Check out this video of sign maker Robert Lambie wrapping a truck using sign vinyl DRY! many people prefer wet applications, but a lot of the most experienced pros do dry wraps. Lambie says each 90″ x 48″ panel takes only two minutes to apply. Wow!

Digital Designware and the International Sign Association (ISA) are hosting the American Wrap Star contest for the first time at ISA Expo in Orlando, Florida from April 8 – April 10.

The contest will award $250,000 worth of prizes. 3M announced that it is the platinum sponsor of the event, providing 3M product as prizes, on-site support and demonstration, along with 3M Controltac Wrap Film with Comply v3 Adhesive IJ180Cv3 and 3M Scotchcal Ultra-Matte Overlaminate 8915 which will be used in the competition.

Dirk Moebes, CEO of Digital Designware and event director, explained, “Last October we held a similar event during the Viscom show in Duesseldorf, Germany with huge success and immense response. We are more than happy to co-cost the event at ISA. And we’ve garnered strong support from key sponsors, such as 3M. Without 3M as the platinum Sponsor, an event like this would not take place.”

The competition will consist of five rounds during the three show days. Wrappers will compete on speed and quality and will be judged by a panel of international wrap experts. Participants who survive the first round will be promoted to the next until only two remain.

A maximum of 128 wrappers can participate in the contest and all participants, regardless of ranking, will receive a prize. The prizes awarded to the top winners will include a flatbed applicator, vinyl cutter with camera system and software, digital printer, 3M materials and laminator. Those who are eliminated after the first round will still be awarded a package of vouchers for vinyl, overlaminate and other supplies, software and wrap tools worth nearly $1,800.

The current list of event sponsors includes 3M, Summa, Rollsroller, HP, Mutoh, Royal Sovereign, Corel, Pro Vehicle Outline, Cadlink, Digital Art Solutions, Yellotools, Image1Impact, Wrap Expterts and many others.

First Display is giving us an example of how to promote your vehicle wrapping business. Check out this excerpt for some tips.

Catchy graphics attract the attention of all passers by. The conventional methods of advertising such as putting fliers in newspapers, audio advertisements, and pamphlet distribution have become obsolete now. People do not have time to go through them and here is when graphics advertisement comes to the seen Car windows graphics is the catchy new way to attract people’s attention for the maximum time as visual memory is known to be longer than others.

There are a lot of business owners who put vinyl self adhesive large window graphics on their store windows and see the increase in the number of footfalls each day. People come in just out of curiosity when they are attracted to something and boost up your sales within a short time span.

Advertisers are increasingly using new innovative ideas of putting graphics on vehicle windows. Vinyl graphics are safe to be used on glass. Although, the calendared vinyl goes well on vehicle body but does not gel with glass. This is because the car windows are silicon polished and normal vinyl adhesives do not last for a long time on such surfaces due to intense heat and sunlight.

Be sure to check out our vehicle wrapping e-books.

I read an interesting article about how to vehicle wrapping as mobile advertising. It was written by a vehicle wrapping company. I want to offer an excerpt to it so that all of you vinyl installers out there can see how to position your service with potential customers:

Mobile advertising you say? Yes, take a strong look at vehicle wraps as a marketing tool for your business. A well designed marketing wrap on your vehicle or fleet will do a great deal for expanding your marketing dollars. One person can only make so much money through work. Leveraging assets in your business to create and maintain revenue is one key to success. One of the biggest assets we have in life is a vehicle, as a business owner using this asset can most likely help you tap into a resource which you have never before utilized.

Vehicle wraps are a form of mobile advertising and can be used to advertise your service or product. SS Graphics knows first- hand, this type of mobile advertising is growing quickly in popularity. This is because of the flexibility and mobility this form of marketing affords. Vehicle wrap ads, allow you to use your car, truck or your fleet. This gives you the excellent opportunity to get your sales message across to the public. While you are drive there are potential clients who happen to be driving right alongside you. We know you will get noticed with a full color, inviting vehicle wrap. If the vehicle is parked – your marketing message is still hard at work. Imagine if you are parked a clients’ place of business or their home, how many eyes are on the vehicle. Your number one sales person may be sitting in your parking lot.

Vehicle wraps can be compared to a standard billboard; however, this billboard travels with you, probably ever where you go. Vehicle wrapping is a fantastic tool in your marketing as it has high impressions on a daily basis. Your vehicle wrap has the potential to make sales for your company simply by being on the road with thousands of drivers viewing your ad.

Be sure to check out our e-books on vinyl installation and vehicle wrapping.

There’s an article over in India Business magazine about the benefits of commercial vehicle wrapping in business promotion. Are advertisers in this Asian nation beginning to catch on to what Western marketers have already figured out?

If you haven’t taken the time to develop your own marketing messages through press releases and web sites that feature the benefits of vehicle wrapping to advertisers, now is the time. VinylInsider can help you promote your vehicle wrapping business. Just give us a call.

Mutoh America announces the official release date of the Carwraps® Business Builder Program. The Carwraps® Business Builder program, valued at over $5,000, is offered FREE by Mutoh with the purchase of a ValueJet 1304, or 1614 printer and is available beginning January 4th 2010.

This unique and cutting-edge teaching program is geared toward companies and individuals interested in entering the vehicle graphics industry, as well as experienced “wrappers” who are looking to gain a competitive edge.
The program is comprised of three important elements: Training, Support, and Marketing Assistance with the pri-mary objectives being greater efficiency and effectiveness resulting in higher profits.

With streaming HD videos, live monthly webinars, one-on-one project management support, ready-to-print wrap designs, discounted artwork composition services and discounted hands-on installation training, there is simply no easier way to learn vehicle wrapping available anywhere.

In addition to training and support, every Business Builder Member is eligible for the opportunity to be listed (by location) on Carwraps.net—the nations number one vehicle wraps provider on the worldwide web**. “No manu-facturer has ever offered a free training and marketing platform for vehicle wraps—until now and Mutoh is very excited to bring this very unique product to today’s industry,” says Brian Phipps, Director of Sales at Mutoh.

To begin using the Business Builder Training Program, new Mutoh owners simply register their printer online and they are automatically enrolled for the online training, webinars, “Ask a Pro” support forums and “live” sales sup-port. Membership is good for 12 months from the purchase date of their printer. In this time Members can watch videos, visit the Q&A forums, submit questions and call directly for technical support on sales and project man-agement related issues. They can also sit in on “live” graphic design webinars, and access low-cost vehicle wrap design files.

At the time the six-month period is reached, Carwraps® Business Builder Members are also eligible for reduced rate hands-on installation training, testing and listings on Carwraps.net. “We receive over a $1,000,000 per month in web based job leads and have the highest visibility on the web.” Explains Todd LaBrie, President of Carwraps, Inc. “No other wrap company can get you trained and put you in touch with the buying public like Carwraps can—and Mutoh makes this easier than ever.”

Carwraps® is a recognized leader in the sales and marketing of vehicle wraps and graphics making the Carwraps® Business Builder by MUTOH — not only a substantial value, but also a valuable ally for combating the learning curve usually associated with this exciting and highly profitable advertising medium.

SkinzWraps, Inc., a full-service vehicle wrapping company, announced today that Wingstop, the number one ranked national chicken wing chain, has selected SkinzWraps to be its national vehicle wrap vendor.

“Wingstop’s nationwide expansion (more than 550 restaurants either open or under development in 25 states) is outstanding. We are clearly excited to be selected as their national vehicle wrap vendor and are confident that we can meet their immediate needs and keep pace with their expansion goals,” says Peter C. Salaverry, Chairman & CEO of SkinzWraps.