Signarama vs Around the Town Signs Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Signarama vs Around the Town Signs including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Signarama Franchise
Around the Town Signs Franchise
Investment $106,513 - $308,520$21,035 - $186,200
Franchise Fee $49,500$10,000 - $100,000
Royalty Fee 2%-6%$750 - $2,500/mo.
Advertising Fee 1%-
Year Founded 19862011
Year Franchised 19872015
Term Of Agreement 35 years-
Term Of Agreement 35 years-
Renewal Fee $1.5K-


Business Experience Requirements
 
Signarama Franchise
Around the Town Signs Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
  • Net Worth Required - $44,500
    		• -

    Financing Options
     
    Signarama Franchise
    Around the Town Signs Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/No-/-
    Start-up Costs No/YesYes/-
    Equipment No/Yes-/Yes
    Inventory No/Yes-/-
    Receivables No/No-/-
    Payroll No/No-/-

    Training & Support
     
    Signarama Franchise
    Around the Town Signs Franchise
    Training No prior experience needed. The SIGNARAMA training system is one of the most extensive training programs in the franchising industry and backed by 25 years of experience in signs, graphics, and banners. You will be a trained expert in sign-making and business operations and business promotion. Your comprehensive SIGNARAMA training program includes the following: *A 2-week introductory training program at SIGNARAMA University located at corporate headquarters in West Palm Beach, FL. Your travel and lodging expenses are included. You will learn all aspects of your sign business, marketing your products, advertising, scheduling and workflow, bookkeeping, pricing orders, and providing great customer service. You will also learn the practice of making signs, product knowledge, hiring and training your staff. *A 1-week on-the-job (OJT) training session at an established SIGNARAMA store to apply your classroom training and gain hands-on experience. *Additional 2 weeks of training in your store with one of our experienced operations advisors. They are there with you side by side with you during the store setup as well as to implement your marketing plan and grand opening.-
    Support The business landscape is constantly changing. We firmly believe that ongoing support from the franchise is necessary to stay competitive and educated in the industry. We offer ongoing training sessions and regional meetings, franchise owner conventions, and Signarama-specific ongoing online educational opportunities to ensure that our franchisees always have access to a wealth of new information. In addition, franchisees will have access to the following support: - Regional support staff - A highly-effective mentor program - Special achievement recognition - Technical assistance and a toll-free 800 number - Discounts through mass purchasing power - Strategic alliances with vendors and suppliers Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform -
    Marketing Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing -
    Operations International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 5% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 2 - 4

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (95% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    		-

    Expansion Plans
     
    Signarama Franchise
    Around the Town Signs Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    About Signarama

    Ranked #1 in Category, #115 in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 and frequently #1 most visited site (daily) on www.thefranchisemall.com, 

    Signarama is constantly rated as the top sign franchise and the top franchise in the industry.

    As franchises contend increasingly for purchasers' consideration, image acknowledgment and nearby publicity has turned out to be fundamentally imperative to organizations. This requirement for modified informing has shot the sign business into more than a $49 billion market.
    Take an interest in this development by joining SIGNARAMA, the world's largest sign franchisor. 
    We have been effectively helping business visionaries dispatch full-benefit sign locations for almost 25 years and are currently moving toward 900 stores in more than 50 nations. Our comprehensive experience and mastery gives you the preparation, advice and hardware important to run your effective SIGNARAMA store.

    Site Selection Knowledge

    The most essential choice in opening your retail business is site choice. We painstakingly inquire about all parts of each new SIGNARAMA site, 
    like customer movement and customer potential. After all criteria are met and an area has been chosen, we help you secure a lease and staff
    Then we arrange for possession and the start-up process.

    Industry Leaders

    Being a part of the SIGNARAMA trademark benefits you since it is known for predominant craftsmanship and superior client benefit. Each of our independently claimed and worked stores endeavors to give clients the most elevated quality items and customized consideration they anticipate from each SIGNARAMA.
    While we have successfully won the esteemed Entrepreneur Magazine's #1 Franchise in the Industry Award for nine continuous years, the repeat business and referrals each SIGNARAMA gets really tells us we give the best general client experience. Quality and service...that's what you will give.

    As far as we can tell, the best fulfillment in owning your own business is seeing your rewards for so much hard work. You can attain that fulfillment when you copy our demonstrated framework. The store proprietors of our SIGNARAMA family who utilized no less than one full time non-proprietor outside deals delegate, were good to go no less than two years before 2010, and announced month to month deals, arrived at the midpoint of $614,543.00 in gross deals.

    Ace License Opportunities Globally

    We additionally grant exceptionally novel MASTER LICENSE open doors for focused nations/districts to qualified people and organizations. An ace permit gives the proprietor the elite improvement benefits for the brand and produces an extremely positive income stream from the offering of establishments and gathering royalties.

    Signarama VetFran Program
    As tens of thousands of service men and women return from deployment in Afghanistan and Southwest Asia, expanded opportunities are needed to ensure veterans and their families can transition into the civilian economy. With its rapid training opportunities, scalability, and need for operational execution and excellence, franchising provides an ideal career path to enable returning veterans to become leaders of and productive participants in the U.S. economy.

    Signarama's VetFran program helps returning service members access franchise opportunities through training, financial assistance, and industry support. VetFran’s ranks have grown to include more than 400 franchise systems across multiple business categories. Thousands of veterans have become franchise owners through VetFran and other programs. Now, the franchise industry is recruiting veterans at all experience levels for careers in this growing sector and Signarama is taking the lead in providing the opportunities as the flagship of the sign industry.

    Signarama Salutes Our Veterans

    Through our VetFran program (Veterans Transition Franchise Initiative) we also offer discounts off our franchise fee.

    Veteran Incentives  10-50% off franchise fee

    About Around the Town Signs

     Around the Town Signs  franchise opportunity can be run from your own home or a small office location!
    Our team creates effective graphic designs and signage for all types of businesses, from custom banners to point-of-purchase signage to vehicle graphics.  We have the expertise and resources to fill almost any signage need. Whether it’s banners, building signs, vehicle graphics, or signs for store windows, walls, doors or floors, we use the very latest computer-aided sign-making systems and techniques to design and create high-impact, cost effective signs that get our clients results.
    Our knowledge and investment in quality equipment and products, combined with the training we provide in sales and installation, will allow you to generate an incredible income without the high cost and overhead associated with most franchise opportunities. We will train you in marketing and developing local relationships to meet your customers sign and graphics needs across a broad spectrum of products from business cards, basic banners, vehicle wraps, outside signage and dynamic digital signage.
    Around the Town Signs has established an A rating on several consumer sites and is only seeking individuals that will strive to maintain these high standards. There is always a need to communicate to customers through signage, be it lawn signs, banners, dynamic digital or newer technologies. We are at the leading edge of these technologies which represent strong on-going sales opportunities for you in your market area.
    Support/Training:
    Beginning with a comprehensive five day training program in Florida and additional follow up support in your very own market, our training resources include: Business Planning, Operations, Financial & Personnel management, Marketing, Point-of-Sale, Sign Design, Production & Subcontracting, Annual workshops, on-line ordering and other training opportunities to help you succeed as an Around the Town Signs location.
    Investment/Cost of Ownership:
    Unlike most franchise sign business opportunities with high priced investments and the requirement to lease or purchase a location to operate your business in while expecting a percentage of all gross sales, the opportunity we offer is much more reasonable and attractive for a savvy entrepreneur. With Around the Towns Signs we only ask for a monthly fixed fee which will not increase when your sales and profits do. Our goal is your success and growth in your market, and we will do our part to see that you are not only happy to pay your royalty fee but feel that it is money well spent to be a part of our Nationwide network.

    Veteran incentives  Greater of $5,000 off franchise fee or 10% off franchise fee