Whether you’re a business with a few vehicles or many, fleet branding is a strategy that can explode your brand’s visibility while making your business vehicles look professional. Whether you’re using vehicle spot graphics or full vehicle wraps, these moving billboards can significantly enhance brand presence and recognition. But how do you measure the success of your fleet branding efforts?
This post will guide fleet managers, marketing professionals, and business owners through the key metrics and strategies to evaluate the impact of vehicle branding.
Why Fleet Branding Matters
Fleet branding is one of the most cost-effective ways to increase brand awareness. Unlike traditional advertising mediums, a branded vehicle can catch the attention of thousands of potential customers daily without incurring recurring costs. For example, studies have shown that a single vehicle wrap can generate between 30,000 to 70,000 impressions per day, making it an invaluable asset for businesses of all sizes.
In fact, let’s dive into the data and compare fleet branding with a strong ad medium contender: billboards.
Fleet Branding vs. Billboards
Read below to see how fleet branding measures up in every category when compared to a similar ad medium such as billboards.
Impressions Generated:
- Fleet Branding: A single-wrapped vehicle can generate between 30,000 to 80,000 impressions daily, depending on factors like location and driving routes.
- Billboards: Traditional billboards typically garner around 10,000 to 30,000 daily impressions, varying with placement and traffic volume.
Cost per Thousand Impressions (CPM):
- Fleet Branding: The average CPM for vehicle wraps is approximately $0.48, making it a cost-effective advertising medium.
- Billboards: The average CPM for traditional billboards is about $3.56, indicating a higher cost per impression compared to vehicle wraps.
Message Recall and Brand Awareness:
- Fleet Branding: Vehicle marketing achieves a 97% message recall, significantly higher than stationary advertisements.
- Billboards: Message recall for billboards varies but generally falls below 19%.
Flexibility and Coverage:
- Fleet Branding: Offers dynamic exposure across various locations, adapting to different routes and times, thereby reaching a diverse audience.
- Billboards: Provide consistent visibility in a fixed location, ideal for targeting specific areas but limited in geographic reach.
Key Metrics to Measure Fleet Branding Success
1. Increased Brand Visibility
How to Measure: Track changes in overall brand visibility by analyzing the increase in website traffic, social media engagement, and lead inquiries during and after the implementation of vehicle branding.
Tools to Use: Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor spikes in direct traffic or branded search queries. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer insights into engagement metrics.
2. Return on Investment (ROI)
How to Measure: ROI can be calculated by comparing the cost of your fleet branding (including production and installation) to the revenue generated from the increased exposure.
Formula: You can calculate ROI by subtracting the initial cost of the investment from its final value, dividing that number by the cost of the investment, and multiplying by 100.
3. Customer Reach and Impressions
How to Measure: Use GPS tracking systems to gather data about the areas where your fleet operates. Estimate the number of impressions based on traffic patterns and population density in those areas.
Tools to Use: GPS software can provide data on mileage and location, helping you estimate potential reach and engagement.
4. Lead Generation
How to Measure: Monitor the number of leads and conversions you receive after launching your vehicle branding campaign. If you’d like to know which leads came directly as a result of your fleet branding, use a unique phone number, a landing page, a unique email, or even a QR code on your vehicle wraps to track lead sources directly.
Tools to Use: CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software can help track the source of leads and conversions, providing insight into how many originated from your fleet branding efforts.
5. Brand Recall and Recognition
How to Measure: Conduct simple surveys or focus groups to determine how well potential customers recognize and recall your brand after encountering your branded vehicles.
Tools to Use: Use online survey platforms like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms to gather feedback from your target audience.
Tips for Successful Fleet Branding
Whether you’re operating a few vans or an entire fleet of trucks, here are some essential tips to ensure your fleet branding leaves a lasting impression.
Choose the Right Type of Branding
Not all fleet branding is created equal, and understanding your options is crucial. Here are three popular approaches to consider:
Full Wrap: This completely transforms your vehicle by covering it from bumper to bumper in a custom-designed vinyl wrap. It’s ideal if you want bold, high-impact advertising that grabs attention on the road.
Partial Wrap: Looking for an option that’s just as effective but more budget-friendly? A partial wrap uses clever design placement to cover specific areas of your vehicle, such as the sides or back, for maximum impact with fewer materials.
Vinyl Lettering: Perfect for a simpler, minimalist look. Vinyl lettering or decals display essential information, like your business name, logo, phone number, and website, in a clean, professional way. It’s a great choice for a tight budget or smaller fleets.
Choose the Right Shop for the Job
Your fleet branding is only as good as the shop that produces it. Partner with a reputable business that specializes in vehicle wraps and graphics, and ensure they have experience working with fleets of your size. Before you commit:
- Ask to see examples of their past work for other businesses.
- Check for quality materials like high-performance vinyl designed to withstand weather conditions.
- Confirm that they offer professional installation by skilled technicians to avoid peeling or bubbling down the line.
A reliable shop will treat your fleet branding as an investment—not just another job—and provide results that stand out for all the right reasons.
Conclusion
Measuring the impact of your fleet branding efforts is essential to understanding whether your investment is paying off. Focusing on metrics like brand visibility, ROI, customer reach, lead generation, and brand recognition can give you valuable insights into your campaign’s effectiveness.
Graphics Unlimited is the #1 Car Wrap and Fleet Branding Shop in Northern Nevada
If you’re looking for a certified, professional car wrap installer and you’re in the Northern Nevada area, look no further than Grafics Unlimited. Their 40+ years of car wrap installation experience has made them the go-to for car wrap installation (and much more) in the Reno/Sparks area.
Grafics Unlimited has operated as a family-owned, full-service sign business since 1976 and has set the pace for design in the sign and vehicle wrap industry in Northern Nevada. They provide professional, friendly service, and quality products to each satisfied customer.
