For Minuteman Press franchise owners Larry and Tami Jacobs, the printing industry is not new. “Our background prior to franchising with Minuteman Press was…wait for it…printing and graphics,” they said.
Tami has been in the industry her whole life with parents who also spent their entire careers in the industry. Larry jumped in to printing shortly after marrying Tami in 1985.
“Together we started our first business in 1987 and we’ve been at it ever since,” says Larry and Tami. “While the majority of franchisees are coming from a different background altogether, we decided to go with the tried and true.
“Rather than starting over from scratch we sold our prior printing business and home in another state, moved to Carson City, and opted to partner with Minuteman Press for the brand recognition and the support that comes from within.”
That partnership of Larry and Tami’s experience with the Minuteman Press franchise system has created a win-win scenario and generated significant sales growth for Minuteman Press in Carson City, Nevada, a brand new location at 444 East William Street, Unit #1, that Larry and Tami opened in July 2021.
Larry and Tami explain, “Having been in the industry for nearly thirty-eight years, we were blown away by the training and support we have received from Minuteman Press. In some aspects, it was a refresher; but in other areas it was completely new to us.
“We had not previously done a lot of promotional products, and dye sublimation and using a heat press were new to us. We have embraced the new products and are actively marketing those items. We’ve been learning new equipment with the signage, apparel, and all of the details involved with EDDM an direct mail marketing.”
Standing Out in Carson City
According to Larry and Tami, “Carson City is a family-friendly, small-business oriented town that is welcoming and still has a small town feel to it. We have enjoyed getting to know other business people in our community and find that they are all very supportive of each other, our town and community.
“When meeting with clients, this is what we tell them. We can help grow your business by providing personalized and branded business cards, flyers, posters, stationery, banners, apparel, and much more—we are your one-stop-shop for all your printing and promotional requirements. Plus, we specialize in direct mail marketing and advertising. Anything you can put a name, logo, or image on—Minuteman Press in Carson City can produce. We design, print, and promote you!”
Larry and Tami add, “Our experience in the industry coupled with the latest in technology and production sets us apart. We are able to produce high quality, top of the line products in a lightning speed turnaround time in-house.
“As several in our community have told us, ‘There’s no one like you in the area.’ We promise. We deliver.”
Growing the Business
In order to grow the business, Larry and Tami use a combination of marketing strategies.
“We have used in-person, direct mail, and email marketing campaigns, as well as networking,” they say. “We also have a strong presence on Google and solid word of mouth with both current clients and former clients from our previous business. These all add up to great online and offline referrals.”
Minuteman Press in Carson City also has a healthy mix of products and services to get the job done for clients in their community.
“Currently our most high-demand products are political yard signs and walk cards, direct mail (both printing and mailing—all done in-house), large format printing, and apparel,” they say. “We have aligned with several political brokers and that bring us a large variety of work in all aspects of our business—printing, direct mail, promotional products, and apparel. We have had quite a bit of growth with apparel in general.
“When word gets out that you can get it done and done well, the business finds you.”
They offer this tip for local businesses: “Direct mailing to get your name out there is one of the best ways to reach potential clients to let them know you are there and open for business. With so many businesses shut down by the pandemic for so long, it is important to let your community know that you are still there and ready to serve them. Anything branded is very effective as well.”
According to Larry and Tami, as much as everyone is glued to their screens these days, there’s still just something about seeing your name and logo in print. “Remember how you felt the first time you held your very own printed business card? That’s what [we] mean,” they say. “There are some things that just work better as a printed piece as opposed to something online. Print is still the best media to communicate who you are and to get your message out to the world.”
Rewards & Advice for Others
For Larry and Tami, the care they have for their clients is clearly evident when they are asked about the rewards of owning their business.
“The rewards in this industry are seeing your clients shine because we took their pieces and made them into something presentable. We’ve gone to events where we printed all of the campaign materials, signs, apparel, and more,” they say. “When you see everything come together in brand and theme, it really makes the client stand out and look good. And at the end of the day, that feels good and right.
“We have helped so many clients to get their projects turned around and completed on impossible deadlines. It’s an awesome feeling to make things happen. Whether it’s a small ‘copies of Great Grandma’s cookbook’ project or a large corporate multi-piece project, we give our best to help our clients look their best.”
As for what advice the thirty-eight-year printing industry veterans would give to others, Larry and Tami share, “Follow the protocol and do the steps that need to be done. Stick with it. It works.”
—Press Release
