Research AG

Why the Franchise Model?

Starting your own business is both an exciting, and perhaps once-in-a-lifetime venture. It also comes with a certain level of risk and fear. Overwhelmingly year-after-year around the world, franchising provides a desirable pathway to entrepreneurship for many people.

In 2021, franchising in the United States employed 8.1 million people and contributed $780 billion in economic output through over 774,000 franchised locations! Franchising's contribution to the US economy is expected to grow by 3% in 2022. A franchise offers a proven business model, guidance, support, and brand identity. One may argue that this route to business ownership is more palatable than starting from scratch. Sources: International Franchise Association and FRANdata 2022 Franchising Economic Outlook

AlphaGraphics takes the complication out of starting your own business with tremendous systems, support, and leadership:

Brand identity and awareness
Purchasing power
Training and Development
Ongoing support and business development
Marketing assets, strategies, and KPI’s (key performance indicators)
Research and Development
Thought leadership
Multiple revenue streams
A network of like-minded franchisees
Preferred vendors
And more!

IS THE PRINT INDUSTRY DYING?

When we first speak to some candidates, they question the growth of the print industry; or ask “isn’t print dying?” According to Statista Research Department 2021, the U.S print industry generates about $81.7 billion in revenue in the United States and has grown year over year for the 5 year period 2013-2018. Print is far from dying...it's just changing.

Hear how the AlphaGraphics franchisor shows entrepreneurs how to start a marketing and print business and supports their growth

In this video, you will hear about how our NetVision 5 committee, made up of owners and corporate leadership, plan for the future of AlphaGraphics printing businesses. We have a plan for the future and a roadmap to get us there! It’s an exciting time for our organization!

Discover the AlphaGraphics Difference

In our first 50 years, we’ve learned a lot about how to provide top-quality services to our customers, and unparalleled support to our franchise owners. This is just part of what makes an AlphaGraphics franchise one of the best businesses to own. For example, AlphaGraphics is a B2B franchise opportunity, meaning you will be working with established businesses that have definite printing needs and budgets. And thanks to our history and team, you will be offering them the best solution available! Here are some of the other benefits of owning one of our franchises:

Community Impacting
Professional Environment
Work-life balance
Scalable
Existing Business Opportunities
50 Years of Brand History
Repeat Customers
$81 billion industry*

Learn how to start a marketing and print business from the best in that business. Take the first step with us today!

*Dun & Bradstreet

FAQ's

Is a franchise model more likely to succeed vs a non-franchise model?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 20 percent of all businesses in the U.S. close after the first two years of operation and a little over 38 percent after four years. However, these numbers vary greatly depending on the type of business you own. It’s generally accepted, because of their established, proven business practices, that franchises have higher success rates than independent businesses.

There’s a lot of information about the success rates of franchises, and to predict one brand will be successful while another won’t is extremely difficult. In a five-year study performed by franchise consulting firm FranNet, their results showed 92 percent of their franchise placements were still in business after two years, and 85 percent after five years.
Is the Print Industry still growing?
Some people think that “Print” is a dying industry. They don’t use Yellow Pages any longer. They question the impact of direct mail. They feel everything has moved “on-line”. The truth is, not only is the print industry still growing, segments of it are at all-time record highs.
How will I get all of my questions answered about your franchise business model?
We have a franchise development process that has been developed over 30 years. We guide you through a candid, pragmatic process rooted in integrity, honesty, and transparency. You will work with the Franchise Development team to get all your questions answered. “My goal is to put every potential franchisee in a position to make an informed decision for them and their family”
-Bill McPherson, VP of Development
Do I need print experience to do well with this franchise?
Not at all. In fact, less than 15% of our owners have any sort of print, marketing industry related experience. As such, AlphaGraphics offers a proven business model for entrepreneurs with a variety of backgrounds and disciplines.
What is my total investment "all-in"?
It will vary on whether you build a new AlphaGraphics or acquire an existing business. Building a new center is almost always the least investment. “All in” investment ranges from $281,500-$389,450. This includes up to $74,000 in working capital.* We will break down the investment when we review the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) together.
*2022 Franchise Disclosure Document
How much money can I make with this franchise?
As you might expect, there are many variables that affect your income potential with any business. In the franchise industry, it is against the law for ANY franchisor to answer this question. You will get the answer to the financial benefits of an AlphaGraphics franchise through 3 resources:
1. FDD--Our FDD has an extensive “Item 19” which lists financials performance from actual AlphaGraphics owners in the previous calendar year
2. Pro-Forma exercise--part of our process is to guide you through building financial projections and where to find key data points in our FDD, talking to franchise owners, industry websites, etc.
3. Speaking to owners--When we move into the “Validation” stage, you’ll have the opportunity to speak to actual franchise owners and ask them about their financial performance.
Can I own more than one AlphaGraphics franchise?
Absolutely. One of the things that appealed to our owners when they made the decision to join AlphaGraphics was the scalability of the model. Today, almost 30% of our network has more than one AlphaGraphics franchise There are discounted fees associated with multiple location ownership.