Commercial Vehicle Branding Explained

If you use a vehicle for your business, you're wasting a big opportunity if it's not displaying your branding effectively. Whether you use it to deliver products, to visit customers or to carry the tools of your trade, your vehicle can act as a mobile advertisement for your enterprise if your details and logo are displayed prominently.

Don’t underestimate the marketing power of a branded working vehicle. A survey by insurance company AXA found that over 50% of consumers in the UK keep an eye out for sign writing on vans when looking for particular services. However, while two thirds of the van owners surveyed had some kind of sign writing on their vehicles, just 60% of those included a contact telephone number, less than 50% displayed their website address and only 20% promoted social media details such as Facebook and Twitter accounts.

So there are many small and medium-sized enterprises missing a trick as far as their van signage is concerned. With that in mind, here are some tips on maximising the potential of your van branding and sign writing.

**Get the details right**. Make sure you publicise how customers and clients can contact your business, with all your details displayed clearly. And make sure they’re accurate – according to the AXA survey more than half of consumers said a spelling error in a van’s signage would put them off using the company.

**Display your trade endorsements**. The AXA survey found that 60% of consumers sometimes or always look out for a trade endorsement before contacting a company – so it’s well worth your while displaying any you have on your vehicle.

**Use your regular logo**. If you have a logo for your company that you display on your letterheads, business cards, advertisements and other marketing materials, also use it for your vehicle signage rather than opting for plain lettering. It might work out more expensive but you should be consistent with your branding and marketing to create a uniform identity for your company, products and services that consumers can easily recognise.

Make it big. Don’t use small lettering that pedestrians and other road users will find difficult to read. Make your signage as big as possible so no one is in any doubt about your business name or details.

**Make it clear**. Think carefully about the colours you use for the branding and details – make sure your design is easy on the eye and doesn’t clash with the paintwork of your vehicle. Also give careful consideration to the font you use. Your best bet is to keep it simple; those all-important details need to be legible, and heavily stylised typefaces will be difficult for consumers to read – especially when you’re on the move.

**Use vinyl wrap**. Think about the future – at some stage you’ll probably want to sell your vehicle and upgrade to a new model. If you use vinyl wrap for your signage it can be easily removed, meaning your vehicle will have more resale value.

**Consider personalised plates**. You can reinforce your brand with personalised number plates as well as sign writing. They might help to catch the attention of other drivers and passers-by.