Have you seen a car, van, or other vehicle sporting an amazing car wrap? These vehicles can really stand out, but does this type of advertising really work? Many people do wonder if it’s worth the investment. These are often the same business owners who haven’t fully investigated custom car wraps. They may be under the impression that vinyl vehicle wraps are very expensive or don’t last very long. Some have simply never looked into car wraps, while others may have done so years ago. However, the technology and materials used in car wraps have evolved, and modern wraps are both very affordable and durable.
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why you should invest in a custom car wrap or, at the very least, a car sign. Then we’ll discuss some tips for creating the best wraps and how TNT Signs can get you the best return on your investment.
Vehicle Wraps Are Constant Passive Advertising
Vehicle wraps are more similar to billboards and signs than they are to other forms of marketing. This is because they’re a type of passive marketing—people see them simply by being near your vehicle. You’re not asking people to read something you’ve mailed to them or interact with anything. Passive marketing materials are going to continually “broadcast” (for lack of a better term) your message regardless of how many people are there to see it.
While this does mean it’s not always easy to measure how effective your vehicle wrap is at bringing in new customers, it also means you don’t have to pay to reach hundreds or thousands of people. Instead of paying per customer as you would with mailers or certain online ads, you pay to have the wrap printed and installed. That’s it.
There’s also no hard expiration date for a wrap. When you purchase ad space in a magazine or run a radio ad, your ad will only appear in a specific number of issues or run for a certain number of days. Your vehicle wraps could last for years, especially if you take care of your vehicle. The return on this investment can be incredibly good.
Custom Car Wraps Aren’t Targeted Ads
One important fact to keep in mind is that vehicle wraps, unlike mailers and other types of advertising, aren’t targeted ads. You’re not putting your brand in front of people who you know are potential customers. Instead, anyone who sees your company vehicle is going to take in your ad. This does mean that you may not have as high of an ROI as you would with targeted emails, for example, but there is a tradeoff: your brand is in front of a very large number of people.
What does this mean from an investment point of view? When you engage in targeted advertising, you’re hitting a specific group of people. These may be previous customers, or they may be potential customers whose information you’ve gathered via online forms or even from a purchased list of potential leads. These lists can be vital to increasing your customer base, but they aren’t perfect. The customer data you have could be outdated, plus buying large amounts of data may be outside the budget of some small businesses.
With a car wrap, anyone can see your ad. You’re hitting a very broad audience. Does this mean that some people will see your vehicle wrap and forget about it because they don’t need your products or services? Of course. But it’s also possible people will see your brand that you never would have targeted otherwise. They may not have provided you with their contact information, or they may not have been in the database you purchased. You may have even had their information but discarded it because they didn’t fit your customer persona.
For example, you may have had a person’s information that indicated they don’t have children. You wouldn’t include them in a targeted campaign advertising children’s toys or other products. However, in the years since you gathered their information, they may have had a child. They could see your vehicle wrap and visit your business, becoming a customer.
Because car wraps aren’t targeted, they can help you bring in customers you would never have reached out to. Of course, there’s also a very good chance that many other people will see the wrap and realize they don’t need your business. Because you’re not paying anything extra, though, this doesn’t really matter that much.
Wraps Build Trust
Even if you’re not bringing in new customers with your custom vehicle wrap, this marketing item can still be worth the investment. This is because car wraps can help build trust in your brand. When you pull up to a customer’s home in an unmarked vehicle, they may be very hesitant to open the door until you show them some form of ID. This is especially true if they were not expecting you, which could be the case with services such as florists and others who make deliveries.
When your vehicle has a custom wrap that clearly states the name of your business, though, it’s a little different. They know who you are, even if they weren’t expecting you. If your contact information is on the wrap (and in most cases you’ll want it to be), they can even quickly call your office to confirm that someone from your business was supposed to be there. Unlike custom paint jobs, you can easily change up your wrap when needed, so it won’t be a huge problem if you change locations, contact information, or even decide to promote a different product or service.
Are Custom Car Wraps Worth the Investment?
In most cases, yes, it’s well worth the investment. Wraps are fairly affordable, especially if you don’t need a full vehicle wrap. When made with durable materials, they can last for years, making them one of the longest-lasting forms of marketing. You’re advertising everywhere your vehicle goes, which can put your brand in front of a wide number of people. If you have a fleet of company vehicles and wrap them all, the number of people exposed to your brand increases even more.
If you’re looking for a way of getting attention to your brand without investing a large amount of money, a custom car wrap may be the ideal solution. All of the cost is upfront, and it’s not a huge expense. The team at TNT Signs will make the experience as simple as possible. We will assist you through the design process, then our team will handle the printing and installation. When we’re done, your vehicle will look incredible. We can do everything from a full car wrap to transform your car’s look to installing vinyl on the sides to advertise a business. We’re also here to help you with custom signs, banners, stickers, and much more.
Want to get started? Have questions? Reach out to TNT Signs today.
