There’s no doubt about it, first impressions are a key element in building your business and establishing your reputation. Whether you’ve considered it or not, your equipment is often the introduction to your company for many prospects — and equipment can help you sell.
Nothing sells like neatness. Think about it: Would you feel comfortable if your dentist worked on your teeth with barbecue sauce all over his fingers? Have you ever checked into a hotel only to find housekeeping has not cleaned the room?
Business 101: First Impressions That Sell
Another first-impression maker that contractors often ignore or don’t take seriously is the use of their name on company equipment. Placing your company’s name on trucks and other company equipment does more than just get your name some additional exposure; it also speaks to your organization’s commitment to quality and neatness — and it lets people know you’ve been around, you plan to stick around and where they can find you.
As unfair as it may be, customers often judge us by how we look rather than the actual quality of work we perform. In fact, it is not uncommon for contractors to get reference calls in part because a property manager or business owner saw a company vehicle parked at a jobsite and called the number on the truck.
A Good First Impression Costs Nothing, but Pays Off Big
While placing your company name, logo and telephone number on vehicles and equipment is a basic marketing technique, realize the importance of keeping such information clearly visible and distinct. Too many contractors have such information painted on equipment, once, and then fail to keep the equipment clean enough for potential customers to easily recognize what company is on the job.
If you desire to use your company vehicles and equipment as marketing tools, practice a few of the following tips.
Keep a company logo smaller than the company name. Unless your logo is made up of letters distinct enough for an observer to quickly identify — and remember — who the company is, emphasize your company name rather than some cute design. If an observer notices your company information on a truck door but forgets the name, she might still have greater recall when looking through the Yellow Pages or Internet if your name had been boldly emblazoned on the vehicle. Too many contractors will have a beautiful design of a soaring eagle on their truck and have a company name printed in small letters beneath the eagle. Unless your company is “Eagle Painting” or “Eagle Contractor” chances are good they will not remember your name.
More First Impressions - Letters that K.I.S.S. Customers
If you are going to include some graphic design make sure the design reinforces your company name. For example, if your company name is Alligator Excavation Inc., don’t use a picture of an elephant with your name.
Once you make sure your company name is to be larger than any logo design, proceed to make sure the style of type — the font — used for the lettering is bold and easy to read...quickly. Which font style presented below is more easily read?
Eagle Contractor or Eagle Contractor
Hopefully you chose the first Eagle Contractor. While the second type style might have more of an artistic bent, when a prospect passes you at 65 miles per hour on the highway she can read the first name but she won’t be able to read the second “artsy” version.
Final tips
Hold your employees accountable to keep your vehicles and equipment clean. You can’t spend too many quarters going through car washes to keep your vehicles and equipment cleaner than the competition. While paving, pouring concrete, working in dirt and painting are all dirty businesses, customers tend to have a higher regard for those contractors who still manage to project a clean image. Such an image seems to imply that you do quality work and clean up after your jobs.
First Impressions that Last a Lifetime
Keep your company information fresh and bright looking. Depending on the wear and tear of the equipment and vehicles, repaint important information every year if necessary. Painted information is most effective, but even if you use magnetic stickers on door panels, make sure that printed information is clear, bright and easily read.
Finally, make sure to include information that will be readily used by potential customers. Obviously, your company name should always be included and should be a little larger than other information. You might even include the name of the town your company is based. However, listing your hometown is not as critical as the following two pieces of information:
- Your company telephone number
- Your website address
The company telephone number is standard marketing “info” for most organizations and should definitely be included. The same is true today for your web address (you need a website). If you have an Internet presence...share it! As more and more businesses are doing commerce over the Internet people are beginning to look for and remember website addresses as easily as they are telephone numbers.
Make Your First Impression Count
Placing company information on your vehicles and equipment is good business. However, make sure that the way you are displaying your company name and other information is making a memorable, positive first impression.
