Truck Wraps- Good Use of your Marketing Dollar?

When I had my roofing company we received more calls from the truck wraps than anything else. Our website/SEO came in a close second, local magazines and direct mail were a distance third- wasted money on radio and television... poor ROI. Removing "Word of mouth" from the cost of customer acquisition, where do you have the most success?

No matter where you are in the city personal or for business people see your trucks.

Job sites were great when more of the guys showed up to say hi... Always received more calls from the trucks than even the yard signs....

But what if you just like your trucks to look like a truck and not a cartoonish billboard? Every time I see one of those the phrase "trying too hard" comes to mind.

I used to have decals on my truck, never got any calls from them, though they weren't as cool as yours.

But I like my truck to look like a work truck, alittle beat up, alittle dirty, with roofing materials in the back. Then the homeowner knows I'm not trying to play any games, what you see is what you get.

I do think your trucks look cool though, definetly an eye catcher.

Our business is near 100% word of mouth from customers. Right behind that are referrals from our supplier and other trades (builders, masons, etc) who recognize what we bring to the table. Truck has (conservative) decal lettering . . . no phone number.

One of my former employees sent this to me...

My chopped fiberglass rig- always tried to keep everything clean...

I've always wanted a peddle car . . .

I've actually been saying all winter that I'm going to wrap at least one truck this spring. Here is what my Dad's trucks have looked like since 1987.

Here's mine after a small ditch came out of nowhere and ripped the front trim off.

Not a one-size-fits-all. If you're in a metropolis I think it is more effective, if the goal is to have people who've never seen your truck before give you a call. In the smaller areas, such as West Texas, our goal is to have our signage say: Yep, it's us again.

We don't have to sell a new customer on the fact that we're local because he sees our trucks at least once a week, at the mall, the theater, the grocery store, the gun shop, the airport.

I do put a lot of effort into positioning my truck for maximum viewing at local events. I get to the gun shows early and park at the edge/corner so that everyone who enters, looks at my truck. Our customer-base is heavily pro-gun.

When I came back from Vegas last night, I got my truck while my wife got our luggage, and I quickly parked it by the exit doors as a large local builder was on our flight (he went to the gun show) and I wanted him to see my truck as he exited the terminal.

A lot of marketing efforts are free and simply involve getting in front of the customer's eyes.

I want our graphics to be noticeable without being gawdy.

I prefer pertinent information ;)

I agree with what Tim said. Small town and all. Not sure my customers would even appreciate, or if the small town market would bear, $3,000 (?) vehicle wraps. Very few in my market even do it. I can think of one in Porter Co. and one in LaPorte County. Both owners have HUGE Egos. Hmmmmmm.

As it is, it's amazing how people will say "you must be crazy busy, I see your signs everywhere" when they say this, many times we aren't busy at all.

It kind of perplexes me. I think we just must be working on a road they are traveling on........ :huh:

Twill, I was told by an advertising rep that a competitor in this mid-sized market spends $20,000/mo in marketing, and it shows; he's everywhere. Any chance I get I subtly remind a customer with a smile that their customers are paying for that huge marketing budget.

And of course, right on cue, if I underbid him he'll call me a low baller. lol