Good marketers are always looking for ways to promote their business. If they are not marketing their business in some form, then they feel that the moment is wasted. They use whatever they can to get the message through that they have something to sell, and do whatever they can to sell it. It is thus only natural that they would find a way to use their car as part of their marketing strategy.
The usual method is to use magnetic stickers on the side of a car either owned by the business owner or one hired to drive around with the advertisement on his car. Mobile wraps are also used, but the magnetic stickers are cheaper. In order to work, the ad must stand out, prompting the use of bright colors or color photos to draw attention to the car. Advertising a contest can also work; in some cases advertisers have a random drawing based on entrants that have submitted pictures of the car or information on the car’s location when spotted.
If the business owner decides to hire someone to drive around with the advertisement, then they need to keep in mind certain issues. The advertisement tends to work best on cars that are new or otherwise grab attention, such as older cars or cars that are unique; some companies have actually had a car designed and built or modified specifically for their business. City drivers are obviously preferred, as more people will see the car, and the driver must drive a certain number of miles a day in order for it to be worth the employer’s money. As long as a person is willing to abide by certain conditions, it can actually be profitable to even have their car wrapped as a moving advertisement.
Although vinyl wrap can be used, most people use magnets to turn their car into a company car. This allows the car to switch modes, allowing it to act as a personal car as needed; there are just some times when coming in with advertisements is not acceptable. Also magnets can look more professional than wrapping, especially as wrapping tends to the brighter and more garish. Nonetheless, a company is more likely to get more business, especially in areas where there are constant jams.
One issue that needs to be noted is that the cost of driving may be a possible deduction. Although the IRS frowns on using company cars as a deduction due to their use as personal transportation (the use needs to be delineated, and that is harder to do than most people think), the mileage can still be a source of deduction. Nonetheless, using a car as a roving advertisement can be an effective means of marketing even a small business.
