The more popular forms of advertising have become so expensive and competitive that many small businesses find the need to take advantage of less traditional marketing opportunities, such as vinyl vehicle wraps. There are a wide range of places on vehicles that signage can make a huge difference in local sales. More importantly, savvy business owners and marketing professionals can take advantage of these types of advertisements to gain a superior return on investment for their available advertising budget.
Recognizing this chance to advertise inexpensively, many large corporations now use fleet graphics on their company cars. Small businesses have the chance to use this same tool, capturing their share of the local traffic. However, because these companies often design their own advertisements to save money, they can make a few common mistakes, decreasing the effectiveness of their vehicle wraps. Avoiding these mistakes will ensure an effective advertising campaign.
Create Attention Grabbing Car Decals
Catching a driver’s attention is not always the easiest task. Besides driving, most of a vehicle wrap’s target market are looking at their phones, talking to others in the car or watching billboards and building advertisements. A plain, bumper-sticker sized decal is likely to go completely unnoticed.
Any vehicle wrap needs to be large. They should take up both sides and the back of the car for maximum effect. More importantly, however, they need to incorporate stark contrast to grasp other driver’s attention. Vibrant colors and a unique design will ensure every driver wants to see the work of art passing by.
Use a Design that Demands Drivers Continue to Read
Once the audience is interested in the decal, it is essential to maintain that piqued interest. Many companies fall into the pitfall of using their logo and a few advertising slogans. While this is sure to communicate their message, drivers will forget it as soon as they see it. The ability for an advertisement to remain relevant to its audience is directly proportional to the amount of time that the individual spends reading or watching it.
The most effective marketing messages communicate the essential details about the company while telling a story. A trail of ant’s carrying away food from a cabinet is far more interesting than a pest-control company’s name. As the audience enjoys the interesting or comical message, they are sure to remember the name of the unique company.
Remember to Retain Readability
Many companies recognize the importance of establishing and maintaining interest in their message. However, they fail to communicate the necessary details about their company. There are far too many vehicles boasting a great product with a company name too small or obscure to read. This eliminates any potential that the great ad will convert into sales.
Long slogans and other text are not necessary for most ads, and distract more than anything else. The most important information is the company name, in large, contrasting, san-serif font. The majority of customers will use a search engine when they are ready to purchase the product or service. It is also a good idea to include a phone number or website, depending on which contact method is preferred. Regardless, it is essential that viewers connect the story they are experiencing with the name of the company. This will brand the customer and increase the chance they will look for that organization in the future.
Send a Clear Call to Action in the Advertisements Story
A company that has taken into account attention getting, maintaining interest and readability is sure to have a successful advertisement. Moreover, it will brand their potential customers. However, they still have room for improvement in their use of this marketing tool. Failing to use every opportunity to improve an ad’s effectiveness will always decrease its total return.
In order to maximize the advertisements potential, the designer needs to look for an opportunity to introduce a call for action. In the previous example, a frustrated homeowner on the phone might represent this. A large part of marketing is sending unspoken messages that push the audience to put themselves in the story. The audience should mentally perceive others using the company’s products or services, introducing the desire for the individual to do the same.