“We are ranked #1 in the printing and marketing services category by Entrepreneur 25 times and 14 consecutive years, including 2017. Also, we are extremely proud that Franchise Business Review named us as one of their Top Franchises of 2017 after surveying our owners independently.” Learn why Minuteman Press consistently earns top marks across the board from the franchise’s Founder and CEO!

As the world’s largest design, printing and marketing franchise, Minuteman Press knows what it takes to be an industry leader. Franchisees receive the backing that comes with 40 years of experience that isn’t set on slowing down! Minuteman has built a name as a global franchise with uncomprising intregrity in products and a refined business model that constantly earns Minuteman top ranks. 

In this Success Story Interview, we hear from Minuteman Press International’s Founder and CEO Bob Titus. Bob started Minuteman Press with his father to meet the growing need for printing and marketing with a focus on top quality, customer care and rapid turnaround. The father and son team took their flourishing business to the next level and began franchising in 1975. Bob knows the ins and outs of the franchise like no other and the importance of adapting to a changing industry. Here, Bob tells us all about the proven training franchisees receive, what Minuteman does to ensure franchisees have every advantage when running their business  and the most exciting trends. 

Can you tell us a little about the history of Minuteman Press and the part you play in the franchise?

I started Minuteman Press with my father Roy Titus, and today I remain the President and CEO. In 1973, we opened the first Minuteman Press center in Plainview, NY. At that time, Roy saw a demand for printing and marketing where fast turnaround, high quality and extraordinary customer service always came first. The business grew quickly and in 1974, we opened another center in Farmingdale, NY, which became the prototype Minuteman Press franchise. Our goal was to become a one-stop shop that could meet the demands of any business.

After the success of the Plainview and Farmingdale centers, we decided to start franchising in 1975. We quickly expanded throughout Long Island, and continued to grow from there. Today, we are proud to have over 950 Minuteman Press franchises throughout our system worldwide, which includes the U.S., Canada, Australia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

One of the best parts about the Minuteman Press franchise system is the fact that as times have changed, so have we. While we stay true to the core principles of high quality and service that my father Roy Titus strongly believed were the keys to success, we have evolved and emerged as the world’s #1 printing, marketing and business services provider. We embraced the digital age and have taken full advantage of the new technology and resources that are made available to us by adding a vast array of new products and services that help our franchisees continue to grow their businesses. As a result, every Minuteman Press franchise is able to partner with local businesses to meet all of their design, print, and marketing needs. This includes digital marketing campaigns, graphic and web design services, integrating print and online strategies, direct mail advertising programs, promotional products, and much, much more.

Why should prospective franchisees be excited about a Minuteman Press franchise?

Prospective franchisees should be excited about us because we care about them, their families, and their success. We treat our owners like they deserve to be treated: as people who want to build their business. That is why we offer full training, ongoing local support, and a unique royalty incentive program that actually caps royalties above a monthly sales level. Our tried and proven business model has been refined for over 40 years, and our owners have come from all walks of life. No matter what your professional background, we have the ability and experience to train you, set up your business, and provide you with vital resources such as proprietary management software, mass purchasing power, Internet marketing programs, and more.

We are ranked #1 in the printing and marketing services category by Entrepreneur 25 times and 14 consecutive years, including 2017. Also, we are extremely proud that Franchise Business Review named us as one of their Top Franchises of 2017 after surveying our owners independently. We scored really high in their “Core Values” rankings, which measure whether or not franchisees trust and respect their franchisor, how they feel about its honesty & ethics, as well as if they feel their franchisor cares about their success.

What does the training look like for a Minuteman Press franchise owner?

We have developed a comprehensive two-week training program at our corporate headquarters in Farmingdale, NY, which covers all aspects of owning and operating a successful Minuteman Press franchise. In training we assume two things: You have no prior background in the industry; and you have never run your own business before. The program covers all aspects of the business, from marketing and management to pricing. We have also developed proprietary business management and pricing software that makes running a Minuteman Press center easier and more efficient. This software enables owners to track all of their marketing efforts, customer spending habits, pricing and workflow.

Once the training school is completed, one of our field representatives from your local regional office will continue your training onsite. They will assist in the setup of the business, everything from guidance on staffing to starting the marketing programs to establish the center within the local business community.

Are there any specific demographics a Minuteman franchise is best suited for?

The most important demographic we are looking for is the number of businesses in a given area because those are our customers. The number of businesses will really determine how close or far apart our centers will be from one another. Minuteman Press locations have been successful all over the world in small towns, suburban areas, and larger cities.

Tell us about the day-to-day experiences franchisees can expect while running a Minuteman franchise

For our franchise owners, we expect them to manage and market their business. A typical day would likely consist of having a Works In Progress (WIP) meeting with staff, something that our proprietary management software really helps with in terms of tracking current orders and progress. From there, owners will be spending the bulk of their time building and marketing the business, following up with prospects and customers, making deliveries, and networking. These are all important interactions that help the business grow and we have the programs in place to help our owners be successful.

What are some trends to keep an eye out for within your industry segment?

As the world’s largest design, printing, and marketing franchise, we are proud to be industry leaders. There are several exciting trends that we are excited about for our owners such as the emergence of digital printing technologies that has made the ability to produce short run, full-color printing more cost-effective and with fast turnaround. These are cost savings that our owners can pass along to their customers, and it also enables our centers to produce orders ranging in volume from 1 to 1 million.

Large format printing is also a big trend, as there is a growing need for signs, banners, flags, and posters. Our centers have the ability to offer custom designs and that we have the ability to provide our owners with the resources they need to fulfill such orders for large format printing.

Another trend that we are seeing is the growth of promotional products. Promotional items such as branded apparel, pens, pads, magnets, keychains, mobile phone chargers, and so much more are popular with Minuteman Press business clients and customers. Anything you can put a name, image, or logo on, we can produce.

Lastly, there has been increased demand for personalized marketing, which we are able to accomplish using our digital printing systems through a process called variable data printing. If we are printing 1,000 direct mail postcards, variable data printing lets us change the text for each postcard by pulling the text from a data file while still allowing for fast turnaround.

What are the most important traits Minuteman looks for in prospective franchisees?

Our owners come from all different walks of life and have different personality types, but they also do have certain similarities. They are alert to the needs of the business community; they have passion for helping other business owners grow; they provide excellent quality and service; they treat their employees right; and most importantly, they have a very strong work ethic and take pride in their business.

We have been doing this for over 40 years, and one of the most rewarding parts of our franchise system is that we have the ability and the experience to train people regardless of their professional background. Prior industry experience is not needed to own and operate a Minuteman Press franchise because our system is designed to provide you with all of the training, support, and tools you need to get started and grow your business.

How long does the start-up process typically take?

We will work with you at your pace, whether you are looking to open your business as soon as possible or down the road. We encourage research of our business to determine if this is the right opportunity for you. One reason we like to get to know you and build a relationship with you is because that will help us understand your individual needs and desired timeline for opening your business.

What’s the biggest mistake you see from your incoming franchisees? How can it be avoided?

The biggest mistake is not getting out there and promoting the business soon enough. One of the biggest benefits of owning a B2B business is the fact that you can actively go out and market the products and services that we offer because every business in the area is a potential customer. They all need and use marketing and promotional products on a daily basis so the fact that we can go out and meet other business owners and talk to them about how we can help them gain new customers is a huge plus. You just have to do it.

What’s next for Minuteman in terms of expansion?

What’s next for us is to expand to over 1,000 locations in the next two to three years. As far as the expansion of our products and services, that is never ending. As technology continues to evolve and bring more opportunities to our stores, we will continue to take them. We will also continue to build relationships with trade companies such as SanMar and Vantage who many of our owners outsource custom branded clothing to. Having relationships with third-party vendors is really what enables us to be truly full-service.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

This is really an exciting time for our system as a whole. The amount of products and services that we offer keeps growing and in turn our stores’ average gross sales also continues to grow. Our section of the industry is stronger than it has ever been and we are really looking forward to see where the next few years takes us.