Vehicle signage

[e57]

For those who have it - do you get much attention through vehicle signs - if so - how much and what kind? (i.e. just a little HO attention asking for a card or more?)

 

[480sparky]

I can't say for 100% sure that it's effective, but I can say it's a one-time expense that lasts the life of the vehicle.

 

[satcom]

For those who have it - do you get much attention through vehicle signs - if so - how much and what kind? (i.e. just a little HO attention asking for a card or more?)

Professional signs on a clean late model truck will usually draw customers, with us it is about 20 to 30% of our calls. Yellow Pages is about 50% and news papers 20% and the rest are repeat customers or customers recommending us, this is all residential commercial needs Blue book listing and working with good established general contractors, and engineering firms.

 

[e57]

Professional signs on a clean late model truck will usually draw customers, with us it is about 20 to 30% of our calls. Yellow Pages is about 50% and news papers 20%

Well that sounds like really good bang for buck considering the cost of yellow pages...

 

[chris1971]

My state (MN) requires our vehicles to have our name, phone number and license #. I have had people call from my truck graphics

 

[bphgravity]

Bad signage and graphics on a bad vehicle can be damaging to an otherwise good business. I know when I see a wrecked up, dirty vehicle with faded lettering and crapy graphics, I think to myself that I would never call them. It's a first impression thing.

So if you do go with vehicle signs, go classy and professional. And as stated above, make sure you comply with advertising laws in your state.

 

[GUNNING]

Don't be a fool! Wrap that tool!

Don't be a fool! Wrap that tool!

Get thee to a signage shoppee and WRAP THAT TOOL! Let that advertising work for you for FREE! We don't get much of that now a days!
People find signage that is not parallel to the ground as a curiosity. Bright high vision lettering and bold colors are the key, AND you only have to pay for it once. Good image gets you good customers and attracts good help that want to drive that spiffy truck. It would be a mistake not to get signage that works, don't scrimp. How much would you pay to get your name on the lips of everyone you drive by. (that is without the curse in front of your name because you cut them off again) Priceless, for sure.

 

[220/221]

I can't put a dollar amount on it but common sense says that you should put your name in front of as many peole as you can. We plaster our name/number all over our trucks.

People do read all the BS that's listed and they usually say "wow, you guy's do all that?" when really it's just basic electrical work.

I always hear "I saw one of your trucks today" from friends.

 

[ceb58]

I can't put a dollar amount on it but common sense says that you should put your name in front of as many peole as you can. We plaster our name/number all over our trucks.

People do read all the BS that's listed and they usually say "wow, you guy's do all that?" when really it's just basic electrical work.

I always hear "I saw one of your trucks today" from friends.

All those nice trucks and you got them rideing bikes

 

[zbang]

There is one counter argument- nice signage on a truck can say "things to steal inside". They're great around town, but don't leave that nice truck on the street in a dodgy part of town. Some friends in the sound reinforcement business stopped having (attempted) break-ins when the signs went from "XYZ Pro Sound" to just "X.Y.C". and the ICC number.

Just something to think about.

 

[okeefe]

my trucks graphics are loaded all four sides of the trucks in a profesional clean look. I do mostly residential work and my one van sticks out. People tell me all the time that they saw that van. One day I will love to have a full van wraped. I just know that it works.

 

[brittle]

I had graphics (close to a full wrap) installed on one van 2 years ago and received zero dollars in new business. It was professionally done with an electrician on the side, very eye catching. It looked great but did nothing to generate new customers. Just presented the business in a more professional manner. If I had it to do over again I would just put the name and telephone number, etc.

I've also found web pay-per-clicks and sponsored advertising to be a waste of money. If you can get your site to come up organically in the first or second spot I would think that would work very well. Mine doesn't ...I'm like number 12 on the second page. Useless.

With regard to advertising in general it seems to me to be highly over rated. There's a site called Kudzu.com that I use to use a few years ago and it was awesome until they got greedy and changed the way results are displayed. Now you put in electrician and you get GC and other watered down results.

At this point I don't know where to turn to improve business with advertising. Slight high-jack, sorry.

 

[ishium 80439]

Just one more caution about lettering. Many years ago I was working for a company and driving their lettered truck. When I got back to the shop at the end of the day my boss handed me a slip of paper from the answering service they used. It said something to the effect of "I saw one of your trucks on [particular area of particular highway] this morning doing between 75 and 80. Just thought you'd like to know." I was the only person in that area at that time so I was cold busted. (For the record I wasn't driving aggresively, just fast in the left lane). And this was in the days before cell phones were so prevalent so someone actually wrote the number down and made the call when they got home. Make sure that you and your guys know that if they're driving a billboard that they need be Ward Cleaver on the road.

 

[RICK NAPIER]

Just a word of warning that when you sell a truck make sure to paint over the sign. I sold a truck once and didn't paint over the sign since the buyer was a contractor who said he was going to have it repainted that week. He didn't and I got irate phone calls about the truck cutting people off and careless driving. After a few weeks of this I hunted the truck down and painted over my sign.

 

[LarryFine]

"I saw one of your trucks on [particular area of particular highway] this morning doing between 75 and 80. Just thought you'd like to know."

"No, boss, you misunderstood the message. I was driving between route 75 and route 80."

 

[Ohmy]

Signage on your truck is a absolute must. I tells customers that you mean business, have been around, plan on being in business for while, are not hiding from anyone, are a professional company, get paid well, etc. PLUS, you do get calls from it.

We have two types of trucks in our fleet and one type has a much nicer wrap. When I drive one of the wrapped trucks I notice that customers, parking attendants, other contractors, etc. treat me a little nicer than normal.

I also think that criminals know that a nicely wrapped truck probably has an alarm and GPS. So they don't bother with it.

 

[Ohmy]

Just one more caution about lettering. Many years ago I was working for a company and driving their lettered truck. When I got back to the shop at the end of the day my boss handed me a slip of paper from the answering service they used. It said something to the effect of "I saw one of your trucks on [particular area of particular highway] this morning doing between 75 and 80. Just thought you'd like to know." I was the only person in that area at that time so I was cold busted. (For the record I wasn't driving aggresively, just fast in the left lane). And this was in the days before cell phones were so prevalent so someone actually wrote the number down and made the call when they got home. Make sure that you and your guys know that if they're driving a billboard that they need be Ward Cleaver on the road.

I see this as an obvious benefit!!!!!!

 

[LawnGuyLandSparky]

Just a word of warning that when you sell a truck make sure to paint over the sign. I sold a truck once and didn't paint over the sign since the buyer was a contractor who said he was going to have it repainted that week. He didn't and I got irate phone calls about the truck cutting people off and careless driving. After a few weeks of this I hunted the truck down and painted over my sign.

You were not "cold busted." The caller could have been lying. The caller is not your boss and did not testify under oath nor sign a deposition nor is subject to cross-examination.

To "bust" you an employer must PROVE you did something wrong, and unfortunately an anynomous caller who could very well have been drunk isn't enough. Our company has those "1-800-drive-safe" "how's my driving" stickers all over them, with truck ID numbers, and they're worthless in determining how employees drive.

Your employer only wants you to THINK they do...

 

[LarryFine]

Our company has those "1-800-drive-safe" "how's my driving" stickers all over them, with truck ID numbers, ...

I prefer "If you don't like the way I drive, stay off the sidewalk."

 

[Sierrasparky]

Yea. I took the phone number off the back of my truck because of false calls. Some folks are just looking to make trouble.