In 1996, Linda Sang decided to leave the corporate world and join the Minuteman Press franchise family, and today, she is now celebrating twenty-five years in business at her location in Winter Park, Florida.
Linda’s daughter Darcy has been along for the ride, saying in a recent newsletter, “It was a world that none of us knew anything about but would quickly learn as every available hand was recruited to answer phones, hand collate and staple jobs, and market the business for our intrepid leader. And we have been doing it ever since.”
Being in business for over twenty-five years, Linda shares her biggest keys to longevity and growth.
She says, “We keep pushing to get new customers in various methods. The pandemic initially cut down on the door-to-door marketing that has always been successful in the past for us. We currently do more social media, thanks to my daughter, Darcy, and some direct mail campaigns targeting local businesses and new businesses.
“We are also very attentive to our customers, keeping them informed and helping them find solutions/options for their needs. We respond to emails almost instantly and turn quotes around as quickly as possible, generally the same day if there isn’t a lot of research involved. When we make deliveries, each customer gets a ‘goody bag’ with notepads and other branded items. Many customers get excited about our deliveries, sometimes even more so for our giveaways rather than their finished jobs.”
Over the past two years, Linda and her team have utilized various digital and print marketing tools available to them. She says, “We have gotten more into social media than in the past and have worked on getting high Google ratings, as customers do look at reviews. We do find that we are getting a lot of requests from Google and the Minuteman Press Internet Marketing program. We also test out the suggested methods from Minuteman Press corporate (such as the lumpy mailer and direct mail campaigns) and see what works best for us and our customer base.
“Otherwise, we are simply doing what we have always done through the years…provide solid customer relations.”
What’s next for Minuteman Press in Winter Park? Linda says, “We hope to grow this year by reaching out to new prospective customers and generate more referrals.”
Lastly Linda reflects on the family business and says, “In our case, Darcy and I work together well and have the same goals and work ethic. My husband, Kelly, is semi-retired and helps out when we need him. When you have this situation, you don’t have to worry about someone showing up to work or leaving for other opportunities. There is always loyalty.
“We also find it key to treat our employees as if they are family as well. Not only does it create a pleasant working environment, but loyalty builds as well. We work lean and mean, which makes for some long days, but when you trust your employees and family, it is truly a joy.”
