Truck Wraps- Good Use of your Marketing Dollar?

Magnetic signs for me and my truck looks like a truck. I see te odd wrapped one here and there, but their 'theme' is so busy, you don't get a chance to read what it says before you pass them.

I drive a plain white wrapper these days with no lettering or signs. For years I drove a company lettered truck around and had people tell me from time to time they've seen my trucks around so it gave us some recognition but I also had a lot of people stop me at stores, etc and hold me up for long periods of time asking me all kinds of questions. I found that these people rarely, if ever, hired me for any work and maybe I'm just not being very humble but I grew to despise being stopped by these types.

Now days, I don't want so much work that I need to expand so I like to just keep things as simple as possible. No one has had a problem with my truck not being lettered and no one has stopped me at any stores. :laugh:

In IL, it's now law that you have to have your license number and associated name on the side of all roofing trucks. I actually like this law, seeing as how we have all those others.

Willie, why not write Willie's roof repairs or something.

When I said I want a wrap, I really just want a lot more information with just a ounce of flash. I get leads from people who say they see our trucks everywhere, but I don't get leads that say "I learned about you guys from your trucks"...but then again I might not want those.

$3000,00 is what I paid its a traveling billboard a one time payment I've paid for billboards and realized when I need a motel, gas station place to eat their fantastic. But when I get home a need a plumber or electrician I cant remember one I read about on a billboard. I will eventually wrap all my trucks we cover a large rural area and a few big city's my goal is to brand my company and the wrap does this much better then a magnetic sign. We use yard signs internet yellow pages my customers find me many ways, this is just another tool and really is cheap compared to most other advertising not just highway its in front of jobs and I get a lot of positive reviews from potential customers about looking more professional were are always higher then our competitors but get the jobs anyway because quality rules!

I agree Robert "a traveling billboard"- to me it's the most cost effective marketing ever. They stand out at job sites, people can't help but notice them. They would call the office and say, "We saw one of your trucks and..." EXCELLENT ROI!

Trucks wraps are always good for PR. We were featured in a local magazine. People saw the magazine article, photos, other advertisements and our trucks. Good exposure, strong marketing message match with a good marketing mix. I think the truck wraps are true "Gorilla Marketing"!

I think it gets down to whether the company has a salesman or not. If you have a salesman, you have someone that can waste their time on leads from people impressed with your truck bling. If it's the owner, who is also in the field working there is a tendency to want the leads to be 'qualified' before spending much time chasing a cold lead.

Me, if all a lead knows is my truck says roof on it, I don't want to bother. When shopping for a new truck, I wanted a specific hard-to-find powertrain and I wanted any color but white. But I couldn't find it in anything but white, so I bought it. I'm learning to like the stealthness of the white truck. With an aluminum headache rack on it, I can park it anywhere and it looks like it belongs there. If I want to launch my kayak along the river where they don't allow parking, I don't worry, my truck looks like the owner has a job to do and belongs there. I'm thinking of getting an orange flashing light on the rack to complete the illusion.

Not a stitch on mine to indicate who, what, where... and that's how I like it.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/YQHSNbS.jpg[/IMG]

Nice truck, Mike. And it has a subtle look of distinction and modest professionalism. I like it.

Kind of looks like mine... but a lot newer and prettier. Hey I quit trying to impress people a long time ago, and I am succeeding beyond my wildest expectations.

Unmarked trucks here are illegal. You could lose your business lic. Here's mine in front of the competition.

To be honest, person that hires me generally says he's glad to see I'm a roofer, not a salesman. :)

If they're going to be impressed by a truck and that's all they're interested in, I may not be that interested in impressing them with my roofing skills. :)

My adjusting and inspection truck, first one ever to be plain and simple, no advertising... but it did attract a little friend.

We just bought the 2014 Chevy dually in front and decided to just go with magnetic signs as we're being asked more and more to sub chop and foam jobs for other contractors.

Behind it is our new foam rig. Behind that is my pickup pulling our Kold King Bulk Rig.

Roofguy Said: Nice truck, Mike. And it has a subtle look of distinction and modest professionalism. I like it.

Thank you. That's just what I was looking for. Been buying new vehicles for everyone but me over the years. In the 29 years since buying my first truck at age 19, that's the first new truck I've ever personally driven. I didn't want the outside to be an indicator of the luxuries within. ie: no "King Ranch" labels or paint schemes... From the outside it just looks like a regular ol' F-250 with some chrome highlights. But on the inside.... ;)

Wish I coulda found everything I was looking for without the FX4 package. On the road, I feel ALL the bumps in this one, but it is amazing how smooth it is when you get it off the pavement.

It replaced a 2003 F-250 with a beat up tail gate, 2 fist sized rust holes behind the doors and rust starting in all 4 fenders, that was the last of the 7.3's. My plan is to PIMP it and turn it into a parade truck.

Oh, how I loved that 7.3 engine. ... Until I drove this one. I'd never dreamed diesels had come so far.

Mike H Said:

Roofguy Said: Nice truck, Mike. And it has a subtle look of distinction and modest professionalism. I like it.

Thank you. Thats just what I was looking for. Been buying new vehicles for everyone but me over the years. In the 29 years since buying my first truck at age 19, thats the first new truck Ive ever personally driven. I didnt want the outside to be an indicator of the luxuries within. ie: no King Ranch labels or paint schemes... From the outside it just looks like a regular ol F-250 with some chrome highlights. But on the inside.... ;)

Wish I coulda found everything I was looking for without the FX4 package. On the road, I feel ALL the bumps in this one, but it is amazing how smooth it is when you get it off the pavement.

It replaced a 2003 F-250 with a beat up tail gate, 2 fist sized rust holes behind the doors and rust starting in all 4 fenders, that was the last of the 7.3s. My plan is to PIMP it and turn it into a parade truck.

Oh, how I loved that 7.3 engine. ... Until I drove this one. Id never dreamed diesels had come so far.

That's funny as heck.

Back in about 1989 I bought. New Ford Ranger extended cab. It was the Lariet with aluminum wheels. I thought the factory aluminum wheels were too flashy so I found a guy with a Ranger with plain steel wheels and hub caps, and told him I'd pay the tire shop to trade straight across...my pickup didn't even have 30 miles on it.

The guy thought I was up to something and rejected my offer.

I then talked to my biggest customer about it, a multi-millionaire. He laughed and toldme not to worry about my flashy wheels.

I was very protective of my image. Had a chance years ago to have a Rolex watch but decided my customers would not like their roofer having flashy bling.