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Branding Your Vehicle: The Ultimate Guide

Last updated: October 22nd, 2021

Branding your work vehicle is an easy form of advertising that works.

Not only can throwing some vinyl graphics on your work truck gain you a few leads here and there, but it also helps to build authority and trust with your customers – two things that should be at the heart of your marketing strategy.

But just like anything else, it will only be effective if executed properly.

In this article, I discuss the many benefits of branding your vehicle and what to consider before you do. I’ll then discuss available options and offer insights that I have gained through the experience of branding my handyman truck.

The Benefits of Branding Your Work Vehicle

As a handyman or contractor, you will be driving a lot. It would be a shame to waste all of those miles when you could be promoting your company at the same time with almost zero long-term effort.

Here are a few benefits of a well-branded vehicle.

#1 – Creates Brand Recognition

Customers are more likely to hire you if they are familiar with your brand due to a psychological phenomenon known as the mere exposure effect.

By simply recognizing your company, a potential customer is more likely to choose you, even if they know nothing about you and even if you aren’t the best option.

That’s because the mere exposure effect works on a subconscious level.

By driving around a branded vehicle, you expose hundreds of people to your brand every day, slowly gaining brand awareness and recognition.

That lady in the Lexus sitting behind you at the stoplight may not need a handyman today, but if she finds you online later, she will be more likely to choose you over the competition simply because she recognizes you.

#2 – Builds Trust

I’m always talking about building trust with customers because I think it is the most influential factor in a customer’s decision on who to hire.

If a customer trusts you, they will not only be more likely to hire you, but they’ll be less likely to question your pricing or stand over your shoulder while you’re doing your job.

Simply displaying your company information on your vehicle helps demonstrate that you are serious and established. You are showing your customer that this is what you do, and you take it seriously.

Additionally, if you drive a clean and well-branded truck, customers will trust that you will treat their home in a similar manner.

#3 – Increases Authority

People make assumptions about you based on your appearance. It’s just the way humans are wired.

We do this because there’s often nothing else to rely on when judging another person’s abilities.

If we see a man in a suit and tie, we assume he’s an important business person. When we see a Dr. in a lab coat, we trust that he knows what he’s talking about regarding our health.

When you pull up to a customer’s home, and they see your well-branded work truck, they will assume you have a certain level of experience and expertise. They will be more likely to respect your knowledge and listen to what you have to say. They are also more likely to trust you and be influenced by you. Authority makes it far easier to sell your services and stand out from the competition.

#4 – Cheap Advertising

If you do it yourself, branding your vehicle can be done for a couple hundred bucks. If you get a full vehicle wrap, it might cost a couple grand.

However, high-quality vinyl stickers will last for years and reach thousands of people during that time. In addition to the benefits I just listed, they will also generate new customers.

I can remember several times customers approached me while I was parked at another customer’s home or called me and mentioned they saw my truck.

Compared to other forms of advertising, it’s very cost-effective if done well.

A good example is carpet companies. They typically do a great job advertising specials on their vans. Usually, they will have a one-room carpet cleaning special for $39.99 or something similar pasted all over their vans. Why? Because it works. They may not make money on that one room, but you can damn sure bet they’ll profit from the rest of the house and the return business.

Designing the Graphics

Now that you understand the many benefits, it’s time to design your truck branding.

Step #1 – Define a clear goal for the graphics

First off, what are you trying to achieve? Are you trying to gain new customers while driving down the highway? Are you trying to drive traffic to your website? Or are you just trying to look more professional or established when you pull up to a customer’s home?

If you are looking to gain new customers, I recommend going big with your lettering and doing a full vehicle wrap. Ideally, a customer will be able to read the lettering and get your contact information from a hundred yards away. You want to grab their attention, and don’t forget to give them a compelling reason to call you.

If you just want to look more professional to existing customers, some vinyl decals on the driver and passenger doors will do the trick just fine. In this case, you may be just trying to separate yourself from the weekend handyman without driving around a massive billboard.

Step #2 – Choose the content

There is no correct answer when it comes to putting your company info on your truck. I’ve seen people with just a name and website, and I’ve seen others with their name, logo, phone number, website, and a list of services.

If your goal is to generate new business, the most important thing is to clearly say what you do and how to contact you. If you are a handyman, the word handyman better be on your truck, especially if it’s not in your company name. It needs to be very obvious what you do and how to contact you.

Advertising a running special is a great way to get customers to take action and call you. The best way to do this is to identify a common service that your ideal customer needs but rarely gets around to doing. Gutter cleaning, carpet cleaning, painting, pressure washing, or any type of cleaning or upkeep are all excellent examples. Try to put together a deal that compels them to call you but also ends up turning a decent profit.

What are your specialties? If you specialize in particular services, consider highlighting those to attract customers for jobs that you actually want.

Step #4 – Layout the Design

If you have photoshop or a similar photo editing program, you can do this step yourself. However, if you plan on doing something advanced like a full vehicle wrap, I’d recommend having a professional do it.

That being said, here’s how I did it.

First, I took some pictures of my truck in front of a solid background with good lighting. I drove around town until I found a good spot. Then I took photos of the back and sides from about 100 feet away, so the shape of the truck wasn’t distorted.

Once I had the images, I went home and used photo editing software to insert my logo and other text that I wanted to be displayed. I messed around with it until I found a layout that looked good and achieved my goal, which was to look more professional and increase my brand awareness.

Once I had a layout that I liked, I sent the images over to a local media printing company to print the vinyl graphics I needed. They took some measurements of my truck to ensure they printed the right size, and a few days later, I picked up my vinyl and installed it myself.

The total cost was $300, and it took me about a dozen hours. Since money was tight, I didn’t mind spending the time to do this.

Vehicle Branding Options

Magnetic Car Signs

This is by far the easiest and most cost-effective way to brand your work truck or trailer. You can go to sites like vistaprint.com to design a custom car magnet.

The cost is usually $50-$100 for a sign.

Magnetic signs are a good option if you want the ability to take off the signs and drive the truck as a personal vehicle. However, I believe these look far less professional than vinyl decals. It’s a good option and is better than nothing, but I’d go with something more permanent and professional if you can afford it.

Vinyl Graphics (recommended)

This is the option that I went with, and it ended up costing me about $300. The only cost I had was printing the vinyl since I designed and installed the graphics myself.

Vinyl graphics are a semi-permanent solution that gives you the ability to look professional and established. If applied correctly, the vinyl will last up to 8 years. Mine were on my truck for over three years and had no signs of deteriorating when I removed them, despite taking my vehicle through the car wash several times.

You can easily remove vinyl graphics without damaging your vehicle, which is a nice bonus.

Custom Vehicle Wrap

If you want to go big, you can do a full vehicle wrap.

How much does a custom vehicle wrap cost?

Depending on where you live and what vehicle you are wrapping, you can expect to pay anywhere between $1,500 and $5,000 for a vehicle wrap.

Vehicle wraps aren’t cheap, but they are by far the most effective way to get attention with your vehicle branding.

Vehicle wraps also last a long time. Many installers will provide a warranty for up to seven years and say you can expect them to last at least nine years.

Reasons to avoid branding your vehicle

It’s not always worth it to brand your work vehicle, and here are a few reasons to hold off.

#1 – You are a terrible driver

If you often piss off drivers around you or suffer from road rage, you’d be better of flying under the radar.

I don’t consider myself a bad driver, but one day got too close to a jogger while making a right-hand turn. The lady quickly pulled out her phone and called the number on my truck. Since I’m a one-man show, I answered and listened to her complain about how my “employees are driving recklessly, and I should do something about it.”

#2 – You aren’t sure about which services you want to promote

If you’re just starting your handyman business, it can take a while to get your services dialed in. The last thing you want to do is promote a bunch of services you don’t want to offer long term and then have to change your signage again.

So, unless you are certain that you want to promote a specific service, you may be better off waiting until you get your ideal customers, services, and marketing strategy dialed in.

#3 – You already have too many customers

I eventually removed my vinyl decals because I no longer needed the advertising. My website eventually got to the point where it supplied me with more than enough new leads.

I also didn’t like worrying about dinging my reputation with accidental driving mistakes.

#4 – You plan to upgrade your vehicle later

When you are just starting out, it’s usually best to just use your personal vehicle until your business grows enough to justify investing in a dedicated work truck.

That way, you can invest in the ideal work vehicle before paying for expensive signage.

Conclusion

A well-branded work vehicle can help you grow your business and attract customers.

  • It helps build trust and authority, making it easier to sell your services.
  • It helps build brand recognition, which helps you stand out in a crowded marketplace.
  • It’s a cost-effective advertising method for generating new leads.
  • It’s relatively easy to get it done, whether you hire someone or do it yourself.

If you’re serious about growing your local service business, investing in some sort of vehicle branding is highly recommended.

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  • steve April 4, 2013

    Big D,
    Had the same idea,however was warned that 1 thieves now know what is in that truck(tools) and 2 they have had local city inspectors knocking on the door of customers looking for your license to do work in THEIR city! Not sure what to do.
    Steve

    • Big D April 4, 2013

      Hi Steve,

      Ya, those are definitely things you should think about. If you have a business license in the city you are working in and you are working within the scope of what you are allowed to do depending on your handyman license, the inspector issue shouldn’t be a big deal. However, I understand that isn’t always the case.

      I personally park my truck in my garage overnight so I can leave tools in it. The only reason I don’t have a truck rack is so I can still park in the garage. Even if you don’t have branding on your truck, I’d still be concerned about thieves and wouldn’t leave my truck packed with tools outside overnight.

      Where do you live, Steve?

      Big D

      • steve April 6, 2013

        Big D,
        Cleveland,Ohio area,do I need to say more.We have about 50 suburbs each requiring their own license,can get real expensive.

        • Big D April 7, 2013

          Yes, paying for 50 different licenses will put you out of business fast. Here is what I would do. (I’m not a lawyer and this is certainly not legal advice)

          First, I’d target the suburbs with the nicest homes that are closest to me directly. Maybe with some well made door flyers and a discount for homes in those areas. After spending time building clients in those small areas, you’re likely to have enough to support your business from 2-3 suburbs. You can then go get the appropriate licensing for those suburbs and then brand your vehicle and only offer services to those suburbs.

          You’ll also save time and money in the long run by not having to drive as far.

          Just my two cents. I hope it’s helpful.

          Big D

          • Steve April 13, 2013

            Big D,
            After much thought I will be useing a magnetic sign,so I can remove when I feel the need. Also did you ever think to park your truck in the parking space in front of the door at Home Depot on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon?
            Steve

          • Big D April 13, 2013

            Good call. The magnetic sign is a great compromise for your situation.

            That’s a good idea but no, I’ve never tried parking for advertising. Sounds like it could work though! Let me know how it works out if you try it.

            Big D

  • Andrea Velasquez April 10, 2013

    Great pieces of information. If you use car wraps for the reason of advertising your brand or store then it is a very great idea. People see it everyday and for sure it’ll make them curious of your product. On the other hand, those mentioned information above is really very nice. You have to know your goals and to know your subject too. From that you’ll get an idea of what kind of design your car wraps would be.

  • dean May 5, 2013

    I went with 3 magnetic signs from BuildaSign.com. 12″ x 24″ .
    One for the tailgate of course.
    My college student son did the custom graphics and uploaded it to
    the site, all for $67 delivered. There was a promo code offered for a discount
    at the time. Very fast service like one week.
    Cheap advertising and professional looking.

  • derek October 27, 2013

    Thanks for the wonderful site, i am definetely looking at starting my own business.
    thanks

  • Jeff Briggs January 30, 2015

    Do you guys all have separate personal vehicles. I personally have magnetic signs right now, but I agree with Big D that it isn’t the most professional look. My only fear to go for the custom lettering is that I also use my truck for personal use. I can see how my sales could increase as I would constantly be advertising but I would also constantly need to “on”.

  • Hector Rodriguez June 30, 2015

    Hello All.
    I have a question for you who use magnetic signs, vinyl lettering and/or partial/full wraps to promote your services. The question is: How much has your business increased since the implementation of mobile advertising? Have you notices a jump in service calls? 10%, 50% 100%? Thanks in advance. Love what you are doing Big D.

    • Dan Perry July 1, 2015

      Hey Hector,

      I’ve heard of some companies that say their mobile advertising is their best advertising. Listen to the interview I did with Christy Webber. (It’s under the podcast category.)

      Other companies get very little results from it. This is something that largely depends on how well it is done. Putting a magnet on your truck won’t do much. But doing something that stands out, gets attention, and resonates with your customers will bring you a lot of leads.

      Hope that helps.

  • Silas Knight February 11, 2016

    My dad has his own business, and since he is the only employee, he has to drive his work truck all over the place. I have always told him that “branding” his truck is a good idea, but he never would do it. I think he’ll listen to your points in this article though, especially about building trust. I’ll definitely show him this, thanks!

  • Duane May 9, 2016

    Check your homeowner association deed restrictions before placing permanent non-removable advertising on your vehicle. In my neighborhood any type of advertisement on your property including vehicles is against the deed restriction and the homeowners association will take you to court to force removal of the advertisement from your property, be it a sign in your yard or on your vehicle.

    • rjcraig May 22, 2016

      Go with the vinyl lettering, use blank magnetic “signs” the color of your vehicle to cover the vinyl lettering when needed “my truck is white, easy to cover up”. Also dont affiliate your company vehicle with your personal opinions. For example republican or democrat political stickers, you can loose business displaying personal opinions on your vehicle, remain neutral displaying/marketing only your business. And always remember “first impressions last”. You defiantly dont want to show up at a new clients home in a dirty vehicle, the same is true for your dress attire. I carry an extra set of clothes and shoes/boots, this helps me avoid apologizing for my appearance.

  • Jason millen June 13, 2016

    Hi Dan,
    I have to say I have been following your posts and listening to your podcasts and what a great service you are giving. I live in England and am very much interested in doing handyman services, you are truly inspiring and give confidence in your advise. I think the only thing stopping me is I have a secure, well paid job (not enjoying it) and very worried things might not work out. One day I will take the plunge I’m sure. Keep up the great work

    • Dan Perry June 15, 2016

      Thanks for sharing this Jason. I have no doubt things would work out for you, but I understand that it’s hard to leave a job that you are only mildly dissatisfied with. If you get to the breaking point where the pain of staying at that job is greater than the fear of taking the leap, you will be ready to enjoy the freedom of owning your own business.

  • On Demand Supplies July 20, 2016

    we are going to improve the van taking into account your advice and step,
    make it more eye caching

  • Tom January 12, 2017

    Been thinking about putting some better graphics on my vehicle for brand recognition in my town. These are some good tips to follow thanks!

    Tom

  • Adrienne February 25, 2017

    For anyone who is considering a magnetic sign- I am just now reading some of the posts regarding the purchase of magnetic signage for work vehicle advertising. As I read through the previous posts, I realize that many of them are fairly dated. As such, some of the individuals who posted related comments may have already purchased and applied this type of sign to their vehicle(s). To you- I wish I discovered this site sooner! I had a terrible experience with magnetic signage! I wish I could have warned you!

    On a positive note, perhaps what I share here today will be useful to one (or some) of you and will save you the disappointment and trouble we went through…

    As a show of support to my husband and of pride in our accomplishment- creating a successful, rapidly growing business entity- I purchased 2 identical magnetic signs from Vistaprint with our company name, logo, and contact info for him to put on his GMC Savanna work van. He proudly snapped the signage onto each side of his vehicle and drove around proudly advertising our business.

    The magnets were not on all that long, approximately 6 to 9 months, when my husband began to notice rust forming all along the outline of each magnet! Fortunately, he caught it somewhat early in the process. But, indeed, one could clearly observe that the magnets were causing rust underneath and around the perimeter of each!

    It is possible that Vistaprint uses a particularly cheap or damaging material for their magnetic signs. It is also possible that any large magnet that is applied to the body of a vehicle will cause rust damage. I couldn’t state with distinct specificity the reason why the magnetic signs were causing such rust damage to his van. I just don’t know. I am not an expert of magnets. But, what I very clearly do know is that it’s not a risk either of us are ever willing to take again!

    So, this is my public service announcement! Beware! Magnetic signs may rust your vehicle! This may not be the best choice for using your vehicle to advertise your business!

  • Phil March 24, 2017

    Any suggestions on how to go about getting the necessary specs for a vehicle in order to brand it? I imagine it’s more intricate than just getting a tape measure and giving it a general size up – do you need to get hold of blueprint specs?

    • Dan Perry March 24, 2017

      Only if you’re doing a vehicle wrap. In that case, I’d recommend having a pro do it.

      If you’re just doing a few graphics, you can just use a tape measure.

      For mine, I took a picture of the side and back of my truck from a distance and then used photoshop to design the graphics. I took a few measurements of my truck so I could scale it accurately. Then, I send the details over to a print shop and installed them myself. It was a fun project, but I kept things pretty simple.

  • Max Jones April 7, 2017

    I’ve been really interested in vehicle advertising and was wondering what the tips to do so would be from the pros! I really like the idea of choosing what content you want on your custom vehicle graphics. I think that there should be an obvious explanation of what services are available, and contact information.

  • Braden Bills May 2, 2017

    My friend is trying to find a way to brand his car for his business. He doesn’t want to spend the money for a full vehicle wrap, though. It makes sense that a car magnet would be a good idea!

  • Dane May 3, 2017

    This is the best guide so far. It has a lot of points. A car wrap can be both a powerful and cost-effective way to advertise your business. Because of their uniqueness, vehicle wraps get noticed more often than other types of advertising.

  • Sandra Hexner June 27, 2017

    I’m hoping to get a surprise for my dad. He is thinking about starting a handyman business, but doesn’t know where to get started. I want him to have great advertising and your point that truck lettering is a great way to advertise and run specials. I’m not sure if he’ll pull the trigger, but you convinced me this is exactly what I’ll surprise him with if he does. Thanks!

  • Deborah Scott July 9, 2017

    Great article Dan and great discussion. There are so many good points in here. It is important that business owners know there are risks and hazards associated with magnetic signs. You can expose yourself to serious liability and potentially damage your vehicle with magnetic signs. You can learn more here. https://www.rivetingwraps.com/blog/5-risks-and-limitations-of-magnetic-vehicle-signs

  • Paul Ware August 10, 2017

    Hi I have just started up my handyman business and have a crappy old van at present. It is due for replacement and I like utes with a cab but then there are also vans. I don’t know if posting this here is the right spot so sorry if it isn’t. Any thoughts from you guys and gals on this? Also I am thinking a diesel for the economics of it all.

  • car August 21, 2017

    Awesome post.

  • Talmadge Birdsong September 5, 2017

    I am 77 years old and my Real Estate daughter is encouraging me to start my own Handyman business and cater to real estate agents. Do punch-lists, repair things that come up on inspections etc. She says that everyone keeps the name of their handyman close and don’t share it because they are valuable and they want them available. I have been reading your material all evening and looking at what it takes to get licensed and bonded here in the Seattle, WA area. It seems to me that working with RE agents in this area you could run the wheels off of a vehicle. Without being officially in business and just doing favors for her associates I have done two small jobs and just charged for my trip, time and materials. I could have changed out a furnace but was busy installing a complete heat pump and duct system in Spokane for a friend. In this case, I don’t think I would have trouble finding more work than I could or would want to do. However, I am having a little trouble thinking about how to structure my rates. In this area, it is very easy to spend more time driving to the job than doing the job.

    You seem to have some well thought out ideas and seem willing to share them.

    On one hand, I would like to have signage on the truck just to look professional, on the other hand, it sounds like I don’t need it to attract customers. Even though I really enjoy this kind of work and do a lot of it for friends and family (at no pay), I don’t think that I want to be so busy with a business that it takes up all of my time.

    Any Suggestions or comments?

  • DARIN LEE ROGERS March 23, 2018

    I have a 16 ft cargo trailer my work trailer it is black with chrome screws every 6to 8″ my question is do I cover the screws with my logo or apply over screw and use some sort of heat to make sure not to get air pocket any suggestions would be helpful thank you I am a General Contractor in ca

  • Bob Cardwell June 4, 2018

    As an ex-signman when you purchase magnetic signs make sure that they have round corners and keep then clean and waxed on the back.

  • Rhianna Hawk December 17, 2018

    My boss has been looking for more ideas on how to increase our company branding, and I think you’re right that getting some vehicle signage could really help with that. Getting vinyl graphics definitely sounds fun, for sure, and it’s good to know that they last up to 8 years, as you said. We might get a full vehicle wrap, though I’ll have to talk to my boss about it to see if we have anywhere near $3,000 in our budget for it.

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