Fleet Wraps: 3 Ways to Make Your Trucks Work for You

As a fleet owner, your vehicles are likely one of your most essential resources. They allow you to carry out day-to-day operations. Have you ever stopped to consider, though, that what you put on the outside of your fleet may be just as significant as what you put on the inside?

The blank space on the sides and back of your trailers is space that you own – space that you can put to work for your company in ways that you may never have imagined.

The Case for Fleet Wraps

Before there were fleet wraps, options for utilizing the exterior space on a truck, bus, or van were limited to custom paint jobs. While custom painting can be great for some companies, it can limit the amount of detail that can be added, can need more downtime, and is permanent, causing issues for anyone who may lease their fleet or want frequent design changes.

Custom fleet wraps are a more flexible solution. First and foremost, they are a more cost-effective option that easily fits into advertising budgets. Custom wraps are printed in-house while vehicles still operate. They are professionally installed during business off-hours or according to strategic schedules organized to minimize downtime depending on the size of the fleet.

Second, vinyl wraps can be as temporary or as permanent as you want them to be. Advances in vinyl materials and adhesives allow printers to create wraps that are easily removed at the end of a seasonal promotion or produce wraps on material designed to adhere solidly for five or more years. The choice is yours.

While many fleet owners choose to use the real estate on their fleet for company logos or branding, fleet wraps can adapt to fill many different roles.

1. Promotional Material

In the past, fleet graphic decisions fell squarely under the purview of the fleet manager. However, more and more, these decisions involve advertising and branding experts. Because vehicle wraps are changeable both short and long-term, they are an excellent tool for promoting new products, services, seasonal offerings, or region-specific sales. Whether you choose a full wrap or use vinyl spot decals in addition to your truck’s permanent graphics, they are easy and cost-effective to change and replace.

According to Nielsen’s OOH Online Activation Survey performed in March 2017, out-of-home advertising, including fleet graphics, generates nearly four times more online activations per ad dollar than TV, radio, and print. Additionally, a three-month study performed in San Francisco by 3M showed that a vinyl vehicle wrap could generate up to 16 million impressions a year, making them a great support to other active marketing efforts.

2. New Revenue Stream

For some established businesses, drumming up customers is not a problem. Word of mouth can be one of the most powerful ways to grow your business. If you have reached that point, congratulations! Now, you have the opportunity to capitalize on the space that you are not using by selling it to someone else.

Rather than leaving your driving billboards blank, you could lease them as advertising space to another company, allowing them to install their custom vinyl wraps on your trucks. Some companies specialize in matching those looking for advertising with those who have space to spare. They handle the introductions and keep track of the mileage driven by advertising vehicles.

It might sound like a hassle to keep switching out the graphics on your fleet. However, like billboards, contracts for fleet advertising are usually longer-term. Many contracts last for six months to a year. Skilled professionals can remove and replace these short-term wraps during times when your vehicle is parked for the night or undergoing routine maintenance.

3. Charitable Partnerships

Does your company contribute to a specific community cause or support national or international charities? One of the biggest challenges these foundations face is garnering public support. You can help spread the word about organizations that your company is partnering with. Receiving tens of thousands of impressions per day, you can quickly and easily garner recognition and support for their cause.

While advertising for charity may not draw in new clients specifically, it reflects your organization well. You can create a common bond with customers who believe in and support the same initiatives you do. Those that identify with your efforts will be more inclined to choose your company over others in the future.

Custom fleet graphics serve many purposes for companies. They increase brand awareness and help to solidify brand recognition across your region. However, many companies are discovering that these vinyl wraps can benefit their company in many more ways, using them to bring in additional revenue and show their support for the community. If you aren’t using fleet graphics yet, you may be missing out on more than you think.