Painting Contractors Business Plan

Barnum Painters will focus on two markets within the industry, the residential segment (including apartment buildings) and the commercial segment (including buildings used for professional purposes).

The commercial market requires the shortest amount of time to completion of projects and usually the least amount of customization. Since our projects impinge upon a business’ profitability, it is absolutely crucial for our project foremen to maintain schedule and keep the stakeholders apprised of the project’s progress.

Although the above is also true for the residental owner, time is not as critical, quality and meeting the needs/wants of the client come first in the residential segment. The client is often willing to wait a little longer to have the project done to his/her specifications. The project foremen must be willing to be more flexible and willing to listen to the client.

Over the past decade a number of new trends have been observed in this industry. This includes the tremendous growth of the economy, the high technology boom, and the growth of substitute services such as Home Depot.

Market Segmentation

Barnum Painters will focus on two markets within the industry, the residential segment (including apartment buildings) and the commercial segment which includes buildings used for professional purposes. The company can handle any size building that needs its services. It is the goal of the company to eventually have approximately one-third of all business coming from the commercial segment, since this generates the greatest cash flow. Furthermore, this segment has the lowest percentage of variable costs. The residential segment is considered to be the company’s cash cow. Even during the slow winter months, the company can expect to have a small number of residential contracts.

Initially the company will focus on the two segments in just the Everett, Washington area. However, by the end of the three year projections, the company expects to be serving the entire Puget Sound area.

Target Market Segment Strategy

Each of the two market segments has differing needs and trends. The following sections go into detail about how the company will fact them.

Market Trends

Over the past decade a number of new trends have been observed in this industry. The tremendous growth of the economy has fueled the painting contractors industry as well, as people have progressively spent more and saved less. The high technology boom has created great opportunities in the Pacific Northwest which the industry has also benefited from. However,  the growth of firms such as Home Depot, which encourages do-it-yourself painting and construction, has lead to a serious decline in sales for the residential segment. The growth of this trend poses a significant threat to the industry. Barnum Painters plans to increasingly focus on the commercial segment as the company grows in order to promote greater revenue and income.

Service Business Analysis

Most of the industry analysis is contained in the Competitive Comparison section to give the reader the idea of the competitive nature of the industry, its opportunities and threats, and the company’s flexibility in pricing. Barnum Painters exists in a purely competitive market that faces virtually unlimited competition and high demand. The ability of the company to differentiate its services or enter into a niche market is limited. The company will engage in a low-cost leadership strategy while maintaining a suitable level of quality.

In the painting contracting industry, there are a limited number of large firms that compete for the largest projects, and a vast number of smaller companies that fight for all the rest. Within the largest company section, market consolidation is always a threat.

Competition and Buying Patterns

This industry is highly seasonal. The busiest times are during the summer months where it is easy for a company to become so engaged that it must turn down contracts. During the winter months businesses must focus on marketing to get any contracts at all.

Main Competitors

The main competitors for Barnum Painters include Kolby and Wilson, DMB Enterprises, Sun Painting, and Milbrant Commercial Painters.

Each of these competitors is able to achieve a high degree of profitability through marketing, volume or high-end contracts. They pose a significant threat to Barnum Painters because of their deep pockets and their desire to acquire other painting competitors. Barnum Painters will compete with these rivals through the use of greater marketing and better service.