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Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Signarama vs SignWorld including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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Investment | $106,513 - $308,520 | $185,000 - And Up |
Franchise Fee | $49,500 | N/A |
Royalty Fee | 2%-6% | 0 |
Advertising Fee | 1% | 0 |
Year Founded | 1986 | - |
Year Franchised | 1987 | - |
Term Of Agreement | 35 years | - |
Term Of Agreement | 35 years | - |
Renewal Fee | $1.5K | 0 |
Business Experience Requirements |
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Experience | You won�t need any graphics arts education or prior experience with signs. Our owners come from all walks of life, from bankers to secretaries to construction workers. No matter what their background, they all share a strong work ethic; a desire to build a business with no limitations and the realization that working for themselves is their ultimate destiny. They apply their people skills to help their customers with solutions they need to promote their business. | |
Financing Options |
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In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
Franchise Fees | No/No | -/- |
Start-up Costs | No/Yes | -/- |
Equipment | No/Yes | -/- |
Inventory | No/Yes | -/- |
Receivables | No/No | -/- |
Payroll | No/No | -/- |
Training & Support |
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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. | Technical Training � 5 days on sign-making hardware and software Operations Training � 3 days on sales/marketing, website/internet presence, human resources, finance, legal, products, materials, suppliers and overall daily operations Supplier Training � 1 day visiting 7 suppliers Pricing, accounting and POS Training � 5 days On-The-Job Training � 5 days at other Signworld locations On-site Training � 3 days |
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 | SUPPLY DISCOUNTS � Signworld Owners receive discounts on supplies, saving thousands of dollars per year. ONLINE TECHINCAL SUPPORT � We can connect to your computer, fix problems and download solutions. NEXT DAY ON-SITE SERVICE � For any equipment issues that cannot be serviced over the phone or through online technical support. OWNERS WEB SITE � Blast a question to our 260+ Owners and receive same day responses from many Owners across the country. Other features include: Owners Roster, Suppliers Roster, technical updates and calendar of ongoing webinar trainings and other events. ANNUAL CONVENTION � A 3 day event with 30 seminars on how to improve your operation and earn more money. |
Marketing | Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing | As a new Signworld Owner, you will be on a team with 12 other Owners who meet on camera in a weekly webinar to share proven techniques other Signworld Owners have used to grow their business. Sales success and lasting change only comes about with ongoing reinforcement. This weekly coaching session is a dynamic, ongoing learning experience that becomes a vital part of your professional life. It is a safe place to share your toughest problems and work with your coach and your team of other Signworld Owners to find solutions and fix them. Half of your business can come from your website/internet presence. Marketing your business through the internet is a major element of Signworld's business model. In addition to traditional outbound marketing and networking training, we will teach you the right way to build a website full of remarkable content, and also teach you how to utilize an inbound marketing plan that will maximize your reach on the internet which will keep your customers coming back to learn more about what you can do to help them with their signage needs. |
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 |
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US Expansion | Yes | Yes |
Canada Expansion | No | - |
International Expansion | Yes | Yes |
98% of all signs are indoors. They are paper posters, cardboard, banners and thin plastic like materials. Most signs are thrown away every month. In December, they say "Happy Holidays". In January, they say "Clearance". In February, they say "Valentine's Day", and on and on. Drive down any street, walk into any business, notice vehicles of all sizes wrapped in pictures and graphics or visit a trade show and the opportunity for building a business in the sign industry will become very clear. Today, more than ever, small businesses to large are seeking ways to increase their visibility and make an impact through the use of signs. Signs are custom production, so every day is different and you will see tangible, visible results of your efforts as you drive around town. It's close to home, in a low-overhead business park location, operating Monday-Friday 9-5 no nights, weekends or holidays, with a small staff of career employees. There are no loud noises, odors, or dangerous chemicals. It's a relationship business with repeat customers. Twenty to thirty of those customers can equal 80% of your revenue. Many of those customers may be regional and even national in scope. It's a non-cash transaction business, so when you are out seeing customers, you don't have to worry about who's holding the money. When you are ready to sell your business, it will sell for more than most business models because of the manufacturing sector you are in, the small core of repeat customers and the profit margins obtainable due to the custom nature of the business. Our business model is for you to work with ongoing large customers with a repetitive need. Here's what separates Signworld from other sign organizations: *No Royalties *No Rules *50% or more of your business can come from your website. Our owners are able to effectively market their business on the internet and take advantage of their individual brand identity. *Weekly sales and marketing coaching webinar with your peers *Ongoing support for as long as you are in business from both corporate staff plus our 260+ Owners *Ability to own your own building *25 years in business Achieve your financial goals with SignWorld