently. If you can’t identify a specific area you’d like to focus on, why not explore a new area?

For example, even if your franchisor takes care of nationwide marketing campaigns, finding out more about innovative advertising practices may give you an idea when it comes to promoting locally.

3. Talk to other franchisees

When you were first interested in joining your franchise, your franchisor may have given you the contact details of a couple of existing franchisees. If you’re lucky, you may have also attended events and conferences, and mingled with your fellow investors. If this is the case, now is a great time to get in touch with the people you’ve already established a connection with.

You’ll be able to share any concerns you have and share wisdom. You’re all in the same boat, so it makes sense to offer words of encouragement and any advice you’ve found to be useful.

If you aren’t able to get in contact with other franchisees, why not try listening to a helpful podcast? There’s a huge number of resources out there to help business owners navigate these difficult times. These 11 podcasts will help you master the art of working from home.

Fantastic virtual franchise events running over the next few months

We’ve found some of the best franchise events taking place in the near future – and most of them are free to be involved with! Remember, these are only a handful of the vast array of events out there. So, if there’s an area you’re particularly interested in, you’ll probably be able to find something to suit you after a bit of digging.

The Virtual Networking Club

We start not with a franchise event, but with a membership-based networking platform. Its monthly £10 fee grants you access to regular virtual meet-ups. You’ll also be able to connect with others on the club’s private Facebook group. Each event runs as follows:

The host welcomes you into the event
You watch a short interview with a featured member of the club
You go into three different Zoom ‘rooms’ one after the other. In each, you chat to a randomly allocated partner and learn all about them.

As a club member, you’ll also have the chance to be the guest speaker at an event.

Virtual Franchise & Business Opportunity Show

This is the first virtual franchise exhibition. It’s sponsored by the Quality Franchise Association (QFA) and CBO Group, and runs from the 27th April to 3rd May. If you want to showcase your business for the whole week, you’ll need to make a payment of £750 – or £637.50 for QFA members. Otherwise, attendance is free; just head online.

Think Digital

This exciting franchise event runs from the 5th to 6th May and is free to take part in. It’ll cover a wide range of contemporary topics, from automation, security and the cloud to supply chains, blockchain and HR. Expect to see some famous faces, as Think Digital’s speakers include Amal Clooney and Mayim Bialik.

Collision From Home

If you’re interested in tech, this is the franchise event for you. Through live-streamed talks and the Collision From Home app, frontrunners in the technology industry will provide key insights and interesting discussions. The event is known to attract more than 1,600 CEOs and over 30,000 attendees from over 100 countries.

This year, you can hear speeches from Microsoft President Brad Smith, Google Sustainability Officer Kate Brandt and Facebook Chief Revenue Officer David Fischer. Uber’s CTO Thuan Pham and BuzzFeed’s Founder Jonah Peretti will also make an appearance, alongside a whole host of other big names.

3 Ways to Manage Stress in Difficult Times

We can all benefit from learning how to manage stress, particularly in times of crisis. If you’d like to find out more about how to reduce workplace stress, this virtual class could be helpful. It’s ideal not only for employees, but for business owners, managers, supervisors and HR specialists too. Log in at 6pm on Tuesday 28th April if you want to take part in this free training session.

Transitioning To Well Paid & Meaningful Remote Work

As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, many businesses have taken the necessary steps to set up an efficient work-from-home operation. If you’d like to take this a step further and learn more about working remotely as a permanent solution, try this virtual event. It’s open to everyone, whether you’re starting out on your working-from-home journey or a fully-fledged ‘digital nomad’.

You’ll find out how to use platforms like Upwork and boost your paycheque by increasing your chances of getting hired. This is a US event, but you can get involved if you’re willing to watch between 10pm and 12am on Wednesday 22nd April – all from your sofa, of course.

Postgraduate Masterclass Fair 2020

This regular event has been converted into a virtual format due to the COVID-19 crisis. It’s running on the 16th May and involves seven different ‘zones’ to keep attendees informed and engaged. If you take part, you’ll get the chance to be involved in:

360° virtual fair walk-through
Live: Facebook Live Q&A streaming
Live: information sessions via Zoom chats
Live: one-to-one chats with different institutions
Masterclass talk video launch
‘Discover Our Institutions’ session
Treasure hunt quiz

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Learn more

To read more about protecting your business amid the COVID-19 crisis, see our other articles: