Hi again Jeff,

Want to share a lol story.  Be careful how your message actually reads.  I have SellSmart Realty and owned a Smart car.  Thought I was twice as smart but turned out I wasn't very smart at all.  My license plate was "sellsm(heart) thinking the heart graphic would read as "heart".  Since the heart is read more as "love" my plate conveyed the message "Sell Some Love".  I was stopped in Vegas and when the officer said "madam" I think he really meant it.  Keep sharing your articles...I enjoy your writing.  Lynda

What a great post.  Car signage was never an option for me because  I have a lead foot.  Interesting to read the stories of business that the signage has generated.  I do agree you would need a second car for listing appts.

when i had the signage on the back of my car, i was SOOOO much more aware of my driving and attitude. it made me a better driver. i was always concerned that i was promoting a  potential new listing before the seller was ready. i also wondered if i was announcing so the competition would know to try to come and get the listing first. i changed companies, took it off because it had the old company name on it, and just never put it back on.

I am 100% pro vehicle signage. I agree that there might be some disadvantages but I truly beleive that this has been the best way to spend advertising dollars. Mine is done in a way that I can change it up. My listings change monthly. It is approximately the same cost as bench advertising but in my opinion I get a better bang for my buck. It has also helped me drive better :-) I am also using it to get more visits to my web site with a "Spot The Nitro" contest on my back window.

Worth every penny! It works 24/7/365

Jean Richer
Ottawa, ON

It's not just about the business a car sign generates or doesn't generate.  It's about branding.  Your car, your clothes, your company, your logo, your signs....should all be a direct reflection of you and what you are trying to project to the public.  Who is your target audience?  Now aim for them.     

I like all the logical answers about branding, identity etc.

There's another good reason around here though...might keep you from getting confronted with a firearm by an overzealous and poorly trained deputy sheriff. Yep, that's happened around here, more than once. The story is too long and too bizarre to go over here, but a big magnetic sign on your car in the driveway might just give a deputy at least a heads up as to why you are on the property.

Seems teenagers and/or "neighbors that don't like real estate agents have decided it would be funny to call and report a burglary at the neighbor's house.

That stunt got a very experienced, well dressed, professional agent (not a spring chicken) and her even older client confronted with a gun, cuffed and made to lie on the dirt, in the summer, for the time it took for someone with smarts to show up and order them released. Summer in Tucson. Hot!

I think the various lawsuits against the county are still ongoing.

You can take this one step further......

I am well known in my city of residence because I am actively involved in the community.  In the other cities I sell in, my magnetic signs or Bumper Stickers have ZERO Value.

I am Past President of the Chamber of Commerce, Current Chair of the Upper Level of Senior Management for Corporations that are members of the Chamber. 

There's more...but you get the idea.  MY CAR IS EVERYWHERE WITH ITS SIGNAGE!!  I have magnetic decals that I pull off in my driveway or my weekends off, due to neighborhood restrictions.

Currently I Co-Chair a Political Candidate for City Commission and I am about to change my personal real estate signs for her election signs because...I AM EVERYWHERE!

I believe in our business our vehicles MAKE A STATEMENT!  One because we carry our clients in them and two because they are EVERY WHERE!  I drive a 2005 Lexus RX300.  It is very clean and very presentable because I see it as my business card. 

IF I had a concern and especially in a political enviroment...is that my car will be key'd for the position I take.  Beyond that I see my car as my business card and here I have no regrets.  Joy

On the note of PERSONALIZED License Plates...

In High School my plates said....GO4JOY.   As I got older I thought JOY2GO, would be better because my personality is the "GO 2 Person", to get a job done.   Since that might be misconstrued, I opted for SELN4U since I was in sales.

After my FIRST Speeding Ticket and the fine was DOUBLED because I had Personalized Plates....I dropped that concept altogether!!!   Magnetic Signs are Cheaper!     Joy

On the note of PERSONALIZED License Plates...

In High School my plates said....GO4JOY.   As I got older I thought JOY2GO, would be better because my personality is the "GO 2 Person", to get a job done.   Since that might be misconstrued, I opted for SELN4U since I was in sales.

After my FIRST Speeding Ticket and the fine was DOUBLED because I had Personalized Plates....I dropped that concept altogether!!!   Magnetic Signs are Cheaper!     Joy

Jeff, I'm #242 - oh well better than #400 which is where I think the comment are heading.  guess you hit a soft spot with agents here in the rain!!

My wife has them on her car because she's a great, courteous driver.  I, on the other hand don't because I'm always in a hurry, pulling out in front of others, going too slow on a street looking for house numbers, and going thru caution lights at the last second.  I know how upset I get at drivers like me - therefore no signs! 

Specializing in Horse Property, It works for me! Megan Gebhardt, Realty Executives, Nevada's Choice

Jeff, I have personalized plates "HOME 4U" and also my website logo on both side windows and on the back window down in the corner.

It keeps me aware of my driving, however, sometimes my aggressiveness shows up. After having both the plate & the signage on 3 different vehicles for over 15 years, I have only been contacted once on my website and called a bad name. I remember the incident & it was actually the other driver's mistake. 

For me... More positive than negative! Great post!

Have a friend who got a listing appointment at the gas station because of signs on her car. Have another who got a stalker because she had signs all over her car.

Gotta think thru every angle...

My wife has been talking about getting a HHR and having it wrapped for months.  Of course we have to get the HHR first.  Our colors are Navy Blue and Fluorescent green.  She has some great ideas with those colors. I would think resale would be a problem though. Then as Liane said, what about stalkers? But, all agents have that when people call for house showings. 

Russ…professionals DO drive with car wraps. Our company specializes in vehicle and fleet graphics as well as realty and business signage and our business is with other businesses. They all have graphics on their vehicles in some way.

The consensus seems to be magnetic signs seem ‘cheesy’ and not as professional as vinyl lettering. IMO, they aren’t, but as temporary signage they serve a purpose. If you are a full-time realtor in business, then you should have a professional image with full-time vehicle graphics. Perforated window screen material is not as long-lasting and will look washed up and faded within a year. More about wraps in another post! The image at the top of the post looks great, doesn’t affect the vision of the driver, will look good for years and certainly looks professional…but that’s my opinion!

I'm with Kathryn.  I don't believe that high-end service providers (should) advertise in such ways. 

I like your license tag and frame... I think it is a way to get the idea across no matter who or what type of clients you have...