Introduction
Your van is parked outside a customer’s house for three hours. In that time, hundreds of neighbours walk past, drivers slow down at the junction, and the school run snakes by twice.
That is more local marketing than most trade businesses do in a month. And it costs you nothing.
The catch is, most trade vans are silently throwing away the chance. The phone number is unreadable. The website is missing. The trade is not obvious. The whole thing looks a bit tired.
Here are the five mistakes most trade vans make, and how to fix each one before your next signwriter visit.
Mistake 1: Your Phone Number Is Too Small to Read at 30mph
A van moves. So do the cars around it. If someone wants to call you, they have a few seconds to read the number and remember it.
If your number is squashed into a small panel near the rear bumper, it is invisible at speed. The driver behind you sees a clean van and nothing else.
The fix: make the phone number the biggest thing on the van. Both side panels, big enough to read from the car behind. The rear, big enough to read from two cars behind. No fancy fonts. No dark text on dark backgrounds.
If you do not change anything else on this list, change this one.
Mistake 2: The Website Is Missing
A phone number gets you a call. A website gets you a serious customer who has looked at your work first.
Most trade vans show one or the other. Very few show both.
The fix: put your website on the side panels next to the phone number. Same size, same legibility. If the URL is long, get a short version (wearebrightr.com/quote, for example) for the van and use the full one online.
A website on a van turns the driver behind you into a website visitor at home that evening. Phone numbers are short-term. Websites are slow-burn. You want both.
Mistake 3: No One Knows What Trade You Are In
Half the trade vans on the road just say the business name. “Smith & Sons” tells you nothing. Are they plumbers? Builders? Decorators? Tree surgeons?
You know what you do. The neighbour squinting at your van does not.
The fix: say the trade. Plainly. Big enough to read at a glance. “Smith & Sons Plumbing.” “Smith & Sons Roofing.” “Smith & Sons Heating Engineers.”
If you do a few things, pick the one you want more of. Specialism wins over breadth on a moving van.
Mistake 4: There Is No Reason to Get in Touch
Most trade vans tell people who you are and how to reach you, but never tell them what to do.
A van without a call to action is a billboard that says “we exist.” That is not selling. That is napping.
The fix: add one short line that gives the reader a reason to act. Some that work for trades:
- Free no-obligation quotes
- Same-day call back
- 30 years in [town]
- Available evenings and weekends
- Free home survey
Pick the one that is true, useful, and different from the other vans in your area.
Mistake 5: The Livery Is Letting You Down
A scuffed bumper, a chipped door, faded vinyls, dust on the panels. Each one says “this business is busy” to you, but says “this business cuts corners” to the customer.
Customers cannot tell the difference between a van that has been on the tools for ten years and a business that does not care. They just see what is in front of them.
The fix: a once-a-month van wash, a touch-up on the worst panel, and a vinyl refresh if anything is peeling. Five minutes of attention can lift the whole brand without spending money on a new wrap.
If the vinyls are tired enough to need replacing, replace them. A £400 livery refresh pays for itself the first time a neighbour calls because they finally noticed the van.
A Quick Bonus: Three Small Touches That Punch Above Their Weight
Once the five basics are sorted, three small additions make a van really work for you:
A QR code on the rear panel. Big enough to scan at a red light. Points straight at your quote form or Google reviews.
A team photo on the side panel. People buy from people. A smiling team photo beside the trade name says “real people” in a way no logo can.
A short customer quote. Six or seven words. Real customer, real area. “Reliable and tidy. Thanks Smith & Sons. Mrs P, Newport.”
If you would like a longer list of practical wins like these, we have put together a free guide called 31 Things You Can Do This Week (Right Now) To Build Your Trade Business. You can grab a copy at 31things.wearebrightr.com.
The Bigger Picture
Your van is the cheapest piece of marketing your business owns. It does not need a budget. It does not need agency input. It just needs to do the basics well.
A readable phone number. A website. The trade named. A reason to call. A clean look.
Five fixes. Most of them free. All of them visible to thousands of locals every single week.
If you want a fresh pair of eyes on the rest of your marketing, we offer a free Marketing Flight Check. We look at your website, your reviews, your Google Business Profile, your van, the lot. No jargon, no pressure. Honest answers about what is helping and what is holding you back.
Get in touch if you would like to find out more. We are always happy to help.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
How big should the phone number be on a trade van?
Big enough to read from the car behind you at 30 mph. As a rule of thumb, the number should be the largest single element on the side and rear panels. No fancy fonts, no dark text on dark backgrounds. If you have to squint to read it from across the road, the customer behind you cannot read it at all.
Do I need both a phone number and a website on the van?
Yes. The phone number gets you a same-day call from a hot lead. The website gets you a slower, more serious enquiry from someone who has looked at your work first. Phone numbers are short term, websites are slow-burn. You want both, the same size, on both side panels and the rear.
How often should I update my van signage?
Once a month, give the van a wash and check the vinyls for peeling. A full vinyl refresh is usually every three to five years, or sooner if anything is fading or chipped. A £400 livery refresh tends to pay for itself the first time a neighbour calls because they finally noticed the van.
Are QR codes worth putting on a trade van?
Yes, on the rear panel only. Make it big enough to scan at a red light from the car behind. Point it at your quote form or your Google reviews page. Side panel QR codes do not work because no one scans them while you are driving past.
