Promo Insiders: Points of Convergence (and Divergence) Between the Print & Promo Industries

Back in 2000, Ray Titus, CEO of United Franchise Group (UFG) and a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of the most influential people in promo, founded what is now Counselor Top 40 distributor Fully Promoted (asi/384000) – then called EmbroidMe – in answer to a growing demand for promo products.

Titus had already been operating Signarama for 14 years – it was a franchise opportunity for business owners who wanted to offer signage and graphics. Over time, he realized that the customers who need the big things – signs and banners – also frequently need pens, hats, bags, mugs and apparel.

Today, Titus’ son Andrew is president of Fully Promoted and a fellow member of the Power 50. Andrew’s brother A.J. is president of Signarama, and both operate under UFG in West Palm Beach, FL. And while they spearhead their businesses in promo and print, respectively, the brothers grew up witnessing the growth and evolution of the two.

“Often when a customer walks into a Signarama location, they also need promo products,” says A.J. Titus. “We kept getting the question, ‘Hey, do you do this?’ We found we’re talking to the same customers at the end of the day. It’s not necessarily the products that are the convergence piece; it’s the joint customer base.”

At the same time, there are clear differences between the two operations. “A.J.’s franchisees would rather have the big purchase – the big sign, a whole window of graphics for one company – versus ours, which is more unit-based, like 10,000 cups, 10,000 pens in an order,” says Andrew Titus.

Still, business owners have seen the power of print and promo working together, so much so that a few have actually co-franchised to be under both the Fully Promoted and Signarama umbrellas. “There’s so much business for both parties,” says Andrew. “There’s a lot of opportunity to continue to work together.”