PRINTING BUSINESS
A Guideline for Starting, Growing and Scaling Up your Business
By PVGuide Team
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction: What is printing business?
2. How to start printing business with capital.
3. How to start a printing business with limited to no capital.
4. How to grow and scale up the business.
5. Conclusion.
WHAT IS A PRINTING BUSINESS?
Printing involves reproducing hard copy documents of different categories and for different uses. One can print a one page wedding invitation card, a 64 page magazine, an A4 size poster, a 2 meter sized banner etc.
The printing business in Kenya is as wide as the needs of customers: from personal printing needs like photos to corporate needs like thousands of fliers for a marketing campaign, to T-Shirts and caps for national political campaigns.
The first and most critical thing when it comes to setting up a printing business is deciding on the niche market that you would like to serve; the printing market is too wide.
HOW TO START PRINTING BUSINESS WITH CAPITAL
When money is available, one has the room to engage in a thorough, agile and robust approach to starting a business. They can afford the personnel and equipment needed to initiate and run the project. That said, there are things that one has to know in order to embark on the journey to printing success. Here are the main things to know:
1. Carry out Market Research
It is important to get a good understanding of the market before launching your printing business. A market research basically entails collecting and analysing as much relevant information regarding the printing business as possible.
This way, you can know where to get supplies, how to reach clients, your marketing avenues among other things.
Your market research should help you determine the following:
- The layout of the market, specifically the competition in the form of existing printing companies.
- A needs analysis – do people need printing services?
- Growth opportunities within the market that you can explore along the way.
- Market limitations and how you can overcome them.
- The perfect location to set up your business.
Reach out to professionals such as the company below to carry out market research for you at fee.
Consumer Options – 0724255543
2. Write a Business Plan
A business plan is a guideline of how to start, grow and develop your business.
Here is why you need a business plan:
- A good business plan defines your business, outlining your mission, vision, values, objectives, services and/ or products.
- A good business plan provides a guideline on how to achieve key business milestones (with timeliness like to set-up, when production begins, first output, when to scale up etc.).
- A good business plan helps you assess the possibility of success.
- A good business plan outlines exactly how your business will make money.
- A good business plan is a referral for direction in times of doubt.
Reach out to professionals like the company below for assistance in writing a competent business plan at a fee.
Professional writers Kenya - 0701709837
3. Obtain the Required Permits and Licenses
Under any jurisdiction (location/market) that you intend to set up your company, there will be legal requirements that you have to meet. Here are the requirements for starting a printing business in Kenya;
- City Council: The city council of your respective region will provide you with the official business permit.
- Kopiken license- The reproduction rights society of Kenya is a collecting society which licenses the reproduction of copyright-protected materials.
- Kenya Revenue Authority: This is for tax purposes. You're likely to pay VAT (Value Added Tax), Excise Tax, Corporation Tax or Turnover Tax.
- Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS): Your printing business must have a permit to use the standardization mark. This mark shows customers that your product has met the necessary safety and production standards (used in specific circumstances).
Note: Requirements from various regulations authorities change from time to time. Visit their offices or check their websites for updates on the requirements.
4. Identify a Market for Your Business
The key to business success lies in identifying and understanding who your customer is. You need to understand your market and define it in such a way that you can tell if your product meets the needs of the customer or not and whether they are willing to pay for your product or services.
For a printing business, one has to understand that volume is the key. You will need to do large volumes of work to make the business run effectively. That means ensuring that you cater to mass market. Printing businesses in urban centers generally tend to do better than those in rural settings or small towns. Ordinarily, colleges, universities, corporates such as PR firms or communication firms form a very good market for a printing business. It is equally advisable to set up shop near a college town.
5. What do you Need? Identify the Essentials (in terms equipment and supplies that you need for your printing business)
Printing business relies on three things: good equipment that can work fast, cheaply and are reliable, it relies on access to cheap supplies like ink or paper or plastic and lastly, volume of trade. Find suppliers who understand your needs, can get you good bargains on equipment and gives you support after installation with issues like repair.
Machines used in printing tend to be costly and delicate; meaning you need to be careful on who you get your equipment from.
Here are some key elements in you should pay attention to in printing business:
• Rent or build a business premise (base of operation) and fit it with the necessary utilities like electricity
• Computer (s) for design work (and for other duties)
• Laminator
• Scanner
• Identify good suppliers for paper, ink and your machines
• Digital Printers
• Ink-jet Printers
• Screen Printers
• Embossing Machines
• Flexographic Printing Machine
• Letterpress Printing Machines
• Offset Printers
• Laser printers
• Wireless Printers
• 3D Printers
• Thermographic Printers
• Electrostatic Printing Machine
• Pad Printers
• Rotogravure Printing Machines
• Hire a team of workers
• Obtain your licenses
Reach out to some of the suppliers listed below to help you in accessing equipment and sourcing for other items needed;
DukaTech: 0111 017200, 0718 566612
Saruk Digital Solutions: 0709 942400
Graphipack Printers & Office Suppliers: 0715 117702
Transpaper Kenya: 020 6962000
6. Find Capital and Identify the Right Team
Access to capital is a key factor in the success of any business venture. The amount of capital you need for a printing business will depend on the equipment you chose and your office rent among other factors.
Once you have made up your mind to set up your business, you will need to assemble a competent and skilled team to handle various aspects of the business.
You will need creative writers, creative graphics designers, qualified salespeople, marketing personnel, production team, reliable suppliers and different categories of individuals who directly affect production and publishing.
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