Advertising is all about catching someone’s attention. It requires quickly delivering a succinct message and promoting a clear call-to-action. Car wraps are one of the most overlooked advertising tools for businesses. Using car wraps gives your business the option of attracting new customers and clients. So, how do you get started with car wrap advertising?
Consider the Car Before You Buy the Wrap
Are you going to add a car wrap advertisement to your own vehicle? Do you use this vehicle for personal or business use? If you use your vehicle for business use, then a car wrap is an excellent idea. It will not only let others know more about your business, but it will give you an added air of professionalism when you show up for client meetings or offer services to customers. If you use your vehicle for personal use, how many miles do you drive on a monthly basis? Are you able to park your vehicle in a highly-populated area? If you rarely drive, then you might want to consider choosing another person’s car to more efficiently promote the business.
Continuing the above note, what if you want to leverage a car that someone else drives? Many corporate businesses will advertise on vehicles that they do not own (and are driven by someone else). If you do not use your own vehicle for your business, it may make sense to order a car wrap for another vehicle. Consider hiring someone who works for a rideshare company and is constantly driving around the city during peak hours. This will influence visibility and ensure that your advertisement reaches a significant amount of people.
Design is Critical: Messaging and Ideal Car Shape
The design that you choose for your car wrap advertisement is critical. You need to have a design that sends a clear message about your business. Too often we see businesses focus on their business name, but the name isn’t enough. Take a few keywords that describe what your business does and include those keywords in your design.
When a bystander sees your sign, you want to make sure they know exactly what you do. A plastic surgeon might include the practice’s name “Dr. Robertson,” but also include the keywords “plastic surgery, facelift, breast implants, botox” etc, whatever their specialties may include. Now, bystanders know who Dr. Robertson is and what he does. Adding a phone number and website will now serve as the perfect call-to-action to round out the design.
The shape of the car also needs to factor into the design. When you begin working with your graphic designer, make sure that you share the exact car model that will be used. The way colors, graphics, and text are best utilized varies from vehicle to vehicle.
Another key component of a successful design includes a focused call-to-action. Potential clients and customers need to immediately determine how to contact you before you drive off. Typically including a phone number and website name is best. Website names can be easier to remember if the customer is driving and can’t write down the number that they see. Numbers work best when the vehicle is parked as a potential customer can copy the number to make the call. All text needs to be legible from far distances.
Go Bold or Go Home
When it comes to car wraps, it’s all about striking design. Large text and captivating images are tried and true. Make sure the letters are in a font that’s easy to read and that the images are bright and saturated. Keep the design simple and clean to attract the most attention from onlookers. Find ways to incorporate the brand’s colors and create a design that accentuates the vehicle’s curves.
This is where a professional graphic designer comes into play. Considering how many variables there are in terms of bodies, windows, hoods, and doors (open vs closed), car wraps are actually some of the most challenging branding projects in existence. The placement of color, text, and unique images (such as paw prints for a pet care business or hangers for a closet organizer) can make or break the design. You want to earn exposure with your car wrap because it positively represents your brand… NOT because you wound up on a list of car wrap fails.
Small Business Benefits
You might be under the impression that car wrap advertising only benefits large corporations, but this is far from true. When drivers are curious about your business, they will look you up. Often drivers are curious about small local businesses that they didn’t know existed. If they have a need for your service or product, they will reach out. If you operate in a specific region as a small business, then you need to nurture those connections with people who live in your region. Leveraging a car wrap allows you to connect with your ideal consumers. It increases community appeal, and for a small business, that is invaluable.
