Designing a powerful and effective vehicle wrap is very important if you want to get the attention of as many people as you can. It can increase response rates, help with local brand awareness, and act as a rolling billboard. However, there are some design elements that will need to be taken into consideration that can turn a so-so design into a great one.
A good design will persuade people to give your business a call whereas a bad one will wind up confusing those who look at it. While it’s ideal to leave the design of the wrap to the professionals, we’re going to give you some design tips on what to avoid when planning your wrap.
Keep it Simple
The average person has around 2.5 seconds to view your vehicle as you’re driving down the street. Over-complicated designs that may look pretty on paper will come off as too busy for the average person. A great design will enable people to quickly glance and understand it instantly.
Bullet points, customer testimonials, and a complicated color scheme will confuse or turn off people who are engrossed in their day-to-day lives and don’t have the time to decipher a marketing message on the side of a car, truck, or van.
By keeping the design simple and the text to a bare minimum, your marketing message will be well received.
Limit Photo Usage to a Minimum
The addition of photos to a vehicle wrap can cause debate amongst professional designers. Some of them feel that a tastefully added photo will help the marketing message while others think that it detracts from the brand.
E.g., If you own a roofing company and put a picture of a house on the side of your company van, are people able to figure out what kind of company you are without having to read the text?
A picture of a house on the side of a work van could indicate a lot of things, such as:
• General contractor
• Electrician
• Window installer
• Siding company
Images that are ambiguous shouldn’t be added to vehicle wraps. They’ll only serve to confuse people and detract from the marketing message. A wrap should only convey who you are, what you do, and why you should be contacted.
By adding additional images to make the design look pretty, it’s going to cause the average person extra time to figure out what you’re all about.
Design Elements to Avoid
Some businesses want to add fancy design elements such as:
- Carbon fiber
- Chrome
- Tribal flames
- Decorative design lines
While these design additions may look great on a computer screen, they detract from the overall message. They make the design look too busy, and that causes people to look the other way. A good design should immediately hit the subconscious mind of the person who looks at it. Unnecessary design elements will only detract from the marketing message.
The Copy
The words you put on your design are just as important as the design itself. Persuasive and effective copy should include the three W’s:
• What do you do?
• Who are you?
• Where can I locate you when I’m in need of your services?
If all three of the above questions are answered in 2.5 seconds or less, your marketing message is on-point and effective. A great way to accomplish this is to add a QR code to your design. Everyone has a smartphone nowadays, and all they need to do is take a quick picture of the QR code while you’re sitting in traffic and they can visit your website or landing page on their mobile phone browser.
You should also include a call-to-action (CTA) somewhere in your message. It will subconsciously direct people to take action, such as call or email. Examples of good CTA’s are:
• Call us Today
• Get a Free Estimate
• Learn More by Visiting Our Website
Custom Vehicle Wraps in Seattle
If you’re interested in getting a vehicle wrap or have any questions about the design process, give us a call at (206) 284-0809. At McNamara Signs, we have over 20 years of experience designing and installing vehicle wraps for cars, trucks, and vans in the Seattle area. Give us a call today to learn how we can create a compelling and persuasive design wrap that will help promote your business or organization.