Today screen printing has become one of the most lucrative areas of the promotional advertising industry. What better way for a business to get its message across than to have in emblazoned across a t-shirt, a mug or a banner?
Most organisations rely on posters, banners and clothing to promote themselves and gain recognition. A slogan or a logo can be a powerful promotional device and screen printing allows such text and images to be applied to various items in a quick, easy and affordable way. So it's no wonder so many businesses are turning to screen printers for help with their promotional advertising.
With this in mind aspiring entrepreneurs could make a tidy profit from investing in a screen printing franchise and feeding the demand among businesses, schools and other organisations for personalised goods.
Potential franchisees can chose from a variety of different screen-printing business across the country, whether large or small, or local or national-focussed. Some concentrate on custom work, while others rely on contracts. Some even do both.
But whatever franchisees decide to go for it is important to conduct some thorough research into the marketplace first to determine how much demand there is likely to be for screen printing in a particular area and what competition already exists.
The parent company in most cases will help with this, since it is in its interests to make sure their franchisees run a successful business. It will also offer comprehensive training to get franchisees on their feet, as well ongoing support and assistance.
However one area where franchisees are pretty much on their own is in making customers happy and encouraging them to come back. Like any other business, relationships with customers are vital. If a business is satisfied with its promotional banners, it is likely to return when it needs t-shirts for employees or brochures for customers. That's why having a strong customer sales background could be a great help for franchisees in the screen printing industry.
As in all businesses, changing with the times is imperative to longevity. Consumer demand is always changing and new trends within the creative advertising market are constantly emerging. Franchisees must therefore be able to spot these trends and adapt their business offerings accordingly in order to keep things fresh and encourage customers to come back.
But of course running any franchise is a challenging task, and just because someone is creatively minded doesn't mean they will automatically be a top screen printing franchisee. This requires some very well established business skills.
As Impressions magazine explains: "The franchise model appeals to many decorators who embrace the variety of selling, managing a shop and developing relationships. But for those whose passion is creating the perfect embellishment, keep the business side in mind if you're considering whether or not to join the franchise game."
"Regardless of the technical expertise in your imprinting process, the franchise formula requires across-the-board skills in sales, marketing and management."
So it is important for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to enter the screen printing industry to carefully consider the skills and expertise they do have and decide whether they have what it takes to not only keep up creatively, but also to be shrewd and sensible when it comes to making tough business decisions.
But for those who do, investing in a screen printing franchise could turn out to be a lucrative opportunity, both professionally and personally.