Vehicle graphics is one of the most cost-effective means of advertising for small business owner, tradesmen and contractors. When combined with online strategies, can enable any small business owner to dominate their local market in as little as 90 days.
Unfortunately most small business owners simply do not understand Marketing and unfortunately neither does most Designers or Vehicle Graphics Companies. Most companies are good at designing, printing and installing attractive graphics, but they are surprised when they don't get the result they desire.
The key to creating graphics that attract customers is to focus on connecting with them. A tired overworked business owner is not interested in cute and clever graphics on his drive home. He is thinking about his problems and how to solve it. In many cases he doesn't even associate your product or service with a solution to his problem. You need to ask the right question, make a statement or provide an image that speaks to the emotion he is experiencing, on his drive home.
For example, he may be stressed out about his installers or his delivery staff taking too much time. He is wondering if the are stopping in at the bar or running personal errands during work time. If you sell a GPS Tracking System and you promote all of the technical features on your vehicle, he may not even notice it, because it doesn't speak to his problems and he is not able to connect the dots.
If however you had a clean simple design with a bold caption stating "Where On Earth Is My .... Staff, Its 5:00PM?" -> SmartGPS.com
you are more likely to get his attention. Now if you add the right emotional triggering graphics, you have a winner.
If your objective is to dominate your local market, you need to be conscious of the emotional dynamics of the community and use this information to capture attention. Vehicle Wraps designed for Toronto will not work in New York, Ottawa, Montreal or Chicago. In fact what works in Downtown Toronto will not even work in rural Mississauga, Scarborough, Vaughan, Markham or Brampton even though they are all within a 45 minute drive. Use your knowledge of the local community to play to the emotions of your target audience and what is foremost on their mind.
If you drive to Downtown Toronto daily, your vehicle graphics marketing should be targeted to rush hour commutes.Your audience is focused on work or business. If you're driving around Rural Vaughan, Mississauga or Scarborough your target may be more focused on shuttling the kids or community activities. You will be able to hold their attention longer because it's not quite as hectic. The weekends will also provide great opportunities as well as community events. This is not likely the case if you are targeting rush hour traffic in downtown Toronto, Ottawa or Vancouver.
These are not hard and fast rules but they need to be considered as part of your advertising strategy, if you are focused on dominating your local market. It really doesn't matter if you are using van graphics, car wraps or even magnetic car signs. It's all about understanding your customer and connecting with them on an emotional level.
