ABBOTSFORD, British Columbia, Canada – Kerri and Mark Brandon are the owners of the Minuteman Press printing franchise in Abbotsford located at 34220 South Fraser Way, Unit #5. They have owned their business since May 2013 and remained open as an essential business throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this wide-ranging interview, Kerri and Mark share their own personal experiences in operating and growing their Minuteman Press franchise over the past eight years. They also provide their key business growth strategies that have enabled them – as well as their clients – to successfully adapt and pivot in 2021 as they look forward to 2022.
Ten Questions with Kerri & Mark Brandon, Minuteman Press, Abbotsford, B.C.
1. What has it been like helping local businesses at this crucial time?
“We were very thankful to be able to remain open and serve our community as an essential business. The fact that we were forced to think outside the box and pivot to move into new areas enabled us to help our customers in ways that kept them (and us) safe and moving forward. We are excited to help our clients who are ready to ramp things up get back on their feet and rebuild their momentum.”
2. What has the response been from clients and the community when reaching out?
“Our clients and community have been amazing. Because we remained open, we were able to keep our connection to them uninterrupted and they have come to know that we are there to help, no matter the request. We made a concerted effort to keep the lines of communication open through email and by telephone during those times that we could not connect in person.”
“I think because choices became somewhat limited during the lockdown phase of the pandemic and our efforts to step up our marketing, we were able to better capture the focus of our current clients and the community as a whole to inform them of the full range of products and services we are able to offer.”
3. What are the high-demand products and services that have really been helpful for your clients?
“At the beginning of the pandemic, there was high demand for items such as floor decals, face masks and custom plexiglass barriers. So much so that it was hard to keep up with the demand.”
“Currently, direct mail has provided a great way for our clients to communicate with their customers and reintroduce themselves back into the marketplace. However, the largest demand has been for large format signage and decals. This can be attributed to our increased focus on marketing in various different ways over the past year.”
4. What are some of the key ways you’ve grown your business?
“Since taking over our business over eight years ago, we have definitely expanded our product lines with large format printing and dye sublimation. We were extremely thankful to have had these in place prior to the pandemic as they were crucial to being able to service the community’s high demand for dye-sublimated and heat-pressed face masks, floor decals, signage, and banners. We were even able to source out and supply custom plexiglass barriers.
“We also took advantage of the Lumpy Mail program developed by Minuteman Press International and landed some very lucrative accounts by simply reaching out with a phone call and following that up with some personalized goods, which translated into multiple orders.”
“As previously mentioned, we also stepped up our email marketing to keep in touch with our customers every step of the way. Being that everything moved online, we were sure to keep up our marketing using Minuteman Press International’s internet marketing program.”
“In addition, we were lucky enough to be members of BNI during this time which, through the power of Zoom, helped maintain our visibility and build credibility in the business community. Networking like this gave us the opportunity to introduce our new ideas and products and easily share them with the other members of our chapter.”
5. How would you best describe your community?
“Abbotsford is a very tight-knit, loyal, and hardworking community built on the resilient farming industry. As such, our customers value relationships and personalized service. They have come to appreciate our quality products and quick turnaround times and of course, our free contactless delivery.”
“Abbotsford’s business community is fiercely committed to supporting local businesses, which in turn has really made this community thrive despite the challenges of the pandemic. Through the Bounce Back Canada program, we were able to offer a free platform to promote, and encourage our community to support local businesses. Today, that local support remains strong as we all are in this together.”
6. Why do you think printing remains so vital to businesses today?
“Communication is vital in business and we offer multiple avenues to make this happen. This was made even more evident over the past year as our customers looked for ways to communicate with their customers at a time when being in person was not a possibility. As a business, being able to provide this vital service to our clients through direct marketing was an invaluable asset.”
“As we move forward and more businesses and events return, we have been able to help our customers with items including signage and banners, laminated or single use menus, scannable printed QR codes, and custom pop-up tents.”
7. What was your background before franchising and why did you choose Minuteman Press?
“Neither of us had a print background when we bought our franchise in May 2013. Mark had been an operations manager for a car rental company for 20-plus years and Kerri had an extensive background in customer service and administration.”
“We had always wanted to own our own business one day and when we attended a franchise show in 2012, we were approached by Western Canada Regional Vice President Neil MacLeod. Neil welcomed us to the Minuteman Press booth and said, ‘Even if you decide not to buy a franchise from us, maybe we can win your future printing business.’ After looking into many different business opportunities, the treatment we received from the Neil and the Minuteman Press team made us feel like we would be joining a supportive and reliable franchise and thus our decision was made.”
8.What has the support from Minuteman Press International been like for you?
“In the early days of the pandemic, the support was essential in helping us to maintain a positive attitude and keep moving forward. We ourselves took a proactive stance and we were so thankful to see that they were actively working to support their franchisees.”
“As the pandemic rolled along, we had several check-ins from our field rep Ray Leung advising us to take advantage of first the Bounce Back Canada program and then the Lumpy Mail campaign. Both of these encouraged us to actively reach out to our customers, the latter of which turned out to be very successful for us.”
“We truly appreciated the constant communication from Nick Titus (President, Minuteman Press International) offering support and positive updates that included suggestions of what was successful for other owners.”
9. What are your biggest personal and professional rewards of owning your own business?
“On the personal side, Kerri’s biggest reward is being able to experience a client’s gratitude when helping them complete a project from start to finish, especially when they have been told ‘no’ somewhere else.”
“For Mark, it would be the sense of accomplishment of taking what was an underperforming location when we took it over and turning it into a strong, thriving, successful business.”
“Professionally, both of us pride ourselves on the level of customer service we are able to provide. We strive to do whatever we can to ensure our customers have a great experience when dealing with us, and on the occasion that they don’t, we are sure to do everything within our power make it right. We are rewarded every time we receive that 5-star Google review and are proud of our 4.7 rating which we have actively worked to achieve. We were especially proud when being recognized by Minuteman Press International with their Achievement in Customer Service Award.”
10. What advice would you give to other local businesses right now?
“Market. Market. Market! Even when trying to control your expenses, don’t skimp out on marketing. Traditionally, this is the first thing to go when the need arises to cut back on spending, however, marketing keeps you top of mind over your competitors and you never know where your next big client might come from.”
For more information on Minuteman Press in Abbotsford, British Columbia, visit https://minuteman.com/ca/locations/bc/abbotsford.
Learn more about Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.ca