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46 June 2018 ART + FRAMING TODAY

Market trends show the need for frame shops to offer customers a range of services, ideally as a full service provider for all their framing and printing needs. Jim McNickle, marketing director of Fletcher Business Group, advises on making

new equipment buying choices that will give a good return on investment

Expanding your shop’s market penetration

AS A RECOGNISED leader in both the picture framing and sign and graphics industries,

Fletcher Business Group has seen a lot of market change since starting our business back in 1868. In order to constantly make our solutions more relevant to our customers, we make a point to educate our users that ‘cutting is cutting and joining is joining’.

Our technology-driven solutions are universal, no matter what our end users’ needs may be, because all of the applications are ultimately the same. We use this approach as a method to inform our customers of the quickest path toward positive equipment return on investment.

We have seen market shifts come and go, but one undeniable trend we continue to see year after year is the market crossover between the ‘traditional’ picture framing industry and the growing signage and graphics industry.

What is driving this trend?The main push behind this trend is digital printing technology and printer

affordability, along with a growing list of printable materials.

At every trade show, it seems the major wide format printer companies continue to introduce new technologies to market that keep bringing these two industries closer together. New fl atbed printers, with increasingly more advanced technology, are now capable of printing direct to substrates

such as foamboard, mountboard and canvas. We are also seeing a growing ‘print on metal’ market trend in both the picture framing and sign industries.

So what does this mean for the picture framing industry?With the evolution of digital printing technology, customers are coming to expect a one-stop shopping experience. To

Above: frame joining a canvas stretcher bar

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answer this need, traditional frame shops need to be more nimble and consider offering more sign and graphics services. With minimal investment in just a few key pieces of new equipment, your shop can expand its clientele.

Become a print service provider and be a player in the product fulfilment arenaOne of the biggest crossover opportunities we see for frame shops is becoming a PSP, or print service provider. Commonly found in the sign industry, PSPs service their customers by printing all types of signage and wall coverings. With better technology that is becoming increasingly affordable, PSPs are moving away from printing and mounting, and beginning to print directly on to materials such as fabric for both commercial and residential applications.

From branded signage and custom picture framing for all types of businesses – think corporate offices, hotels and retail establishments – to consumer-friendly decor and artwork, your frame shop

can easily expand into this market opportunity.

With the right digital flatbed printer, you can print (and frame) one-off keepsake projects for your retail clientele and also handle larger-scale projects for your business customers, such as store signage, event signage, wall decor and even outdoor signage.

Or, if you want to go even bigger, consider becoming a product fulfilment house and run high volume jobs for others. And, with the growth of online retailers, opportunities might exist to become a fulfilment partner for an online retailer’s overall finished product capacity.

Offer glass and acrylic cutting servicesAnother opportunity to tap into this expanding crossover market is to offer glass and acrylic cutting services. If you are currently ordering pre-cut glass and acrylics, why not consider taking this job in-house? Adding a cutter to your frame shop not only provides the opportunity to handle all of your glass and acrylic cutting needs directly, but you can also offer these services to your local picture

framer or photographer. In the US, hardware stores often handle these services and report a return on investment with our Fletcher 3000 Wall Machine within a year or less after they added it to their store’s services.

Find ways to tap existing customersBefore looking for new customers, consider offering your existing customers more services. Look for opportunities to penetrate these current accounts deeper and become a more valued service provider. We refer to this sales strategy as ‘account penetration’ efforts. If you already offer picture framing services for a retail operation, through this new sales approach you could now offer this same customer promotional and directional signage. Or you could position yourself to create a wall decor and signage theme.

Be creative and don’t hesitate to ask your accounts what types of ‘full service’ offerings they would like to receive from your shop. You may be surprised to find out how many customers prefer the one-stop shopping

V-groove cutting tool used with ACM material to allow bending and fabrication techniques

‘‘Be creative and don’t hesitate to ask your accounts what types of ‘full service’ offerings they would like to receive from your shop

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experience and want to build on their valued relationship with your business.

Plan your sales strategy and budgetBefore you dive into purchasing new equipment, make sure that you have developed your shop’s ‘account penetration’ sales strategy. Consider what kinds of customers you will be marketing to, what new services you will offer and what you need to accommodate these changes.

Do you need a bigger shop? More staff? Will you be cutting back on some services that are no longer relevant? What does your local competitor offer that you do not?

The last thing you want to do is overextend your finances, so be sure to set a budget and stick to it. If numbers are not your strong suit, you may even want to consider bringing in a business consultant to help you plan.

What to think about when purchasing equipmentTo keep up with market trends and expanding your shop’s offerings, you will most likely need to invest in some new equipment. You may need to add a new flatbed printer that is capable of printing direct to substrates. Maybe you also need to add a cutter that can handle cutting different materials. Whatever the case, most likely you are going to need to spend some money to make money.

Audit your current equipment inventory to see what needs to be upgraded and what is still usable. Then, decide what you need to purchase to make your new strategy come to life. Don’t forget to stick to your budget!

Consider ROI on new equipment purchasesAlso consider the ROI on your new equipment purchases. Yes, you will be shelling out up-front costs, but how much more money can your shop make in the long run using these new tools? You will be doing more work in-house, helping control outside spending, and you will most likely be increasing overall efficiencies and product quality. You may even be bringing in new revenue streams by offering new services to your current customers and also by adding a new customer base.

Try to purchase equipment that will give you the most value now and, more importantly, in the future.

Plan for expansionAs a general rule of thumb for purchasing any new shop equipment, be sure that you always ‘buy up’ where capabilities are concerned. Make sure that the equipment you are going to invest in can not only accommodate your current needs but also grow as your business grows. Whenever possible, try to look for equipment platforms that can expand in both capability and production volume.

Selecting the right cutter for substrates and materialsClearly understand what materials you want to be able to cut, not only today, but possibly new materials that may be important down the line.

Make sure your cutter uses an interchangeable cutting head design platform that can expand for growth to cut new materials or be used for various application methods, such as a v-groove into ACM materials. Consider either a wall or free-standing installation.

Look for a cutter that you can place in the same room as a printer for effective and efficient process flow.

And remember…In any business, your production capabilities and marketing strategies are a working document, and you should always be evaluating your business.

Look at your successes and things that were maybe not so successful. Determine how you can improve and grow, and then make the necessary changes. Always also be on the lookout for new market trends, and be nimble enough to adapt to these new business opportunities.

One thing we have learned in our 150 years in business is this: the only thing that is constant is change itself.

Jim McNickle is marketing director of Fletcher Business Groupwww.fletcher-terry.com

Top: frame joining a door trim.Above: cutting canvas material using a tabletop cutter