Pimping your van: sure way to drive up business?

Customising Your Van to Improve Your Business MORE TH>N BUSINESS

With prices at the pumps looking grim, and driving a van around the UK's roads acknowledged as a stressful part of any occupation, owning a commercial van is often thought of as a necessity rather than an opportunity.

But there's a big perk that's sometimes forgotten - the ability to ensure your business doesn't go unnoticed.

Conversation starter: your motor?

Ok, your van is there to get you from A to B and to carry the goods or tools you need for the job when you arrive. But motor manufacturers build their products for broad appeal, and can't cater for individual tastes - or marketing needs.

Of course, if your business has a vehicle then putting your firm's details on the side is a no-brainer. For a relatively low cost, you'll get your message across to thousands of potential customers every year.

It can cost anything from under £100 to several thousand, depending on what you require. But making the right impression with your van will last for it's lifetime.

And then of course, there are those who go further than a little stencilling.

Image: Conor Lunny/PA Wire

A little inspiration

How about using one of the country's best-loved television series as inspiration for your own vehicle? Mark 'Del-Boy' Drumm has customised the delivery van for his off-licence in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, to look like Del Trotter's three-wheel Reliant Regal Supervan from Only Fools And Horses. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Mark said he had to repaint the van, which was red when he bought it.

"I got a painter in Enniskillen to give it the once over and get Magee's Spirit Store Co. on the side of it," explains Mark. "He did a great job. Though to be fair I actually spent more on the paint job than the van itself... I've already told the bar manager it's his company car - and he thought he was getting a BMW!"

A strong contender for the king of all branded vehicles must be the Oscar Mayar Wienermobile. This is a classic model, but modern variants are still used today.

Given their unique place in popular culture in the US, Wienermobile crashes often attract media coverage there. Last summer, one unfortunate delivery driver accidentally drove forward instead of reversing out of someone's drive – and wedged her vehicle underneath the balcony of the house.

For some reason, Volkswagen camper vans seem to be the most decorated of all - maybe it's their psychedelic associations, or perhaps they're all getting to antique status nowadays and owners need to do some work on them anyway.

Image: AP Photo/Fabian Bimmer

This camper here will delight VW fans and beach-bums alike. Pictured at a festival in Hanover, Germany, this camper was converted into a 'Beachmobil' bar to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the vehicle.

Image: Roy Catherall/Roy Catherall/Press Association Images

This one is a joint venture between the police and MTV's Pimp My Ride programme. It's an unusual pairing, but this police van has been kitted out with a recording studio to appeal to the youth of London. Pictured sitting on the van is DJ Tim Westwood, who's been promoting the scheme through his radio show.

Of course, you could go even further and style your van on this classic vehicle used in the 1994 comedy Dumb And Dumber. Jim Carrey's character offers pet grooming, so he's covered his truck in fake fur to make it look like a dog. As the name of the film suggests, these characters aren't the smartest, so maybe they - and the movie's makers - didn't stop to think what would happen when it rained, but it certainly made an impact and nobody who saw would forget it.

Whether or not you decide to customise your van, contact MORE THAN BUSINESS for a great deal on van insurance.

RELATED ARTICLE: Top ten tips for reducing stress in your van