July 25, 2017 at 4:01 PM
Businesses that eschew signwriting and branding on their van are missing out on an advertising opportunity that has the potential to reach out to thousands of new customers every day and could generate huge amounts of additional business. These are the conclusions drawn by signage giants 3M in a recently published research paper.
Benefits of a rolling advert
If you drive your van through central London, the study tells us, 3,000 people will see it every hour. Even if you do not travel so far afield, you will still attract the attention of thousands if you drive into Newport or any of the surrounding towns and villages on an even semi-regular basis.
The sight of your van driving by or being parked outside your business or that of your customers provides passers-by with a constant, subconscious reminder of what your business is and what it does.
It is no different to that radio ad you might hear every morning or the billboard advertisement that you pass every day on the way to the office – but it costs a fraction of the price and has the added benefit of going wherever you go.
Pricing up the options
So how does this kind of advertising stack up against these other options financially? Very favourably. Marketing experts use “cost per 100 impressions” to price up a campaign – this is the amount that it costs to reach out to 100 potential customers.
For van branding, the figure is just 4p, whereas for a radio slot it is 120p, and for flyers, 195p.
Of course, this varies depending on how crazy you want to go with the branding job. A simple vehicle wrap with corporate graphics costs around £250, whereas for something special you could easily spend a four-figure sum. Even at the most extravagant end of the scale, however, the cost per 100 impressions is not going to exceed 30p, meaning it is still far more cost effective than the alternatives.
Getting the branding right
For most business owners, the concept of vehicle branding is a no-brainer for achieving the best possible return on marketing budget. The real decision is what sort of signage to go for.
Full vinyl wraps are a popular choice for achieving a professional look. The signage is printed onto a vinyl sheet, in which the vehicle is literally wrapped. This means the wrap can be removed if you decide to sell the vehicle. It also has the additional benefit of protecting the bodywork from everyday scratches, enhancing its later resale value.
Individual adhesive lettering is a lower cost option, and there is even the possibility to choose magnetic signs that can be removed for those occasions when you are using the vehicle privately and do not want to be noticed.
Whichever you choose, there is no doubt that vehicle branding brings big benefits at a low cost to any business, and those who ignore it are missing out on some huge reserves of untapped business opportunities.
