Copy center business plan. How to open your own copy center? Detailed business plan and calculations

Our interlocutor today is a young girl Bersheva Lucia from the small town of Akhtubinsk in the Astrakhan region. She opened her own department printing services, investing only 15 thousand rubles. How did she manage to do it?

 

Main points of the interview:

  • Type of activity: provision of services to the population (photocopying, printing documents and photographs)
  • Location of business: Russia, Akhtyubinsk
  • Occupation before entrepreneurship: Kindergarten teacher
  • the date of the beginning entrepreneurial activity: year 2013
  • Organizational and legal form of doing business: individual entrepreneur
  • The amount of initial investment: 70 thousand rubles.
  • Source of initial capital: own savings, gratuitous grant for starting a business
  • The formula for success from Lucia Bershova: “It is important to set a clear goal: what exactly do you want to achieve, what do you want to do and why…”.

Hello Lucia! Tell our readers about what kind of business you are in?

Hello! I have my own department of printing services "Print Font" in the city of Akhtubinsk, Astrakhan region. We provide services such as text copying, typing and printing, firmware and so on. We also print photos.

When did you open this department?

A little over half a year ago.

What did you do before you became an entrepreneur?

I was a teacher at kindergarten.

Lucia, what was the impetus for you personally to start your own business?

After finishing my studies and returning to my native Akhtubinsk, I began to look for a job. She got a job as a kindergarten teacher. At first I liked everything, but then, you know, the question of wages became acute - it was very low. One day I was walking home from work and thought - why not change my life? Then I made a firm decision - to open my own business. The dream of a business was a long time ago, but at that moment I firmly decided to realize it.

Why did you open the printing department?

It’s just that I myself was a student quite recently and often turned to the services of such departments. I myself and my fellow students made copies of entire books, and typing even “flew a pretty penny”. I roughly figured out how much you can earn on this, and decided to open such a department. Then, it seemed to me that there was nothing particularly difficult in this ...

Another confirmation of my decision was the fact that the condition for receiving a subsidy from the state (for which I opened my department) was the provision of services. That is, for example, I could not open a store or trade anything at all.

Who are your main customers and how many are there?

There are enough clients. Basically, these are students of the university, which is located not far from us. Another of the main visitors are servicemen who hand over documents to their communal maintenance department (it is located next to us). There are also a lot of older people. In general, I chose the location of my department so that the traffic was high.

What difficulties did you have to go through when opening the department?

I would not say that there were special difficulties - they helped me a lot with the paperwork at the labor exchange. I received my main funds there. Probably, the search for the necessary equipment for the department can be attributed to the difficulties. At that time, I didn’t understand it well - for me it was a completely new field of knowledge in which I made mistakes.

Let's talk about the financial side of the business. How much money do you need to have to open such a department?

Of course, the more money you have, the better! Here, a lot depends on the premises - for some reason, rent in our small town is more expensive than in the capital of the region - Astrakhan, or even in Volgograd, a millionaire! In my case, the starting capital amounted to about 70 thousand rubles.

Where did you find the necessary funds?

As I said, I received the main amount in the form of a subsidy from the employment service. It amounted to 58,800 rubles. The rest I borrowed from my parents. This is not a business that needs millions, so I didn’t even think about a bank loan!

How long did it take to get government funding? Was it easy to get it?

To receive a subsidy, you need to write and defend a business plan. A week and a half after his defense, the money was already in my account. So my answer is yes, it was easy to get and didn't have to wait too long!

What taxes do you pay?

I see a lot of technology in your department. Who is involved in its maintenance, purchase of consumables - you yourself or someone else?

The purchase of consumables is on me, and the maintenance of equipment is carried out by a specialized service center. If you need something - just call the master on the phone.

Is it expensive to maintain such equipment?

No. For six months of work, nothing has ever broken and no special expensive maintenance was required either.

Did you know that there are vending machines that allow visitors to make copies on their own? Would you put one like this?

Yes, I heard about it. In my department, I would not put this - too expensive and complex equipment. Who will serve her in our small town? Yes, and this device would not have unloaded an employee in my department in the slightest - she would have been pulled every now and then. “Girl, explain how to put the document! And what is it? And how to use it? The people in our city are not very enlightened in such know-how.

Are there regulatory audits? How often do they run?

There have never been any checks.

If you take the monthly budget for running a business, what is the largest expense item?

Rent! As I said, in our town it is for some reason very large. In second place is the purchase of consumables.

Do you have competitors in the city and how do you attract customers?

There are a lot of competitors! The difference of our department is in our convenient location. We are closest to the main client - students. I also attract people by making our services a little cheaper than in other similar departments. Of course, someone who needs to copy five sheets will not go to another department because it is cheaper there, but if we are talking about a hundred sheets (and this happens!) - a person will come to us 100%.

If you could now return to the time when you just started, what mistakes would you like not to repeat?

Mistakes in the acquisition of equipment. Not knowing it well enough, I purchased a printer that was very expensive to maintain. I just had to give it away and buy a new, more economical one.

If you go back in time, I would better understand the specifics of this business. Before starting, I would consult more with knowledgeable people.

What do you think is the most important thing in business? Why do some people succeed and others don't?

In my opinion, the most important thing is to be well versed in the business you want to open. Then there won't be many mistakes! You also need to study the market.

What advice would you give to those who want to start their own business?

First of all, you need to set a clear goal for yourself: what exactly do you want to achieve, what do you want to do and why. Then you need to do everything to implement the plan. You also need to believe in success and dream big, even if not everything works out.

Right now in present time, more and more young and ambitious people are thinking about starting their own business. If there is a clear confidence in the need for this, then you should decide for yourself a number of important questions: in which area to make your choice, how to get the most income with minimum quantity costs, how to draw up a business plan, buy the right equipment, select informational advertising. AT recent times the most popular are various copy centers, and this is understandable, because not everyone has their own personal printer at home, and copies of various documentation are always in demand. You should think about how to open a copy center and what is needed for this.

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First you need to think about what the size of the initial capital will be, develop a business plan copy center, its location, Technical equipment and equipment.

To place a copy center, you should choose places of mass congestion of people, educational institutions or territories adjacent to it.

Working hours are preferably around the clock, without days off and holidays. After all, often students need copies of documents at the very last moment, and this will help increase income and leave a positive impression of the company. The business plan of the copy center should also include the amount of initial capital and what it will be used for. To begin with, the amount must be at least 100 thousand rubles. If this money is not available for this period, then you can take advantage of a profitable offer to open a small business using an employment center or take a loan from a bank.

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Name of the company, its structure and estimated costs

You need to decide on the name of the company and its structure. Depending on what it will be, a small copy point or a large copy center, equipment should be purchased. For a large organization, one inkjet printer and a computer will not be enough, it is better not to skimp on a professional laser printing machine, binders, bookletters, consumables, etc. The name of the organization should be chosen in such a way that it is clear what it does and what range of services provides. It is desirable to use part of the word "copy", for example, "Copycenter", "Copymania", "Copy-market", "Kopitsvet".

Let's calculate the estimated costs. Please note that prices can vary greatly depending on the region.

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Registration and taxation of an enterprise

Now another important part follows - this is the registration and taxation of the enterprise. It is better to start registering as an individual entrepreneur. It should be noted that the IP lists an ever-increasing quarterly tax in Pension Fund and bears full responsibility with all its property to the tax service.

There are several types of taxation system, and you need to choose the most best option for your enterprise. The tax is calculated depending on how many employees work in this organization. The most successful solution would be either a simplified taxation system or a single imputed tax. Having estimated the profitability of one or another option, you should write an application to tax service in the name of her boss.

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Organization Advertising and Pricing

When everything is formalized legally, you should declare yourself. Advertising activities will depend on what material means and opportunities you have. These can be cards with discounts, flyers at the entrances and in mailboxes, ads in the regional media.

To attract additional customers, you can set a price below the average, for example:

  • printing and photocopy of documents - 3 rubles;
  • photo printing - 6 rubles;
  • preparation of documents, recording on information media - 8 rubles;
  • manufacturing teaching materials for educational institutions- 35 rub.

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Profitability and potential profit

The approximate profitability for all types of services offered will be as follows:

  • black and white printing, document lamination - 300%,
  • souvenir products and photo printing - 100%.

The following services are most popular in descending order: photo printing, copying and laminating documents, refilling printer cartridges, recording on information media. They also bring in more income.

Net profit, as a rule, depends on what the amount of cash investments will be:

  • up to 100 thousand rubles - from 5 thousand rubles. up to 30 thousand rubles / month;
  • up to 500 thousand rubles - from 5 thousand rubles. up to 40 thousand rubles / month;
  • from 500 thousand rubles - from 10 thousand rubles. up to 100 thousand rubles / month

The first option is to have a small copy center and work for yourself. In the following - an indication is required wages employees. After a couple of months, you can analyze the current situation, if expenses exceed income, you should improve advertising activities to attract more customers. If there is no result even after six months, close the point or open it in another place.

In this material:

The ability to purchase a copier for home use could not reduce the demand for services to zero this kind. A business plan for a copy center will help you organize a profitable business with a small initial investment.

The services of a copy center are in demand enough to organize a profitable non-dusty business. The main thing is to choose the right location and not be stingy with advertising. Vacancies in this niche there is always, the one who can catch the wave and meet the expectations of the consumer will win.

Business Benefits

Among the various areas of small business, the organization of a copy center is one of the most attractive. Business benefits include:

  • small starting capital;
  • minimum permits;
  • relatively low operating costs;
  • high profitability;
  • small staff (without special qualifications).

In fact, anyone can become the owner of such a business with a certain start-up capital and business acumen.

Demand analysis for copy services

The presence of copiers in apartments and offices is not a reason to believe that copying services are not in the price today. The need to make a photocopy sometimes arises very unexpectedly, and the easiest option is to seek help from a copy center, where the problem will be solved for a nominal fee.

In addition, the services of copy centers are not limited solely to copying documents. They have the ability to print files from the Internet or from digital media, amend finished documents, increase or decrease the size of documents. At home, it is not always possible to make an A3 copy, print large-scale drawings, diagrams, drawings, scan or laminate paper. Additionally, copy centers print out photographs, make collages, calendars, postcards to order, print on T-shirts, mugs and other souvenirs. The range of services is wide and varied, so the copy center, located in a busy place, will not be left without work.

Organizational matters

Registration

To open a copy center, it is enough to issue an IP. To do this, after submitting an application to the tax office, you need to obtain an individual taxpayer number - TIN and submit documents to the city government:

  • a copy of the passport;
  • receipt of payment of state duty;
  • application in the prescribed form.

As a taxation system, the USN or UTII is suitable.

Choice of location and premises

The main criterion for choosing the location of the copy center is high traffic and accessibility. A busy city street, an office center, a building in the immediate vicinity of large educational institutions (or in them themselves) will do. There should be a convenient approach and access to the copy center, preferably parking, including for bicycles. A room located on the first or basement floor is the best choice.

The size of the room is not important, even a small room or office will do. She must match SES requirements and firefighters, be equipped with an emergency fire extinguishing system, a fire detector and ventilation.

Determination of the range of services

The list of services determines the choice of office equipment necessary for work. The wider it is, the more potential visitors the copy center will be able to serve:

  • copying;
  • scanning;
  • typing, editing and printing of text;
  • printout of documents from media;
  • lamination;
  • drawing pictures on products;
  • stitching.

Procurement of equipment and materials

To equip a copy center, you will need at least:

  • computer with multifunctional device;
  • copier format A 3;
  • risograph;
  • laminator;
  • paper cutter;
  • stapler, hole punch;
  • apparatus for stitching (binding apparatus);
  • photo printer;
  • plotter A1.

In addition, you need furniture - a table, chairs, racks, shelves, showcases.

Recruitment

2-3 people will be needed to work in the center, they do not need special education, it is enough that they will be confident PC users and be able to handle office equipment. Such qualities as responsibility, sociability, creativity, accuracy are important.

Advertising

It will take some time for the copy center to work at full capacity. Best Advertising- word of mouth, but before it turns on, it’s worth launching a video on local radio, on TV, placing information in the press and free flyers that are thrown into mailboxes. You can distribute flyers and business cards, hang a bright announcement in educational institutions near the center. Good result gives advertising on the Internet, social networks, city portals.

The copy center should have a conspicuous sign that can be seen from afar.

Financial plan

Initial investment

At the start, the main costs consist of:

  • purchases of furniture and equipment - 165 thousand rubles;
  • paperwork - 800 rubles;
  • advertising - 40 thousand rubles.

Monthly expenses

  • rent and utilities- 20 thousand rubles;
  • purchase of consumables (ink, refill cartridges, paper) - 70 thousand rubles;
  • advertising - 5 thousand rubles;
  • salary - 50 thousand rubles.

Profit

Payback period

The profitability of the business is 18-20%, the initial investment will pay off in 12-14 months.

At the dawn of a business, it is completely optional to buy a large number of expensive office equipment, you can start small, gradually expanding your capabilities.

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The services of copy centers are still in demand and are very popular. This happens through the use of professional equipment, which is aimed at fast and high-quality results. At the same time, the cost of printing text is much lower than on a home printer, which periodically needs to be refilled and paper needs to be bought for it. It is also necessary to contact a copy center if you need to print color photographs and images. Rarely does anyone have the necessary equipment at home.

Business specifics

A copy center is understood as a special service that provides services to the public for copying and printing any type of documents in different formats.

Usually clients become state institutions for various purposes, including higher and secondary educational institutions. At the same time, students often require services not only for printing information on paper media, but also scanning, copying, binding of term papers and theses.

Based on this, good copy center must provide the population the following types services:

  1. Copying of all types, sizes and formats.
  2. Lamination of important papers and documents. This is done so that over time the information is not lost and always remains in a readable and legible form.
  3. Printing documents. Moreover, it can be black and white documents or papers with color inserts. That is, various charts, tables that may be needed for correct design term papers, theses, and laboratory assignments.
  4. Manufacturing business cards. This process is not particularly difficult and will not take much time. But business cards cannot be printed on cheap and low-quality paper, so many customers turn to copy centers for such services, where there is always the right paper. Here, employees know how to use the necessary graphic editors with which you can quickly create good business cards.
  5. Printing photos. This shouldn't be a top priority for a copy shop, but having such a service can go a long way in expanding your customer base. Not every person can afford to install a printer with a color cartridge at home, since refilling it and buying photo paper is a very expensive pleasure.
  6. Printing brochures, books and teaching aids. It is much more profitable to perform such a service in a copy center than in a large and professional printing house, in which it is very expensive to reconfigure all the equipment for the sake of a small print run.
  7. Manufacture of binding of term papers and theses. Without this, the student will not be allowed to defend his scientific work.

In copy centers, in addition to basic services, you can also provide additional services that will also generate income for small businesses. These include the sale of CDs of various formats, flash drives with various volumes memory, small stationery.

The more diverse services will be provided in the copy center, the higher the chance that customers will not only return here, but also bring other people with them.

Premises, location, target audience

To open a copy center from scratch, first of all, you need to right choose a place for its organization. It should take into account all the features of the target audience that will visit it.

Usually these are students of nearby schools and lyceums, higher or secondary educational institutions. In addition, teachers, teachers, medical staff become clients of the center. Also, all those people who need services for copying, printing documents, photographs and color images become customers.

Therefore, a copy center business plan should begin with a choice right place for activity. It is best if it is located in close proximity to:

  • higher and secondary educational institutions;
  • communal organizations;
  • medical institutions;
  • large residential areas.

The location of your copier should be easily accessible. It is best if it is located in a place where there is a large flow of people in any direction.

It is very important to know how to organize a copy center so that after visiting it, people have only positive emotions. It should be properly organized and include:

  • customer service room - 20 sq.m;
  • storage room - 4 sq.m;
  • a room for storing equipment - 15 sq.m;
  • utility room;
  • bathroom.

The best option would be a room with an area of ​​20-45 sq.m, which is located on the ground floor, for example, of a university, business center or shopping complex.

Necessary equipment

The organization of a copy center implies the purchase of the necessary equipment. But before you do this, you need to clearly define the services that you will provide at the beginning of your development. After the business pays for itself and attracts a sufficiently large number of customers, you can expand the list of services. Therefore, the mandatory equipment for the full functioning of the copy center are:


  • Laser.
  • Jet.

The first is much more expensive. But its further maintenance is much cheaper than that of inkjet models.

If there is a restriction in financial terms, then for the first time you can purchase 3 in 1 multifunctional equipment. That is, in one device there will immediately be a printer, copier and scanner. But over time, there will be more customers and you will have to provide several different services at the same time. Therefore, the 3 in 1 device can only be used for a short period of time.

In addition to the purchase of basic devices for the provision of various services, it is necessary to purchase additional equipment for the copy center. It includes:

  • copier for A3 paper size in black and white;
  • color copier;
  • device for binding documents;
  • laminating equipment;
  • risograph.

The wider the range of services of the copy center, the more modern equipment should be present in it. You can't let a client go to another place for necessary service . Therefore, over time, it will be necessary to install equipment for photo printing, making postcards and booklets. In addition to stationary devices, it is necessary to install special licensed programs for design and graphics on a personal computer or laptop.

To make customers and employees feel comfortable and cozy in the copy center, you also need to take care of purchasing tables, chairs, cabinets and various shelves.

Business registration

The activity of a copy center is not subject to licensing. That is, to get started, you need to obtain a certificate from the Federal Tax Service and conduct business as individual entrepreneur. The expense will be 2,000 rubles. Additional documents for this type of activity are not required.

Advertising

In order for a copy center to make a profit, it must be properly advertised. This will help attract a large number of new customers. correct and efficient advertising consists of the following activities:

  1. Signage and outdoor advertising, which will be located near the copy center to indicate it to the flow of people passing by. It should be bright and colorful, but not irritating people.
  2. Flyers and business cards. They can be distributed among students, pupils, employees of nearby organizations, as well as customers who have already contacted the copy center. People will be able to transfer information about the copy center to their friends, relatives and acquaintances.
  3. Announcements on the Internet. Today it is very popular and effective to promote your business through social networks, specialized sites and forums.

Also, in the process, you can create your own website. So people can get all up-to-date information about services and their cost via the Internet at any convenient time.

Investments, costs and profitability

To know how much it will cost to open a copy center, you need to determine the prices for the services provided. They should not be higher than those of competitors, as potential customers can simply make a choice in their favor.

If 1 employee works in a copy center, then he must carry out his work with the following intensity:

  • printing and copying in black and white format - 800-900 sheets per day;
  • printing and copying in color format - 170-200 sheets per day;
  • printing photos - 200-220 pieces per day;
  • scanning - 80-90 sheets.

You will not be able to start working until you have a business plan with calculations for your copy center. If the norm is met, in 20-22 working days, the monthly revenue should be from 240,000 to 270,000 rubles in Moscow, 180,000 - 200,000 rubles in other regions.

In addition to revenue, it is imperative to take into account the costs that the copy center will incur in the first year of operation. These must include:

  • rent;
  • staff salaries;
  • cost of equipment.

Based on this, the total amount of expenses per year in Moscow will be from 2.5 to 2.7 million rubles, in the regions - 1.8-2 million rubles.

Comparing all the figures, we can conclude that the profitability in the first year of operation will be from 15 to 16%. After a period will pass payback period, a copy center in Moscow will increase this figure by 1-2%, a regional firm - by 3-4%.

To achieve such results, it is necessary to have not only the most expensive and modern equipment, but also to properly serve each client. Without exception, all employees must be polite and attentive, try to provide any type of service with the highest quality so that the client is completely satisfied with the work done.

Copycenter will be a great opportunity to get high level income. In order for it to bring maximum profit, you need to take care of right organized work, quality materials and equipment, as well as to hire friendly and honest employees to work.

In order to attract a large number of new customers who may become permanent in the future, it is necessary to responsibly approach the advertising of your enterprise. If you write a business plan correctly, then in as soon as possible your business will begin to make a profit.

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A copy center is especially in demand if there are government agencies in the neighborhood, as people constantly need to make copies of any documentation. By the way, students of secondary specialized institutions and universities use a larger set of services of such a center - making copies, printing, laminating and binding graduation papers.

Copy center equipment

To open a copy center, equipment is purchased, including a laptop or computer, an inkjet photo printer, a standard printer (preferably a laser one), a photocopier, and a binder.

First, you can purchase a completely and multifunctional device that replaces three pieces of equipment, which will save cash and place. When the flow of people begins to increase, then specialized equipment is also purchased, which allows you to immediately make copies and scan. The cost of initial equipment will be about four thousand dollars.

Place selection

A good location for a copy center would be a university, a supermarket, a place with a large number of government agencies nearby. The traffic on the first floor is much higher, so it is preferable to choose it, rather than the second floor. The total area is small (6-10 sq.m.) to allow two people to stay at the same time.

The range of copy center services includes:

  • making copies (xerox). One of the most popular services;
  • laminating documents;
  • black-and-white printout (demanded by students due to the large volume of printing);
  • color printing (do not buy for the home, as the cost of ink is high);
  • printing of business cards (inexpensive service for customers). To make business cards, you need to know Photoshop and CorelDraw;
  • (it is in demand, especially when printing more than a hundred photos, copy centers reduce prices). For the customer, you can create the opportunity to choose a photo on the spot, as well as offer flash cards for sale for recording;
  • binding of theses (the cost of this service reaches eight dollars), the procedure is simple and quite profitable even without a copy center;
  • there are orders for printing books, booklets (production of small batches, as a rule, which are not taken into order due to insufficient volume);
  • , for example, selling paper by the sheet. This way you can attract potential customers who may want to use other services along the way.

Income from the copy business

The cost of copy center services in each city is different. It costs approximately $0.06 to print one sheet, copying will cost $0.08. If you print twenty term papers thirty sheets each and ten diploma papers each one hundred sheets, the income will be ninety-six dollars.


In this business, as in any other, there are periods of high orders and periods of decline in orders. The approximate net profit of a small copy center per month will be about a thousand dollars.

In addition to the main list of services provided, you can also make calendars, greeting cards, wedding invitations . It is possible to cooperate with wedding organizers, they are also engaged in the manufacture of calendar cards with photographs.

You can expand the list of services provided for T-shirts.

When working with potential clients, it is necessary to create a pleasant, friendly atmosphere so that they have a desire to return to this copy center again. Of course, the copy business will not be easy, but the costs are relatively small, so why not give it a try.