Posts Tagged ‘Dave Buzza’

March 26th, 2013

New AlphaGraphics Owner Lands Big Client with SEM

Dan Hayes has owned a quick-copy shop in Olympia, Washington for nearly 24 years. He’s had a lot of success as a small business owner, but AlphaGraphics owner Chuck Stempler in nearby Seattle convinced him he could do so much more.

Hayes converted in September, and one of Stempler’s suggestions was to implement a search engine marketing campaign to attract more business. The results were better than anyone could have imagined.

“Within the first month or six weeks, we landed a major project that really set us on a new course,” Hayes says. “The interesting thing is the client is right down the street, but if we hadn’t converted to AlphaGraphics and launched the SEM campaign, we would have never known about each other.”

As it turns out, Dan’s new client had been using a big offset printer in town for years, and wasn’t happy with the service or the pricing. They needed several thousand books printed for an annual event—typically they ordered 10,000 but Hayes was able to deliver 12,000 and still beat his competitor by $4,500!

In the end, Hayes had attracted a $57,000 project by positioning his AlphaGraphics store to win the business… but the customer had to find him first, and they did so through a search engine. Dan’s focus on marketing the business through search engine optimization has already paid for itself many times over.

“Our strategy was to fill the void our competitors left wide open, and to truly focus on customer service to complement our highly skilled graphics person,” he said. “That’s what this really all comes down to—the emotional investment our current or prospective clients are willing to make based on our performance. If we perform well, they will invest in us.”

One of the biggest advantages to being a part of the AlphaGraphics network is the camaraderie among owners in neighboring markets–they help each other succeed, rather than working against themselves.

If you’re interested in learning more about what makes AlphaGraphics an industry leader, please let us know.

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November 13th, 2012

Three New Owners Join AlphaGraphics Global Network in October

More Franchise Growth for Leader in Print and Marketing Communications Services

Three new franchisees joined the AlphaGraphics network in October, marking another strong month of unit growth for the brand. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, AlphaGraphics, Inc. plans, produces and manages visual communications for businesses at nearly 300 owner-operated, locally based business centers worldwide.

Jeff and Deborah Smith in Missouri have signed a franchise agreement with AlphaGraphics and are currently exploring business location opportunities. Jeff brings an entire career in sales, sales management and marketing to AlphaGraphics, most recently with Coast Brands as vice president of sales for the mid-west region. Deborah works as a recruiter and trainer for the American Greeting Card Company in St. Louis. He holds an associate of arts degree in law from the University of Missouri.

 

Scott Wethers in California has more than a decade of experience in sales for print, mail and promotional products, including stints in management for companies like Workflowone and SmartSource. He holds a degree in business administration in marketing from Oregon State University, as well as an MBA in marketing, finance and eBusiness from the University of Washington. Wethers plans to open a state-of-the-art AlphaGraphics Digital Business Center in Southern California in the coming months.

 

Mark Lee in Texas recently took early retirement from his role as director of customer management at Frito-Lay, Inc., having spent his career with that company and, previously, with General Electric. He plans to employ his sales, marketing and customer engagement talents to an AlphaGraphics franchise opportunity. Lee graduated from the University of Texas with a bachelor’s degree in advertising and a master’s in advertising and marketing.

“While a number of brands in the print industry have struggled through the Recession, AlphaGraphics continues to grow because of our vision for the future and the way in which we’ve embraced the rapidly evolving marketing and communications business,” said Dave Buzza, vice president of global development for AlphaGraphics.

“With our focus on serving as an outsource marketing provider, we’ve been able to expand our offering and provide greater value to our customers. New owners like these three recognize the unlimited potential, and we’re proud to have them on the AlphaGraphics team.”

The AlphaGraphics network, a 41 year-old brand, continues to be at the forefront of the printing franchise industry and was recently ranked in the Top 200 Franchises by Franchise Times. 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 grow their businesses and increase their reach. For more, visit www.alphagraphics.com or www.alphagraphicsfranchise.com.

 

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October 25th, 2012

AlphaGraphics Adds Four New Franchisees to Global Network

Leader in Printing, Outsourced Marketing Services Posts 8.9% Year-over-year Growth

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – September was a big month for the AlphaGraphics network, with four new owners closing on franchise agreements to open new AlphaGraphics Business Centers. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, AlphaGraphics, Inc. plans, produces and manages visual communications for businesses at nearly 300 owner-operated, locally based business centers worldwide.

Girish Sethi in Houston, Texas, previously owned a box manufacturing company in India that allowed him to gain familiarity with the printing industry. He holds both a bachelors and a post-graduate degree in computer applications, and was also president of All Around Art & Foliograph Galleries, with responsibility for manufacturing operations and 11 retail locations.

Gene and Yolanda Lucero, along with their business partner Trish Perez, are opening a new AlphaGraphics center in the Dallas area. Gene spent 24 years working for Xerox in sales, including six as a General Manager, and 11 in sales management with accounts such as the U.S. Army, Air Force and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. Gene holds a degree in digital technology and engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. Trish also spent time in sales for Xerox and was most recently a federal account manager for managed print services with Cannon IV, Inc. She earned a degree in marketing from the University of Texas in Austin.

Arif Jacksi in Manhattan, N.Y. is converting his IMPRESSIONS print shop to an AlphaGraphics center. He brings 14 years of experience in design, web development, commercial printing and sign production, but was interested in the marketing services and network support that a strong franchise brand could offer to his business.

Dan Hayes owns Doops Copy in Olympia, Wash., a 21-year-old independent printing business that is now being converted to an AlphaGraphics Business Center. Dan’s B2B model has served the construction industry, working with designers and project managers to reproduce commercial building documents and host them online.

“These new owners represent the ideal AlphaGraphics franchisee, bringing industry experience, entrepreneurial success and a lot of talent to our network,” said Dave Buzza, vice president of global development for AlphaGraphics. “With our focus on being a marketing and communications provider, we’ve been able to serve as an out-source marketing partner for our clients, and that has allowed us to grow consistently through the economic downturn.”

The AlphaGraphics network, a 41 year-old brand, continues to be at the forefront of the printing franchise industry and ranked in the Top 200 Franchises. 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 grow their businesses and increase their reach. For more, visit www.alphagraphics.com or www.alphagraphicsfranchise.com.

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October 18th, 2012

A Word from Vice President of Global Development Dave Buzza: Introducing the AG Ramp-In Process for New Owners

BIG NEWS: We recently introduced the innovative AG Ramp-In process that dramatically reduces the initial investment and cash burn, and pushes back any capital funding and/or long term leases until a new Franchisee is making money. Our objective is for you to achieve break-even on a full AlphaGraphics Business Center without having to secure a loan or service leases.

Simply put, you can enter the AlphaGraphics network for an initial investment of less than $60K. You can start in a shared office suite environment with an MIS system, complete training, a sales process, a full database of prospects, a professional marketing kit and materials, and a reliable set of sublet vendors (other local AlphaGraphics) and go to work developing a base of clients and sales. Instead of waiting on the lengthy funding and real estate processes, you can be in business immediately.

Simultaneously, our AGAlliance Acquisitions Team will engage with you to help build an organic base of clients and reach monthly sales in excess of $20,000 BEFORE you transition to a full AlphaGraphics Business Center. So, instead of burning through cash, you can actually be accumulating cash during this process.

Please call Chrys Richardson at (801) 595-7259 with questions, and to discuss this attractive option in more detail.

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August 29th, 2012

20 Years Later: One Family’s AlphaGraphics Story

Lisa Slade was a stay-at-home mom in California nearly 20 years ago, when she and husband Tom packed up their three kids to head back to their roots.

Both sides of the family were from Southern Indiana, and Tom’s experience in paper and envelope manufacturing and Lisa’s former career in pharmaceutical sales led them to a major life change: they opened an AlphaGraphics business center in Evansville, Indiana.

“Tom had worked with AlphaGraphics before and thought a lot of the company,” Lisa says. “We signed a franchise agreement, rented a 2,000 square foot building and made a list of 1,000 people to call on.”

The rest, as they say, is history. Only now they have 17 employees, one of their sons is an integral part of the staff, and they’ve added 2,300 square feet to the back of the building. And they just signed another five-year franchise agreement.

“We’ve built a lot of great friendships and gotten a ton of support from the AG Network,” she says. “We really have to give AlphaGraphics a lot of credit, for encouraging us to invest in technology and marketing services and evolving beyond the traditional print model.”

Lisa gained certification as a Women-owned Business, and leveraged it into several major clients, including a bank system, a casino and an energy company. But the most recent success story is with an ECHL pro hockey team, the Evansville Icemen.

“The Icemen asked us to put together a campaign around season ticket sales, so we built a mobile website and created a series of postcard mailings with a QR code linking back to the site,” Lisa says. “The client response has been tremendous, with more than seven percent of recipients scanning the code and requesting more information.”

It’s all about taking a printed piece and driving people online, creating multiple touch points for target audiences.

“We’ve really invested in that side of the business, with AG’s support, and our sales and marketing team is on fire,” she says. “Sadly, we’ve seen four competitors go out of business in the last year here, and one had been here for 100 years. They just didn’t embrace the New Now.”

The Slades’s staff includes a three-person marketing team, a full-time web developer and others with graphic design and other specialized skills that can service their clients’ needs in a comprehensive way.

They’ve focused on hard work, giving back to the community and delivering for their customers, while investing in the future. Twenty years later, the results are proof positive.

“We’re very good at putting ink on paper, but now we’re so much more than that,” Lisa says. “It’s been a lot of fun for us, and exciting to think what the future holds for our son Hunter as he takes more ownership in the business.”

It’s never too late to pursue your entrepreneurial passion. If you’d like to learn more about the AlphaGraphics opportunity, please click here.

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December 29th, 2011

AlphaGrapics Owners Participate in Three-Day Certification Workshop with Direct Marketing Association

DMA LogoDMA President Beth Smith and Dave Buzza Share How AG is Helping Customers Utilize Best Practices

At AlphaGraphics, we’re constantly working to provide opportunities for our franchisees to gain knowledge, capture new business and provide more ROI to their customers. Direct Marketing Association President Beth Smith spent three days with AG owners and corporate staff leading a DMA certification source.  Watch the video and see what they learned.

 

 

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