Van advertising

[chancha]

Hi, does anyone have any experience of the effectiveness of van advertising? Currently I have a white van with no markings but I am wondering if the expense of advertising would be worth the initial outlay.
My start-up business includes cleaning and sealing driveway, patios, roofs etc and it never ceases to amaze me on the number of enquiries I get from neighbours whilst I am doing jobs on-site. Comparing this to cold-calling using leaflets where my uptake rate is probably less than 1% I think advertising on the van would be a better solution.
I see that vehicles can be totally encapsulated with very goos adverts that look more like photographs etc but these are very expensive (£2k plus). Would I be better off getting the van lettered using vinyl lettering instead? Oh, and someone please recommend me a good company for this type of work?

Many thanks

Kevin

 

[gingerdad]

depending on the van ,we get fully wrap back doors on ours and costs around 240.00. we have full colour logos on the front and sides and costs 179 pounds. we also have one van wraped on three sides it cost 700 pounds. it would cost a lot more to do the full van, we missed most of the fiddly bits on the front and doors.

GD

 

[estwig]

You gotta do it mate, you'd be mad not too.

Our van is sign written, would luv to do the wrap thing maybe one day. We get work from it, but more importantly it looks professional.

Do you have sign boards?? Only £50.00 each leave 'em on the job for as long as possible, for £50.00 the work they generate is amazing, just leave 'em on a job you have finished.

 

[J.D. Landscaping]

What Estwig says, think about the cost of advertising in local papers etc compared to the sign writing, no brainer. Then park it outside of B & Q et al on weekends with some leaflets strategically attached/on clients cars etc.

 

[J.D. Landscaping]

depending on the van ,we get fully wrap back doors on ours and costs around 240.00. we have full colour logos on the front and sides and costs 179 pounds. we also have one van wraped on three sides it cost 700 pounds. it would cost a lot more to do the full van, we missed most of the fiddly bits on the front and doors.

GD

Hi there GD, where in cumbria and what do you do please ?

 

[Real World Hypnotherapy]

Hi

I know about van advertising as my business partner used to own a carpet cleaning company and they used to do this amazingly well. Firstly like any other marketing piece, forget about taking up a lot of space with a logo and website address etc. No one cares about your logo and no one will remember your website.

If you do these following two things then you will make a massive amout of money.

1. Put on lots of copy (text) about what it is that you do and the benefits of using your company.

2. Put on the van racks with flyers in so people can take them away.

Do these two things and you will make money. Just cover the van with you logo and phone number and all you have is a nice looking van. If you want to make a lot of money, do the above.

My business partner used to come back to his van and there would be people standing there reading it and sometimes he would have to wait 5 minutes to drive off until people had finished.

You can get racks that stick on the side of the van and remember to be able to cover them up in case of rain.

Also if you need someone to print the flyers for you, email me at [email protected]

Hope this helps

Matt

 

I got some signwriting onto my horrible gawky van a few weeks ago, and it is the best bit of local advertising I have ever done.

Every callout I do for domestic customers ends up in further work from a neighbour, and people stop me when they see me getting in/out of it.

The business enquiries have picked up too, as my van is sitting on industrial estates plain to be seen by everyone.

No better form of advertising for local work imho.

 

[chancha]

thanks guys, it's much appreciated

Kevin

 

[Sphinx]

Molly Maid is the most successful and longest running cleaning franchise going in my opinion (my business is my own but i have coppied Molly Maid quite carefully). They insist on the franchise owners using little blue cars with signage on for a reason. It is probably the best advertising imo.

Well, word of mouth might be the best, but this is second best

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

Put the text on the back doors. no-one can read the side stuff when you're driving along, but when you're sitting in a traffic jam you can bet your bottom dollar they'll read every word written on the back doors.

 

[Sphinx]

Put the text on the back doors. no-one can read the side stuff when you're driving along, but when you're sitting in a traffic jam you can bet your bottom dollar they'll read every word written on the back doors.

But then when your parked in the street, the neighbours might not see it, I say put it all over

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

But then when your parked in the street, the neighbours might not see it, I say put it all over

Yep, i meant branding and logos and titles etc all over. Quite a lot of london companies put it on the roof too, for the benefit of all the high-rise office workers.

But on the back doors go for quite a bit of text. All that stuff that you want people to read & register, rather than just look at. Recommendations, lists of what you do, etc etc etc.

 

[Sphinx]

Good idea

 

[credit cruncher man]

Just a question that I have to go along with this, does it make a difference how old/what condition the van is in?

I say this because I have an s reg peugeot boxer which is tidy enough but by no means a new van, would having this signed up still work or would the age/condition of the van put people off?

 

[estwig]

Just a question that I have to go along with this, does it make a difference how old/what condition the van is in?

I say this because I have an s reg peugeot boxer which is tidy enough but by no means a new van, would having this signed up still work or would the age/condition of the van put people off?

What do you do???

Builder, courier, IT???

Any type of trade and you will be perceived as a cowboy in an s reg Boxer.

Get yourself a new van, the extra work this will generate and the higher prices you will be able to charge, will more than pay for the van.

 

[gingerdad]

Hi there GD, where in cumbria and what do you do please ?

near Kendal, and we distribute tourist information

 

[credit cruncher man]

Im actually a market trader, however I have just bought a huge joblot of door viewers (spyholes) after something moneyman said on here about supplying and fitting the viewers when he was younger.

My best friend has his own sign company so I would only have to pay for the materials so I was looking to put some signs on my van advertising this service.

But would my van be ok or have a negative effect??

 

[gingerdad]

this is one of mine

 

[estwig]

Im actually a market trader, however I have just bought a huge joblot of door viewers (spyholes) after something moneyman said on here about supplying and fitting the viewers when he was younger.

My best friend has his own sign company so I would only have to pay for the materials so I was looking to put some signs on my van advertising this service.

But would my van be ok or have a negative effect??

Fair enough mate, a bit of enterprise eh?? Good for you.

Definitely get the van sign written and you are right a new van would perhaps be a step too far at the moment. Maybe even quote prices on the van, use it as an advertising medium.

Start a thread in the marketing section on here outlining your ideas and you may well be surprised at the professional advice you will get on what to put on the van. Don't think anything will do, you really should take professional advice on how to use the van to promote your new business, or you may be missing an opportunity.


Good luck.

 

[credit cruncher man]

Cheers for that!

 

[estwig]

Your welcome mate, start a thread in marketing and I'll try and gee it along a bit for you.

 

[paul881]

Hi

I know about van advertising as my business partner used to own a carpet cleaning company and they used to do this amazingly well. Firstly like any other marketing piece, forget about taking up a lot of space with a logo and website address etc. No one cares about your logo and no one will remember your website.

If you do these following two things then you will make a massive amout of money.

1. Put on lots of copy (text) about what it is that you do and the benefits of using your company.

2. Put on the van racks with flyers in so people can take them away.

Do these two things and you will make money. Just cover the van with you logo and phone number and all you have is a nice looking van. If you want to make a lot of money, do the above.

My business partner used to come back to his van and there would be people standing there reading it and sometimes he would have to wait 5 minutes to drive off until people had finished.

You can get racks that stick on the side of the van and remember to be able to cover them up in case of rain.

Also if you need someone to print the flyers for you, email me at [email protected]

Hope this helps

Matt

This is spot on advice from Matt. No one is interested in the name of your company, your web site or logo. What they are interested in is what you do and your telephone number on every plane of your van As long as your van isn't a rust heap, leaking oil on driveways and is kept clean, that would be fine.

I live in a small development of 7 houses in a close. As soon as a van arrives on any of our driveways, the neighbours have clocked it, written the number down and phoned them for a quote. I kid you not.

Plumbers, electricians, carpenters, kitchen fitters, gas fire fitters, lawn treatment companies, window fitters, garden designers, interior designers, guttering contractors, soffit and barge board replacement companies; dog walkers, cat sitters, uPVC cleaners, loft insulators, chimney sweeps, aerial erectors, white goods maintenance - you name it, our neigbours (and us)are suckers for them all.

So go for it - you will be amazed at the response

Did you notice I haven't listed drive sealers - my wife is desperate for someone to do this and to our patio's and pathways!

 

[estwig]

This is spot on advice from Matt. No one is interested in the name of your company, your web site or logo. What they are interested in is what you do and your telephone number on every plane of your van As long as your van isn't a rust heap, leaking oil on driveways and is kept clean, that would be fine.

I live in a small development of 7 houses in a close. As soon as a van arrives on any of our driveways, the neighbours have clocked it, written the number down and phoned them for a quote. I kid you not.

Plumbers, electricians, carpenters, kitchen fitters, gas fire fitters, lawn treatment companies, window fitters, garden designers, interior designers, guttering contractors, soffit and barge board replacement companies; dog walkers, cat sitters, uPVC cleaners, loft insulators, chimney sweeps, aerial erectors, white goods maintenance - you name it, our neigbours (and us)are suckers for them all.

So go for it - you will be amazed at the response

I'm a builder and (No Offence) that sounds like my worst nightmare, all those timewasters pestering me for a quote, to build a garden wall, hang a door, fix a broken fence, fit a kitchen and do silly little building jobs. I like to pick my clients and not have them assume I am interested in their work or will give them a quote.

The idea of lots of text on my van and leaflets

Makes me shudder!!!!

 

[i234i]

I'm a builder and (No Offence) that sounds like my worst nightmare, all those timewasters pestering me for a quote, to build a garden wall, hang a door, fix a broken fence, fit a kitchen and do silly little building jobs. I like to pick my clients and not have them assume I am interested in their work or will give them a quote.

The idea of lots of text on my van and leaflets

Makes me shudder!!!!

How do you get work by deciding?? Do you have already a good client base?

I think alot of the time some people dont have the choice and not as lucky to pick and choose every piece of work they do some simply need it!

I just hang up on builders (and i have used alot for work on premises) who dont care or want to give you a quote. So many of them seem totally un-interested, and if so they can still show a bit of decency and help you out or decline nicely! Many of them all seem the same really really door-faced! So far this year ive spent around £30k on building works. Found a total smasher of a guy though who has been doing work from full building conversion for the music studio, taking structural walls away to hanging doors.

Not you, just my experience in builders!

 

[estwig]

You are absolutely right mate, on the whole my line of work is dominated by a bunch of miserable, useless t8ssers. This makes it so, so easy to have the pick of work, a good portfolio, the right trade memberships and a decent attitude is all we need to charge top prices and have our pick of clients.


"How do you get work by deciding?? Do you have already a good client base?"

No client base, we build domestic extensions £20k+ so very little repeat work, we write to people with planning apps on the council website, (as long as we like the look of the plans, they live in a nice area and generally we like the look of things) we have a good website and undertake highly targeted PPC.

 

[julieanne4]

hiya

we are a courier company in woking, surrey. We had our vans sign written about 9 mmonths ago and havent received any business from it - We thought we would bring it a lot of new custom but as yet it hasnt generated anything.

 

[Real World Hypnotherapy]

Can you take pictures of the van and put them up so we can see?

Remember that it does depend on the business and how you should advertise, if that makes sense. Trades people always do well with van advertising because they stay still in residential areas where people need their services.

Couriers however, people usually go online to find them. Well that is what I think would happen anyway. I have never seen a courier van and though, I need their number let me write it down. Instead I have google'd it.

It won't hard to have your details on a van like this, but I don't think it woudl bring in any business. For this type of business I would invest in the website, adwords and possibly flyers (we have printed quite a lot for couriers and with good results).

Matt

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

Can you take pictures of the van and put them up so we can see?

Remember that it does depend on the business and how you should advertise, if that makes sense. Trades people always do well with van advertising because they stay still in residential areas where people need their services.

Couriers however, people usually go online to find them. Well that is what I think would happen anyway. I have never seen a courier van and though, I need their number let me write it down. Instead I have google'd it.

It won't hard to have your details on a van like this, but I don't think it woudl bring in any business. For this type of business I would invest in the website, adwords and possibly flyers (we have printed quite a lot for couriers and with good results).

Matt

It probably has brought you in business, it's just that you don't know it. people will have seen your vans around and the name just gradually drips into their subconscious. So when the pick up the yellow pages, or google sign writers, or what ever, the fact that they've seen your van and name etc means that they are probably more likely to call you rather than the unknown name above or below you. But when you ask how they found out about you they'll say yellow pages/google/website etc.

 

[estwig]

Spot on from Boxby.

Bet she is a Tea drinker!!

 

[paul881]

hiya

we are a courier company in woking, surrey. We had our vans sign written about 9 mmonths ago and havent received any business from it - We thought we would bring it a lot of new custom but as yet it hasnt generated anything.

In fairness, courier companies are everywhere. Biggest problem householders have is where to find good trades people.

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

Spot on from Boxby.

Bet she is a Tea drinker!!

I am, you know!

 

[paul881]

I'm a builder and (No Offence) that sounds like my worst nightmare, all those timewasters pestering me for a quote, to build a garden wall, hang a door, fix a broken fence, fit a kitchen and do silly little building jobs. I like to pick my clients and not have them assume I am interested in their work or will give them a quote.

The idea of lots of text on my van and leaflets

Makes me shudder!!!!

Fair enough, you have a niche and you are targeting that niche. But you are not telling me that you don't get referrals or neighbours that ask you to quote for their extensions? So do you have your details on your van or not?

 

[estwig]

Yes our details are on our van, it is probably me being difficult because the term builders is used on our van people assume we do general building work. This is a problem I have created as we have grown we now only focus on extensions, I am currently struggling with how to shake off the general builder thing and just be viewed as specialists in building extensions.

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

Take off builders and put on "Lofts & Extensions Specialists"

or what we did with hubby's business, was to go with a "premium" look, changed colours and fonts and the wording slightly. Therefore people who wanted the budget job (which in hubby's market is we pay them!) don't even bother phoning because we look too expensive.

 

[lockie]

My own van generates a fair bit of work.Im not sure about long copy on a van though,bit hard to read if your driving past.Had a call sitting in traffic the other day from the van,turns out the guy was 4 cars back behind me.
I couldnt see leaflet dispensers lasting more than a week in some of the areas i have to go to.

 

[estwig]

We already have the 'we are expensive leave us alone look', just can't get my head round how to be seen as an extension specialist, without losing too much of our current 'brand image'

 

[lockie]

How about "specialist builders" estwig ?

 

[estwig]

My own van generates a fair bit of work.Im not sure about long copy on a van though,bit hard to read if your driving past.Had a call sitting in traffic the other day from the van,turns out the guy was 4 cars back behind me.
I couldnt see leaflet dispensers lasting more than a week in some of the areas i have to go to.

Use some thick card and they could make handy 'roach dispensers' for the poor and stoned!!!!

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

How about "really expensive builders, but we do a brilliant job"

 

[estwig]

We already do that Lockie, we are building solutions, we need to be extension specialists, or somefink. Not sure what, image is everything and I'm just a builder.