Referral programme aimed at printing shops

Steeplo

Hi folks,
I'm looking in to the viability of setting up a referral programme aimed at independent printers (i.e print shops) where they would refer on customers to us.

There shouldn't be any issues around competition or conflicts of interest - there may be in some cases, but they simply wouldn't participate in the programme anyway.

I would like printers to exhibit a point of sale display or a display stand, and obviously explain the service to anyone interested. Beyond that they wouldn't have to do anything. The printers wouldn't handle payments, so we would need a way of tracking the referrals (more on that below)

What type of referral fee do you think would be expected? I honestly have no idea what a printers would expect here - I would want to make sure it's fair and worth their while.

Also, would you care to take a guess at what type of average earnings a printers would typically want to be making in order to get behind the programme?

Regarding tracking a referral, the only way I can think of it working is that we give the customer a referral 'code' to grant them a discount on the service. For example, "quote PRINTER123 and get a 10% discount", so that the customer is incentivised to make reference to the printer so that they referral is tracked and rewarded.

Any feedback much appreciated

Thanks

thecommander

What's the product?

Steeplo

I'd rather not say what the product/service is out of the worry of competitors copying the idea. I hope that this won't affect the answers, I don't think it should make too much of a difference.

To give more info, the value (to us) would be in the region of €1000, with potential for ongoing revenue.

thecommander

Steeplo wrote: »

I'd rather not say what the product/service is out of the worry of competitors copying the idea. I hope that this won't affect the answers, I don't think it should make too much of a difference.

To give more info, the value (to us) would be in the region of €1000, with potential for ongoing revenue.

I own a print company. PM me.

ironclaw

Steeplo wrote: »

I'd rather not say what the product/service is out of the worry of competitors copying the idea. I hope that this won't affect the answers, I don't think it should make too much of a difference. .

There is no such thing as an original or unique idea. I've quoted it many times, but have you ever heard of MagicCab? It was a start up in LA that pre-dated Uber. Why have you never heard of it? Because Uber executed in a better fashion and more capital behind them.

You could have a fantastic idea but if it needs huge capital, you'll never get it off the ground. You could likewise have a great idea that needs no major capital, but because you didn't seek enough advice or feedback, could never ever been viable and waste a huge amount of time developing it. Your execution was poor.

The fear of someone copying your idea is low in my opinion. If it was groundbreaking, it would have been done before. I'd be asking yourself, why it isn't currently being done because from what you have described, you're talking about affiliate marketing e.g. A print shop can't do a job, so they forward to you, and you kick back a percentage of the sale?

Also, as regards copying, you need to ask yourself how bothered a competitor would be to do so. Simple things like online sales in some sectors, people are crying out for it but the sellers don't bother. Either laziness or an established business practice of not having online sales. Or perhaps there is a large technical or logistical challenge in doing so, but you might have the right set of skills to solve it while a single competitor may not. Something as simple as you may be out of college at 23 with no overheads, its a perfect time to make a mad dive and seek capital. The same can't be said for a 40 year old business owner with a mortgage and 3 kids.

You're far better off outlining your idea, maybe keeping out key 'patented' business processes, than retaining it. Some of the best ideas and steepest learning curves for me came from those frank conversations e.g. 'Have you considered this scenario?' and the world falls apart around you as you realize you completely overlooked it 6 months previously.

Trojan

ironclaw wrote: »

You're far better off outlining your idea, maybe keeping out key 'patented' business processes, than retaining it. Some of the best ideas and steepest learning curves for me came from those frank conversations e.g. 'Have you considered this scenario?' and the world falls apart around you as you realize you completely overlooked it 6 months previously.

100% agreed with this. Very few people are actually in a position to copy someone else's idea, and 99.99% of those are more interested in running with their own ideas rather than implementing something they didn't come up with.

Buttercake

Steeplo wrote: »

I'd rather not say what the product/service is out of the worry of competitors copying the idea.

Website Design?

ayatollah

I also own a print shop

PM me any details be glad to have a look at it