With digital marketing as big as it is, many overlook the importance of OOH (out of home) marketing – until they need a banner, decal, or other way to draw the attention of the public to their store or event. There are so many ways you can serve B2B to B2C customers as well as a printing business, allowing you to benefit from a range of income sources that can help you enjoy thriving profit margins.
From how to get started, to some ideas to help diversify your income streams, here’s a QuickStart guide on what you need to start a printing business in 2023:
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Workshop Your Business Idea
The first step for any new business is to create a business plan. This plan will let you understand the market, your customers, and your unique opportunities. During this process, you’ll want to create and set up your company legally and source funding and financing options to get your company off the ground. This means claiming your business name, filing paperwork, and paying the necessary fees. Having your company plan hammered out and legally created is step one, but you’ll want to make sure everything is lined up carefully so you can confidently take the next challenge.
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Find Your Base of Operations
Printing businesses require a lot of space. Printers are large, the materials need to be properly stored, and you’ll still need a front area where customers can come in and place their orders. It’s also a good idea to set up a design room with seating for your clients, a large monitor or even a projector so that design details can be brought up, and so on.
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Get the Equipment
The next step is to get the equipment. At a minimum, you will need the essentials before you launch. More niche or specialized tools can come later as you grow. Getting the essentials so that you can at least print the standard set of paper-based posters, documents, and so on is a must in order to get your company off the ground.
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Service Options
A few ideas for the services that you can offer include:
- Standard print
- Design and print
- Full marketing services
- Product print for visual artists
- Book binding
Remember to also keep in mind seasonal opportunities. If you’re located near a university, for example, every year in the summertime there will be droves of students needing their dissertations and theses printed off and bound. No matter where you’re located, you’ll have businesses needing seasonal marketing materials. Offer special promotions and services to cater to these unique opportunities and you’ll be the go-to choice for many.
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Grow in Stages
You cannot do it all at once. Instead, segment your ideas into stages. Your first stage should be full of the bare minimum. Even if you only have one printer and one designer you can do a lot, but don’t over-exert yourself too soon. Since you have a plan of how you can grow and offer new and better services, you’ll already have a way to appeal to more customers and offer more value as time goes on. This is how you can focus your funding, establish your credentials, and grow naturally.