As a small business owner, your ad budget is limited and getting the best
buzz for your buck means exploring a variety of ways to market your company.
Advertising in traditional media and on billboards can be pricey options, but
how about rolling billboards? Promoting your company with decals and graphics on
your company cars, vans and trucks is a budget-wise way to get the word out.
Stats from the American Trucking Associations reveal that 91 percent of
people notice words and pictures on vehicles, and 75 percent develop an
impression of a company based on its vehicle graphics. "One vehicle can equal 8
million impressions throughout the course of a year," says J.R. Kraft, director
of business development for
www.buildasign.com, whose website helps customers create and price their own
vehicle graphics.
"Traveling billboards can get your message out fast," says Kraft. "It's
probably the lowest cost per thousand to advertise your company. But you have to
be as clear as possible with the graphics and lettering. We advise including
your website address, especially if it has a catchy name, to get attention."
And now there are more options than ever when it comes to making your car
part of your ad campaign. "It used to be that a permanent graphics paint job to
put your logo on a car was your only choice, but today there are a number of
alternatives," says Mike Suzanski, co-partner with his wife, Lynne, of The All
Signs Group in Huntington Beach, California. His company makes removable
magnetic signs, partial or full plastic wraps and permanent or peel-off vinyl
lettering. So what kind of signage is right for your business?
Wraps
Wraps can be as vibrantly colorful or as low-key as you wish. A full wrap covers
the entire vehicle and can include perforated material over the windows; a
partial leaves the windows clear. Suzanski keeps several artists on staff to
come up with customized designs and says wraps can take one to two weeks to
design and two to three days to install. Prices are usually quoted by the square
foot.
Magnetics
Magnetic ads are great if you use your vehicle for both home and office since
you can remove them quickly when necessary. Ariel Rodrigue, owner of J&A Custom
Interior Painting in Cutoff, Louisiana, uses magnetics on her truck and removes
the signs whenever she needs the vehicle for personal use. She points out that
removable signage is perfect for those whose neighborhood regulations prohibit
commercial cars and trucks in driveways.
Just make sure you learn how to apply your magnetic signage properly. "If
they don't lay flat, air bubbles can cause them to fly off while driving quickly
and you'll have wasted your ad budget," says Suzanski.
It's best to practice taking them off and putting them on at the sign
company, although the bulk of sign company orders are now handled online, and
companies, such as Kraft's, provide full instructions for proper use. Kraft also
notes that magnetics are a good buy because they can be moved from car to car as
needed.
Gloria Cordova, owner of Rocky Point Destinations and Services LLC, a
beachfront rental company in Tucson, Arizona, includes her e-mail address and
phone number on her vehicle's magnetic signs. "Sometimes people see my truck
parked and they wait for me to return to talk to me, or they'll write down the
phone number."
Vinyls
Permanent or removable vinyl logos and lettering can be installed on your
vehicle's windows as well as on the body itself. With an infinite number of
styles, typefaces and colors, peel-off vinyls are among the lowest-priced
options to market your company, depending on the vehicle size and design.
Suzanski says to take the condition of your vehicle into consideration. "If
your car has its original factory paint, you're probably safe from damaging it
with peel-offs, but if you've had the car repainted at an auto repair shop, the
paint might come off along with the letters when you remove the signs."
Nancy Stern, president of
Communication Plus, warns that not all communication is good communication.
Because her business offers corporate training and employee development, she
says that advertising with a sign on her car wouldn't be appropriate, nor would
it be a good use of her marketing dollars.
Stern has, however, jotted down contact information for two businesses she
saw advertised while driving on the highway. "Signs on the side of vehicles can
indeed make a statement, but be sure the quality of signage is in alignment with
the message you wish to send," she says. "Include a website in your graphics
that is easy to remember. Phone numbers are generally too difficult to recall as
your car is driving by."