Most SMEs invest in marketing to some extent – from an ad in your local newspaper’s classifieds section, to sponsoring the match ball at a local sporting event – but vehicle wrapping is a compelling proposition that many new businesses may have overlooked.
While other advertising will typically cost you month after month after month, vehicle wrapping is a one-off investment which, if you care for your vehicle properly, should still look great in several years’ time.
And yet it can not only replace, but also extend your existing marketing mix and audience reach.
Consider the following:
- Billboard advertising can be relatively expensive, and is fixed to just one location; vehicle wrapping goes where you go at a fraction of the price.
- When you are parked up on a job, vehicle wrapping removes the need to erect signs to tell passers-by who is carrying out the work.
- The exterior of your vehicle is valuable advertising real estate which, with vehicle wraps, you can use to its fullest potential.
Everywhere you go
Obviously, vehicle wraps are a mobile form of advertising – your marketing message goes where you go, at all times.
This has inherent advantages, as it enhances any positive word of mouth you might get from satisfied customers talking to their neighbours.
In a small local community in particular, your brand visibility receives a powerful boost; but even in a large city, a distinctively wrapped vehicle will stand out more in the sea of everyday commercial traffic.
Stay on message
Don’t pay by the word for a generic classified ad that most people will flick right past; your vehicle wrap’s design can incorporate your own colours, branding and tone of voice.
Be strong in your design ideas and people will know at a glance when you drive by, or when they see you parked up.
Recognition is crucial to establishing a brand – especially for SMEs that might still be building a stable customer base – and a wrapped vehicle makes a strong statement on the road and when parked up on a job.
How to be seen
Vehicle wraps are a format all of their own, so make sure that your design does you justice – this is no place for small print.
Consider vibrant colours if you want to grab the attention of pedestrians, passers-by and fellow motorists; if you have a distinctive logo, include that too.
Discuss putting your brand name (or your name, if you’re an individual) in pride of place, with at least one mode of contact clearly listed nearby – people need to know who you are and how to contact you, even if they only glance at your vehicle.
It’s also wise to include a very brief description (think bullet points, not whole sentences) of what you do.
Often you don’t need much more than that: who you are; what you do; and how to contact you.
A bold and simple statement is much more powerful and, combined with the striking colours and graphics of your design, should be more than enough to build some valuable brand recognition for your fledgling business.
