FASTSIGNS to focus on franchise opportunities at SGIA

Balancing regular day-to-day activities while staying on top of marketing and keeping up with evolving technologies has proven to be a challenge for today’s independent sign shop owners. Because of this, many are looking to outside sources for support with managing daily operations and growing their business to reach long-term goals.

Recognising this trend, FASTSIGNS International Inc. will be exhibiting at the 2012 SGIA Expo (Booth No. 2672) from Oct. 18 â€" 20 in Las Vegas. The company’s goal is to educate attendees about franchise opportunities through its conversion program.

“We developed our conversion programme to provide independent sign shop owners with a cost-effective solution to take their business to the next level,” said FASTSIGNS Senior Vice President of Franchise Support & Development Mark Jameson. “Converting a sign shop into a FASTSIGNS franchise is easy and costs less than most think. Independent signs shops already have an existing customer base, and we offer a lower franchise fee and royalties than a start-up franchise.”

In addition to exhibiting, FASTSIGNS will host an exclusive lunch program with FASTSIGNS CEO Catherine Monson and Jameson at 11:30 a.m. on October 19. Guests who pre-register for the program will have an opportunity to speak with Monson and Jameson about the company’s franchise opportunities and conversion program, which allows business owners to convert their existing business into a FASTSIGNS center for as little as a $6,000 initial investment.

“Through our conversion program, shop owners gain several advantages that they wouldn’t have access to as independents,” Jameson added. “In addition to having a proven business model with ongoing training and support, our franchise owners benefit from effective local and national marketing, improved buying power and relationships with vendors, access to national accounts and up-to-date technology and digital services.”

As the company’s program continues to expand, FASTSIGNS has successfully converted more than 24 independent sign shops into FASTSIGNS centers within the past 26 months. The company also recently signed two conversion deals in Ontario, Canada. Both centers will be opening under the FASTSIGNS name in late 2012.

With more than 530 FASTSIGNS sign and graphics centers around the world, FASTSIGNS provides marketing and visual communications solutions to businesses, organizations and events of all types and sizes. FASTSIGNS offers a variety of sign and graphics solutions â€" including banners, building signs, digital signage, yard signs, vehicle graphics, decals, trade show exhibits and displays, point-of-purchase signs, and posters â€" as well as mobile websites, promotional products, interior décor, branding, printing and other marketing services.

For more information or to register for the lunch programme with FASTSIGNS at the 2012 SGIA Expo, please email mark.jameson@fastsigns.com