Logo Wear And Vehicle Signs

jakejorgenson

I have a fairly new company that does primarily general contracting but also does general carpentry (framing, trim, wood siding, wood floors). For the last couple of years I've been running the company on the side and working full time at another job. I got let go at the full time job so I've gone to my company full time a few months back and am considering company logo shirts and mabye logos on my truck and on my utility trailer to help get more work and to help clients feel more comfortable (professional image).

I wanted to ask if anybody has actually been able to get more work by paying the money to have logos put on their vehicle or clothing. The costs are a little more than I want to spend right now but if it actually gets me more work, I guess it would be worth it anyway. Anybody care to comment on this with any suggestions? Thanks.

jakejorgenson

Also, how much should I expect to pay for these? I got a couple of quotes but they were really different for the supposedly the same products.

480sparky

When it comes to embroidery and silk screening, I would suggest a local outfit. Take them your logo and have it converted. There is usually a one-time cost to do this, and then the design can be used over and over. If you go somewhere else, they will charge to to convert it again. Shirts, hats, jackets, etc. can all use the same logo at no additional charge.

Sign shops can generally do vinyl. Shop around as prices can vary widely.

Keep in mind that the more complex the design is, and more colors are involved, equates to more money. Same holds true for business cards.

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Magic Hammer

I think it would be better to spend money on something proactive like canvassing the neighbor than on something passive like hats.
You should always have yard and truck signs.
I never got a job from someone seeing a tee shirt with my name on it.
Good Luck!

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AHS

Every customer has a certain level of expectation of you & your company before you start a job. Any thing you can do above & beyond that expectation creates real measurable energy. Having courteous- uniformed employees, lettered up vehicles & such all help raise your company above their level of expectation. The energy that you create by doing this will show itself in the form of the customer talking about you to their friends & family & eventually lead to more work.

RidgeWalker

People are very image based so I feel it is important to brand your company logo and name on your clothes and trucks.

I have received many phone calls from people who have seen my trucks on the street.

I also provide my reps collared sports shirts and hats. These are branded with our web site address which is also the company name.

People have seen me standing in line at the gas station or subway and asked me for a card because they have seen the logo on my hat or shirt so it definitely helps.

In regards to truck lettering, DO NOT GO CHEAP! Your lettering will last much longer. I put my new logo on my trucks 3 years ago and they still look brand new, once the truck is washed. hehe

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wireaudio

From personal experience i can tell you this:

Just logo on truck = not so great (i personally never got a customer this way)
Logo + "insured and bonded" = slightly better (i got no customers this way either, but at appointments homeowners noticed the insured and bonded stuff and liked it, so it might have helped get a project over my competitors)
Logo + "insured and bonded" + small list of the most popular services and contact information = good (i got quite a few customers this way, initial investment for lettering paid off many many times)

Shirts, hats, etc. = usually not worth it, unless you work in a public place. Just one shirt or one hat for yourself (and your workers if you have any) generally does the job and does make you look professional. Do not use printed stuff, it's a waste of money. It fades at first wash. Like 480sparky said, use embroidery, it lasts longer, even if it costs slightly more initially.

Other interesting things i use are:
- memory sticks with my brand on them (google "branded memory sticks"), they are under $15 each.
- branded swiss knives (people love these for some reason), same, around $15 bucks.
- any other items that a person is most likely to hold on to for a long time. If it's being used in public, even better! (umbrellas are nice sometimes too, but here it doesn't rain too much so... yeah.)

Good luck!

p.s. if you need help finding some companies that print logos on stuff cheap, let me know, i got quite a few i work with

AboveAndBeyond

I would go with the shirts and get your trucks lettered. We have magnetic signs for the trucks so when I travel I can feel like I'm "getting away" from my day job lol. But it's clear to me that customers feel more comfortable when their workers declare who they're working for with lettered apparel. They don't have to guess who I am when we first meet for an estimate and they know we're committed to our work by plastering our name on ourselves and our vehicles. =D

I gotta say the first day we had shirts made it felt a lot different running and working for my business. Different in a good way, I can't explain it but it made the little business we started feel much more concrete.

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fez-head

www.queensboro.com/index.html Excellent embroidery and products even though the prices are cheap

Spend the money on the best professional made logo, signage and uniforms that you can afford. Until you have those things in place stay away from the give-away trinkets and other nonsense.

carolinahandyma

I would echo what has been said about www.Queensboro.com and add that they have specials every week and their products are high quality.