Look, I see it every morning on the Gateway Motorway.
Thousands of tradies sitting in traffic, driving mobile billboards that cost them four or five grand to wrap, and they aren't getting a single phone call from it.
It’s a crying shame.
You’ve spent the money. You’ve got the shiny Hilux or the big Transit van. You’ve even gone to the signwriter and told them to 'make it pop.'
But if the only people calling you are your mum and the bloke asking if you’ve got a spare tie-down strap, your signage is failing you.
Most tradies treat their ute wrap like a piece of art. It’s not. It’s a tool. If your drill didn't make holes, you’d chuck it. If your ute signage isn't making the phone ring, it’s just a very expensive sticker.
Here is the honest truth about why your signage is rubbish and how to fix it so you actually get more enquiries while you're grabbing a pie at the local servo.
1. The 'Logo Ego' Problem
This is the biggest mistake I see in Brisbane. You’re proud of your business. You should be. But nobody driving behind you at 100km/h cares about your cool abstract logo of a hammer crossing a wrench.
They care about what you can do for them.
If your logo takes up 70% of the door and your actual service—like 'Plumbing' or 'Electrical'—is tucked away in a tiny font at the bottom, you’ve lost. People have about two seconds to figure out what you do before they get distracted by a mobile speed camera or someone cutting them off.
Your trade should be the biggest thing on the truck. Period.
2. You’re Trying to Tell a Story
I’ve seen vans that look like a CV on wheels. They list twenty different services: 'Leaking taps, hot water, gas fitting, bathroom renos, roof leaks, cat stuck in a tree, general advice...'
Stop it.
When you try to say everything, you say nothing. Pick the one big thing that makes you the most money. If you’re an sparky, you want more AC installs because they're high-margin and quick. Put that front and centre.
If you try to list every minor job, people’s eyes just glaze over. They don't want a jack-of-all-trades; they want the bloke who can fix their specific problem right now.
3. The Font is Fancy (And Unreadable)
I get it, you wanted something that looks 'professional' or 'modern.' But if I have to squint to read your phone number, I’m not calling.
Script fonts, thin lettering, or weird colours that blend into the background are a waste of your money. You need high-contrast, bold, block lettering. White on navy. Black on yellow. Something that screams at people.
If you're driving through Paddington or Milton, you're competing with a million other distractions. Your phone number needs to be so clear that a bloke with bad eyesight can read it from three cars back.
4. Where is the 'Next Step'?
Most signage just has a name and a number. That’s fine, but it’s 2024.
People are lazy. They don't want to type in a ten-digit mobile number while they’re steering with one hand.
Have you thought about a QR code on the tailgate? Not a tiny one, but a decent-sized one that works when you're parked at a job site. Someone walks past, likes the look of your work, scans the code, and boom—they’re on your site booking a quote.
This is how you get steady trade work without having to constantly hunt for it. Your truck does the hunting for you while you're actually on the tools.
"If a potential customer has to think for more than a split second about what you do or how to contact you, you've already lost the lead to the bloke in the lane next to you."
— James O'Brien, Content Marketing Manager
5. You’re Not Showing the Goods
A lot of guys forget that people buy with their eyes. If you’ve got a big white van, you’ve got a massive blank canvas.
Instead of just text, why not show a high-quality photo of a finished project? A stunning kitchen reno or a perfectly installed deck says more than 500 words of text ever could.
We always tell our clients to use before and after photos in their marketing. Your ute is just another place to show off that you actually know what you're doing. It builds trust before they've even spoken to you.
6. The 'Dirty Truck' Tax
This isn't about the signwriting itself, but it matters just as much.
If your ute is covered in three months of Queensland red dirt and your signage is peeling at the corners, what does that say about your work?
It says you’re sloppy. It says you don't care about the details.
I’m not saying you need to polish the chrome every day, but a clean truck with crisp, well-maintained signage makes you look like a top-tier outfit. This is how you land high-profit commercial jobs. Big builders and commercial property managers want to hire people who look like they’ve got their act together.
7. You’re Missing the Tailgate Opportunity
When you're stuck in traffic, where are people looking? At your tailgate.
Most guys put their tiny logo there and nothing else. The tailgate is your most valuable piece of real estate. It’s at eye level for every driver behind you.
This is where you put your 'Call to Action.'
- 'Need a plumber today? Call [Number]' - 'Free quotes for Brisbane Northside - Scan here' - 'Emergency repairs - 24/7'
Don't just put your business name. Tell them what to do.
8. What's the ROI?
I hate jargon, but let's talk about money.
A good wrap might cost you $3,000. If that wrap lasts five years, that’s $600 a year. Or about $11 a week.
If that signage brings in just one decent job a year, it’s paid for itself. If it’s done right, it should be bringing in one job a week.
If your phone isn't ringing more since you got the signs done, something is wrong. Usually, it's one of the things I've listed above.
9. Local Authority Matters
If you only work in the Western Suburbs, say that.
'Your Local Kenmore Electrician' sounds a lot more trustworthy to someone in Kenmore than 'Brisbane Wide Electrical.'
People like hiring locals. It makes them feel like you’ll actually turn up on time and won't charge them a 'travel fee' that costs more than the job itself.
10. The 'Parked' Strategy
Your ute isn't just a billboard when it's moving. It’s a billboard when it’s parked in front of a customer’s house.
When the neighbours see a clean, professional-looking truck at the house next door, they’re thinking, 'Oh, the Smiths are getting their gutters done, I should probably get mine seen to as well.'
If your signage is clear, they’ll snap a photo of your number. If it’s a mess of curly fonts and tiny text, they won't bother.
How to fix it (Starting today)
You don't necessarily need to go out and spend another five grand on a full wrap. Sometimes, less is more.
1. Check the 'Squint Test': Walk 20 metres away from your truck and squint. Can you tell what you do? If not, the font is too small or the colours are wrong. 2. Kill the Clutter: Peel off the stickers for services you don't actually want to do anymore. 3. Focus on the Back: If you do nothing else, make your tailgate easy to read and give people a reason to call. 4. Update your number: Make sure the number on the truck actually goes to a phone that someone answers. You’d be surprised how often that’s the issue.
Look, marketing isn't magic. It’s just about making it as easy as possible for someone with a problem to find the bloke who can fix it.
Your ute is your best employee. It works 24/7, it doesn't take lunch breaks, and it doesn't complain about the heat. Just make sure it’s actually saying the right thing.
If you want a hand figuring out how to make your whole business—not just your truck—bring in more work, give us a yell at Local Marketing Group. We don't do the wraps ourselves, but we know exactly what needs to be on them to make the phone ring.
Let's get your marketing sorted properly.