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You can’t run your business without your vans, but if you are using them only for carrying the products or tools of your trade, you’re missing out on another big advantage a working vehicle offers.

Your van should be a mobile advertisement for your business. But it’s surprising how many tradespeople and SMEs are not making the most of this great asset.

Good van sign writing makes it clear what this business is all about and the clean design creates the right impression

Did you know that a website address, and not a phone number, is best for your business, and a spelling mistake can halve the number of potential customers?

Insurance company AXA, which insures more than 130,000 vans in the UK, has carried out research among 300 van owners that reveals almost two thirds have some type of van signwriting on their vans – the most common being the company name.

Not surprising, but how about this? Of those who do display signage, only six in 10 give a contact telephone number and less than half  flag up their website. And just one in five display Facebook and Twitter details!

According to AXA, more than 50% of UK consumers look out for van signwriting when seeking particular services. The most appealing aspects for potential customers are a witty name or ‘jokey’ signage. Pictures and colours are popular, too, and customers would rather see a website than a phone number.

    Use a colour for the signage that contrasts well with the base colour of the van

A trade endorsement as part of their signage is displayed by 27% of van owners and around six in 10 customers say they would sometimes or always look out for this before contacting a company.

What are the biggest turn-offs? More than 50% said a spelling mistake in signage would deter them, and about the same number would rule out companies with dirty or badly driven vans. Other deterrents are smoking drivers and blacked-out windows ( italics mine...)

AXA has teamed up with design consultant Darren Forsyth to provide tips on how to make the most of your van signage:

- Use as few colours as possible and use to a colour that will contrast with the van colour – for example, dark blue on a white van
- Ensure you use suitable material – vehicle wrap vinyl is ideal for vans
- Keep it simple and clear – unless you’re stuck in a traffic jam, potential customers don’t have time to take in too much detail
- Have the key bits of information at ‘eye level’ for other drivers. It’s pointless having your company name or contact details somewhere that will be obscured by other traffic
- Try to keep sign writing within the van’s panels
- Avoid going over door joins or around corners of the body
- Consumers say they like pictures, but simple illustrations work better than photographs
- A sans serif font will works better than a serif font, especially in larger sizes
- If the colour of the font is important get some swatches for reference as vinyl colours don’t match regular Pantone reference colours
- Make sure several people to proof-read your sign – a mistake can be disastrous
- Finally, ask your insurer about discounts for signage – some, including AXA, will offer a discount for a ‘branded’ van

Source article : Colin Dawsom, Business Vans