If you’re a contractor, whether just started or in the trenches for a while, we bet you drive a truck. You’re around and outside town all day, from job site to job site and in-home meetings, so your truck is essentially a moving billboard – why not use it to promote your business?
In this blog post, we’ll explain why truck wrap advertising is a no-brainer investment if you’re a contractor and the dos and don’ts of designing your truck wrap.
Why You're missing out If You Don't Brand Your Truck
1. Long-term Advertising With A One-Time Investment
When you wrap your truck, it becomes a rolling advertisement that promotes your contracting business without any ongoing expenses.
Unlike other advertising methods like billboards, radio, or TV commercials, car wraps offer a budget-friendly solution that provides an excellent return on investment. In other words, you do it once and reap the rewards!
2. Increased Brand Visibility and Recognition
When people see your truck on the road, parked on a job site, or driving through a neighborhood, they’ll be more likely to remember your business and contact you when they need your services. Just make sure to park it in a visible location when you’re not using it, such as in front of your business, job site, or in a high-traffic area.
Marketing studies show what vehicle advertising generates between 30k and 70k daily impressions!
3. Professional Appearance
A branded car wrap adds professionalism to your business. It shows that you take pride in your work and are committed to your brand. A professional appearance can also help you stand out from competitors who haven’t taken advantage of the power of wrapped vehicles.
What should you put on your truck so people GET IT
Slapping your logo on your truck does not count as effective truck branding…
For your truck to actually do the job that you want it to do (make people notice, remember, and call you), there are some essentials you’ll want to check off when designing your truck wrap.
- Visual Impact
With thousands of vehicles on the road every day, people see cars and trucks all the time, so it’s essential to make sure yours stands out. Think about your truck wrap in all instances, from how it looks at the light stop, in the gas station, or in a parking lot.
Carefully choose what information you place on it and where so it’s visible to other drivers and pedestrians from all angles (sides, tailgate, front).
- Colors
If you’re not going for a full truck wrap, it’s important to choose colors that contrast well with your truck’s actual paint.
For example, if your truck is gray, don’t use a gray or white logo on it.
Always make sure you have plenty of contrast so all elements pop.
- Clarity
Ideally, your brand name and logo should be clear enough so that customers understand what you do. If you have a more abstract or generalistic brand name, consider adding a tagline or short message to your truck wrap for extra clarity.
Always aim to make things super clear (but simple) for anyone looking.
- Actionable information
Now that you’ve got their attention, what do you want your customers to do? Have fast contact information readily available on your car wrapping.
This should include your website where customers can easily find out more information, and a large phone number so they can get in touch right away.
- Cohesive brand image
Lastly, make sure that everything you include on your wrap keeps in line with the overall brand of your business. This will ensure a cohesive design and help build trust in potential customers.
If you have multiple vehicles, make sure to be consistent with the brand image across the board.
Read on to find out what not to add to your truck wrap.
truck wrap Advertising: What To Avoid
Now that we have gone over what to include on your mobile billboard, let’s see where we can draw the line between looking cool and being effective.
- Too much information
While it’s tempting to try and cram all of your services onto your truck wrap, it’s important to remember that potential customers may only see your truck for a few seconds at a time. This means that you need to make sure your message is clear and easy to understand instantly.
All the information on the truck below is important, but you don’t have to say it all, all at once.
Take advantage of white space and stay away from lists or bullet points with all the services you provide. These can make your truck wrap look crowded and confusing, leaving customers unsure of what to focus on.
Instead, focus on a clear and concise message that highlights your business name, logo, and key services in an easy-to-read and understandable way. By doing so, you can create a strong visual impact that effectively communicates the value and quality of your services, even if potential customers only catch a quick glimpse of your truck on the road.
- Small texts or complicated fonts
Small text sizes on a truck wrap can significantly affect the clarity and legibility of your message. If the text is too small, it can become difficult to read, especially from a distance or while on the move. This can lead to potential customers ignoring your message or struggling to understand what your business is all about.
To avoid this, it’s important to ensure that any text on your truck wrap is large enough to be easily read, even from a distance. This means using clear and legible fonts that are designed to be read from a distance and avoiding overly complex or ornate fonts that can be difficult to read.
- Unrealistic “Stocky” photos
While stock images can be a helpful resource, it’s important to use them carefully. Gone are the days of using generic stock images of happy families in perfect settings. Instead, you want to choose images that instill a relatable desire or create a plausible image that resonates with your potential customers.
If you want to include photos on your truck, choose images that reflect the real world and your target audience’s experiences rather than relying on generic images that don’t feel authentic.
- Pixelated photos
It’s also important to ensure that all images used on your truck wrap are of high quality and resolution. Pixelated or low-quality images can make your business look unprofessional and may turn potential customers away. Only use high-quality images that are clear and sharp.
- Too many call-to-actions
With a wrapped car, you only have a brief window of opportunity to make an impression on potential customers as they pass by. Focus on a single clear call to action that encourages customers to take a specific action, such as visiting your website, calling your business, or making a purchase.
What options do you have – Types of truck wraps
Now that we have gone over what to include on your mobile billboard, let’s see where we can draw the line between looking cool and being effective.
Full Or Partial Wraps
These wraps cover the entire truck and can be customized with your branding, messaging, and graphics.
A full wrap is the most effective way to make a bold statement and grab attention on the road.
Partial Wraps
These wraps cover only part of the truck, such as the doors or windows, and are a more budget-friendly option than full wraps.
A partial wrap can still be eye-catching and effective.
Accents Or Logo wraps
Instead of a full or partial wrap, you can opt for accent graphics that complement your truck’s existing paint color.
This can be a good option if you want to add some branding elements to your truck without completely changing its appearance, like your logo.
Your Company Vehicle Can Look Like This, Too:
Other things you may want To Know...
While it may seem like a good idea to include your social media handles on your truck wrap, we advise against that. Unlike your website (granted it follows a well-defined structure and funnel), social media platforms don’t always have a clear and concise funnel that directs potential customers to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or contacting your business.
Instead, it’s better to focus on a clear call to action that encourages customers to visit your website or contact your business directly. This will help you better track and measure the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
The short answer is all of them. However, we understand that it can be expensive to wrap multiple vehicles at once, so it’s important to prioritize which vehicle to wrap first.
Your truck is likely the vehicle you drive the most and the one that is most visible to potential customers.
This makes it a good starting point for your vehicle wrap efforts.
If you have a fleet of vehicles, it’s important to maintain a cohesive image across all of them to reinforce your brand and create a professional look.
Ultimately, the decision of which vehicle to wrap first will depend on your budget, goals, and how frequently each vehicle is used.
The cost of a truck wrap can vary depending on several factors, such as the size of the vehicle, the complexity of the design, and the quality of materials used.
On average, a partial truck wrap can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000, while a full truck wrap can cost anywhere from $2,500 to $6,000 or more.
It’s important to keep in mind that the cost of a truck wrap is a one-time investment that can provide long-lasting advertising benefits. Plus, the cost can vary based on location and other factors, so getting a quote from a reputable wrap company in your area is best.
Truck magnets are a cost-effective alternative to truck wraps if you want a temporary or less permanent solution. They are essentially large magnets that adhere to the surface of your truck and can be easily removed and reused as needed.
Truck magnets are a great option if you have a limited budget or if you need the flexibility to change your branding or messaging frequently. They are also a good choice if you don’t want to permanently alter the appearance of your vehicle, such as if you’re using a leased or rented truck.
However, it’s important to note that truck magnets may not be as durable or long-lasting as truck wraps and may not provide the same visual impact or professionalism.
Measuring the success of a truck wrap campaign can be challenging, but there are a few ways to track its impact.
One method is to use a unique phone number or website URL on the wrap and track the traffic and conversions generated from those specific channels.
You can also survey customers or ask them how they heard about your business to see if the truck wrap played a role in their decision to engage with your brand. Tracking sales or lead volume before and after the truck wrap campaign can provide insight into its effectiveness.
To Wrap It Up...
Your truck can be an effective marketing tool, so if you haven’t yet, it’s time to start thinking about truck wraps. Whether you drive the truck yourself or hire drivers to do it, taking advantage of this opportunity can be a game-changer for your contracting business.
Remember to focus on a clear and impactful design, including clear contact information, and ensure that your messaging is consistent across all of your vehicles. With a well-designed and executed truck wrap, you can make a powerful statement about your brand and drive leads and sales.
Truck wraps are just a few of the branding services we offer here at Contracting Empire. From logos to business cards and offline marketing materials, we match copy that converts with amazing visuals to help you create a contractor brand that gets noticed instead of forgotten.
Sources: Full wrap | Roof & Exterior Cleaning Truck
Claudia Mihoc, Creative Lead @ Contracting Empire
With a degree in Arts & Design and over 11 years of experience, Claudia is a branding expert who transforms contractors’ visions into recognizable and engaging brands that stand out from the competition.
In addition to contractor branding and design, Claudia also loves writing helpful content that helps contractors like you step up their business visuals.