FASTSIGNS Bristol joins The Big Print Network

FASTSIGNS Bristol signs up to Innotech’s ambassador programme seven months after opening, ready to share a fresh perspective and put new materials to work

FASTSIGNS Bristol has joined The Big Print Network (TBPN), Innotech’s ambassador programme for wide and grand-format print businesses. The centre, which opened just seven months ago, will receive early access to new Innotech products, exclusive promotions, VIP event invitations and marketing support in exchange for promoting Innotech materials to its own customer base.

For a business still in its first year of trading, the appeal of joining a supplier-led network came down to community as much as commerce. Cat Mosler, General Manager at FASTSIGNS UK, says, “Growing any new business can be hard, and finding support and community within your industry can sometimes feel even harder. Having a good relationship with your suppliers not only opens up access to more knowledge and better prices, but it can also open the door to new customers and industry opportunities that would otherwise be hard to find.”

A relationship that started early

Innotech came onto the centre’s radar through recommendations from other FASTSIGNS centres before the doors had even opened. The relationship took shape when Innotech regional sales manager Mark Dallas paid a visit shortly after they launched. “We were blown away by his industry knowledge, competitive pricing, and his open and personal touch. Every step of the way, Innotech has been transparent about changes that affect us as a customer, and that above all else has ensured that we keep returning to them as a supplier,” Cat reflects.

Cat is also clear on the practical side of the partnership. “We love that Innotech can guarantee quality, while keeping the price competitive. They are also willing to share their in-depth knowledge with us when we need it,” she says.

When the invitation to join TBPN came through, the answer was an immediate yes. Top of the list of attractions is the chance to get hands-on with new Innotech products before they reach the wider market. “Getting in on the ground floor of innovative changes to the industry will help us get a head start on the competition and give us some practice time with the products before customers begin requesting them,” Cat explains.

What FASTSIGNS Bristol brings to the network is the kind of energy and curiosity that comes with being new to the scene. “One of the wonderful things about signage is that the product does the advertising for you. With the support from Innotech and our team’s expertise, we can demonstrate the reliability and quality of Innotech’s products through real life applications to projects on our social media,” Cat says.

She adds, “Getting into running a business while still being very young also puts us in a position to bring a fresh perspective to the scene, and provide insight into what the younger generations might find most engaging.”

On the materials side, the team plans to be a useful sounding board for product development. Cat continues, “We are a team of very practical, inquisitive people. We like playing with our materials and figuring out what works and what doesn’t. We’re really looking forward to providing Innotech with any feedback we have and helping them develop products that fit perfectly into a signmaker’s toolkit.”

A network built on partnership

That kind of mutual benefit sits at the heart of what Innotech wants TBPN to deliver. Kieran Dallow, Head of Customer Experience and Marketing at Innotech, says, “The Big Print Network isn’t about spend or scale. It’s about partnership. Our members are businesses we trust, businesses that share our values around quality, service and innovation. We want to give them something back, beyond the next order, and we want to learn from how they work with our products in the field.”

Cat concludes, “The biggest benefit is getting in on the ground floor of development and new launches. Getting to have a say in product creation, and being some of the first to have a go with fresh products, provides an edge you wouldn’t otherwise get. Knowing we can turn to the experts at any time for guidance gives that edge a security that makes The Big Print Network and Innotech impossible to pass up.”