Low Risk And High Profits for Franchise and Commercial Printers

September 12, 2017

Digital, wide-format graphics printing is among the lowest-risk and highest incremental profit opportunity for Franchise Printers today.  This year, projections show a 7.9% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) in this space. It’s marketing, advertising, innovation, art and technology that makes graphics printing the “fun” part of the commercial print business! 

Digital wide-format graphics printing – inkjet imaging on printers above 24 inches wide – is not a new development in the graphic arts industry, and printing companies should not overlook this growing market.   When companies become more proactive about expanding their offerings, they often find that wide-format printing can deliver value.  For a quick example, imagine a long-term, top real estate customer communicates to you that they are challenged by new players in town. A few national chains have recently set up storefronts and are attracting walk-in business that, in the past, made up the bulk of your customer’s opportunities. Your customer would like help revamping their “look” and re-engage their audience. What can you suggest?

Wide-format graphics are not hard to spot. Just take a look around the next time you’re out. Chances are you won’t have to look long before spotting large branding graphics on buildings, banners, vehicles, bus stops, store windows and retail displays. In a typical small town, the town square is the focal point of real estate offices along with pizza places, coffee shops, convenience stores, hair salons, churches, municipal buildings and banks. You see many opportunities in these retail shops that have a plain storefront with barely welcoming lettering on the front door saying “Push, not Pull.”  Let’s start with the real estate office.  Wide-format graphics can help. You can help this location’s marketing reset by remembering advertising rule #1: Make a Good First Impression!

When digging into new branding (or messaging), the first step is to set the office theme.  Establish the unique difference of your shop.  There are many real estate companies out there, but no one knows this town like your customer.  Bring local ideas into your message.  Seasonal advertising works!  Plan the alternate methods of distribution for that message. Think about street banners, window displays, door hangers, and indoor signage.  Think Big!  Don’t just put a new sign on the door; plan for a new printed door.  Create consistent messages for signage for open houses, signs for over that new door, and signs for the storefront windows.  Everyone wants to look at big, bold, colorful, inviting listings!

Once you have your collateral (real estate branding) in electronic form, the next step will be to introduce innovative marketing materials on innovative substrates. With the introduction of products like the EFI h1625 LED and the Pro 16h wide-format printers (with hybrid roll & flatbed substrates utilizing UV-curable inks), you can now offer customers the ability to print on new exciting options such as glass, metals, acrylic, ceramic tiles and doors, up to 2”  thick. By working with your graphics design service, an entire branding campaign can be developed and presented in a professional, personal and dynamic fashion.

Today’s wide-format hybrid printer acquisition costs are becoming more affordable than ever and can now provide a relatively fast return on investment (ROI). Today’s Franchise Printer’s investment into entry-level, wide-format equipment allows printers to produce more value-add work in-house, eliminating the need to outsource while retaining control over both the process and the customer. Many of these wide-format devices can deliver a positive ROI with a run-time requirement of fewer than two hours per day.

What should you do to take advantage of what Konica Minolta can offer with wide-format printers? When you meet with us, listen to how we can help you achieve:

  • A quick ROI
  • An increase to your value for your customers with branding and marketing expertise
  • Stronger customer empowerment enables them to leap frog their competition with the power of graphics
  • A significantly reduced turnaround time for product delivery
  • Word-of-mouth success for greater customer referrals to your business for more profitable opportunities.

 

Clearly, partnering with Konica Minolta for digital wide-format graphics printing is an amazing opportunity for you to win more business.

Andrew Davidson
Director, Franchise & Commercial Print Associations

As head of the Franchise & Commercial Print Associations team since 2015, Andrew oversees the BIS National Enterprise Account Managers assigned to the Franchise & Commercial Print Association accounts, working with direct and dealer channels. He’s been with Konica Minolta for more than 18 years and is an industry veteran of 28 years. Andrew’s held Branch Management, National Account Manager and Director positions at Konica Minolta in its Boston branch, and has managed BIS Corporate Accounts as well as the Facilities Management Solutions team. Married for 28 years, he has two sons, is an avid tennis player, a long time New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox fan, and a recent Boston transplant to the west coast of Florida.