Ideas On How To Advertise On My Car?
Business By luvscakes Updated 3 Jul 2008 , 2:02pm by Sugar_Plum_Fairy
Hi!
I am thinking about doing some car advertising and was wondering if anyone has done this?
I have seen both the car magnets or putting the white lettering on my back window with my logo or web address.
Has anyone done this? If so any thoughts or ideas on who to get it done through?
Should I try for my whole logo or just my web address?
Any ideas?
I've read on here that you have to have commercial insurance before you can advertise on your car, since then your car will be considered used for business purposes and not just personal use.
I personally don't like the lettering on the window. No offense to anyone, but the ones I have seen look kinda cheap, but then again so does window tinting when you do it yourself, so I guess if you get it done professionally, then it will look professional. 
I like the magnets myself.
I have the lettering for my side and rear windows for my "other business" and that has it's own set of drawbacks.
I had the letters professionally done and they look nice, but I am not the only one who ever drives my car. And others manners are not always the same as mine, but my name is still on it 
And honestly, some days I don't want to be "on". Just to go to a yardsale or the lake without everyone say "oh hi..." would be kind of cool.
The lettering is much more expensive with the logo.
I have the lettering for my side and rear windows for my "other business" and that has it's own set of drawbacks.
I had the letters professionally done and they look nice, but I am not the only one who ever drives my car. And others manners are not always the same as mine, but my name is still on it
And honestly, some days I don't want to be "on". Just to go to a yardsale or the lake without everyone say "oh hi..." would be kind of cool.
The lettering is much more expensive with the logo.
That's why I like the magnets......put em on when you want to be "the cake lady." 
You do not need a commercial business to advertise on your car. It's just like any other sticker. I have tried magnets before, but they quickly get hot and crack, or people swipe them 
A few years ago I went to a "Sign Pros" with my car and showed them what I had to work with for window space, and they printed me up some vinyl letters/picture. I put them on myself, and ended up paying about $60 total for both sides. It's much cheaper to apply them yourself. I agree about the professional tinting, though. I had mine done professionally. They apply the tint from the inside. I had the best quality available, and it cost me about $200. I love the vinyl stickers! They were easy to apply, and they still look great. I have attached a picture. I hope this helps!
Your right, you do not need commercial insurance to advertise on your car, but if you are using it for a business with just personal insurance and they find out, well they might just drop you.
You do need additional insurance. As soon as you use your vehicle to advertise or deliver, it becomes a commercial vehicle. You will not be properly covered if you have an accident and have not added extra insurance. It was going to add $40/month to my insurance, so I decided against it. I do use my van for deliveries, though, as I figured it would be a lot easier to talk my way out of any problems if I did not have advertising stickers on it.
I got 3 sides of my van lettered for $250 at "Signs Now".
On the insurance issue....
FYI, I have 15 years experience with CIGNA, auto division, supv level.
If you tell your insurance company that you are using your car for "personal" use, but are actually using it for "commercial" purposes, then it's called fraud and you can be canceled, and any pending claims can be denied. You're not paying for commerical coverage, so they have no obligation to pay any claims resulting from a commercial use. And they take a dim view on customers who "lie" to them about the usage.
Something as simple as telling them you drive 3 one-way miles to work, when you really drive 27 one-way miles to work is also called fraud.
One CC'er shared that her agent told her she didn't have to worry about it since she "....didn't do cakes that much." My advice is to get it in writing, because when the claim comes in, the insurance co. will have NO qualms about waiving your insurance contract in your face and pointing out that you have NO coverage for commercial use. And the day of the accident is NOT the day you want to get into a discussion on what they call "that much".
Yes, commercial insurance is more expensive. One reason .... if someone see's they've been hit by "a company car", they figure "the company" has deeper pockets than just little 'ole Debi does. So they tend to sue for a higher amount of money. As an example of cost: When we had all 3 of our cars on a personal policy, our annual premium was about $900. We moved 2 of them to a commercial policy and that policy alone was $2200.
dont' make the decision to get a comm'l policy based on whether you want a sign on there or not. You need to make that decision based on how you use the car.
So check with your insurance agent. He knows the laws of your state and what you need. But if he gives you the line of "oh that part doesn't apply to you", make him show it to you IN THE INSURANCE CONTRACT where it says, "This does not apply to Sally Sue." Insurance is nothing but contract law and whatever is written down is what rules the word.
It only takes one time.....
Definately check with your state and insurance company though. I used to be an agent and the laws are always changing. I have magnets on my personal vehicle and I do not need additional coverage because I do not use it to deliver product. And I found the magnets better also because I could take them off when I want.
I have a license plate frame that has my name and number. I also have magnets on the doors of my car. My state does require commercial plates and additional insurance however its really minimal.
My signs were Rather inexpensive I think 35.00 a piece. I got them from www.buildasign.com they are a thick material and full color. They are great to work with.
good luck
I stand corrected! I had no idea there was so much involved! Small town ignorance wouldn't get me out of this one I see. Thank you for your professional information.
Hey, don't worry about it. I wouldn't have known either if it hadn't been for Cake Central!
I'm just wondering if I can put a bumper sticker or something that says "I love ______ Cookies and Cakes!" if that would work. I'm not advertising, just saying how much I love my cakes and cookies.
I stand corrected! I had no idea there was so much involved! Small town ignorance wouldn't get me out of this one I see. Thank you for your professional information.
Hey, don't worry about it. I wouldn't have known either if it hadn't been for Cake Central!
I'm just wondering if I can put a bumper sticker or something that says "I love ______ Cookies and Cakes!" if that would work. I'm not advertising, just saying how much I love my cakes and cookies.
bumper stickers aren't advertising -- just another way to ruin the paint job and possibly get the person behind you to rear end you. 
could even get a custom license plate "Luv Cake" if it was available.
I work at home, hardly drive anyway (car has been parked since Sunday), but that's exactly why I don't put anything political on my car....don't want to get keyed. I'd limit it to the plastic bumper...that's if my husband would let me do it! I told him I'm going to get a personalized license plate with like SGR GRL or SWT STF or something embarrassing like that so he can get funny looks when he drives my Jeep. Ha!
Hi,
If you wanted to try something out that is not too costly, try Vistaprint. Both here (UK) and in the USA they have been doing the car door magnets for free and you just pay the postage. You can either have one of their designs or upload one of you own pictures of your cakes for it. I now have 2, one for each side and also a spare wheel cover (my car's a jeep so the wheel is on the rear door) - I've been amazed how many calls I get "Oh Hi, I've just followed your car through town, great pictures! Can you quote me for........" so in my opinion, for what it's worth, they do work!!
HTH
Jenny
I have people follow me too because of my car signs. We custom made our logo and it has become recognizable given the small size of my town. It is so fun to have someone stop you and say "Hey you are one of the cake ladies! I had one of your cakes at a party and it was awesome!"
As far as bumper stickers, you can get magnetic ones just like the door signs. Customers love to get stuff like that and then you get free advertizing!
Okay, I've got a question, what's the difference if you're advertising your business with a magnet or lettering and you don't deliver - only do pick up, vs. giving out bumper stickers or magnets for customers to use so that they put them on their vehicles and are advertising your business as well? Of course, they're not the business but can use the same magnets/stickers as you. Why would you need to get add'l commercial coverage for that?
(I'm not being sarcastic. I just don't want to have to contact my insurance instructor to ask this one question when I know there are a few members here who are licensed and practicing professionals in the insurance industry).
Okay, I've got a question, what's the difference if you're advertising your business with a magnet or lettering and you don't deliver - only do pick up, vs. giving out bumper stickers or magnets for customers to use so that they put them on their vehicles and are advertising your business as well?
Are you using your car for commercial or business use? A customer that puts a bumper sticker on THEIR car isn't adding any risk on YOUR car, which is the car your insurance company is covering.
It's less about whether your car is stickered or lettered and more about how you use the car. What is the risk the car is involved in on a day to day basis? That's what the insurance company's concern is.
I worked with a young girl who had a somewhat sporty car. One of our underwriters was walking thru the dept and this girl voiced her opinion that it seemed unfair she had to pay higher insurance rates because " .... I only drive the car on the the weekend!" The underwriter replied, "That's the time period that we worry about ... that's when we're taking on the most risk." So even tho she only drove her car basically one day a week (she walked to work), the RISK of a young kid with a sporty car out on a saturday night was higher than just driving back and forth to wor.
It's all about how you use your car. Business? Or personal?
LOVE the car, but where do you put the cakes? LOL
on the passenger seat, of course! hahaha!
(she is a beaut, isn't she? I traded in my mini van for her...almost 8 years ago. I love her. She 6 speeds, sports suspension, center of gravity is perfect, and shes all mine!!) (Ie paid for!)
I just saw yesterday that Vista Print has window clings (small for cars and large for store fronts) and they were 2 for about $5.
Thanks, Indyd. So the stickers don't automatically make the car an 'official company car'. That's what I thought.
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