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Updated RecentlySignarama vs Sign Me Up Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Signarama vs Sign Me Up 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 | $39,500 - And Up |
| Franchise Fee | $49,500 | $39,500 |
| Royalty Fee | 2%-6% | 5% |
| Advertising Fee | 1% | 2% |
| Year Founded | 1986 | - |
| Year Franchised | 1987 | - |
| Term Of Agreement | 35 years | 10 years +7 +7 |
| Term Of Agreement | 35 years | 10 years +7 +7 |
| Renewal Fee | $1.5K | $7,500 |
Business Experience Requirements |
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| Experience | - | |
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. | At Sign Me Up, we teach you how to sell signs! Our sales & marketing system is second to none and when you leave our training you will be anxious to start marketing your Sign Me Up products and services right away. Our operational and sign production training will teach you how to operate your Sign Me Up franchise with confidence and you will learn to run your business professionally and efficiently and to manufacture and offer all types of signage and advertising services. In training, we will cover a variety of topics. Business Management, Computerized Sign Making, Inbound and Outbound Sales, Fabrications and Installation of signs, Employee Interviewing and Training are just a few of the topics that we will cover in a 4 week training period. |
| 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 | National Cooperative Marketing Funds benefit you as a Sign Me Up Franchisee in many ways but the most important thing a Franchisor can do with these funds is to communicate to the general public the benefits of utilizing the many advantages available at their nearest Sign Me Up location. Firstly, know that we are on a mission to build a nationally recognized brand. Our national marketing efforts will primarily be focused on building our brands “Top of Mind” awareness and communicating our unparalleled value and quality of Sign Me Up products and services. This will directly benefit our Franchisees and equate to more business for their locations. We are sensitive to return on investment (ROI) and look to spend National Cooperative Marketing Fund dollars wisely and effectively in ways that will benefit everyone in our Franchise system. |
| 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 | - |
| 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 Sign Me Up
Bought up and all converted to FASTSIGNS
We have a model for everyone
Select your model from the choices below
LITE MODEL
The lite model was made to cater to the person who understands that the sign business is a very attractive business to get into, but doesn’t quite want to jump into a franchise with both feet just yet. This model allows the operator to worry about designing and selling the product without having to worry about how it’s made. Enjoy selling the same broad spectrum of products and services Sign Me Up has come to be known for without having the overhead, equipment, or inventory costs to make it. Focus on selling the job and outsourcing the product or service to us or one of our many approved vendors to do the job for you. Once you think you’re comfortable with running your business and want to make more profits for yourself, you can then expand into our retail franchise model, setting you up for even more success.
5 Keys to success with a lite model franchise:
- Offering the same products and services, you’ll enjoy limitless sales opportunities selling the same products and services that all our other models offer.
- Having a smaller space is more economical by reducing operating costs compared to conventional sign shop franchise models.
- Because we take care of production, your responsibilities don’t extend beyond designing and selling our product line.
- We give you the potential to open multiple sales units and take over a territory for the cost of a single retail center.
- This franchise model is designed for the creative marketer inside of you. This model allows you to focus on marketing your business without having the worry and hassle
5 Keys to success with a Conversion Model Franchise
- A recognized and respected brand.
- Proven local marketing programs with the intention of aiding in sales development.
- We train you on how you can be more efficient and how to better your process for you and your customers.
- Scaled royalty program based off of your existing sales.
- Bulk buying power with our approved vendors and suppliers with the idea of lowering your inventory costs.
5 Keys to success with a Retail Model Franchise:
- Cutting edge, inviting retail setting - Our stores are designed with the customer’s experience in mind. They are neat, organized and set up to allow you to best help your customers find what they are looking for.
- Higher profit margins - On day 1, you will be able to produce at least 70% of the products and services you sell inside your own store. Remove the costs of outsourcing all the signs you sell and start making higher profit margins.
- Aggressive sales and marketing training - We don’t just teach you how to make signs, we teach you the many ways you can easily seek out business for yourself.
- Vehicle included - In our estimated costs, we include the costs of an installation vehicle. Afterall, once you make a sign, you’re going to have to install it aren’t you?
- Broader spectrum of products - Sign Me Up offers our customers a wider array of products that aren’t just signs. Services such as: website packages, SEO and online marketing packages, photo shoots, graphic design packages are just some of the additional services you’ll be able to sell to your customers.
5 Keys to success with a Fabrication Model:
- Higher profit margins - Remove the costs of getting signs made by others. Produce signs yourself, increasing your profit margins. It’s your business, you should take control of your financial success.
- Better deals for you - When you agree to open up three franchises, you gain the advantage of negotiating better rates on construction, equipment, vehicles, supplies and inventory.
- Low costs on advertising - advertising your business is a significant expense to the growth of your business. Share that cost among your locations in your territory and lower your advertising cost per store.
- Control Your area - When you sign up for a multi-unit development agreement, you’ll eliminate the overlap with other franchises in your area. You will gain exclusive rights to a large territory which will be yours to rule.
- Make signs for others - Significantly increase your sales by allowing yourself the room to enter into wholesale work for other sign shops in your area. Your competition will come to you to get their signs made.