Is Van signage THAT important?

[Barry-QDCC]

On one hand I think it is.....on the other I'm not so sure. Right now I pull a trailer that is all lettered up. But 2 things are happening in the near future.
#1-We are moving soon to a new house where it is not allowed to park commercial vehicles in your driveway at night. I can pull it into the garage but I don't want to do that because I got other things I want to use the space in the garage for.
#2- I am buying a new van and getting rid of the trailer. Pulling it around is do-able but not as handy as I want among other reasons as to why I'm gettting rid of it. So I'm thinking about NOT lettering my new van.

I'm a one man band and not looking to get bigger beyond what I can handle myself. I've been in the busines since 1994 and have had the multi-van operation going and for the last 3 years working by myself. In all those years I've gotten a jobs here and there because of them seeing my van but certainly not many jobs. I actually think it's more an important when you pull up to a job and the lady of the house looks out see the work van confirming I'm safe and legit to let into the house. But I can smile and use my charm to calm any nerves.

With my situation perhaps van signage isnt that critical. What say you guys find about van signage? Do you get alot of jobs off your van signage?

 

[racebum]

big expensive wraps imo aren't worth it. a nice $100 decal set made from a local sticker shop with your name and phone number pasted on the rear half looks great. i have a $2000 wrap on my van, it's brought one job in 2 years

next van is getting a nice decal set and that's it.

carpet cleaning and phone number, end

i know some guys love the wraps and i'm driving around in one. not knocking it, just don't think it's worth the $$

 

[Art Kelley]

Back in the 80s and early 90's the vans I drove were professionally painted by a sign painter with my co name and # and a rainbow. They looked great and I got many calls from them, (some road ragers called my secretary to have me fired LOL). But I got to the point where I was turning away business because I was so busy and the signs became a nuisance having annoying people doing unwanted walkups asking me to look at their dirty carpet. I don't like being bothered by people when I'm working. For the last 20 years I have operated from plain unlettered vans that are clean and dent free (mostly). I could double or triple my business volume with some simple actions including a lettered or wrapped van, I just can't work any more hours.

 

[Mardie]

I do not see the expence of sinage on a vehical as a means of getting a signifficant amount of new work .It does however give you legitimacy in the eyes of the consumer when parked on a job site and when giving quotes plus you can park for free in the city loading zone parking spots without getting a ticket. I like it clean and readable at city speeds with the most important being a large logo and name. The name on my van is natural cleaning system and it portrays to all that see it on the job site that the client that i am working for is enviromantly reasponsible and i do believe that the clients like that image on display when i am parked their.

 

[handdi]

we do get calls off of lettering we track every call
down side little towns will get ya for city licenses frm the lettering on your vans

 

[Chris A]

I have one van wrapped and one plain. The plain one only gets used a couple times a month and on commercial so I've never felt it was neccessary to wrap it.

 

[steve_64]

check your local laws on commercial vehicles. in michigan its a law to have your name on both doors (drivers and passenger) at a minimum on commercial vehicles.

 

[Royal Man]

A nicely wrapped van can also be used to tie in with all your marketing. From websites, business cards fliers and print. It will give your business consistency and credibility. Plus, almost more importantly, it will give your business a USP. So, you are not just one of an other 200 plain white vans in your area. Being unique is extremely important to drive business and for client retention.

 

[Jerry]

My van wrap cost me about $3000.00. I track everycall (Full circle) and I paid for it in a year with new business. It stands out and can be read easily from 5 houses down of the job. There is to many white vans that are used by plumbers, electricians, etc. You have to really watch your driving though! People can really identify you!

 

[FB7777]

I beleive first and foremost, Van designs should have an illustration , your company logo and professionally laid out

Some wraps are overdone and overpriced

Clean and simple is best IMO

Leave the graffiti artist lettering to the demographic that is looking for window tinting, DJs, Custom Car Exhaust Work etc

My target audience DGAS how pimped out Carlos the Bridge Tagger can make my work vans appear in her driveway

 

[ruff]

I agree with Fred.

I know for a fact that a good, clean, aesthetic (not overly busy) vinyl lettering or wrap do work very well:

I ran a plain van when I started and finally put a nice lettering on. On the drive back from the place that put the lettering I stopped at the gas station for gas. As I was filling a lady saw the lettering and asked for my business card. That job (my luck it was a good size job) paid for the entire lettering cost.

I got many jobs since (I track the source) where they saw my van when I was cleaning at a neighbor, passing in the neighborhood etc.

Van signage is important, it works and it will more than pay for itself.

If you can, Do it.

And I would recommend working with someone (graphic designer) that will design a good one (not busy or overwhelming, simple is better, hard to achieve though.) It will be money well spent.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Yes, to at least replace customers that move, die, lose jobs etc. Although i like wraps a nice lettering job on a clean van will do just fine.

 

[Royal Man]

Ofer, You might want to put a pic of your van on your site for some of the reasons above.

 

[ruff]

I thought about it Dave. I agree with what you say about tying it all together (as far as marketing.)
However, I decided against it, as I wanted to keep my site as uncluttered as I could.

I may revisit and put it on an inside page.

 

[Barry-QDCC]

plus you can park for free in the city loading zone parking spots without getting a ticket. .

That benifit wasn't extended to me by the street sweeper crew. Got a $40 parking ticket!

 

[miksar]

How bout some nice magnetic signs, take em off when home.

 

[BLewis]

I'm like Dave I think wraps or vinyls lettering ties all of your marketing together. I also think it's hard to measure the full benefit from having a wrap. I have had people tell me that they had received my marketing flyers but never made the call until they saw my truck at a stop light or gas station. We market mostly to the south side of Lexington and that's also where you will see my trucks at. I used to (foolishly) think that I would get good exposure while doing restaurants however people are 't out at that time of night. I have had managers at restaurants tell me I didn't know you cleaned so and so I saw your truck on the way home the other night. So in a nut shell if you think your going to pay for a wrap with walk ups you will be easily disappointed but do they help, no doubt about it

 

[Royal Man]

I thought about it Dave. I agree with what you say about tying it all together (as far as marketing.)
However, I decided against it, as I wanted to keep my site as uncluttered as I could.

I may revisit and put it on an inside page.

Pictures can convey far more than words, Far faster and make a greater impact. They can also,help save a click through to your competition that has a sharp looking van.

 

[Mark Saiger]

Our Wraps work for us. The Red "Saiger's" lettering is actually reflective and glows at night. We are told that people see us everywhere and they know it is us. It is a traveling billboard and we can document that we do recieve a good portion of business from our van signage.

 

[mcatt]

I believe it is a good idea. It makes you look more professional/ legit. Also I do get a lot of walk ups and calls from being in neighborhoods.

 

[ruff]

Pictures can convey far more than words, Far faster and make a greater impact.

Not exactly!
There is a very long debate in the marketing field and greater minds than us Dave, do not agree about what sells more.
My guess would be that they both do and a good combo of both is best.

They can also,help save a click through to your competition that has a sharp looking van.

Get real Dave. Ppppppppppplease!
I know you are excited about your new wrap and its lovely, great improvement to what you had before, just don't make a religion out of it.

And good job Mark. Yours is a great example of a wrap that is simple (that's a compliment) as in uncluttered, and conveys everything that you want beautifully.

 

[Royal Man]

You talk about a good combination of Copy and picture. I agree. So, then why is your site all copy ('cept your picture.)

 

[Ron Werner]

Lettering is important, a big wrap, in your case maybe not so. The idea of magnets may work best for you. I think its very important to have some signage when you pull up. It should be very visible.
I just have large lettering on my truck, no wrap, get quite a few calls from people seeing it.

 

[A-Team]

My Van sign writing cost me $900 and I have paid for that 8x over in 1 year that I know of. It has no fancy pictures but has really big lettering that covers both sides, back window and front.

Yesterday I did the common areas of a retirement village. The job was worth about $500. But from the sign writing on the van all the residents could see their was a carpet cleaner on-site and within 3 1/2 hours I received $700 worth of new jobs from the residents (more than the initial job was worth) The old folk spread the word like wild fire and they were approaching me from everywhere. Carpet, sofas, spot removal etc

I get people coming up to me in underground parking areas of big unit complexes, gas stations, shopping malls and the list continues.

Is it worth it? For sure!!!! no doubt. Only thing is letting my wife drive it around. She likes to speed around a bit. One new commercial client rang me and booked in a job and at the end of the phone call he said "Yeah I saw you speeding through town on Saturday" she had the van on that Saturday.

 

[steve_64]

i had a similar thing happen at a retirement community but it was because of the cute peurto rican girl i had working with me. we joked about getting her some booty shorts and a tight top as a uniform.

i had bane clene logos on my van and use to get a few calls from people who saw me driving by and at gas stations and stuff.

 

[Peyton444]

I agreed what is said above!
Now a days, companies consistently see big benefits to marketing on their vans or cars with customized design. Certain two facts on this unequivocally the best we have all had. It is true that van marketing, as specified by vehicle wrap and car signs, provides amazing value for the cash.

 

[Shorty]

Get a sign maker to stick imitation doors and windows on the van.

Make it look like a regular people mover.

Also have some magnetic signs made up with your biz details.

Put the magnetics on after you leave home & take them off before you go home.

Bit of a pain, but it should get around the by-laws.

 

[Peyton444]

Yes ShortyDownUnder. You are right. This will be no doubt looking amazing. I also knows one of the professional in this regard. Sure he can be helpful for you to stick imitation doors and windows on the van. Go to illuminated signs Melbourne. Best of luck Barry-QDCC.

 

[juniorc82]

I have one van with signage another with magnets. I would ju get a couple magnets for your van that way you can take it off at the end of the day. I like having the option of going un marked, I know it has probley saved me a time or 2 from a commercial vehicle inspection on the highway. For that reason I don't letter my trailor either, I would rather have highway patrol think Im some guy hauling a sofa than have a target painted on me for the authorities to extort money from me in the form of tickets

 

[daniel@procarpet]

I would say it's worth it, but on the other hand I think it draws unnecessary attention from thieves and shady competitors. I probably won't wrap or letter my new van. Maybe a small magnet with name and number on the back, but that is about it.