6 top tips for sign-writing a lease van

Thinking about getting your next van sign-written?

We’ve rounded up six of our top tips for sign-writing your lease van, so you can take full advantage of this easy advertising opportunity

If you’re looking for an effective and affordable way to get your business’s name out into the world, sign-writing your van lease is the way forward. 

As Andy, Vanparison’s General Manager (and all-around van expert – there’s a reason he’s nicknamed ‘Vandy’) points out, it’s a great way to advertise your company – and in effect, it’s free! Once you’ve paid the upfront cost to get the van sign written, you’ve got ongoing, 24/7 advertisement for the entirety of your lease deal.

It couldn’t be easier to get hundreds of eyes on your company every single day.

Think about it – how much time do you spend sat in traffic, and how often do you find yourself idly reading the various vans and signs around you to pass the time? You might even make a note of a couple, if there’s a service advertised that you need.

If you’re in the right place at the right time, it might just take someone seeing the signage on the side of your van for them to get in touch.

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What are the benefits of sign-writing a lease van?

There are a multitude of benefits to sign-writing your lease van.

Plain vans are – to put it lightly – pretty boring.

There’s all that space with nothing on it, and people will breeze by you without a second thought for the services you and your van might provide. But cover those same large surfaces with bold advertising, and you could bag yourself several customers without having to put any more work in.

And adding your logo and company name to your van adds an extra layer of professionalism to your company.

It also gives you an increased level of protection against van theft too, as your signage will be unique to your business, and would make your van much easier to find if someone did try to steal it.

Our top tips for sign-writing your lease van

1. Clear advertising is good advertising

Though signwriting is, as Andy notes, essentially ‘free’ marketing for your company once the installation has been paid for, and it can be tempting to cram in as much information as possible to take advantage of this, it’s worth remembering that most people are only ever going to view your signage as you drive past them.

You need to make it immediately clear what your business does, and how to get hold of you.

Put the bare minimum of information on the side of your van – logo, company name and your contact information. Adding a single line about what you do if your company name doesn’t make it obvious is helpful, but any more than this and people won’t get a chance to read it.

The rear doors are slightly different.

It’s going to be people sitting behind you in traffic looking at these, so you can add more text-heavy signage here, like a list of the services you offer.

2. Make your business stand out

If you’ve won any awards or have any accolades, shout about them!

The more good press you have, the more confidence people will have in your business. 

And if you’re a member of a review organisation like Checkatrade or TrustATrader, it’s worth including these logos in your signage too, so people can check out your company and know immediately that your business is trustworthy.

3. Keep it simple

As well as making your information clear, it’s worth keeping your signage simple.

Though it might again be tempting to use all the colours and all the fonts in an attempt to stand out, if your van looks like a visual headache, it might mean that people miss the crucial information: who you are and what you do.

Your van signage should match all the other branding you have, and keep in the same style as your website, uniforms and any other marketing you use.

4. Proofread – and then proofread again

If you’re keeping the same signage for the length of your lease – which can be up to four years – the last thing you want is for any glaring errors to pop up after the van has been sign-written.

Once you’ve nailed down the wording for your van, check it, check it again, and then ask a trusted colleague or family member to check it too. The more thorough you are now, the less likely it is that you’ll have to pay out again to get any spelling mistakes changed.

5. Tell your finance company

It’s very unlikely your funder would ever turn around and say you can’t sign-write your van, but because it does count as a modification, it’s worth letting them know.

According to Andy, you also need to make sure your van is sign-written using ten-year vinyl, and all sign-writing or wraps need to be removed before your vehicle is handed back to the lease company to avoid extra charges.

6. Choose your sign writing company carefully

You want your signage to be of the highest quality to show that you are a professional and trustworthy company. 

Ask to see photos or images of vans that the company has worked on before, and always get a fixed quote in writing.

You can even shop around and get several different quotes to make sure you’re getting the best deal for your hard-earned cash. If you put in the legwork now, it’ll pay off for years to come.

Sign-writing your lease vans really is one of the easiest ways to advertise your business.

Andy highly recommends it as a tool to spread the word about what you do: ‘If your van is on the road with effective branding, it’s amazing how many people will notice it and make contact.’

Here at Vanparison, we have decades of experience in van leasing, and can help you get the van you need at the best internet price. All you need to do then is get your van sign-written, and you’ll be off to a flying start. And don't worry - we can help you at every step. 

It couldn’t be simpler.