How Precision Letterpress Achieved a Built-In Customer Base

A family business doesn’t have to mean it’s passed down through generational hand-offs. They are also built from the strong network of local businesses in the community before them.

Kenneth Barbeiro opened Precision Letterpress Inc. – a shop specializing in printing, die cutting, foil stamping, business cards, wedding invitations, and much more – roughly 16 years ago. From day one, his customer base was already present.

“When I opened up, I told everyone I was opening a shop and the customers just came,” he said. “I never had sales or advertising.” 

Part of that triumphant opening, and part of his continued success, Kenneth attributes to the network among the local businesses. That network is something he’s known about since childhood. Kenneth explained how his dad owned a printing company in Sacramento while Kenneth was growing up, and he remembers his dad’s stories about a “craftsmen’s club” that all the local printers belonged to.

“On the third Thursday of every month, they got together, had food catered, and shared knowledge,” he said. “As all the old owners retired and gave their business to their children or closed, that went away.”

While the craftsmen’s club may no longer exist, the strength of those connections and the bond between local businesses remains – a fact made evident by Kenneth’s built-in network of customers and collaborators. Over the years, Precision Letterpress has had a steady stream of clients, and that network has only grown, but he wasn’t exempt from the effects of COVID-19 on businesses.

At the start of the pandemic, Kenneth knew he had to be creative in order to keep his business growing, despite the unanticipated challenges. He created a mailer that he sent out through his network, alerting those connections to his services. That network came through, and Precision Letterpress had no shortage of requests.

“This was the first year I decided to do a mailer, since things had slowed down because of the pandemic,” Kenneth said. “Now, I have too much work to do!”

With a growing to-do list, Kenneth recently encountered a new but common dilemma: hiring. Sacramento businesses aren’t the only ones looking to hire – the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a series high of 10.9 million job openings across the U.S. Currently, Kenneth said his team of employees is small, but he’s eager to grow not only to help with the workload, but also to add new skills and services. 

“I’m looking forward to just expanding more. Now that we have a lot of new accounts, they’re asking us to do different and new things,” Kenneth said. “I’m excited to upgrade equipment and hire more people.”

While the business owner keeps the future in mind, he was reflective on the past of the craftsmen’s club and the special community among Sacramento small businesses. Although the club is now just a memory, the power of that network continues to be evident through Precision Letterpress’ success and continued growth. That same network will continue to evolve and expand, and every small business is welcome.

Here’s where you can find Precision Letterpress Inc.:

8179 Belvedere Ave., Suite B

Sacramento, CA 95826
Email: precisionlp@sbcglobal.net
Phone: (916) 451-0190