Digital Printing Startup !

Hello all,

I am an MBA graduate and thinking to start my own business in the field of Digital Printing.
My dad has vast experience (25yrs) in photocopying business and i want to add on the digital printing unit by side.

Can you all give some suggestions pertaining to what all steps required in order to start and sustain in the market.


Thanks

Regards,
Nitin
 
A Capital investment of about $300,000.00 US if you are anyway serious about it! Also a really strong liver helps!!
 
Hello all,

I am an MBA graduate and thinking to start my own business in the field of Digital Printing.
My dad has vast experience (25yrs) in photocopying business and i want to add on the digital printing unit by side.

Can you all give some suggestions pertaining to what all steps required in order to start and sustain in the market.

Didn't they teach you that in your MBA program?

First step: write up a comprehensive business plan. Everything follows from that.

Gordo
 
Gordo,

I have learnt and drafted a business plan, but i have posted this question in order check if my plan is according to the flow or not.
 
Gordo,

I have learnt and drafted a business plan, but i have posted this question in order check if my plan is according to the flow or not.

That's great. Maybe you could post a synopsis of your business plan so that forum members could read it and see if there were any gaping holes rather than guessing your situation and making suggestions that may have no relevance to your plans.

Gordo
 
Hi Nithin! You mentioned saying that your dad has a great experience in photocopying business. This should surely help you. The knowledge you obtained while doing your MBA and your dad's experience both put together will work wonders for you. Since, he is knows the working of the business, he can help you with the basic setup and your knowledge about recent developments can be added to it. You need not ask anyone else since you hve both knowledge and an experienced dad at home! All the best!
 
Your dad experinece will help you a lot and being and MBA student you will be able to manage the budget and get it all out and set out a great business for you and your family. When experince and technology comes togather new results come up in front. Basically you should be printing a good quality and less profit or sometimes at no profit just to increase your business but once you get your business going on you can charge with your profit included
 
workflow web workflow web...its the survival of digital printing. A good software system and you can do twice as much as a firm with a poor job management system could do with the same staff
 
Printing is only the half of it. There are many things you can do to increase visibility online. Want to cut costs down? Use social marketing, have a nice looking website, go out and introduce yourself locally, have a BBQ for opening shop, don't buy too much too fast as you will not make a ton your first few years. Pick a nitch like Large format and get a printer for that. Direct Printing? Offset? All of these machines are different and do different things, however, the most costly is going to be offset prresses and machines. Large format is a dime a dozen and can be found all over the internet for pretty reasonable prices. Folders, laminators, etc... Costly, and not used as much. We started by outsourcing HALF of our workload until we gained the capital to buy into more equipment, thus keeping costs down. Just food for thought. Just because WE did it this way does NOT mean it works for everyone alike.
 
I second the notion of not buying a whole lot of equipment right away. Lease the printers if you can get a good deal, you can always trade up that way when you have the business for it.

Printing is not "If you buy it, they will come."
 
I know several of our "competitors" only have a small digital machine e.g. Xerox 560 and a small 20" paper cutter. They do a fair amount of business out of garage / small office. We do get a some of their work to fold / score / perforate and otherwise finish but they certainly have a niche and charge appropriately. If you want to make it you'll need to have someone doing outside sales. Don't expect this stuff to walk in the front door unless you have a lot of capital to furnish a nice storefront. I'll second the outsourcing idea as well.
 
BrainWilly is quite right in a way. You need not fear when you have the support from a well experienced professional. You can always look up to your dad at times when you need help. He knows you well, you capabilities and also the resources that you have. He would help you make the best out of what you already have. I would also agree upon another point that says, marketing is also an important part of establishing a business. You need to go door to door to sell you services. Just a littler bit of publicity would help. But, make sure your work speaks good about you. This will help you create a good bond with your clients and add on a few more names to the client list.
 

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