Even with online businesses growing massively in the United States, there are still plenty of brick and mortar businesses that require signs on and near their physical building or facilities. That is why businesses in the sign and banner industry primarily produce signs and displays, billboards, traffic signs and more for general advertising, traffic control and point – of – sale advertising.
Reports have it that the Sign and Banner Manufacturing Franchise industry has shown a steep decline over the five years to 2022. For most years throughout the period, the industry’s struggles have had little to do with demand for signage, which had grown steadily up to 2019.
Note that strong growth in advertising spending as well as steady investment in non – residential construction have boosted demand for signs, since advertisers and most businesses continually show some level of demand for signage. These two trends have pushed up US demand for signage over the past five years.
Nonetheless, have it in mind that franchises in the sign and banner industry have had a greatly diminished role in providing industry products. As a result, over the five years to 2022, industry revenue had plummeted at an annualized rate of 17.2 percent.
However, irrespective of statistics and the diminishing role of franchises in the industry, any entrepreneur who wants to make a living helping businesses remain visible in the real world can still check out several options mentioned below and enjoy a less bumpy ride to business success.
Most of the franchises mentioned below were established in the 1980s or 1990s to bring new computerized technologies to sign making. And none of them limit themselves to just physical signs for business buildings. These companies all provide a varying range of indoor and outdoor signage and display solutions to serve a wide variety of needs.
Note that these companies function more like graphic design and print shops than the sign – making companies of yesteryear. So instead of printing publications, they print a wide variety of signs, banners, and displays. Howbeit, the sign market in the US is a very lucrative industry and is worth a whopping $16 billion and growing. The business world in general is enjoying the longest post – recession economic recovery in history, which has many of them upgrading their signage.
21 Best Sign & Signage Franchise Opportunities and Their Cost
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Allegra Marketing
This is a one – stop resource for direct marketing and printing services. The company boasts of being a leader in graphic design, strategic marketing planning and advanced printing solutions. Their in – house services reduce marketing costs and save time through single – source execution and cutting – edge technologies. Franchised in 1977, Allegra has more than 220 locally – owned and operated businesses across the United States and Canada.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $205,990
- Net – worth Requirement: $400,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement: $200,000
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Signs Now
For over 30 years, Signs Now has reminded a top innovator in providing: quality indoor and outdoor signage, digital graphics, exhibit displays, and banners to businesses. The Signs Now franchise offers its members: a professional “industrial studio” centre design, market positioning for profits, complete site selection, proven operations systems and technology, superior training and development, powerful marketing initiatives, and ongoing support services.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $50,000
- Total Investment: $102,000 – $348,000
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3C Store Fixtures
For as much as 25 years, this company has acquired franchise industry experience in producing turnkey store interiors for franchisees/franchisors of all sizes. 3C is the only national single source provider of reliable products and cost effective solutions in supporting franchise systems development needs.
Program offerings include 3D concept designs/store planning, décor and materials development, cabinetry, interior signage & graphics, flat rate freight distribution, store installations, construction administration, and Covid customer separation products used inside retail interiors.
Financial Requirements
- On Request
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YESCO
Young Electric Sign Company Inc. (YESCO) designs, manufactures, installs, and maintains custom signs, lighting, and electronic display systems for businesses of various types and sizes and also offers repair, sign and lighting patrol, energy – efficient lighting, and electrical repair services.
The company was established in 1920 and is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. YESCO also provides franchise opportunities with focus on the service and maintenance of business lighting and signage, using the company’s proprietary business management software.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $65,000 – $352,200
- Net – worth Requirement $250,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement $100,000
- Initial Franchise Fee $50,000
- Ongoing Royalty Fee 6 percent
- Ad Royalty Fee to 3 percent
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Signs By Tomorrow
This company is renowned as one of the founding companies and a leader in the computer – generated signs and graphics industry. They design, produce, and sell all types of signage for business throughout the community. Wide format, high – end digital printing provides great quality to clients.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $50,000
- Total Investment: $102,000 – $348,000
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Suttle – Straus
Suttle – Straus established the S4 Marketing Resource Center to help growing franchises lift the burden of redundant customization requests from their marketing teams. With this web – based software you can create customizable templates across print, social media, direct mail and digital marketing channels.
Franchisees can localize and personalize the templates allowing them to self – serve promotional material that is consistent and compliant with corporate brand standards. The software connects to our in – house print, direct mail, environmental graphics/signage and fulfilment services, which allows franchises to deliver marketing two times faster.
Financial Requirements
- On Request
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AlphaGraphics, Inc.
This company plans, produces and manages visual communications for businesses at over 275 owner – operated, locally – based business centres worldwide. Situated in Salt Lake City, Utah, the AlphaGraphics network, an over 40 – year – old brand, leads the industry in sales per location.
Backed by state – of – the – art technology, the world’s highest quality standards and a global network, the company’s trained and experienced team members are committed to delivering creative solutions that enable customers to get noticed and get business.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $285,800
- Net – worth Requirement: $400,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement: $150,000
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BizCard Xpress
From Copies to Brochures, Banners and Signs; BizCard Xpress offers every conceivable item for promoting customer’s business, event, personal product or invention, with over 800,000 promotional items and every conceivable form of printing, sign, decal, or T – shirt. The company’s philosophy is simple; they treat their customers with respect, like family, and always ready to help.
Financial Requirements
- Liquid cash requirement: $70,000
- Net worth required: $100,000
- Total Investment: $114,346 – $197,475
- Initial Franchise fee: $39,000
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Clayton Kendall
Clayton Kendall offers franchise communities nationwide with comprehensive branded merchandise programs leading to greater brand exposure, cost savings, streamlined operations and brand compliance.
With a customized online store as the organizing principle, the company’s websites give users the ability to purchase their advertising and marketing tools in one easy – to use program. Clayton Kendall provides marketing solutions for: European Wax Center, Blaze Pizza, TCBY and Amazing Lash.
Financial Requirements
- On Request
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Sir Speedy
This company offer printing and marketing services, including digital and offset printing, copying and mailing services, direct marketing and promotional products. The first printing centre opened in 1968 in Costa Mesa, California. They also provide franchise opportunities.
Financial Requirements
- Initial investments: $227,981 – $277,981
- Net – worth Requirement: $450,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement: $125,000 – $150,000
- Initial Franchise Fee: $25,000
- Ongoing Royalty Fee: 4 – 6 percent
- Ad Royalty Fee: 1 – 2 percent
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Northeast Color
Northeast Color focuses in environmental branding solutions for the franchise industry. Their years of experience producing branded interiors and signage for national chains of all sizes and varieties ensures that your locations will launch on time and on budget, maintaining brand consistency with an eye toward maximum impact.
Financial Requirements
- On Request
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Signarama
Signarama can make a varying range of both outdoor and indoor signs for businesses of all types. For outdoor signs, options include building – mounted signs, freestanding signs, banners, lighted signs, wayfaring signs, and promotional signs, as well as vehicle and boat graphics (wraps, decals, magnetic).
Indoor signage options include all types of office signs and various signs for retailers, including digital displays, banner stands, floor decals, wall graphics, retractable banners, and so on. Additional services offered include graphic design, installation, project management, large – format printing, and financing.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $110,013 – $295,520
- Liquid Cash Requirement $60,000
- Initial Franchise Fee $49,500
- Ongoing Royalty Fee 6 – 2 percent
- Ad Royalty Fee to 1 percent
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SOHO HERO
This is an innovative, yet established franchisor of business services headquartered in Atlanta. Note that the new look and feel of the business service centre provides a comfortable and creative environment for the owner/operators and the customers they serve: their neighbourhood SOHOs (Small Office/Home Office Professionals).
Recently, SOHO HERO has evolved from the Mail and More franchise, answering the demands of the SOHO market for more relevant and meaningful services. While the franchisor continues to provide similar (and expanded) services, the focus has shifted completely to meeting the unique needs of these professionals. With over 17 million so-called SOHOs, this quickly expanding market is poised for tremendous growth – and the company plans to grow to serve it better.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $199,000
- Net – worth Requirement: $30,500 – $34,500
- Liquid Cash Requirement: $500,000
- Total Investment: $199,000 – $267,000
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G – FORCE™
This is a veteran – focused franchise providing expert Parking Lot Striping, Pavement Marking, Sign Installation Services and more. The company’s trained; uniformed crews are neat, reliable and dedicated to First Class customer service and expert results.
G – Force is on a mission to provide business and employment opportunities for military veterans using a franchised Parking Lot Striping business model. Each franchise location will be veteran – owned and provide the finest customer service and end result using premium traffic paints and state – of – the – art line striping machines.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $25,000
- Total Investment: $25,000
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Image360
Image360 is all about collaboration and consultation from imagination to installation to meet the graphics, signage, and display needs of today’s businesses.
Note that products include illuminated signs and message boards, banners and flags, decals and custom appliqués, custom art printing, event signs, trade show signs and displays, engraved signs and products, all types of interior signage and graphics, regulatory and ADA compliant signs, monument signage, roadside signs, building signage, storefront and window signs, vehicle wraps and decals, printed marketing materials, and promotional products and gifts.
Additional services include installation of signs/banners, booth lighting, bulk sign orders; changeable sign letter sets, custom digital printing, dimensional letter installations, and much more.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $192,357 – $364,090
- Net – worth Requirement $250,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement $75,000
- Initial Franchise Fee $40,000
- Ongoing Royalty Fee 6 percent
- Ad Royalty Fee 2 percent
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SpeedPro Imaging
SpeedPro Imaging offers an enormous variety of signs and sign – related products similar to the other companies on this list, but one of its better – known specialties is producing dramatic large – format graphics for wall murals and large displays.
Other products include window graphics/clings, banners, event tents, vehicle wraps, decals, flags, tradeshow displays, digital signage, floor graphics, table covers and table toppers, directional signage, stadium – size banners, elevator wraps, retractable banner stands, event graphics, point – of – purchase displays, and more.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $240,050 – $285,850
- Net – worth Requirement $250,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement $80,000
- Initial Franchise Fee $49,900
- Ongoing Royalty Fee 6 percent
- Ad Royalty Fee 2 percent
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FastSigns
FastSigns has been growing rapidly in recent years, adding 27 locations during 2019. And the company just recently announced it has acquired Sign Me Up Signs & Advertising, a chain with six locations in Long island, New York and one in New Jersey, all of which will be converted to the FastSigns brand.
The company is also growing its international footprint, with plans to open as many as 12 locations throughout France and Monaco. Note that this company is all about raising business visibility through visual communications. The offerings include all types of signs and graphics, exhibits and displays, digital and interactive signage, printing and mailing, promotional products, point – of – purchase signs, and interior décor.
Additional services include graphic design, surveying and permitting for signage compliance with local codes and ordinances, signage installation, visual communications content development, and comprehensive project management.
Financial Requirements
- Initial investments: $193,548 – $289,639
- Net – worth Requirement: $300,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement: $80,000
- Initial Franchise Fee: $47,500
- Ongoing Royalty Fee: 6 percent
- Ad Royalty Fee: 2 percent
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Pano
With over 40 years of experience, Pano franchisees offer the design, manufacture and installation of printed and cut visuals for professionals: artisans, traders, SMEs / SMIs or local governments, independents and associations. Franchisees are fully trained in all techniques of study, design and manufacture of all types of items used in the field of visual communication. For shops, it covers window dressing, signage, car marking or textile printing.
Financial Requirements
- Not Available
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PIP, Inc.
Note that this company’s expansive array of services and capabilities can cover projects from start to finish – brand created, a website designed, a strategic marketing campaign developed, brochures printed, postcards mailed, or a promotion launched. The company was established in Southern California in 1965. They also provide franchise opportunities.
Financial Requirements
- Initial investments: $277,981
- Net – worth Requirement: $300,000
- Liquid Cash Requirement: $125,000 – $150,000
- Initial Franchise Fee: $25,000
- Ongoing Royalty Fee: 0.25 – 6.5 percent
- Ad Royalty Fee: 2 percent
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Instant Imprints
This company offers unparalleled support to its franchisees. Their philosophy is that success is based on the success of its business owners. Therefore, their efforts are directly targeted to help franchisees achieve sales and profit targets.
They also offer two weeks of comprehensive training at the company’s headquarters in San Diego, CA. Additionally, they provide two more weeks of hands – on training on location, and assistance with your grand opening.
Every trainer has years of experience in his/her field of expertise. By the time you open your store the company must have covered all aspects of production, business management, sales, marketing, hiring, and sourcing as they relate to your business.
Financial Requirements
- Total Investments: $155,872 – $328,911
- Initial Franchise fee: $39,950
- Royalty fee: 6 percent
- Minimum cash requirement: $100,000
- Net Worth requirement: $350,000
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Signal Graphics
The demand for printing, signs and marketing services continues to grow. Are you interested in owning a high – volume business without heavy investment and the complexity associated with traditional printing shops? Welcome to Signal Graphics.
Financial Requirements
- Initial Investment: $100,000
- Total Investment: $275,000 – $350,000
The franchises mentioned above are some of the most viable franchises in the sign and banner industry. However, if you are a prospective franchisee searching for franchise opportunities that meet or exceed certain performance benchmarks for sales, profits, and return on investment, please remember to do your research and consult with an attorney before making any investment.