Next time you are out and about, look around. Notice how many businesses are using signs as identifiers, for advertising, or even as a way to provide direction to customers. Those signs are just a part of the modern-day printing industry. According to a campaign called Print Information Technology, printing represents the most widely adopted portable, flexible, economical information technology ever invented. It touches every human life.

Profitable Printing Industry

Which is why it remains a lucrative industry. Printing is America’s third-largest manufacturing industry and employs nearly half a million people, contributing to more than $120 billion in sales. It has remained relevant through innovations like digital printing, direct mail, full-color printing, and graphic design.

For savvy entrepreneurs, this industry represents a profitable opportunity with many franchise possibilities. Before purchasing a franchise in the print industry, compare your options. Let’s look at two leaders in the industry. Here are the pros and cons of owning a Minuteman Press franchise versus an Allegra Marketing-Print-Mail franchise.

Is it Beneficial to Own a Minuteman Press?

Minuteman Press offers digital printing, large format, signs, promotional items, apparel, and mailing services. They have been franchising for more than 45 years and have more than 1,000 locations. Their business model provides products and services to businesses for their everyday operations, including marketing and advertising.

They provide franchisees with training, software, and support systems to help them run their business efficiently. The model includes multiple revenue streams and a royalty incentive program. The length of the franchise term is 35 years. They offer strategy opportunities for independent print shop owners looking to sell or convert.

Minuteman Press Franchise Cost

According to their website, the Minuteman Press franchise, based on start-up costs, ranges from $100,000 to $150,000 when leasing the equipment. The initial investment includes area research and site selection, lease negotiations, oversight of renovations, standard furniture, fixtures and signage, equipment including digital printing systems, training and onsite setup. Initial franchise fees range from $32,500-$47,500.

Franchisee Training for Minuteman Press

Minuteman Press provides a two-week training program and ongoing support, including regional offices set up to assist franchisees plus in-house IT support. They provide a social media platform for franchisees to communicate, and they keep owners updated with the latest technology and industry trends and equipment.

Allegra Marketing-Print-Mail Franchise

In comparison, Allegra Centers give you enormous flexibility as an owner, with a shorter franchise term of 20 years compared to Minuteman’s 35. Allegra provides graphic design, printing, mailing, promotional products, and marketing services needed by virtually every local business and institution. Franchise Members benefit from the network support provided by Alliance Franchise Brands – a world leader in marketing and visual communications.

What’s Sets Us Apart

This is not your typical cookie-cutter franchise, which is why you should franchise with us. As the franchisee, you determine which specific services to offer. This means you grow your own way with a degree of independence uncommon in franchising.

For many services, you can choose to complete jobs from your own Allegra business or elect to use Alliance Franchise Brands’ experts and resources. Either way, you’re able to serve customers and make money.

As a communications franchise business owner, your range of services includes direct marketing campaign strategies, market research, web-based promotional tactics, copywriting, graphic design, logo creation, website development, brochures, logo designs, posters, promotional/logo products, bindery, database management, digital printing, variable data printing and web-to-print solutions, among many others.

We have 250+ locations in the U.S., Canada and the U.K., with many prime territories still available.

Franchise Training for Allegra

Allegra conducts a 10-day classroom and hands-on training, which covers pricing methods, general business procedures, use of equipment, purchasing, invoicing, credit and collection, financial management, marketing, advertising, promotion, and effective methods for selling marketing and business communication services and related products.

We provide ongoing support, which allows our Franchise Members to keep pace with industry innovations and trends. Our team of Franchise Business Consultants provide hands-on assistance with everything from site selection to opening day. Allegra also helps owners select top-of-line equipment to get their businesses prepared from Day One.

Allegra Franchise Cost

The benefit of being part of the Allegra franchise brand is that we don’t have traditional startup fees like Minuteman, because our Franchise Members start with an existing business. Unique to franchising, the Allegra MatchMaker® Program helps entrepreneurs enter the industry by buying a print shop or a marketing business and converting it to an Allegra Center. This provides a distinct advantage by having an established customer base, experienced staff and a proven track record in the market.

Our MatchMaker fees, for example consist of a $45,000 franchise fee. The initial investment range is $125,811-$378,185, and Franchise Members have protected territories.

Learn More About Allegra

If you’d like to hear more about the benefits of being an Allegra Franchise Member, request more information here, and we will be in touch.