Street artist Banksy is something of a local hero in Bristol. However, the city's most celebrated contemporary is famously media-shy and rose to global recognition, mainly through word-of-mouth. This is a tactic that Bristol-based printer Minuteman Press is emulating by focusing its market strategy on raising its profile in the local community and by developing a user-friendly website.

This approach seems to be working - not only was it crowned with the Marketing Award at the 2008 Excellence Awards, but unique visitors to the company's website have risen quarter-on-quarter by 36%. The site is regularly updated, featuring links to local events and details of the work the printer had done for them.

However, the company's familiarity with the city does not stop it from targeting customers that are further afield. Thanks to the success of its website, it now supplies work to South Africa and America, as well as other parts of the UK. Company turnover has doubled during the past three years to £400,000 and it's up 27% so far this year. It's no wonder that Minuteman's managing director Peter Wise says the business has "done brilliantly" in the recession. Wise took over the franchise in 2006, having come from a background in marketing. "I was appalled at the level of service when I first got here," he says. "It was a declining business, both with its presentation and quality. It all had to be turned around."

Variety of services
A few years later and, according to Wise, things are now "extremely efficient". "We talk continuously to suppliers and we have a very committed team and quick turnaround for enquiries," he adds. "We're fast and haven't been extravagant in purchasing kit."

About 5% of the company's output is now large-format and 5% book publishing - areas which Wise says are "dramatically growing". Digital comprises 35% of the business, along with a similar figure for offset printing - two sectors that have both grown collectively in the past few years. Its design section too is flourishing.

Minuteman Press continues to sponsor local cultural events, such as the Bristol Design Festival, which "is all very useful as it increases awareness". It also works on direct mail jobs for the Liberal Democrats, religious groups and charity sectors. "The different markets offer a lot of flexibility," Wise says. "It is marketing as a collective and we are very careful how we communicate and put ourselves across to new clients. We sponsor activities and find that we make contact with different clients in different ways. It is a skill in itself."

However, it is the internet that remains key to its marketing strategy's success. "Business on the web has grown significantly, which is why our production has grown. We are very proactive on the web, but our spend on Google is small - organic growth has allowed us to reduce the spend further without detriment."

This use of the internet as a promotional tool is key to a printer's success, Wise believes. "There is such a gulf between print and design; two industries that are very similar. Designers have everything set up on their website and then you see printers that have one just web page with an address on it."

In order to capitalise on its recent growth, the company is looking to develop further, potentially with an expansion to another site. Wise also says that he hasn't ruled out acquiring another company. This is in addition to plans to invest in new kit, following the recent installations of a Xerox DocuColor 242 and a Duplo DF1000 folder.

The cost of going green
Despite not being FSC accredited, the company recycles much of its waste and puts an emphasis on environmental issues. Wise blames the "huge issue" of the cost of accreditation as the reason why Minuteman hasn't secured FSC. "We've put in various processes to work towards becoming environmentally friendly. It's exorbitant for an SME to pay for FSC, however much I would love to."

Looking to the future, Minuteman is hoping to maintain what it has at a competitive scale. At present, no client makes up more than 2% of its output, protecting it from company collapses. "The recession has exposed the company to clients that it wouldn't normally come into contact with," Wise says. "Business has jumped." And if sales continue to jump as high as the firm's profile, then perhaps one day Wise will have a bank balance to rival Banksy's.

MINUTEMAN PRESS FACTFILE
Location Bristol
Managing director Peter Wise
Sectors leaflets, business stationery, flyers, graphic design, website design
Staff four permanent, two part-time
Turnover £400,000