Vehicle Wrap pictures help!

Marketing
41

I really think it a lot of this has to do with where your service area is. A lot of guys on this form live in smaller city where they have a lot less competition. So branding is a lot less important, your customers only have a few options. Where im at every tom dick and harry does power washing, so having a wrap really separates the “professionals” from the weekend warriors.

One big thing i noticed when i had magnets was i got a lot more hagglers trying to get the price dropped. When i got the wrap, all of that stopped. I assume its because they dont look at me as a one man show and that they are talking to the owner. They think they are just talking to an employee. People dont try to negotiate a price with someone they know doesnt have the power to change it. (Think: when was the last time you asked a cashier to drop $50 from your grocery bill)

5 Likes
42

Not at all. Professional image is huge. I’ve said that many times. What I’m saying is marketing from magnets, vinyl lettering, and wraps is no different. Not one bit. And I think people are using wraps and vinyl lettering wrong. You should be proud of your company, but people are TOO proud of who they are on their wraps and vehicle marketing.

They’re wasting valuable billboard space if they’re going to use it at all. For the 1000th time, NOT ONE PERSON CARES what your company name is. They only care if you can help them accomplish something, if their neighbors have used you, and how to get in touch with you.

In 2019, your professional appearance and reputation starts online more often than not and social proof DESTROYS vehicle marketing. You could show up in a Ford Festiva with spinner hubcaps with a pressure washing skid strapped on top and if your online reputation is fantastic, you were referred by a neighbor, you’re personable and friendly, you show up when you said you would, do what you say you’re going to do, deliver an awesome end product, your vehicle is the last thing they’ll remember.

And everyone always says something similar to what APW1 said, “I’ve never had anyone call me from the number on a truck, but they do mention they see me around.” meaning a wrap, reasonably, has a negative ROI.

My big brother, before he passed, had a multi-million dollar contracting company that only installed sports equipment, lockers, basketball goals and floors, volleyball nets, built baseball fields, stadium seating, etc. etc. Never once did he ever have even magnets on his truck. He built the company, one job at a time, networking like a maniac, and doing everything he said he was going to do when he said he was going to do it.

I do very well and stay busy as mess with some $60 magnets. I have over 100 reviews online. I washed almost 500 houses in 2018 and had some big commercial gigs too. All with magnets. I’m in the middle of closing a $51k maintenance plan deal with a long term care facility. One of my regular commercial customers just cut me a $40k check PREPAID. All with magnets. So no, I still don’t believe in wraps.

TLDR: If you’re going to waste money on a wrap stop blowing up your company name and shrinking your services. Pick the one service that makes you more money than anything else, blow it up, and put a phone number on there. They DON’T care what YOUR name is.

3 Likes
43

TLDR #2: Walmart, Home Depot, Nike, Window Genie, Trugreen, whoever. Not one of them made money in their first decade because of their name.

Prove me wrong.

If you’re under 10 years in business and your vehicle has 170k miles or more… spend the $2k on a 2nd or 3rd machine for your next hire, or buy good doorhangers, or bank it for when your vehicle goes down so you have $2k to fix it so you can get back to making money instead of staring at a really pretty wrap with a negative ROI.

2 Likes
44

Exactly… it’s not just a wrap or lettering, It’s an image. I agree, if you dont have the $$ then don’t get a wrap.

But if you have a few thousand extra built up, go for it. Magnets are nice if you use your personal vehicle for business, but if you have dedicated trucks and extra money then get it wrapped.

Point of a wrap is not about your logo, it’s about a professional image, separation from your competition, perceived value, and ultimately hopefully being able to allow you to increase prices.

Many of our markets are WEAK compared to other industries. If you had three uniformed wrapped trucks you would DOMINATE the market.

Let’s just all be thankful that our industry is still weak, except for Florida

1 Like
45

I totally agree with @Patriotspwashing. I don’t have a wrap though.

People see expensive vehicles with fancy wraps or lettering and they think that guy must be really good and busy. Its psychological. People expect that guy to charge more.

Can you make tons of money without it absolutely. $2k for a wrap thats 4 - 6 jobs and that seems how everyone here justifies spending money.

Some businesses make good money without magnets or signs because they get jobs from sales, marketing, internet presence and word of mouth. They don’t even fit into this conversation. A small business trying to make a presence in an area needs to be identifiable. I agree that having your name bigger than your service is stupid. I named my business Coastal Power Washing because there are 4 to 6 businesses in my area named Coastal. They are plumbers, contractors and so on. I can’t tell you how many times people tell me they see my trucks every where. I only have one trailer by the way. They expect to see a higher price when they call me. Big out fits charge big prices and have lots of experience. (What customers think)

Do guys make good money without fancy wraps and lettering, absolutely. I’d bet those guys are happy with what they have and don’t care what they could have.

Marketing is psychological. Why not look the part of a big company. It might not get calls but it can help your customer justify paying a higher price.

1 Like
46

Marketing is absolutely psychological. 100%.

I just think you can build a fantastic recognizable business and reputation and pack a calendar for 1 employee or 10 employees with $60 magnets or $500 in vinyl lettering with a positive ROI.

Kinda like a particular wall I won’t mention the name of, wraps are unnecessary and ineffective expenses for what people really want out of it. :slight_smile:

1 Like
47

A wrap cant really have a negative ROI. Even if you didnt get direct calls from the wrap its still getting your name out there aka as “touches”.
Ive landed several calls from going to the grocery store.

Also the reason your brother didn’t need a wrap/lettering is because he was in a completely different business and market. He didn’t cater to residential.

1 Like
48

@Harold…enjoy your wrap! I’m excited to see the final results. The design so far looks great, I think it will make your business really stand out.

1 Like
49

Maybe we do marketing math differently…

For me, I get buyers remorse for vehicle wraps I haven’t even bought.

Lol, to each their own. Every business is different.

1 Like
50

Me. Google says its a gutter. Now I know. :wink:

51

I’m reading this thread and there are some great points here. I’m learning a lot, thank you to all of the contributors :slight_smile:

The things I’ve taken as facts now are:

Wraps, done right, do make people perceive the company is big and doing well. That is magnified massively if more than one vehicle is wrapped and seen around.

(A local company here had one, then two, now ten vehicles all wrapped. The seem to be everywhere and they are front of mind when I think of pest control. Can’t help it. The noticeable green wording of pest control embedded the company name into my brain. That is, pest control equals their company, not their company equals pest control. So services before logo)

Your business name is somewhat unimportant, as is the logo. If the services jump off the vehicle, you’ll look for the rest. It doesn’t work the other way around.

(I mistakenly went big with my logo and small with the services. I get asked what I do often. They see the logo, it’s striking from a distance, but it doesn’t serve the purpose of which it’s there for - generating business).

Time to wrap it correctly :slight_smile:

1 Like
52

I think your market plays a roll in justification of funds for lettering or a wrap. 600 bucks for lettering a truck is a drop in the bucket for the calls it produces.Tons of calls this year where people are behind me and direct me to their house and I close on the spot. In an oversaturated small market like mine, your vehicles appearance is going to factor in. Anything I can do to set myself apart is helpfull. Especially with a customer who’s taking multiple estimates.

2 Likes
53

Thanks @Patriotspwashing!

I’ve been pulling this blank billboard around wasting marketing space for a year. Im been doing well without it, but I wanted the wrap. I expect it to have a positive ROI, but even if it doesn’t, no regrets. I’ve wasted much more money on ridiculousness then I care to mention lol.

I know one thing, and I’m only speaking from my own two eyes. Vinyl or magnets don’t do a thing to get my attention. If I see a wrapped vehicle going down the road I always check it out. Either way, I’m excited about the upgrade.

I love it when customers get impressed by our equipment and methods. It’s a selling point. The wrap is just icing on the cake, but to each is own. There’s no wrong or right way, it’s about your market and game plan. Magnent, vinyl, wrap, it’s just one piece to the puzzle.

There’s about 30 companies in my area. Two of which I consider competitors. Good people, and do good work. I like them. They both roll with wraps.

I have a few things in the works and have my goals set high this year. Riding around with my new billboard :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:, is a great way to start it off.

3 Likes
54

I just saw your truck layout and I’m stealing it for the F250. most of it. I don’t want anyone to know I do roofs and I’m just putting house washing, but otherwise I’m stealing it. Lol

1 Like
55

It’s m3 laser cut vinyl or something like that. Let me know when your doing it and I’ll ask my guy what the details are. Cheap and effective.

1 Like
56

trailer%20pic%205
trailer%20pic%2052941×2206 2.32 MB
This is one of three of ours. They all have worked well for us. As we are driving to jobs people have called next to us.

5 Likes
57

Awesome!

58

How hard is it getting those ladders up and down? I have mine strapped to the roof frame inside.

59

I used to have magnets on my truck a long time ago. I started partially wrapping my trucks and we get calls all the time just from the trucks. Each truck wrap cost me 1300 and each has made back the expense and much more. People call and always tell me they see my trucks everywhere and that’s why they called. Almost all my competitors have wraps on their vehicles so if I went with magnets I dont think our look would be as professional.

2 Likes
60

They take out the 6’ ladder and unstrap the front… the back they are able to grab from the ramp door.

1 Like