HVACR Business is kicking off its 17th Annual Tops In Trucks Fleet Design Contest. You’ve spent money on the fleet and the design and had the fleet wrapped, so why not see how it stacks up to others in the industry? Do you have what it takes to win our contest?  

During a recent coffee meeting, I was asked if the investment in wrapping the fleet really makes a difference.

I must have seemed surprised because I paused briefly before giving him the practical reasons for wrapping vehicles and entering our contest.

Here’s what I told him:

Increased Brand Recognition. We all know that repeated exposure is the cornerstone of brand awareness when someone needs your HVACR services, whether it’s advertising, public relations, direct marketing, or social media. The question is how to become relevant when they need you. Does your fleet represent your brand? Is it easily recognizable? Is contact information displayed prominently? Or are your techs driving beat-up, rusted out vans? It makes a huge difference to the potential customers who see these at a stoplight or parked in a neighborhood drive. Honestly, which contractor would you rather call, the one on your street that is well maintained and has a custom wrap or the rusted white van with the orange ladder on top?

Morale Boost. Let’s face it, internally it’s a great morale boost for your team. It feels terrific to be part of a class organization and a winning team and especially when someone recognizes your fleet and says enthusiastically, “Oh, that’s you? Cool design.” You become cool, too. It gives your team an added reason for workplace pride.

Free Marketing & Cost Efficiency. OK, it’s not free because you have to pay for it, but it is essentially a fixed cost. Once you’ve absorbed it, it’s there for the long haul, a minimum of five years.

PR HIGH. Let’s be real. If you win or place in the contest, please tell me you won’t write a press release and send it to all the local media (print, broadcast and digital) in your service area. It’s a public relations bonanza.  Tip: Never send a Word document. Paste the release in the body of the email, and you must include several photos to get acceptance.

Hesitating to Enter?

You might be proud of your fleet’s design, but some contractors still have a touch of inertia and are reluctant to participate.

Don’t hesitate. As mentioned, it’s a PR coup for you. You get bragging rights for your vehicle, demonstrating a sense of taste and pride in your workmanship. It shows care and creativity to design a noticeable fleet, whether it’s two vehicles or 20.

Everyone has an image, whether you like it or not. Your fleet is that movable, large business card that speaks volumes about your business. Does it look professional? Is it eye catching? It conveys this message: If you believe we care about our trucks, consider how much attention we’ll provide when servicing your system. 

If you refrain from entering your fleet design, it might be a message that either you don’t believe you have a chance of winning or you don’t think it’s important enough to make a modest effort and submit the entry form. I would suggest that if the former stops you, you’re right; you can’t win. It invokes that cliché: You can’t win the lottery if you don’t buy a ticket. In this instance, the pool of potential  winners is significantly smaller and  … drum roll … you’ve already made the first cut by just entering.

If you’re currently working on rebranding your fleet and your company, here are a few simple tips to consider as well as our judging criteria:

1)    Look at past winners, we have all of them listed by year. Go to the left hand navigation bar on our website and select Tops In Trucks, it’s just above the social media icons. See how others have done it.
2)    Graphic Appeal: Is it attention grabbing and eye catching? Does it stand out? Is it industry-specific and unique?
3)    Quality Logo: Is the logo interesting and appropriate? Does it pop
4)    Information: Is there enough information but not too much? Information should not be overwhelming. Does it include company name, phone, website, services?
5)    Lettering: Is the lettering legible, clean, readable?
6)    Color: Are the colors bright, vibrant and bold? Are they complementary or do they clash?
7)    Legibility: Is the design crisp and readable from a distance?
8)    Creativity: Does the design create interest? Does it appeal emotionally? Does it stand out as unique?
9)    Consistency: Is the theme used on all four sides of the vehicle and for all vehicle body types?

I hope I’ve done two things with this article. First, if you’ve made the investment in branding your fleet, enter our contest. Second, if you are considering a rebranding effort, I hope I’ve given you the resources to successfully implement a strategy. And should you need further advice, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Tom Perić is the editor of HVACR Business magazine.