When most people think about franchising, they assume they have two options: start completely from scratch or purchase an existing location. But there’s another option that’s becoming more common—converting an existing business into a franchised business.
In a franchise conversion, an independent business buys into a franchise system within the same industry and turns their existing company into a franchise. While many entrepreneurs are hesitant to convert, there are many reasons why conversions make sense for independent print shops—and the benefits can be extremely rewarding.
If you own an independent printing business, it might pay off to join SpeedPro, the nation’s leading large-format printing company. Here’s why.
Why Should You Consider Converting Your Print Shop?
Owning and operating an independent printing company can be rewarding. However, the industry landscape is constantly evolving and filled with challenges. A large percentage of independent businesses fail compared to their successful franchised counterparts. At SpeedPro, we’ve tailored our business model to combat the biggest challenges many individual print shops face.
- Increased competition from online printers for small print projects: The rise of online print providers has led to lots of competition, especially in the small-format space, not only in turnaround time but also in pricing.
- Difficulty keeping up new technology and trends: The printing industry is constantly evolving with new technologies and materials. Keeping your equipment and expertise up to date can be expensive and time-consuming if you’re operating alone.
- Breadth of skills needed: As a solopreneur, you need to wear all the hats to keep your business running—even if some tasks fall outside of your skill set. If you don’t have experience in sales, marketing or finance, you might miss out on business opportunities or struggle to balance it all.
These challenges can lead to major hardships when running an independent printing business. If you’re struggling with any of these things, converting into a franchise could help!
Advantages of Joining the SpeedPro Network
By becoming a SpeedPro franchise owner, you’ll gain access to the support, resources and network you need to not only survive but thrive in the ever-changing printing industry. You’ll be able to leverage the power of a national brand, expand your product and service offerings and benefit from ongoing training and support.
Check out all the ways you’ll benefit by converting to a SpeedPro Studio.
Support and training
As an independent print shop owner, you already have experience working in the industry. However, there are always things left to learn and areas where additional support is needed. By converting to a SpeedPro Studio, you’ll unlock a range of support and training that will position you for long-term success.
- Ongoing business coaching and mentorship will guide you through every stage of your business journey.
- Industry-leading training programs will help you stay ahead of the curve, covering everything from sales and marketing to production techniques.
- Technical support and ongoing innovation will ensure you have the latest technology on the market paired with expert help, so your equipment runs smoothly.
Expanded product and service offerings
Whether you currently offer small-format print products like flyers and business cards or large-format products like banners and wraps, your product line might be limited by capacity. Converting can unlock a wider breadth of large-format products.
- Offer new services like signage, murals and vehicle wraps that have high profit margin potential and are consistently in-demand.
- Cater to a broader client base with diverse printing needs, from businesses and organizations to event planners and individual consumers.
National brand recognition and marketing support
One of the biggest challenges independent businesses struggle with is getting the word out about their company. Consumers tend to gravitate toward the brands they recognize. By converting, you have the potential to dramatically increase sales thanks to our nationwide marketing efforts.
- Our established reputation has generated trust and credibility, giving you a significant advantage over independent competitors.
- National marketing campaigns generate leads and brand awareness. As a franchise owner, you’ll benefit from these campaigns without having to manage them yourself.
- Gain access to marketing resources and tools to help you promote your business locally, such as marketing templates, online tools and a unique website.
Network and community
Independent businesses in the printing industry compete against each other. This means many solopreneurs lack community and professional support. The moment you join the SpeedPro family, you’ll have the opportunity to make connections and benefit from our network.
- Connect with fellow franchise owners who share your passion for the printing industry. Our network shares best practices, exchanges industry insights and collaborates for mutual success.
- Benefit from our network’s collective buying power, which provides better deals on equipment, supplies and other business essentials that translate into significant cost savings for your franchise.
Take the Leap with SpeedPro
SpeedPro’s franchise team makes converting your business simple. We’ll work with you every step of the way to determine the renovations and repositioning needed to transform your existing print shop into a leading-edge SpeedPro Studio.
Interested in taking the leap? Schedule a call with our franchise development team and get ready to unlock a wealth of business benefits, right from the start!