In this blog, we will explore the incredible benefits and potential that van sign writing holds for maximising the value of your leased van. From enhancing professionalism to boosting brand recognition, join us as we delve into the world of van signage and uncover the secrets to unlocking the full potential of your new vehicle. Let’s ensure every mile pays off your investment.
Is van wrapping and van sign writing worth it?
Investing in leasing or purchasing a brand-new van can positively elevate your business image. But to truly stand out, you should never underestimate the power of effective van sign writing. Whether you’re driving a large Peugeot Boxer between different jobs or manoeuvring the city in the new Volkswagen Caddy, you can attract more customers with well-designed and eye-catching van signage. Modern van sign writing not only enhances professionalism but also ensures customers remember your brand.
Don’t let potential clients pass you by due to a lack of signage or poorly designed vehicle graphics. Attract more customers and maximise the potential of your commercial vehicle with professional and impactful signwriting.
Benefits of signage and vehicle wraps
Let’s explore the various benefits of utilising signage on business vans and how they can positively impact the success and growth of a company.
Well-designed van signwriting creates confidence and trust in your brand
Put yourself in the shoes of a customer seeking a reliable service provider. Their top priority is selecting the right business to meet their needs, and they certainly don’t want to risk hiring someone who will deliver poor results or vanish halfway through a project. Now, consider who would you place more trust in: a tradesman driving a plain LCV, even if it’s brand new, or the one with a professionally sign written van displaying their business details? The answer speaks for itself. It’s clear which one values their reputation and inspires confidence.
Vehicle wraps and signage promote your business on the go
The ‘Power of Vehicle Advertising’ research by 3M showed that, on average, your company vehicle can be seen by 3000 people an hour. That’s why vinyl signs on a van are crucial, especially for sole traders and small limited companies. Vehicle branding turns the vehicle into a mobile billboard, showing everyone what you do and how to contact you. Moreover, it’s still working even when it’s parked outside your home while you’re sleeping. And it looks great, too!
Signwriting is a cost effective advertising tool
Compared to other methods, vehicle sign writing provides a more cost effective form of advertising. Traditional adverts such as television, social media, magazines, billboards, and newspapers come at an ongoing cost. On the contrary, signwriting your van incurs a one-time expense. After you have paid for the initial design and installation, there will be no additional fees or expenses required for maintaining your signage. Yet, it serves as a consistent advertising tool, operating around the clock, and for numerous years, regardless of your location.
Vehicle signwriting brings new customers
Imagine you find yourself in need of a reliable roofer, and you happen to notice a team of skilled professionals diligently working on a nearby property. Now, would you ever contemplate approaching their unmarked white van to request their business card? The answer seems evident.
The same principle can be applied to your fleet. Even when you aren’t physically present, potential customers have the opportunity to take note of your business details displayed on the vehicle. This can serve as a valuable means for them to reach out and connect with you.
Van graphics make the vehicle unique and less likely to attract thieves
By equipping your commercial vehicle with eye-catching and unique van sign writing, you make your vehicle easily identifiable and less attractive to criminals. Thieves are more likely to target plain, unmarked vans that blend into the crowd. With custom signage, you not only make your van stand out but also significantly reduce the risk of theft. Therefore, investing in van signage can safeguard your valuable asset from potential threats.
Vehicle signwriting could result in a cheaper price on your van insurance
Because sign-written vans are easily recognisable, they are less prone to theft. Because of that, you can get a discount with some insurers on your insurance premiums.
Photo: Our customer, AJOB Electrical, obtained a Ford Transit Custom through a leasing agreement. This sleek van represents the company’s commitment to professionalism, with carefully positioned branding on its sides and rear. As it gracefully maneuvers through the streets, the van effortlessly catches the eyes of numerous potential clients each day.
What’s required to create a branded van design?
To ensure a smooth and efficient design process, a vehicle sign designer needs to have certain information before commencing work on your project. By allowing us to handle the signwriting before the delivery of your van, you can simplify the entire process, ensuring it is ready for immediate use upon arrival. However, if you prefer to undertake the signwriting of your leased vehicle independently, here are some key considerations to keep in mind when collaborating with a graphic designer:
- Your vehicle details
To effectively plan the space for the van graphics, it is important to provide your van graphics designer with the make, model, and year of your vehicle. This information is crucial for ensuring that the design fits appropriately on your specific vehicle.
- Business details
To facilitate the design process, it is necessary to provide essential information such as your business name, contact details, the services you offer, and any branding elements such as brand colors and logo, if applicable. These details will enable the graphic designer to create a design that accurately represents your business.
- Budget
Van graphics can range from simple and cost-effective to complex, such as full van wrapping. It is advisable to establish a clear understanding of the cost beforehand to avoid any unpleasant surprises with a bill exceeding your initial expectations.
- Any special requirements
If you have a specific vision for your van signs, it is essential to communicate that to the designer. However, if you’re unsure of what you want, a skilled graphic designer can create a unique design tailored to your business. To ensure the best results, provide high-resolution pictures, logos, and any non-standard fonts you wish to incorporate into your van graphics. Additionally, remember to convey any safety specifications, such as reflective graphics, as outlined in Chapter 8 van requirements when operating on highways.
- Signage format
Magnetic signs provide a convenient and economical method to brand a vehicle. They are easily removable, but it’s crucial to apply them correctly to prevent the risk of detachment while driving. On the other hand, for businesses seeking a truly impressive impact, van wraps are an excellent choice. They offer durability and longevity, although they may be more expensive than magnets. Your graphics designer will offer expert guidance to determine the most suitable option for your business, considering both your budget and requirements. The signwriter will also have the expertise to recommend the most suitable materials for your specific needs.
Top tips for achieving professional-looking vehicle graphics
To effectively advertise your business with signage, we recommend following our top tips to create a final design that is uncluttered and concise, allowing it to be easily visible even when your van is in motion. By implementing these suggestions, you can maximise the impact of your advertising efforts.
Choose the right font and colours
When selecting fonts, opt for ones that are simple, easy to read, and preferably in primary colors that can stand out from a distance. If you’re uncertain, it is advisable to follow the advice of your graphic designer who is a professional in the field.
Outline your text
Using a different outline color (stroke) around the text can make sign writing on a vehicle stand out more. As a tip, using a black stroke with yellow text tends to be the most attention-grabbing combination.
Be consistent with your branding
To avoid confusion among customers, it is important to maintain consistency with your branding across different media. This includes your website, social media pages, and vehicle signage. It is advisable to use the same branding styles and elements to create a cohesive look. Therefore, if your business uses non-standard fonts, it is beneficial to have them readily available when meeting with your graphics designer. This will ensure consistent branding implementation.
Think of any changes you should make to your brand
Before proceeding with wrapping or signwriting your van, take a moment to evaluate your branding. Are you satisfied with it, or does it require some refreshing? This presents the perfect opportunity to reconsider and potentially enhance your branding strategy.
Less is more
When designing van signwriting, it is generally advised to follow the principle of “less is more”. This is because an excessive text can be difficult to read. Keep the signage text simple. The most crucial information, typically the business name, should be in a larger font size compared to the rest of the text. Avoid overcrowding the design with excessive information, as this can result in a cluttered and unprofessional appearance.
Be original
Take some time to consider what sets your business apart from others offering similar services. Is there something unique or special that you can emphasise? When designing your van signwriting, think about how it will stand out in traffic. Avoid using colors or designs that would cause your van to blend in with other vehicles. Instead, aim to create a distinct and eye-catching design that will help your business stand out from the competition.
Don’t go wild with colours
When designing your van signwriting, choose a maximum of two primary colors. Use these colors and fonts consistently for similar elements. For example, keep all contact information in the same style, and use different colors or fonts to separate design sections. This will create a visually pleasing and organised design.
How much information should the van graphics include?
Make sure to include the correct details when designing the van sign writing of your business vehicle since it is this design that will attract customers to your business.
- Show your business off
What key message would you like to convey about your business? Typically, van signwriting includes the business name and logo, contact details such as the website address and phone number. It’s also important to highlight anything unique about your company, such as offering a 24/7 service. While including your email may be too lengthy, it’s crucial to feature your website as it is the easiest to remember.
- Include your social media
If your company is active on social media, consider adding these platforms to your van signwriting to ensure easy discovery by people. However, if your social media pages do not have an appealing look, we suggest not mentioning them. It’s important not to direct potential customers to a place that does not effectively represent your business.
- Think of the vehicle on the road
Since your van will mostly be visible on the road while it’s moving, you need to prioritise effective communication that is quick and simple. This enables people to easily recall your business after briefly looking at your van. This is why the website address is crucial as it’s the easiest detail to remember.
- Catch the attention
To capture the potential customer’s attention within a short timeframe of approximately 3 seconds, it is essential for your company name and logo to prominently stand out from your van signwriting.
- Avoid changeable details
It is important to avoid including information that is likely to change, such as special offers or pricing. Since van vinyl graphics can last for many years, constantly updating these details would be expensive and unnecessary.
What are the common mistakes when sign writing a vehicle livery?
With our experience working with thousands of UK businesses, we have gained valuable insight into the common mistakes made when designing van sign writing.
- Low-quality vinyl
Often, business owners mistakenly believe that all van signwriting is the same and prioritise finding the lowest price. However, it is crucial to understand that not all vinyl materials are equal. While they may appear similar at first glance, the quality of the materials becomes evident over time. Opting for the lowest price does not always guarantee poor quality, but in many cases, it unfortunately does. Low-quality materials tend to fade, peel off, or shrink, leading to the unsightly exposure of sticky borders around the lettering, which attracts dirt.
- Too much information
Excess information is a common mistake when designing van signage. Including too much content can make the design cluttered and difficult to read. To avoid this, it is best to keep the design simple.
- Typos
Ensure accuracy by thoroughly verifying the information that will be displayed on your van. It is astonishing how many businesses make errors with their phone numbers. Take the time to double or even triple-check to avoid such mistakes.
- Poor design
Investing in professional van signage is a valuable decision. By enhancing your brand awareness, well-designed van signwriting can quickly yield a return by attracting more customers. In fact, it may only take a few jobs to recover this investment, making it well worth the expense.
Vehicle signwriting FAQs
Can I sign write a leased van?
While it is possible to get vinyl branding for a leased van, it’s important to note that regardless of whether you have only some vinyl lettering or a full wrap, it will need to be removed before returning the vehicle to the funder. As long you remove the vinyl material professionally, leaving no permanent marks on the vehicle’s body, there should be no issues.
When you lease a van with us, we can sign write the vehicle for you and remove the signage on the vehicle’s return.
How much is sign writing on a van?
The cost of a graphic design for your commercial vehicle will vary based on several factors. These include the size of the vehicle, the type of vinyl used, and the amount of information you want to include on the vehicle. To get an accurate understanding of vehicle sigange prices in your area, we recommend researching “van signwriting near me.”
Alternatively, if get your business van on lease through us, our pricing for signwriting on lease vans is as follows: £200 for a small van, £300 for a medium van, and £400 for a large van. Please note that all prices mentioned are exclusive of VAT.
We understand the importance of transparency and ensuring that you have all the necessary information upfront. Feel free to reach out to us for further details or to discuss your specific requirements. We’re here to assist you!
How much does it cost to remove van graphics?
At our leasing company, we offer the option to pay a small fee for professional signage removal that won’t damage the paintwork. This way you can return the van in perfect condition.
Our pricing for van signage removal is as follows: £50 for a small LCV such as the Citroen Berlingo, £75 for a medium van like the Renault Trafic, and £100 for a large commercial vehicle like the Vauxhall Movano. Please note that the mentioned prices are subject to a 20% VAT charge.
