[rbriggs]

Mac,
You know my thoughts on this. I am all about branding. Hell, my company has grown tremendously by creating a brand in an industry that never had a brand. The company's goal with marketing is to make it top of mind when people think of junk removal. Is that a fantasy? Perhaps...perhaps not! What I can tell you is that branding is hard work. But I think you need to come up with your logo, your colors, etc. But selling is also important. You need to join some netowrking groups (ie. Chamber, BNI, etc.). Eventually, you'll need to get out of the trucks. You won't be able to grow the business as much as you want by working in the trucks.
Just my 2 cents. E-mail me and we'll chat more.

[Rob Shauger]

www.mowcow.com

Mac,

Check this guy out. He renamed his comapny a few years ago and startedwith a whole new brand. Cheesy to some, but very catchy for sure.

Call his office sometime this weekend when no one will answer the phone and check out the recording.

My thinking is you have to both good work and branding together at the same time!

I was also at a recent facility tour in Milwaukee at the KEI office. All of their trucks are bright orange. My guess is they are custom paint.

Here's another www.perficut.com

Great color!

I have branded my trucks with a logo and a new butterfly on a sunflower which is also on cards, letterhead, notes etc.

[r schipul]

I sat with one of the guys of Mow Cow at last years Breakfast of Champions at the GIC. He told the group that the company had seen tremendous growth because of the name change.

[Rob Shauger]

Yup, Rich is a real good guy!

[Timber Lane]

I'm a big believer in color schemes for all my businesses. My real estate colors are light beige background, with cadet blue and victorian rose for lettering and logos - soothing but distinct colors. It's on my signs, my billboard, all our magnetic vehicle signs, and even both my offices. Everyone identifies these colors with us and thinks our company is "so big" because they "see us everywhere". Of course it's an illusion, but one we relish.

Our tavern, which we sold last year, was light blue, dark blue, and love purple. Since most taverns around here use green and brown, we stood out and everyone remembered us. Our hats and tee shirts can still be seen being worn regularly, even though we're 15 months removed from that enterprise.

Both my other businesses use yellow, red, and black. It stands out and folks associate it with us. Psychologically, yellow and black together is the most noticed color scheme.

I've always put alot of thought into what color combinations I choose and the effect it evokes. It has paid off.

[mdvaden]

How about not just a particular color, but one customized vehicle in the fleet?

Like the Oscar Meyer weenie mobile.

No joke.

What if you have the cab of a truck slightly altered and painted to look like a lawn mower?

Easier, have one bed custom welded to look like a wheelbarrow: handles going backward.

It could even function as a dump bed.

[Rob Shauger]

Great concept Mario.

Awesome pictures you have there!!!!!

[Mark Oomkes]

On that note, there are a couple contractors around here that perform some specialized work. One does a lot of stump grinding (tree work too) but has a stump on the cab of his pickup that hauls the stump grinder.

The other has a division that does mole control. He has a mole sticking his head out of the ground on the cab of one of his trucks.

Sort of corny, but I hear it works.

[mdvaden]

Originally posted by Rob Shauger
Great concept Mario.

Awesome pictures you have there!!!!!

Thanks.

And, by the way, I was serious about the custom vehicle. Sometimes I get burned out on the usual way that things are done. Just looking for something fresh, maybe out of the ordinary.

But not in bad taste.

I've seen some odd things like a Volkswagon Beetle covered with the felt-like green carpet sold by the roll for patios. It looked like a heap of moss coming in my rearview mirror. It was meticulously done, but wasn't all that noteworthy.

The worst vehicle I've seen, was a big old 80's 4 door car painted primer black -dull. It had dinosaur type fin things running hood to trunk, and strange little objects, heads and faces, welded all over.

At least neither of those vehicles was a business promotion.

I still get a kick out of the Oscar Meyer vehicle. I saw it in Portland, OR, within the past two years, and I'm certain, in Medford, OR, within the past year.