Should I signwrite my van?
A small business' marketing budget can be fairly tight, but an effective way of letting people know about your business is by using the side of your vehicle to advertise your services. Not everyone is keen on signwriting on their vans, but they could be missing a trick. Let's look at the benefits, and the insurance implications of van signwriting.
What is van signwriting?
Many trades and small businesses opt to keep their vans sign-free, preferring secrecy of what's inside their van to publicity. Builders are most reluctant towards van signage as to them it is an invitation for tool theft. One of the reasons some trades are reluctant to promote their business in this way is because it can be a signpost to thieves who might be interested in tools kept in the van.
But with the potential for hundreds or even thousands of people every hour to catch sight of your van in busy cities, can you afford to miss out on such huge advertising exposure?
Whether you add a sign on to the side of your vehicle may also depend on your type of business. A company that only works with other businesses and not directly the end users are less likely to broadcast their message in the same way that a tradesman would, and they might tailor their message to specific audiences.
If you're nervous about leaving a very visible vehicle in unattended car parks, you could use a magnetic van sign that can be easily removed so your van stands out less. Magnetic signs for vans are available for individual vehicles or fleets from a variety of suppliers.
If you do decide to get your van branded, it is important to do it the right way, watch our video for some quick tips on signwriting.
Signwriting and its effect on insurance
If you're concerned about spraying on a permanent logo, then it's far more common today to use stencilled adhesive vinyl lettering that preserves the paintwork beneath. You can even use a 'wrap' – a thin vinyl sheet to have the colour/look of your vehicle changed entirely. This wrap can be easily removed should you wish to sell your vehicle and if it's of a high quality it can protect the factory paintwork.
One thing to think about is the cost of dressing your van in this way. This will vary depending upon how extensive your vehicle branding is, so whether it's simply the addition of a logo or the whole van being branded.
It can cost up to £2,500 per vehicle for a 'long term' wrap which lasts up to 5 years. It's important to consider the cost of this investment as if your wrap is damaged in an accident causing you to claim on your van insurance. The overall costs of the wrap and its repair may outweigh the benefit you get in the sales lead it generates.
Do we need to declare it, will it make my premiums go up or down? What about other factors?
The pros and cons of putting your logo on your van
There are clear low-cost commercial benefits to promoting your business using vehicle graphics, but there are other advantages too.
Good drivers don't need to worry about others taking note of their vehicles for the wrong reasons. Many businesses even actively encourage other road users to feed back to them about the quality of their fleet's driving. This approach shows confidence in their drivers' professionalism and encourages safer driving from their workforce. In turn this means potentially fewer insurance claims.
Naturally, van signage design will have an impact on the success of your advertising, which is why when you're considering signwriting for vans you will want to think about the scale and placement of your advertising.
The back of the van is often thought to be a good place to locate your business details as it's more likely to be taken note of by other road users in traffic. Keeping contact details limited to a web address and phone number is often sufficient along with the logo to catch the eye.
If you are an existing customer, speak to one of our advisors for more information on how signwriting may affect your insurance premium. Call us on 0345 301 2882.