Did you know that a vehicle wrap can be used in your local marketing campaigns, including on social media? It’s true! Posting your branded car or van is a great way to engage with the local community and maximise the return on your investment.
This guide looks at simple yet effective ways to do just that. These creative ideas will help you blend your wrap with your online marketing efforts, so you can increase engagement and get people talking.
Why are car and van wraps ideal for local marketing?
A wrap is there to be seen. It helps your brand be recognised and, in some cases, makes it easy for potential customers to learn more about what you do. It’s also a way to build trust with people in your service area. But does this really help with local marketing more than a billboard?
For a start, it’s mobile. You can take this moveable advert wherever you go, be it a job or event, and you won’t have to keep paying for the advertising space. If you’d like to compare the options in more detail, you can visit our guide on vehicle advertising vs traditional methods.
How to use a vehicle wrap in a local marketing campaign
You're wrapping your van to be seen offline, but why not think about how it can be used in your online marketing? Check out these tips and see if any might work for your business.
1. Share high-quality photos
If you want your wrap to be seen by as many people as possible, it’s worth taking high-resolution shots, on a bright day, and in a place where your vehicle will stand out. Showcase the features and eye-catching elements that you’re most proud of. You can then share these shots on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other social channels you own.
2. Visit landmarks and tag locations
About to do a job near the London Eye? Tell people about it! Having your wrapped van pictured next to a landmark shows where you can visit, and this could pay off big time if you’re pictured in an affluent area. When posting these images online, be sure to tag both the landmark and the area, so your wrap will be seen as many times as possible!
3. Run contests and challenges
A branded vehicle can be involved in a competition or prize draw. For example, Tombola used a support van from Promohire to travel around London, leaving boxes in well-known places. Followers were shown a picture of each box so they could guess the location, at which point they’d be entered into a prize draw. There’s no reason you can’t do something similar in your local marketing campaigns.
You could also challenge followers to take photos if they see one of your vans – encouraging them to do so with discounts or giveaways.
4. Attend local events
See if you can attend any charity fairs or community events in the local area. Attending just one or two of these could boost your profile locally, and you’ll potentially have some great pictures to share on social channels. A van wrap also serves as a great backdrop for shots of your team busy engaging with the community. It’ll be even better if a local celebrity or influencer attends.
5. Make a big song and dance
Is someone on the team confident and ready to perform on camera? You may have struck gold for your local marketing efforts. A song or dance routine can spread like wildfire, and it could be viewed across continents. Just ask the guys behind the viral videos, ‘one pound fish’ and ‘cheese tax’! If you feel up to the challenge, just make sure your branding is clearly visible!
6. Film a customer journey video
A short video about getting your van wrapped, and any promotional events around it, will immortalise the moment and serve as a detailed news update that you can share online. This works as a thank you to your installer, but you’ll also be able to share it online however you want.
7. Hand out free samples
No one will engage with a plain white van, but once it’s wrapped, you’ll have a mobile attention magnet that people can trust. People love getting things for free, and depending on what you do, handing out samples is an effective way to engage with people and gain future customers. This makes for a fantastic photo-op!
See how vehicle wrapping helped Big Wipes stand out
Before Big Wipes could use their vehicles in their local marketing campaigns, they were faced with a question: ‘How do we stand out the moment we arrive on premises?’
They answered with a fleet of vehicles wrapped in high-impact visuals. Click below to find out how we created and applied their creative wraps, so they could grab attention both on and offline. We’ll be delighted to do the same for you!
