Use the same notes at every booth

Choose a small common set

Create headings for legal entity, format, owner role, official source, next step and unanswered questions. Keep financial figures separate from informal statements and mark whether a current FDD has been obtained. A consistent sheet makes differences easier to examine without pretending that all opportunities are directly interchangeable.

Include the representative’s role and contact channel. Note whether the conversation involved a franchisor, supplier or intermediary. Those relationships affect how you interpret the information.

Separate observations and conclusions

Use one column for what was provided and another for your interpretation. An attractive display is an observation about presentation; it is not evidence about franchisee economics or support quality. Ask which document would support each material conclusion.

After several conversations, take time to complete notes while details are fresh. If an answer is unclear, leave it marked as unknown rather than filling the gap from a similar brand’s presentation.

Review before booking the next stage

Compare notes against the goals and limits you wrote before attending. Choose follow-ups that address a specific question. A large collection of brochures can create the impression of progress, but a small set of well-documented next steps is easier to investigate. This guide supplies a note-taking method and does not report an actual show or interview.

Put it on paper

• Use identical headings for every conversation.
• Keep observations separate from interpretations.
• Choose follow-ups based on unresolved material questions.

Continue with the franchise research checklist, our FDD guide, and the research directory.