“That’s a WRAP!” – Stand Out with Custom Vehicle Wraps and Decals

Remember when billboards were influential advertising? Don’t get us wrong, they still have their place. Like the Chik-fil-A “Eat MOR Chickin” cow campaign. Or the taboo adult store promotion urging drivers to “Take Next Exit.” But a mobile billboard, now that’s impactful; therefore, the intent surrounding this topic is two-fold. One, we already know research indicates a rise in consumer demand for custom vehicle wraps and decals, especially as it applies to commercial business. Second, are you personally taking advantage of this proven strategy, dressing your shop vehicles for success, and offering this specialized service to local customers? The stats are pretty convincing.

Vehicle Wraps as Branded Real Estate

There are approximately 253 million vehicles on the road in the US. And Americans clock an average of 13,476 miles per year, according to the most current data provided by the Department of Transportation. Consider just how much time people spend on the road each day. How many highways that are traveled and cars that are passed. Now think about the potential impressions and leads from effective mobile advertising. “Research shows that audiences are more readily engaged by mobile media such as fleet graphics and vehicle wraps, compared to traditional outdoor advertising such as static billboards,” said Infinite Graphics.

According to a study undertaken by The American Trucking Association:

  • 98% of respondents believe fleet graphics create a positive brand image
  • 96% notice ads on vehicles
  • 96% believe vehicle wraps are more effective than billboards
  • 75% formed impressions about a company and its brand from fleet graphics

Affordable and Effective

On-the-go advertising is guerilla marketing at its finest. Customized vehicle wraps and decals are an ideal way for small businesses and fleets to increase brand awareness through striking design. This creates a much-needed level of differentiation among competition. Additionally, it captures the attention of a vast audience in a low cost and effective manner. Mothers, fathers, blue-collar workers, seniors, and corporate head honchos—all very different identifiers, but all consumers nevertheless. And many of which require the same services, be it HVAC, plumbing, electrical, general contracting, and landscaping.

“Vehicle wraps are one of the most dynamic and powerful advertising platforms today. It continues to grow in popularity, and seems to have found its place as a staple in small-business marketing all over the US,” said Infinite Graphics. “From 1993 to 2003 alone, the size of the industry nearly doubled, from $1.2 billion to $2.1 billion. Today, transit advertising is the second largest segment in outdoor advertising and accounts for over 19% of industry revenues,” continued Infinite Graphics.

Wraps have become a home run across a number of industries—construction, roofing and guttering, taxis, auto body and repair, cleaning, landscaping, computer and equipment, pool service, and delivery to name a few. And that doesn’t even include their popularity among general consumers with the extra cash to change things up in vehicle styling. It’s time to take advantage of this trend. Set yourself apart as a business, and help your customers do the same.

All Wrapped Up!

“Everyone has a lifted Chevy with a big bumper and set of new wheels. Now add a half or full wrap—not everyone has that. It’s worth the investment to be different, to stand out; you’re worth the investment (and so are the customers),” said Ed Nuttall of Team Nutz Vehicle Aftermarket Accessories and Electronics, a successful vehicle wrap installer in Pittsburgh, PA.

Advice from the Pros

Cars, trucks, vans—they’re all prime for a mobile branding canvas. Shops who want to capitalize on this market opportunity should keep a few things in mind. First and foremost, the golden rule: know thy customer. Survey the local area and identify a need. “We’re doing more cosmetic vehicle wraps right now, but the majority of business out there is definitely in the commercial area. You just need to understand how to best tap into it because fleets are always looking for the most cost-effective solutions,” said Nuttall.

Second, if serious about diversification into the vehicle wrap business, “then you absolutely need to dedicate resources to it,” added Nuttall. That means employees who are certified, can complete the work to the highest level, and train other staff onsite. Included in the staff should be easy access to a freelance graphic designer to best help customers’ dreams become a creative reality. “Grabbing an image off Google doesn’t cut it because they need to be a certain resolution and file format,” said Nuttall. And if a customer truly wants something custom, then it’s worth the small investment to work one-on-one with a graphics specialist. So why not be a one-stop shop and offer them that service, too?

Nuttall also urges to understand the brands and products that are available.. “We use Avery, 3M, and Oracle. They all have their pros and cons, from the number of color choices to price and beyond,” he added. And finally, “this is the kind of service that requires time and patience,” concluded Nuttall.

If you care to learn even more about the vehicle wrap market, tune into our shop coverage of Team Nutz Vehicle Aftermarket Accessories and Electronics next week!

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