Want a Banners Business? Start Your Own Franchise

Are banners and signs still in demand in this digital day and age? Well, according to the British Printing Industries Federation, the answer is yes. The UK printing industry contributes £13.8 billion to the economy and employs 116,000 employees in 8,400 companies. So the future of printed communications, banners and signs is looking strong.

The use of print over other forms of media to advertise, educate, entertain and inform has many benefits. Banners and signs are highly effective and can communicate messages clearly and cheaply. They have an immediate impact can grab people’s attention for much longer than any Facebook advert or radio commercial can.

This makes a signage franchise an excellent opportunity to run a simple, valuable and lucrative business.

Starting your own signage franchise

There are no specific qualifications required to start your own signage franchise but here are a few prerequisites that may help you operate a successful business.

Money

Starting any business isn’t cheap, and the same applies to a signage venture. However, when you choose to invest in a franchise, you don’t have to worry about the cost of equipment, software, computers, supplies and marketing materials and most of this will be taken care of for you.

Communication skills

Your business will only become profitable if you can acquire and retain a satisfied client base. This means that you'll need to be comfortable dealing with people from all walks of life. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills do not come easy to everyone, but in a business where interaction with clients is vital, you'll need to learn.

Business acumen

As a franchisee, you’ll need to wear many hats. You may be expected to play the roles of an accountant, marketer, sales manager, and toilet cleaner in the space of a day. You’ll need to develop your skills in each area if your business is to be a success.

Thankfully, the training and support that you'll receive should stand you in good stead for running your business. As well as the technical and operational training, you should receive help and guidance on how to manage your business effectively. Training programmes generally consist of marketing, accounting, sales and HR topics, so you're fully prepared to be the boss.

An eye for detail

Some banners and signs include intricate designs and small text which take time, patience and a good eye for detail. You’ll build up your client-base by producing quality work, and so it's imperative that what you create is of the highest standard. Never rush a project as this tends to lead to mistakes which can waste both time and profit.

A desire to learn

As a franchisee, you need to be willing to learn from the franchisor and their support team. They will have spent years developing and improving the franchise system so that you can benefit from a successful business model. But you’ll only achieve this success if you’re prepared to take on board all you’re taught.

Franchising isn’t for everyone and so if you believe that you’d find it hard to follow the rules that have been set by others, then perhaps this isn’t the right opportunity for you. If you have a strong entrepreneurial streak and like to run things your way, then an independent signage business may be a better option.

Banners and signs

Signarama has been the leading producer of banners and signs for more than 30 years. Not only do they have the experience and reputation that comes from being in the industry for three decades; but they all provide a comprehensive five-week training programme for all franchisees.

What’s more, the first two weeks of training are held in West Palm Beach, Florida. The state of the art facility at Signarama headquarters will provide you with all the sign production training you’ll need, as well as the management, marketing and finance know-how to give your business the best possible start.

On your return to the UK, your training will continue with a week spent learning on the job at an existing, successful Signarama franchise. The remaining two weeks of the programme will be carried out at your new sign-making franchise business where you’ll be joined by an experienced trainer. You’ll be able to put all the technical and marketing skills you learnt at headquarters to good use to generate new and returning customers to your franchise.

If this sounds like your ideal franchise, then you could join 900 other franchisees that have been successful all over the globe. To become part of the largest sign-making company in the UK, the franchise fee is £35,000 plus VAT. You'll also need to allow for start-up costs and have working capital to fund the business until you achieve a profit. With the proven Signarama business model, this is bound to be sooner rather than later.

Business banners

As well as catering to the domestic market, FastSigns provides businesses up and down the country with high-quality products and customer service. This has led to them being one of the most recognised brand names in the industry.

This signage franchise offers its franchisees a fantastic opportunity to receive world-class training. If you choose to join this reputable franchise, you’ll be immersed in a four-week training programme. The first week will be spent in a FastSigns centre to learn how to run the business first hand. It gets better for the next two weeks as you’ll travel to the FastSigns headquarters in Dallas When you return from the US you’ll spend the final week of your training in your new FastSigns store for on the job training.

The franchise fee is £21,000 plus VAT, but you'll also need to fund premises, equipment, and have an element of working capital. To help you get your business off to a profitable start, you'll receive a 50% reduction in royalty fees for the first year.

Choosing to invest in a FastSigns franchise could be truly life-changing. You’ll join over 20 other franchises based in the UK, along with a further 660 situated worldwide. As a FastSigns franchisee, you’ll definitely be ‘in business for yourself but not by yourself’.