Truck signage advertising

[Frans]

Has anyone been able to quantify exactly how many jobs resulting in actual money deposits at the bank that their truck signs (on the door or side of the chip body, or on the chipper, etc) have generated?
I have been of the belief for a long time that the type of folks who respond to this type of advertising are the "lookey loo" people. You know the ones who see you working on a job and say "hey that looks like a good idea, I wonder how much it would cost to cut my trees". But then when they hear the cost, back out. These types of people have not really put alot of thought into their landscaping and are not ready to make an investement in it. (IMO)
Seems to me like they just want an instant answer/instant gratification like a little kid reaching for the candy.
Soo I have always kept my truck free of such clutter, but recently got the chipper painted and had a sign guy paint my logo and such on it. Dont know if it has helped or not. I dont really need the additional business but thought it would be a good idea because anyone stuck behind me on the road has just got to stare at the back of the chipper, or try to pass me, either way they are a captive audience...
Frans

 

[begleytree]

What real difference does it make if it makes you deposits or not?
USDOT requires all comercial vehicles to be marked on both sides with :
name, city and state, the USDOT #

FYI FMCSR 390.21

Now, got get signs on the truck too


To answer your post, yes, many of my customers got the # off the truck after watching our crews in action, and viewing the finished product

Ralph

 

[SilverBlue]

I don’t keep records of truck call in’s but last week we received calls from areas just outside our advertising territory we were working in of which I have not yet placed yellow page ads, two jobs now agreed upon and 1 wood lot job pending. In areas where the new yellow page books have just been delivered recently we are getting up to 20 calls a day for estimates! Geeze, I have to hire another crew again?!?
Kenn ORClimber had his truck done recently, he should chime in.

 

[Stumper]

Frans, The signs definitely generate work "directly". They also help in a more subtle way. Good signage looks professional- aid no.1. Signage also helps with NAME RECOGNITION. If serious people have never had work done they will call someone based upon a friend's recommendation (my favorite) or based upon a name they remember (without a strong negative associated with it). SIGNAGE PAYS!!!!!!!!!

 

[wct4life]

????????????

 

[Menchhofer]

I worked without the name on the side of the trucks for a very long time. Thought it was not needed.

I was wrong. If the adv on a vehicle costs $450.00, I have made this amount back a hundred fold easily. I will admit I have gotten a few shoppers but also they see your work when you are out and about or down the street or in the neighborhood. Very important to me.

Yes Yes Yes It is worth it. Do it.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Signage works!

And it's law down here.

 

[Menchhofer]

Thanks again MB.

 

[jkrueger]

The new vhehicle will have:

Urban Arborist Assault Vehicle
(phone number)

Jack

 

[ORclimber]

Originally posted by Menchhofer

Yes Yes Yes It is worth it. Do it.

Outstanding!!!

 

[Ax-man]

Having a logo that is distintive is also helpful too. Signage on trucks is great, but a logo is a mental picture that is easier for people to remember and associate to a name when it is seen in any form of advertising.

Larry

 

[M.D. Vaden]

From customer feedback - only 5 or so, since 1988 have mentioned they got my name or number from a vehicle.

I think the name recognition part is a greater tool in my particular case.

 

[taznleo1]

Mike,
I always wondered why people put the discount off on their fliers.
Does it work?? If you offer $50.00 off for a discount, how do people know if you are really granting it to them. Say you look at a job, ex. $250.00. You could easily tell them it is $300 and still come out the same price you wanted to start.
I am not trying to dog you or anything, but I just think it is funny. I see that every where. Roofing, siding, any type of labor. You can put any price on the labor and tell them that you are giving them a discount.
I always thought that a person should put in their fliers, that you would be any price by $50.00 as long as they give you 3 estimates from 3 different companies. Then they could see that you were giving them a deal.

 

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

ive had signs on my trucks ,chippers ,trailers,for over 10 years and i can tell you i doubt any work directly from this form of advertising has even paid for all the signs/stickers over the years

but on the same note i would never run any truck without signs,when i /we turn up on and do a first class job i want all the neighbours to now it was my crew and not anybody else

and yes i do moniter all my leads/calls i now exactly what form of advertising they came from

just a change of subject i hear a lot of bull about guys who dont advertise and all there work comes from reccomendations,coke tastes great we all now that but they still advertise .my gang has done endless amounts of great work and at a competative price yet we still advertise..the only blokes i know who never need to advertise are the ones who low-ball

 

[SteveBullman]

changing the subject once again rolla, i noticed you have a toll free number on your truck, hows that working out for you?

 

[SteveBullman]

Originally posted by mikecross23

Here is an ad I run in several coupon advertiser magazines.
-Mike-

so what do you do, quote every job at $490 and give them $25 discount?

 

[monkeypuzzle]

Never advertised in 20 plus years. I have 80 removals to do and get a dozen calls per day.


Don't want to deal with the shoppers. I have just about stopped doing big takedowns cause there are guys who will bust asss all day for a few franklins. I like the little trims. After a hurricane back in 1984, I think it was (Kate)??? Tally seemed to be tree ser. capital of the world. Went from 4-5 to about 45 overnite.


For about 6 months now we have been getting calls from folks looking for Steve's tree ser. and no, not wanting us to give est. but raising hell about broken driveways, please come clean this crap up, and the best one yet,---> Lady on her way to Miami on I-10 had a large fire wood sized chunck of wood roll into her car doing 70mph. I am getting this guys bizz.....now thats good advertising. Heck they may be getting my bizz

So I call a friend who works for a lawyer(she has access to info of some sort) and turns out they came from up north, address is room 234 at Shoney's Inn on north monroe st. tally fla. and that this steve dude is sharing the same SS number as his girlfriend

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

Originally posted by stephenbullman
changing the subject once again rolla, i noticed you have a toll free number on your truck, hows that working out for you?

one word 'crap' beleive it or not some people ask me what area code 0800 is from

 

[M.D. Vaden]

About the flyer question above:

Another tree service and I ran adds with discounts about 10 years ago.

The ads stated to present and inform us of the discount coupon only after receiving the final bid.

That's the best we could come up with at that time.