A long and winding road

For many people, the idea of starting a new business in a sector they have little or no experience in is daunting beyond imagination. For others, it is the type of excitement they thrive on. Many entrepreneurs have exactly what it takes to run a successful company, but they do not have the necessary requirements to get their business up and running.

Starting up, particularly in a specialist industry like sign-making, requires a broad range of skills and a considerable amount of financing. Lease terms need negotiating, equipment needs purchasing, and skilled staff (or at least some good training) needs identifying. Does taking the franchise route help put a new business onto a yellow brick road that will lead, with brains, heart, and courage, to long-term success?

Beat the recession

In the UK, the sign-making market is dominated by three major franchise organisations, which we will explore in this feature. Signs Express has a network of 70 signs and graphics franchises covering the UK and Ireland. They claim to offer expertise to ensure its teams receive on-going training, allow-ing them to offer the best possible advice and product solutions to customers.

Craig Brown, managing director of Signs Express, says: “We are pleased to say that our business has fared well through the recession. We understand that many of our clients have budget sensitive requirements and we ensure we work with them to offer creative ideas, which meet their needs both practically and aesthetically. This commitment to our customers has meant that we have not felt the blow of the recession as much as we could have had we been less flexible.”

Signs Express is proud of the support network it offers its franchisees. New franchisees are able to call on the other 70 business men and women who are on hand to offer advice, having been in exactly the same position as new franchisees. There is also support from the company’s headquarters based in Norwich.

Brown continues: “We have dedicated marketing, accounts and national accounts teams, as well as operations and IT, making sure that whatever the query or problem, someone is on hand to help. We also have a dedicated procurement manager and business development specialists helping our franchisees to grow more profitable businesses.”

Sign Express is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. It is a very positive sign that having built a strong business, many of the franchisees have also achieved impressive longevity in their own businesses. The evidence shows that the company is in it for the long-haul and aims to build its principles around a strong, profitable, and ethical business, which is reflected in its network.

Brown concludes: “The support we offer is invaluable. Whilst our franchisees have the flexibility and freedom of running their own business, help is only ever a phone call or email away. This doesn’t stop once a business is established; we offer regular training as well as product development workshops in areas such as vehicle wrapping, allowing our centres to confidently offer a range of services to their customers. This also helps our franchisees to drive new enquiries through on-going marketing activities. Our central marketing team also undertakes nationwide marketing initiatives both offline and online, promoting the brand and driving new enquiries for our centres. Our website receives in excess of 10,000 enquiries each year, a figure that we are constantly increasing through numerous activities.”

There is the added advantage of becoming part of a strong, national, and trusted brand. Building a client base with a name people recognise is less challenging than introducing people to a new brand. Trust is such an important part of the sales journey for a customer and this is something often already in place with Signs Express.

Looking to the future, Brown says that Signs Express has identified a path to success and they are supporting franchisees to help them achieve this: “Our national sales team are working with franchisees to develop relationships with larger customers who require regular and repeat orders. We’re also working with more resellers, for example marketing agencies, facilities and property managers, as well as architects and surveyors.

“We have also found that there is a greater demand for decorative displays with the use of materials such as vinyl wallpaper, something that we expect to see grow year-on-year as our customer base becomes more aware of our varied offering. With so many changes and advancements in technology and materials, we feel lucky to be part of this ever changing industry.”

Full support

Another major sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise business is Fastsigns. The company is international, with a network of over 545 locations worldwide, including 19 in the UK.

Garth Allison, managing director of Fastsigns UK, comments: “We have positioned Fastsigns as being more than fast and more than signs. We know that customers need more than just basic signage; they need exhibitions stands and graphics, vehicle wraps, digital signs, and things that we might consider signage, but they might not use that term. Those same customers are probably responsible for buying other marketing products and services that we offer.”

Fastsigns is focused on outside sales initiatives, which are proving to be very successful, teaching franchise partners how to hire, train, manage, and motivate an outside sales person to ensure that person achieves significant business, and then hiring a second and then a third and so on. The most successful locations in the US all have outside sales people.

Allison adds: “Our support goes into full swing as soon as the franchise agreement is signed. At that point, we share a common goal of getting the centre up and running as quickly and efficiently as possible. We have proven processes and a team dedicated to helping our franchise partners achieve profitability as soon as possible, and then growing sales and profitability.”

Fastsigns helps new franchise businesses in a number of areas, including site selection and architectural drawings, four weeks initial training, pre-opening marketing plan, grand opening support, and guidance from a dedicated franchise business consultant to assist with business and finances training, marketing and sales, production, and staff management. In addition, they offer a franchisee mentor programme to guide new businesses and lend support in every aspect.

As an international company, Fast-signs has a formal network featuring an annual convention and supplier show, franchise partner message boards, fran-chise advisory committee, and online access to support training, technical, marketing, and HR tools.

Allison believes the franchise structure gives the company the advantage of a tried and tested business model from day one: “The Fastsigns franchise is leading the next generation of business communication. Now more than ever, businesses look to us for innovative ways to connect with customers in a highly competitive market place.

“Fastsigns is positioned to provide more products and services to existing and new customers. For example, we see significant opportunities for digital screens, media players, and actually being able to supply and update content for customers. We are also seeing significant growth opportunities through our conversion programme, which provides the opportunity for existing sign companies to convert to the Fastsigns brand on very attractive terms.”

International presence

Signarama is the world’s largest sign franchise in terms of locations, with more than 850 locations in 50 countries—18 in the UK. The company is part of a successful system of business-to-business franchises under United Franchise Group.

Sunil Kapoor, master franchisee at Signarama, says: “For more than 25 years we have been serving communities with quality products and customer service. Now that we have grown to become the world leader in signage, we still work hard to maintain the localised support and individual attention that made us who we are today. Our commitment to quality is unmatched in the industry.

“We know the importance of brand awareness and the effect it has on the bottom line. Signage plays an integral part in the recognition of a brand and therefore quality is imperative. Every Signarama sign centre offers full-service signage options that you simply cannot get anywhere else. Whether one sign or hundreds, temporary banners or permanent monument signs, we are committed to providing an exceptional experience for every customer each and every time.”

Signarama has been franchising the full-service sign centre concept for over 25 years and has plenty of experience, as Kapoor explains: “We have used our many years of experience to develop a business model that has led thousands of Signarama franchisees to success. Over 95 percent of our franchisees do not have a sign or relevant industry background. What is more important to Signarama is that we work with committed individuals.

“We are looking for highly driven individuals who will use the proven systems to build a profitable business together with us. As part of our family, franchisees get the full support and services of the UK Signarama team, including assistance with location selection and a comprehensive five week training programme, starting with two weeks at our world headquarters in Florida, followed in the UK by a week with an experienced mentor franchisee, and two weeks in your chosen location.”

Franchises in the sign-making trade have undoubtedly proven to be a success. The support in the early days is invaluable as new companies find their feet and build a customer base. This is in contrast to a standalone business, which will more often be run by someone with a knowledge and passion for the industry itself. For all sign businesses, the road will be twisty, long, and with plenty of challenges. But we also know that the rewards can be exactly what you were looking for.