What’s in a name? Would a photo print shop by any other name bring in more business? Many small scale photo shops are finding success by expanding into a multi-product image centre. Compared to photo shops, photo centre’s provide a wider range of services, reach a wider customer base and, often, a higher revenue. But is making the move to an image centre right for your printing business? Here are four things to consider when exploring opportunities to expand your photo printing business.
Do you have a full line of products — or the ability to develop one?
Image centres are full service businesses that offer a wide range of products. Customers choose image centres because they can print wedding photos and thank you notes, or wallet prints and large wall canvases, or single prints and albums, in one trip.
If you business doesn’t yet offer such a wide range of services, consider if such an expansion would be possible. Sometimes, expansion is just offering a different product from the same equipment and staff that you already have in house. In other scenarios, expanding product offerings may require an expensive printer purchase or hiring additional staff. Take stock of your current capabilities, and jot down a number of expansion possibilities and what they would involve.
Can you outsource what you can’t do yourself?
Perhaps you have the printing equipment for single prints and canvases, but you can’t bind your own photo albums without taking out a big loan for additional equipment. But, adding to your current equipment isn’t the only option for expansion. Outsourcing to another business may make sense for a lot of local and small businesses.
While the cost per project will always be there, outsourcing often makes sense over expensive equipment that you don’t have the budget, space or staff for. Outsourcing works particularly well for products that customers don’t expect to get back the same day, like albums and photo gifts. Local businesses can often set up an outsourcing that gets products back to customers faster than it would take to order online by working with a large company and offering local pick up.
Do you have the right technology to expand?
Take inventory of your current equipment and its limitations. What’s the largest print your biggest printer can spit out? What’s the fastest turnaround time you can offer? What software do you have, and what programs could speed up the ordering process?
After evaluating your current equipment take a look at the latest tech and how it compares. Could a new software system allow you to fulfill online orders in-store? Could a larger printer drastically expand the number of options for your customers? Has the price on the gear you eyed a few years ago dropped with age? While new printing equipment is an investment, for many businesses, the expanded options and faster turnaround are likely to pay for the printer ten times over.
Do you have a web store?
Local print shops offer undisputed convenience with the ability to pick up prints without waiting for shipping. But, could you make that process even faster with online orders? Online print orders offer a big convenience for customers, further separating local businesses from what large online print shops can’t offer — same day pick up with only minutes spent in store. Adding a web store is often a low to mid-range expense but can bring in more customers and turn first timers into loyal shoppers — and, with shipping, expand a local business into an international one.
Today, anyone can order an image online, but local print centres offer a wide range of products on a short time frame — and expanding could help small print businesses to thrive.