Magnetic Vehicle Signs??

General Real Estate Investing
1

I am looking at a little feedback about magnetic vehicle signs.

Do these signs work? Recommended sizes? Best colors?

I was also thinking about paying a buddy of mine who runs a local courier company to put the signs on some of his employees cars. Do think this a good option?

I know everything needs to be tested, but I just want to hear from some people who use magnetic signs to see if I should even bother getting some made.

2

I get about 3 calls per week sometimes more from my signs on my truck…

3

Thank, appreciate the response.

I will let everyone know how mine go.

4

Absolutely they work…However, I would be very careful about haveing anyone else have your sign on their car from a liabilty perspective! Have you considered putting Vinyl letters on! They look a lot more professional!

5

What do you mean by liability perspective??

Like if they do something stupid in their car and it might look bad on me?

I haven’t really looked at vinyl, are they easy to move on and off??

Thanks for reply

6

Yes what if they hit someone and run or run someone off the road etc…Vinyl is more of a permant solution but looks more professional! I would consult with you local sign shop!

7

I 've heard any press is good press.

8

Vegas do you guys use signs on all the Agents Vehicles?

9

The biggest REI deal I have done fell in my lap as a result of magnetic car signs. I have a nice car and initially fel like I just uglied up my expensive car and made it look like a taxi. I even had a guy ask me if i was the limo he had called once (lol). Anyway about two weeks with no response, I got an email from a realtor who hit my website. he said he passed me on the highway and could not not get the phone number but remembered my web address. He hand delivered a very lucrative deal to me. he lived in another city and the liklihood of me ever encountering him was slim save for my car signs. I am now considering upgrading to wrapping the entire vehicle or doing a vinyl back window covering for more visibility.

The main thing is do not get discourgaed if you are not bombarded with calls, I have only gotten one more since. But the sweet thing is one deal per year makes the cost of signs worth it. The sign guy i used only charged $39.00 for two signs. I thought that was about the norm but have heard from others that was a great deal. My guy is in Florida but it is a national chain.

Chris Calloway

10

I, personally, would go with die-cut vinyl signage. While they aren’t removable/re-usable like the magnetic signs, they also do not dull your vehicle’s paint like the magnetic signs do. In my opinion, vinyl signage is cleaner looking as well.

Whichever you decide on, sizing and placement will be critical. If improperly done, you can easily portray your company as low-class. Keep it clean and professional, and keep it simple and to-the-point (nobody has time to read long sentences as they drive by).

(2¢)

11

If the vinyl signs arent removable, what’s it matter if the magetic signs dull your paint? ;D

Just a thought.

Actually, you guys are making a pretty good case for the car signs, though it sounds SO embarassing having those things on your car. Is there another way to do it? Paying someone to have it on thier car maybe? How much would you pay someone for that?

12

They are not removable in the sense that they can be removed and then placed back on the vehicle (as magnetic signs can), but they CAN be removed and replaced with a new one (if you wish to change/relocate your sign)(easy to do). The process of removing/replacing the magnetic signs tends to dull the paint, as it’s near impossible to keep the surface free of dust (scratches the paint). This is not important if you wish to use the same sign in the same position forever, as the dull paint would be covered. However, if you wish to relocate your sign or remove it all together, then you will have dull spots on your vehicles finish.

Now, I’d imagine a thin layer of felt (or similar material) could be adhered to a magnetic sign to help protect the finish, but this may allow the sign to shift too easily.

I’ve used both forms of signage, and personally prefer/recommend die-cut vinyl stickers for my signage needs.

13

Not really, you just need to create signage that looks clean and professional. If it’s some dopey slogan, etc, then it certainly would be embarassing. Proper placement/sizing (maybe 12"x6", bold white/lt-gray lettering, placed in the lower/center portion of the rear window) of something as simple as the following example could be quite effective, without being too embarassing:

  Joe's Real Estate

buying•selling•financing
800.555.5555

14

I guess the bottom-line is:
If the sign makes me a 5-digit figure profit in a single real estate deal, that’ll shut up any hecklers.

Hell, for $10,000 I’d probably tattoo “I Buy Houses” across my ass! ;D

15

Haha, I’d probably do the tat for a 3-figure profit! ;D

But yeah, why not try it; it’s cheap, easy, and removable.

16

My primary business is owning a sign shop,real estate is second. Having said that,magnetic signs wont damage the paint any more readily than usual if you follow a few simple care procedures:

  1. clean and wax the vehicle before you put them on
  2. once a week take them off and wipe the back of the sign and make sure the area its going on is free from moisture(tends to get trapped behind there) and grit…subtle shifts in the magnetic material over dirt and everything else is what scratches and damages the paint,trapped moisture behind is what can cause clouding and blushing in the clear when the weather gets warmer or you get a lot of sun exposure.
  3. clean and wax the vehicle regularly

Using vinyl lettering on the vehicle itself isnt necessarily a guarantee of the integrity of the paint being kept over time,depending on vehicle color and the length of time the lettering remains on,you can very easily wind up with a ghost image left behind.

Just a word on effective use of magnetics/vehicle signage…you get what you pay for in this trade. $39.99 is almost a giveaway price for these…you’re projecting your image,spend more and get a classy looking layout that covers the very basics of who you are and what you do with contact info,dont try to put the dictionary on a 12x24 sign,window or door…too wordy and it looks cluttered and people wont read it…and an amatuer looking basic cookie cutter layout looks like you did it yourself and doesnt give people alot of confidence in you. Spend the money for a 3rd magnetic that fits on the rear of the vehicle or have rear window lettering done…people view magnetics and door lettering when theyre next to or passing you at a glance,but someone will ALWAYS be behind you staring at the back of your vehicle or stopped behind you at a redlight with nothing to do but read your message…9 out of every 10 calls i get for signs from my mags are from those that read the one in the back at a red light and it got them to thinking. Spending the little bit extra on reflective vinyl for those(like used on ambulances and police cars) also gives an extra dimension of “eye catching” to the sign. I for one,even though i’m in the business,despise full vehicle digital wraps…i think theyre very obnoxious and almost tacky and yeah they attract attention but novelty attention more than serious inquiries. To me there is nothing worse than being next to a Fred the Plumbers van and seeing a full color 36x36 rendition of freds 3 kids saying ‘call my daddy’ right next to freds smiling fat face. Hope this helps.

z

17

As far as magnetic signage, if you put a light coat of talcum powder on the magnet side of the sign, it will help with the friction caused by shifting of the sign.

And yes you do want to take them off once a week, and wipe down obth the vehicle and the back of the sign. Otherwise they tend to bond to the vehicle.

Another note on vehicle signage. Plumbers, electricians, even realtors, who place signage on their vehicle have now proclaimed their vehicle as a commercial or business use vehicle, and thus an asset of the business, and all business assets, such as vehicles are taxed by your county as a business asset. Just like you’re taxed for owning property, also business property. (At least here in Texas) So by displaying your business name on your vehicle, you never know when the tax collector is going to be next to you or behind you. They started to crack down on this issue about 2 years ago, that’s when I took the signs off. Unless I was truly doing business, so that way when I was inspecting a home, or showing a home, the neighbors knew who I was without asking or calling the police.

Good Luck!

18

Geez nothings sacred anymore…lol

KEC

19

I have a subcontractor that has signs on the extra cab rear windows that was done very simple and noticeable with a creative logo that stands out. I will be doing the same with my truck plus one on my rear window. The two side windows were about $75 and the rear one could be done for a little more but larger. No fading, no messing up the look of the vehicle and the rear window copy could be done in a see-through style so the vision through the rear view mirror is not obstructed. What do you think?

20

I am in the advertising field and manufacture my own product line.

I like the magnet signs but also agree the vinyl is a nicer cleaner more professional look with more options of the colors, ease of removable and editting.