Signs of the Times - September 2016 - 88

Trending Now: Sign Franchises Step Up Their Status Three big trends in sign franchises point to a bright future for this industry. By Mark Kissling "S o and so is trending on Twitter," you'll often read. These trends last minutes, hours, sometimes days - but rarely longer. And while Twitter trends can be considered somewhat representative of our society's interest, care or outrage about someone or something, they are by definition fleeting, more a snapshot than an entire scene or a complete feature film. Sign franchises have been around for three decades, light years longer than the trends measured by Twitter. And yet, within the sign industry, franchise sign companies are trending, and their current status bodes well. Trend No. 1: Steady growth Chief among sign franchise trends is their solid US and international growth in the industry. "We are on track for outstanding growth in the US and ... internationally, both in average unit volume and in number of locations," said Catherine Monson, CEO of FastSigns in Carrollton, TX, which signed 52 franchise agreements in North America in 2015. One of the principle drivers of growth is conversion of existing sign companies or co-branding with a franchise. "We definitely still see more first-time operators joining the Signarama brand," said Jim "JT" Tatem, president of Signarama in West Palm Beach, FL. However, he has seen a large increase in conversions over the last 88 SIGNS OF THE TIMES September 2016 year or two. This probably has much to do with the easy and natural fit that sign product offerings make for related or allied industries. One such conversion is Flyway Signs (Waupun, WI). Dee Burkhardt, owner of the 30-year-old sign business may not be someone you would think of as an obvious candidate for a franchise conversion, given her lengthy experience in the industry. Flyway Signs made the conversion, in part because Burkhardt was impressed by the software and support the franchise offered. Ray Palmer, president of Signs Now (Plymouth, MI), Signs By Tomorrow (Columbia, MD) and Image360 (Columbia, MD), all under Alliance Franchise Brands (Plymouth, MI), said he is seeing current companies in the printingand graphics-related industries that are interested in co-branding to expand their market presence and offerings. "Our industry is attractive to people investigating business ownership due to the B2B approach, low staff requirements (compared to food service, etc.) and business-hours approach," he said. An ever-broadening range of products and services offered by sign franchise companies is likely the major reason for the growth and conversions. For example, Signarama boasts a research and development department and is always looking for innovations within its core strengths that might add value for its customers. Newer equipment such as laser engravers and 3D printers also add appeal. FastSigns (Blue Ash, OH) owner Mike Langdon said that, depending on who you are, vehicle wraps are good to offer, though he cautioned they can be time consuming if you don't have the right training. Monson said FastSigns' market research and knowledge have revealed that organizations and businesses want a full-service solution. "They want to be able to go to one comprehensive visual graphics supplier," she said. The move toward full-services solutions has also led Alliance Franchise Brands to "open the market to viewing Image360 as a solutions provider versus a limited-offering company that only provides signage and quick-turn products," Palmer said. Image360.com shows 16 unique signage products and 28 different services on offer to 23 suggested industries. Trend No. 2: Extensive training To prepare their franchisees to offer a broader menu of products and services, all of the franchise headquarters train their owneroperators both prior to opening their doors for business as well as ongoing as needed. Signs Now takes three months to educate new franchisees. "Thoroughly training our new franchise members on the intricacies of our http://www.Image360.com

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