Posted by B.L.Renfrow on October 03, 2003 at 07:39:34:
I’ve never tried that, although I’ve heard of investors parking their box truck or whatever – with their ad on the sides – along busy streets.
One thing that comes to mind with your idea is that, depending on the regulations of your state, you might have to be licensed and regulated as a car rental agency. In any event, you would need proper insurance on the vehiche, which probably wouldn’t be cheap, as the liability risks would be significant. You certainly wouldn’t want to undertake something like this in your personal name. You’d need a proper corporate entity.
Nick,
I have a moving truck.
Well, a box truck anyway.
It has my marketing message on the side.
I thought about your idea prior to aquiring this one.
The cost of allowing people to use it, with limited liability was just not worth it.
Besides, to do that, I’d need to be a very reliable truck, which would cost even more.
Instead, I found an old used moving truck, had LARGE signs made up for all over it.
My truck sits in a rented parking space, at a major intersection, near a MAJOR business in the area that draws crowds 24/7. (Walmart)
I get a few calls here and there.
I also move the truck on occassion, because we use it to haul large things for ourselves when needed.
The message is getting out there with this thing, but not as fast a response as I’d like.
After another month or so (I’ve only had this one for about 30 days, give or take), if the results stay steady, I will be adding a few more to park around town.
If you shop the streets, you can find these things, used and running, for under $1k each.
A little cleanup and some signs, you are good to go.
If the body is good enough, a cheap econo paint job and vinyl letters looks good too.
Just don’t ingore the BEST surface on a vehicle to advertise from…the back.
I do this with all vehicles.
EVERY vehicle we own has something on the sides and rear advertising our businesses, in one form or another.
Not a killer lead pulling system volume wise, but they are steady.
A realtor in my neck of the woods does this. Seems like a good idea. He has his name and picture on the side of the truck and says "if you work with me you can use this moving truck at no additional charge… "