Archive for October, 2009
Start A Printing Business
Printing is the one service that almost every business that exists will need to purchase in some shape or form. They could need business cards stationery service forms flyers post cards and warranty cards. Every business is a potential prospect and can become a loyal client that orders printing every year or sooner. Also private people may need printing done. The terrific fact about a printing business is there is no end to potential customers that can be acquired by an aggressive marketing campaign. Since all of these paying customers exist waiting for a printing expert to call on them and compete for their business this can be a cash cow business. Getting started in the business can be accomplished in many ways. You can buy an existing business with their client list and an immediate cash flow. You can start a small in the home printing service. Another way to get started is to make a deal with several printing companies that you will sell their products on a brokers agreement. A printing broker can go where the quality and price are and compete with just about any one in the business. They can buy locally or over the Internet at wholesale prices. The beauty of this facet of the printing business is there is little investment needed other than a phone computer and the knowledge of where to get jobs done.
If you want to own a facility this is very possible in almost any city as there is a turnover in this business and there are usually businesses for sale. You should checkout listings in the local paper on the Internet and through business brokers. Any one of these can give you a lead to an owner that is looking to sell. Most of the printing businesses that are for sale can be purchased with the help of the owner or with outside financing if the deal is a large dollar situation. A large printing company can have considerable money in equipment and the building they own. They also will have a loyal customer base and an art file that is worth its weight in gold. This is an important asset as the artwork may not need to be done again on repeat runs.
There are all types of printing companies. There are companies that print on high quality paper. Others may print catalogs or insert flyers for newspapers. Large poster printing is another printing specialty company. Screenprinting is a unique type of printing company as they do decals bumper stickers advertising boards signs for bus shirts hats and cups. They can get a printed logo or text on just about any object that will take printing ink. All of these businesses can be very profitable once a clientele is in place. If the buyer has the money or can make a deal with the current owner buying a going business is worth the investment if they are profitable.
Finding the right printing company for you
If you know the business then you will probably know already which area you would like to stay in. Local newspaper listings and the Internet will give you a quick overview of what is available. A business broker may have more detailed list to study. They should also have some idea of what kind of money is needed for each type of printing company. This source can speed up the looking process by several weeks or more. Hopefully they will have some of the specialty printing businesses in their lists. Some of these specialty companies are extremely profitable as the specialty cuts down the competition to a few providers.
If you need help with the purchase the broker will know if the owner is willing to be a source of financing or is willing to go along with terms. There are so many ways a knowledgeable broker can help with the purchase. They can help with getting a fair price based on the financials of the company and not pie in the sky. Their ability to be a fair gobetween for the buyer and the seller will expedite the sale. They can deliver terms the buyer can live with after the purchase.
The printing business has so many possible avenues that a buyer can pursue there should be a deal that will suit the buyer. A very special segment of the printing business is the printing of circuit boards for computer companies and special equipment manufacturers. Advertising specialty items need to be printed. Almost every city has a company that does this type of business on a large scale.
Finding the money to complete the sale
Money is the grease that makes the deal happen. This critical element can be a stumbling block or just another problem to work through. If both parties take the attitude that this problem can be resolved then normally there will be a way to make this happen. If the seller does not need the full balance in cash from the sale it is possible that they will take back paper for a period of time. If they cannot or will not finance the sale then the buyer will need to come up with other sources to get the money that is needed.
There are many companies listed on the Net that are in the business of making loans to facilitate a business purchase. Their requirements are varied and will depend on the purchase price the company profitability the credit rating of the buyer the down payment and the length of the loan. If they agree to finance the purchase then the buyer will usually get a lower price for the purchase as the seller is receiving complete cash out.
Your own bank may be interested in making the loan. Friends and relatives are another source of funds. You may be able to get an SBA loan to make the sale. The buyer may have other assets that can be borrowed against to get the necessary funds. In any event the sale will not happen if the total price cannot be covered in some way. The buyer needs to be realistic if the funds are difficult to arrange and realize that this deal may not be possible.
Conclusions
Printing is a necessary service that most businesses need and cannot do without. This means that a person getting into this business has a huge number of possible clients to go after. This also means that there is always the prospect of extended growth for the company. This is a big plus for any new business owner.
The variety of printing businesses also opens many doors for the possible buyer. The many types of businesses that make up the printing industry will let the potential buyer find a niche that is just right for them. There are also franchise operations available and off shoots like screenprinting and specialty printing companies. This gives the buyer a selection to consider and study for the best fit for them both financially and from an owners viewpoint. There is also the printing broker aspect that may be the easiest to enter as the money needed to do it is rather small. This business category is full of many different opportunities.
About the writer: Bill Henthorn formerly was principal broker and owner of a resort / commercial real estate brokerage in Honolulu which specialized in representing sellers in transactions up to 50MM.He currently serves as the marketing director of http://www.acquireo.com
Staging Diva Announces Resource To Help Stagers Effortlessly Promote Their Services
If youre a home stager wishing to promote your industry while marketing your own business a new product Ive developed makes it easy for you.
Staging Diva Chronicles Volume I: 12 Home Staging Articles You Can Use for Your Own Promotion is a collection of a dozen informative articles about the home staging industry to be used for home stagers own learning and/or selfpromotion. When you purchase this resource youre free to reprint any or all of the articles to promote your own business. Each article is already formatted for insertion in your own blog website or newsletter.
Each article has been written based on what Ive learned over the past six years from running my own successful home staging business Six Elements Inc. and training more than 1000 people through the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program.
Im often asked by home stagers how they can generate enough content to regularly fill a monthly newsletter or blog. With Staging Diva Chronicles stagers will have a different article to put in their newsletter every month of the year or to use for their blogs or to provide keywordrich website content.
Several articles in Staging Diva Chronicles educate homeowners about how they can benefit from hiring a professional home stager. This makes it easy for stagers to promote their services by educating homeowners and real estate agents about the value of home staging.
Topics in the collection include how home staging helps homeowners facing foreclosure how real estate investors can maximize their profits mistakes commonly made when hiring a home stager why home staging is an essential marketing tool for real estate agents turning a house into a hot property tips for hiring a professional home stager and why someone should hire a professional home stager.
For more information or to order a copy visit http://www.stagingdiva.com/store
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Internationally recognized home staging expert Debra Gould is president of Six Elements and creator of The Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program with 1000 Graduates worldwide.
Debra is the author of two home staging guides and offers a Directory of Home Stagers to help homeowners and real estate agents locate home stagers who will decorate homes to sell quickly and for top dollar. To learn more visit http://www.stagingdiva.com
Smart Women Never Miss An Opportunity
Recently our family took a trip to the San Diego Wild Animal Park. It was a great trip that was both fun and educational for the entire family. Did you know that the Falcon and the Cheetah are the two fastest animals in the air and on the ground? I also found it interesting just how effective the Park was at marketing. Everywhere you went in the Park whether it was to watch the “African Birds Take Flight” show the “Journey into Africa tour” or the local caf they never missed an opportunity to educate you on the benefits of membership. This got me thinking about how Smart Women never miss an opportunity to get the word out about their Big Idea or entrepreneurial dreams.
Are you a woman with a Big Idea? Do you take every opportunity to market your business? Let me ask you a question: How are you getting your message out to your ideal client? Are you sitting in your office waiting for the phone to ring or watching your inbox to see if you receive any emails from people needing your product or service? In my work I often notice there are one or two marketing tools that women use to build their business. Usually they have a business card ready to give away to anyone who would like one. And sometimes they will have a web site listed on the business card so that their ideal client can take a look online at their services. It’s possible that they may occasionally attend some networking events.
When I first started out in business over 20 years ago I relied heavily on referrals and networking events to market my business. In today’s world with so many messages being sent to us 24 hours a day through the media internet television radio you need to explore and discover innovative and creative ways to communicate your message to your ideal client in a way that will attract them to you. see my most recent marketing strategy in the photo above
In my Women’s Success Circles I share 10 Marketing Strategies to support women in taking their business to the next level. These are strategies that I’ve used over the years to begin grow and double my profits time and time again. I’ll share several with you so that you can think about how to never miss an opportunity to get your message out:
1. Publish a newsletter. This is a very effective way to share your product or service with your ideal client. You are reading my enewsletter ezine right now. I send this every week to 1000’s of women across the country. It’s important that you offer some great content like an informative article some valuable tips and of course information about your product or service.
2. Attend events where your ideal client will be. Tomorrow I will be attending the Manhattan Beach Women in Business Conference. There will be a fantastic group of 400 or so positive women entrepreneurs at this event.
3. Social Networking. This is a tool that all Smart Women entrepreneurs should be using. It’s free and you can make some excellent connections using this tool. I’m currently active on Facebook Twitter and Linked In which are in the top 3 of all Social Networking venues. I made a connection on Facebook that gave me the opportunity to host a teleseminar for women entrepreneurs and I’ve also had several ideal clients show up from all 3 groups.
“Word of mouth” referrals from satisfied clients and colleagues are still the optimum way to attract your ideal client. However to stay in front of your ideal client and keep them remembering who you are and what benefits you offer it’s essential that you use many forms of marketing in different places to retain their loyalty and interest.
At the end of the day we were tired and hungry from our day at the Animal Park.
Everyone in our family was looking forward to the pool spa and wine for the parents!. However we made sure to do one important thing before we left the Wild Animal Park: We joined their membership program and began to plan our next trip back to enjoy all the benefits that membership has to offer.
Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.
*****
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp; 2009 Joy Chudacoff
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Joy Chudacoff ICF PCC is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutionstm a Professional Certified Coach to 1000s of women Motivational Speaker and Entrepreneur. She publishes a weekly buzz generating ezine Reflections On Life and Business for Women Entrepreneurs. If youre ready take your life and your business to the next level get your FREE Tips FREE Report and FREE MP3 now at Profits With Passion.
