What Great Guys, Inc. does

Great Guys, Inc. (GGI) is a privately held, full-service marketing services firm headquartered in Elmhurst, Illinois, that has operated continuously since 1994. The company serves primarily Chicagoland-based businesses and institutions, delivering an integrated suite of services spanning creative design, commercial printing, direct mail and fulfillment (including database formatting, postal presorting, inkjet addressing, kitting, and warehousing), branded apparel and promotional products, custom packaging and labels, signage, invitations, websites, and SEO/reputation marketing. GGI differentiates through on-site USPS verification and direct entry to the Chicago bulk mail facility, enabling faster delivery and postage cost optimization for direct mail clients, and through a proprietary supply chain management software used to manage campaign logistics and brand strategy delivery.

The company's revenue model is project-based and quote-driven across multiple service categories, with pricing not publicly disclosed and customers required to request quotes through the company's website. Distribution combines a consultative, sales-led motion targeting enterprise and mid-market clients in the region with a self-serve client portal (ggionlineordering.com) for repeat orders from existing customers and an external e-commerce storefront (espwebsite.com) for promotional product browsing. Selected customers span food service, hospitality, healthcare, and SMB consulting verticals, and the company maintains dealer partnerships with paper suppliers (Envelopements, Birchcraft, Carlson Craft, Embossed Graphics) for its invitation product line.

Operationally, GGI employs 11–50 people, generates revenue through professional services engagements and one-time promotional product sales, and is led by founders with over 100 years of combined printing and marketing experience. The company has no disclosed external funding, no parent company, no subsidiaries, no patents, and no public AI or technology positioning beyond the internal supply chain management software and basic website/SEO service offerings. Its competitive position rests on regional density in Chicagoland, full-service breadth, and physical/logistical integration with USPS infrastructure rather than on proprietary technology IP or recurring contracted revenue.

Name

Great Guys, Inc.

Legal name

Great Guys, Inc.

Website

https://greatguysinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Great Guys, Inc. is a privately held, full-service marketing services firm based in Elmhurst, Illinois, serving Chicagoland businesses since 1994 with creative, print, direct mail, packaging, promotional products, and digital marketing services delivered through a sales-led, project-based model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marketing Services

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Direct Mail Advertising Services (7331)

akta.pro primary industry

Employer Brand & Recruitment Marketing Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAM)

Keywords

• Marketing services
• Print production
• Direct mail services
• Promotional products
• Branded merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Elmhurst

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Marketing Services: Project-based marketing services including creative design, printing, direct mail, branded merchandise, and digital solutions. Revenue generated through custom project quotes and service engagements.
2. Promotional Products: Sale of branded promotional items such as bags, pens, drinkware, and apparel with company branding.
3. Custom Packaging: Custom corrugated packaging and display solutions for various industries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Great Guys, Inc. is a full-service marketing services agency that provides creative design, commercial printing, direct mail, promotional products, branded apparel, packaging, labels, banners, and digital services including SEO and website development. The company serves businesses and institutions in the Chicagoland market from its Elmhurst, Illinois base, coordinating projects through a proprietary supply chain management software and Client Portal.

Product overview

Great Guys, Inc. is a marketing services company offering an integrated suite of creative, print, and promotional solutions. The portfolio includes Creative Services, Print Services, Direct Mail & Fulfillment, Websites, SEO, Banners & Signs, Invitations, Labels, Custom Packaging, Promotional Items, and Branded Apparel. The company also operates a Client Portal for online ordering and an Online Payment system. Services are delivered through a combination of in-house capabilities and partnerships, supported by proprietary supply chain management software. The company positions itself as a full-service marketing partner from design through production and distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creative Design Services Creative design services covering layout, branding, and artwork preparation for print, direct mail, digital, and merchandise campaigns, delivered to businesses and institutions in the Chicagoland market.
• Commercial Printing Commercial printing services for marketing collateral, business stationery, brochures, and other print materials, delivered to Chicagoland-area business clients.
• Direct Mail Services End-to-end direct mail campaign services including design, printing, USPS compliance, and mailing, leveraging the agency's USPS expertise for businesses and institutions in the Chicagoland area.
• Promotional Products Sourcing, decoration, and fulfillment of promotional products for marketing campaigns, events, and corporate gifting, available to Chicagoland business customers.
• Branded Apparel Custom branded apparel decoration and fulfillment for corporate, event, and team use, offered to businesses in the Chicagoland market.
• Packaging and Labels Design and production of custom packaging and labels for product and retail applications, served to Chicagoland-area businesses.
• Banners and Signs Production of banners, signs, and related large-format visual marketing materials for events, retail, and trade show use by business clients.
• SEO Services Search engine optimization services to improve organic search visibility for Chicagoland business clients, delivered alongside the agency's broader marketing services.
• Website Development Website design and development services for business clients, complementing the agency's print, direct mail, and promotional offerings.
• USPS Postal Services USPS postal expertise and processing services to support direct mail campaigns for business clients, leveraging long-standing postal knowledge to optimize cost and compliance.

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• EnvelopmentsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGreat Guys, Inc. is a proud dealer of Envelopments paper products for custom invitations. They also offer related products from Birchcraft, Carlson Craft, and Embossed Graphics.
• BirchcraftminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPaper dealer for custom invitations and stationery products.
• Carlson CraftminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPaper dealer for custom invitations and stationery products.
• Embossed GraphicsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPaper dealer for custom invitations and stationery products.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Cimpress (parent of Vistaprint): Large online printing and marketing services platform serving SMBs and enterprises globally. Competes with GGI across print and promotional products but operates at dramatically greater scale with a mass-market self-serve model.
• Quad/Graphics: Large commercial printing and integrated marketing services company offering print, direct mail, and data-driven marketing. Competes with GGI's print and direct mail capabilities, but at national scale with much broader service portfolio.
• Taylor Corporation: Major commercial printing and marketing services conglomerate with print, mail, signage, and promotional product capabilities. Operates in overlapping service categories with GGI but serves national enterprise accounts.
• RRD (R.R. Donnelley): Large commercial printing and marketing services provider with direct mail, packaging, labels, and communications services. Overlaps with GGI's print, direct mail, labels, and packaging offerings at national scale.

Direct peers

• Empower MediaGroup: Independent full-service advertising and marketing agency offering creative, media, and digital services to mid-market and enterprise clients. Comparable agency model to GGI but with a heavier emphasis on digital media.
• Allegra Marketing Print Mail: Franchise marketing services network combining print, direct mail, signage, and promotional products. Highly comparable to GGI's mid-market, project-based full-service marketing agency model.
• PostcardMania: Direct mail marketing company focused on small and mid-sized business clients with integrated design, printing, and mailing services. Comparable offering breadth and SMB orientation to GGI.
• IWCO Direct: Large direct mail marketing services provider offering data, printing, personalization, and mail distribution. Overlaps directly with GGI's direct mail and fulfillment capabilities, though at greater scale.
• Darwill: Mid-market direct mail and marketing services firm serving regional and national clients. Comparable in service mix (data, print, mail) and target customer profile to GGI.
• AlphaGraphics: Franchise network offering integrated print, marketing, and direct mail services to SMB and mid-market clients. Closely comparable to GGI's full-service model across creative, print, mail, and promotional offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Great Guys, Inc.