Knowing the most effective way to market your business is a hurdle many business owners – and their marketing managers – are familiar with. With so many options available and with a budget to consider, where do you start, and how do you decide which will be the best method for you?

Using your company vehicle as a means to market your business is a method that many companies are adapting. If you have vehicles on the road often, then using your vehicle to promote your business is an easy way to get brand exposure and spread your business’ message.

Whichever way you decide to finance your company vehicles or vans, whether you choose cash purchase, business lease or vehicle rental, most companies will allow you to use vehicle wrapping to promote your business.

Northgate Vehicle Hire, specialists in long-term van hire who allow vehicle wrapping, discuss how the white van has evolved over the years to become a part of a business’ brand on the roads – and offer advice on the best ways to market your business through your van.

Is the white van a thing of the past?

Previously, many companies and tradesmen have operated with a white van. For many years, this was chosen because white was the colour that kept the van cooler for longer – reflecting sunlight rather than absorbing it. For drivers who delivered and transported food produce, fridges were not available in vans at first, so a white van was their only option.

However, fast forward to the present day and the typical white van has evolved over time – many companies now choose different coloured vans so that they stand out on the roads and get noticed, or choose to get their ‘white van’ wrapped with company details to spread their company message.

A plain white van no longer catches people’s attention, instead a well-designed, colourful and bright vehicle wrap encourages people to engage with your message as their eyes will naturally gravitate towards them.

Why should you invest in vehicle wrapping?

Using your van to market your business is an affordable marketing method that gains extensive exposure and is also an effective way to spread your company’s message.

It is the opportunity to give a great first impression before people even know who you are. Vehicle wrapping is a cost-effective way to advertise – whilst you will face initial investment costs, the long-term cost of vehicle wrapping is just a fraction of the cost of other marketing methods.

It appears to be worth the initial cost too. According to experts, more than 70% of motorists are influenced positively by the products and companies that they see advertised on other vehicles, and 98% of people on the roads said they noticed truck ads. Just one car wrap could generate between 30,000 and 70,000 views per day!

When you consider the figures for other marketing methods, vehicle wrapping appears to be up there as one of the best. Social media is big right now, yet only 45% of marketers think their Facebook efforts are effective.

However, 74% of people do still use Facebook for professional purposes. Additionally, of the extensive online population, 80% of users never click on online banner ads and only 22.87% open marketing emails.

Best ways to market your van

Using vehicle wrapping to market your business is an easy way to gain repetitive and continuous brand awareness and promotion – an opportunity to spread your company’s message to a wider audience.

When it comes to designing your vehicle wraps, there are a few tips to keep in mind to ensure you get the very best out of your van marketing – make sure your investment counts and grab the attention of those around you by following these words of advice!

Use your logo

Make sure your logo is used! Ensure it is big enough so people can recognise it, and is imprinted into the minds of those who see it. This helps boost your company’s brand awareness so that people remember who you are and associate your logo with you.

Accuracy

Check, check and check again. Simple spelling and grammar mistakes can be easily avoided if you make sure everything is thoroughly checked before completion – mistakes can cost you more money than you might not have in your marketing budget, especially if you are having several or more vans wrapped.

Clear font and format

Make sure that all text and images are good quality and clear – use a font and format that can be easily read. Remember, other road users will need to keep their eyes on the road, so keep the information short and sweet, as well as clear so that everyone can read it at a glance, and from a slight distance. Less is often more! Don’t confuse the reader with too much information.

Contact details

Advertising your company without providing contact details is almost useless. If you are providing a service or product that someone is interested in, they need to know how to contact you – make it easy for them. Most people in your audience won’t have the time to go looking for your details.