Are you looking for a way to get people talking about your brand without having to overinvest in marketing? Imagine for a moment that you had access to a mobile billboard that could traverse the country, doing the much-desired branding for you. Well, if you’re in charge of a trucking fleet, then you already have some on hand. And, if those billboards are dirty, it’s going to reflect badly on you as a business.
For those who aren’t in a commercial fleet business, such an investment may seem overly pricey at first. But a fleet of vehicles, whether they are cars, vans, or trucks, is an excellent way to boost your company’s profile and position yourself as one of the most recognisable companies in your business segment. You don’t need to move furniture or lumber either—any business can benefit from featuring prominent advertising.
According to research conducted by a multinational signage business, in highly-travelled places (like Christchurch or downtown Auckland), your mobile billboard (using a single car) has the potential to get displayed to more than 3,000 potential clients EVERY HOUR!
In a world filled with countless marketing strategies and cut-throat competition, mobile billboard branding is an opportunity that few companies can afford to miss. But how can you guarantee that your potential consumers in Christchurch will notice your fleet? And how can you be sure it's for the right reason? This blog post will act as your tour guide.
Top 9 ways to effectively brand yourself using a mobile board
1. Be precise while branding your company
Considering that 99% of the time people will only give your branding a brief glance, it's crucial to try and make the most of it and arrest their attention. We suggest you go for minimal yet striking images and/or fonts, along with a straightforward-looking brand identity.
Your company's name should be written clearly on the side and rear of your vehicle(s), and your logo should be large and legible enough to see from a distance.
2. Keep taglines simple yet catchy
If your brand is still growing but is yet to gain popularity in New Zealand, it might be time to come up with a crisp tagline that explains what it is you offer. This will help your potential customers understand your business straight away and make your brand more of an earworm that doesn’t get forgotten easily.
Covering up your billboard space with too much information (about your brand and its services) will have little to no effect. That’s because the majority of us neither have the time nor the willpower to go through a large amount of content and will block it out. Four or five words should do it (ok, maybe six).
Those four-six words need to be straightforward but catchy, communicating your point of difference as much as your service offering.
3. Put fleet cleaning as a top priority
If you wish to use your vehicles as a marketing asset around Christchurch, it’s mandatory that you give sufficient attention to fleet cleaning. Even though fleet cleaning in Christchurch may be a bit costly, the benefits of a regular and professional level of cleaning are always worth your while!
Fleet managers often think that they can save a few bucks by avoiding this “unnecessary” investment. However, as quick as people are to glance over your painstakingly detailed ads, they’re also as quick to notice what you don’t want them to see. Imagine what the general public might perceive about your company’s standards and functionality if they saw one of your undermanaged vehicles, covered in mud and road grime. Your ad would quickly turn into a warning sign!
4. Make sure your customers can easily find you
It is imperative that you put your company’s contact information and/or social media handles on your fleets, in addition to your company’s name, logo, and tagline. This will help your clients in tracking you down and connecting with you.
Use information such as your phone number, website, social media handles or email address, displayed on the side of your vehicles. If you’re feeling adventurous, you might even try a QR code, so people can easily scan into your site.
5. Keep a check on your drivers’ performance
When your fleet of vehicles is used for branding purposes, the last thing you need to worry about is reckless drivers who don’t follow road rules or safety regulations.
It's quite possible that your target customers' first encounter may happen when they see one of your vehicles misbehaving. Therefore, it's a must that your drivers maintain high safety standards when on the road, as their driving is an advertisement for your company.
The performance of your drivers (employees) can be monitored through the use of telematics devices. These can be fitted into your vehicles quickly and later utilised to help others understand the areas in which they need additional training.
6. Choose your fleet vehicles carefully!
Fleet cleaning on a regular basis will help ensure that your vehicles always look their best. But if you want to boost your company's reputation, and stand out from the Christchurch crowd, you should also give serious thought to the vehicles you purchase.
Certain types of vehicle brands and models will appeal to your target audience and convey something about your company's standards, helping to upmarket your brand value in their eyes.
7. Safety should be your top priority
When it comes to building your brand image, giving sufficient attention to your fleet’s safety is paramount.
Think about it — if your vehicles look poorly managed, unreliable or seemingly pose a risk to the other drivers, people aren’t going to instil that much trust in you.
You should choose to invest in vehicles, made using the latest technology and innovative features, as they assure the driver’s safety and, in turn, guard your company’s reputation. Doing so will also help reduce ongoing maintenance and downtime costs.
8. Use your fleet to entice the most qualified drivers
Due to a scarcity of qualified drivers in New Zealand, the transportation and logistics industry is in a state of constant recruitment. So, with this in mind, your fleet could be used to lure in the best drivers in your city.
If given a choice, a new driver will always look for vehicles that are well-maintained and cared for (because, whether you know it or not, that’ll dictate how you treat your employees too).
9. Pick a sustainable alternative
Consumers these days place a great deal of importance on environmental issues. Now that most of us are aware of our carbon footprints, the majority are inclined to link themselves with companies that are environment-friendly. Not only is this shift for the sake of their brand image, but also to avoid possible lawsuits and consumer boycotts.
A 2021 study has revealed that more and more consumers around the world are willing to pay more for sustainable alternatives. Therefore, purchasing an electric vehicle may be a better investment. There are government schemes that support rebates for those buying EVs (Electric Vehicles) in New Zealand, and other parts of the world. This initiative is done to reduce vehicle emissions.
Environment-friendly fleet cleaning options
How you clean your vehicle is a good place to start when going green. If you want to impress a positive brand image, you should try your best to use only environment-positive cleaning ingredients.
We make sure all our cleaning gear is made using bio-degradable ingredients, so that we add, and don’t subtract, from the green movement.
Professional fleet cleaning services in Christchurch
At The Washdown King, we will make sure that the unofficial face of your company always looks its finest, and give you something to boast about when it comes to keeping green.
As cleaning professionals, we provide a high-quality fleet cleaning service for the Christchurch area. So why not make a great first impression when driving out to a site with a power-washed fleet of vehicles? If you want to find out more about The Washdown King’s machinery and truck steam cleaning, click here.
References:
- “GreenPrint Survey Finds Consumers Want to Buy Eco-Friendly Products but Don’t Know How to Identify Them” on BusinessWire. Date Published: 22nd March 2021. Site Link: https://bwnews.pr/3RDzB9Y.
- “Recent Study Reveals More Than a Third of Global Consumers Are Willing to Pay More for Sustainability as Demand Grows for Environmentally-Friendly Alternatives” on BusinessWire. Date Published: 14th October 2021. Site Link: https://bwnews.pr/3QA1wWX.