Driving the van around on weekends

[Mule]

How many of you drive your van around for your personal errands
ie: weekends etc........ I've started doing it for the additional advertisement for these slower times....You see a whole different set of folks out and about. I get the good parking spots at the restraunt, walmart, lowes.... so everyone see's my graphics when they come out the door.....:D

[SEO]

I've had a few people call over the years and say that got our number off a parked truck . You have already paid for the lettering might as well take advantage of it.

[ceb58]

The only experience I had with my small trailer that had the graphics was a lady who was behind me called me to tell me I had a brake light out ( which was nice of her) and some guy saw me in a restaurant parking lot and tried to ask 10,000 diy questions:mad:.

[nakulak]

just don't drive the van to the local bar when you decide to get tanked - that's the kind of advertising you might not want.

[Rewire]

You may have a tax issue and you may want to check your insurance to make sure you are covered for non business use

[Duke E]

I’ve heard the argument that van lettering is the cheapest advertisement that can be purchased. I also believe it might be the least effective. Less than 5% of my business is initiated through van side logos. I’m not sure its worth the additional liabilities that come with weekend driving. If it works for you, more power to ya.

[ptonsparky]

I should drive the van with lettering, it gets +22mpg, my pickup gets just over 12 if I am reeeaaallly careful.

[Pierre C Belarge]

You may have a tax issue and you may want to check your insurance to make sure you are covered for non business use



Please...........:rolleyes:


He is using it for advertising reasons 8-):D

[petersonra]

I would not be too concerned about the insurance issue. But a quick check with your agent might be in order.

In fact, any personal use of the vehicle is supposed to be paid for by the user, or reported as taxable income, but in practice it is near impossible to police.

[Duke E]

How many of you drive your van around for your personal errands :D

To specifically answer your question...I don't allow it. Business cards are less expensive and word of mouth is free. Imho, your better off parking the van and picking up the phone.:)

[GUNNING]

I will give my kids logo tees to wear to the mall, school etc. I always walk around a little if I'm in an area with a lot of foot traffic with a clean work shirt on. I get looks from drivers when I drive around on the weekend and I can see them thinking, Weekend electrician. hmmmm. ...
I have a plumber friend who parks his trucks along the busy main road next to THE mall. Its like a giant moving billboard. Brand recognition. It gets you work. Thats the whole idea isn't it?
Have you tried something new called the internet. Its out there 24/7.

[bradleyelectric]

Have you tried something new called the internet. Its out there 24/7.

never heard of it. Where do you get it? Supply house?

[little sparkie]

I have a tan '08 Silverado 3/4 ton with a Reading Spacemaster 57" utility body on the back (I ran the circuit for the overhead crane that dropped the body on the truck, also wired the crane...cool), worked out of one of those when I first got in the trade and told myself I'd have one of my own one fine day. So now I do. I got out on my own a little more than 2 years ago and have 3 trucks now, all have the company name and contact info. on them. The '08 is the newest and prettiest of the fleet and the only custom-lettered one, the other 2 have magnetic signs. But from the first I have got calls from people telling me they saw my truck, they're next to it at a light, in traffic, they were eating dinner in a restaurant and there I was sitting at a light and they wrote the number down, etc. I drive those trucks, especially the new one, anyplace I can. Yes, there is a risk, but I have had no trouble since we all try our best to not drive like a %#$@ and the investment in "rolling billboards" has produced fantastic returns. So I say go for it and good luck, give 'em hell!!

[ohm]

I've had a few people call over the years and say that got our number off a parked truck . You have already paid for the lettering might as well take advantage of it.

I will take my big truck to do an estimate. It gets lousy mileage but I show off my capability which often gets me the job. It must work, there are companies that have billboard type signs on their sides. They try to stop at all the lights and circle the block constantly.

If you can't get a parking spot when you take your wife out to dinner just take the truck next time, double park in front of the restaurant with the flashers on and an orange cone front & back. You'll get free parking, advertising, quick service and possibly a ticket.:smile:

[tonyou812]

Ive gotten several servicd calls and smaller jobs with my logo. It works, if that is the sort of stuff you do. I know alot of EC generally dont like doing resi so they dont see any need to advertise.

[Mule]

Ive gotten several servicd calls and smaller jobs with my logo. It works, if that is the sort of stuff you do. I know alot of EC generally dont like doing resi so they dont see any need to advertise.

That's very true for us. Resi small jobs and service is our least favorite, but we take it all, as it all buys groceries. We try really hard to skew our business toward commercial and industrial. In fact while everyone else has higher rates for commercial, we tend to have our resi rates a bit higher than commercial, just to encourage that type of work.....

[brian john]

[/COLOR]



Please...........:rolleyes:


He is using it for advertising reasons 8-):D

Like it or not, pay it or not, the IRS wants that tax dollars on this perk.

[MA_Electrician1]

I’ve heard the argument that van lettering is the cheapest advertisement that can be purchased. I also believe it might be the least effective. Less than 5% of my business is initiated through van side logos. I’m not sure its worth the additional liabilities that come with weekend driving. If it works for you, more power to ya.


I agree with you.

[Kdog76]

Like it or not, pay it or not, the IRS wants that tax dollars on this perk.

Personal use mileage should be counted separate, if you're claiming mileage. Driving around to JUST to advertise would be a tough sell to the IRS. Again, tough to enforce...

[ohm]

Personal use mileage should be counted separate, if you're claiming mileage. Driving around to JUST to advertise would be a tough sell to the IRS. Again, tough to enforce...

That would be in a perfect world. Now if you have an accident pulling a boat with a company truck on a Sunday afternoon...you might have some explaining to do.:smile:

[Mule]

That would be in a perfect world. Now if you have an accident pulling a boat with a company truck on a Sunday afternoon...you might have some explaining to do.:smile:

What? I was taking a client fishing....it was promotional !!!

[ohm]

What? I was taking a client fishing....it was promotional !!!

Oh, you're goood!

[Duke E]

Gah! this happened to me. I didn’t have a truck big enough to pull my boat so I used the company issued truck. It did the job quite nicely.

I return from a long day fishing in Elliot bay only to find a note on my window. It read
“sorry I hit your rear tail light with my trailer” and continued to list contact information.
Mind you this Good Samaritan surely saw the bold logo on the side of my truck with my employer’s contact information.
What’s worse…..I didn’t even catch any salmon.

[CopperTone]

I don't generally drive my truck around on weekends for advertisement - seems a bit much. I do live on a main road and get a lot of calls from people who drive by my house and get the name and number from the lettering on the truck.

[Greg Swartz]

I drive my truck everywhere. It is used for business 6 days a week.
I drive it to church on Sundays too.

I park in the last parking stall, closest to the main road, for the best advertising. I don't know if it has paid off or not.

However, I had a contractor call me last week to look at some prints for an 8 plex custom condo / townhome unit. I think we're the only ones bidding it.
"Where did you find our advertising, kind sir?"
"I saw one of your trucks a few months ago. Then I saw one of your vans last week. I wrote your information down, and called."

This could be $25k in business.
If it is, I'd say the advertising worked great!

My service manager drives the van home every day. He even teaches at the local IEC. I allow him to take it there too... get lots of calls... not for business, but for JOBS!!! :smile::grin::cool:

I know my insurance agent. We have Farmer's. He says we are fine to drive the truck around. The van too...

In March, I will be going to Mexico to build a school and a house for missions work. We're taking the truck. I asked about that. The insurance agent told me we were ok... just buy insurance at the border. (We always do!).

So, I say, go for it!

Even if less than 5% of your business is from your vehicle, that's still a HUGE return.
Right now, we advertise on the internet, in the phone book, by word of mouth, on company apparel, and on our vehicles.

If I had to say about the price / performance: Word of mouth is the best, then vehicle logo / graphics, then company apparel, then internet, then phone book...

Referrals are our best source. Bar none... (Residential AND Commercial)
But the vehicle graphics... $2k on 2 vehicles... 1 time investment (so far anyway)... has a very good ROI.
Company apparel... $1k for over 80 pieces... guys wear them everywhere. Just got to get a good shirt / hoodie, and they will WANT to wear it.
Internet... needs constant attention... may be free money wise, but costs a lot of time... can be a good ROI.
Phone Book... maybe get 1:1 ROI... Maybe more... Maybe less...

[Rewire]

I cannot understand why some don't put grafics on their vehicles and trailers.We did company tees but stopped and went to a uniform service,my biggest fear with the tees was one day I would be watching an episode of Cops and would see an ex-employee draped over a patrol car with my logo on his back.Radio and internet have been our best returns as this is a resort area and the majority of our clients live elsewere.One thing to remeber if you drive your company truck and have an accident your health insurance company will sue your vehicle insurance company who will then sue your workmans comp.

[Greg Swartz]

...We did company tees but stopped and went to a uniform service,my biggest fear with the tees was one day I would be watching an episode of Cops and would see an ex-employee draped over a patrol car with my logo on his back...
I totally understand your fear. When the last 2 guys left, I almost asked for my shirts and hoodies back, for the same reason.

I have been hit up with the uniform service (multiple times now), but just can't justify it on a construction site. I only have 2 service guys, and it was going to get expensive there too...

Maybe we'll look into it this year.


...One thing to remeber if you drive your company truck and have an accident your health insurance company will sue your vehicle insurance company who will then sue your workmans comp...

ROFL! :grin::)... Can I get a piece of that??

[LarryFine]

I return from a long day fishing in Elliot bay only to find a note on my window. It read “sorry I hit your rear tail light with my trailer” and continued to list contact information. Mind you this Good Samaritan surely saw the bold logo on the side of my truck with my employer’s contact information.Reminds me of a little story I heard Johnny Carson tell yeras ago:

A guy accidentally backs into another car in one of those California alleys where everyone in the neighborhood hangs out on balconeys and windows overlooking the alley. Naturally, there are plenty of witnesses, so the guy gets a pen and paper and leaves a note on the windshield of the car he hit:


"I'm sorry about hitting your car. Everyone watching me thinks I'm writing down my name and phone number, but I'm not.

"Have a nice day."