Autoexotic’s graphic artists take advantage of all sides of this ‘moving billboard’ to promote several of its client’s services.
Standing out from the crowd
In and around Grand Prairie, the Peters can name at least five well-established sign shops that are their direct competitors, along with several shops that do paper printing and some vinyl printing. There are also a few “backyard shops” that pop up, with wrappers that work out of a basement or garage.
“The market for wraps continues to get more crowded here like in other cities. It’s really important for us to maintain our relationships with current clients and to always provide quality wraps at a good price so that we can stay competitive,” said Albert.
In addition to providing quality products, the Peters believe being a well-established shop and maintaining a strong reputation for excellent service has helped their business thrive.
“We have contacts that bring us business when they move from one job to another, so we are able to expand our client list,” said Roxanne. “I like to think the reason for that is our service and the quality of our work, but also the personal connection we make with our clients.”
Helping clients decide which way to wrap
There are many elements clients need to consider when deciding between lettering, decals, a partial wrap, or a full wrap. To help customers assess their options, Autoexotic offers a free, no obligation in-person consultation.
“If possible, we have clients come to us for the consultation, so we can go through all the options with them and show them some examples of our work here in the shop. Sometimes, however, they need us to go to their location, for example, if they are considering a wrap for a big rig,” said Roxanne.
Autoexotic’s colourful wrap for Roc Dog expresses the many ways this business serves.
“Cost is always a major factor,” adds Albert. “Our industrial clients know the value of a high-quality wrap in terms of design, colour, and print accuracy, and also the value of durable inks and materials. For colour change wraps or other personal wraps, it very much comes down to price.”
Another important consideration is what style of wrap works best for a company’s logo and represents their brand well.
“As an example, you wouldn’t want a small decal for an industrial company—they need to have uniform representation of their logo across their fleet. It also matters what type of vehicle they are wrapping, for instance, a trailer versus a car,” said Roxanne.
She notes design is involved to a certain extent with every vehicle wrap project, though the amount of design work varies greatly from job to job. For instance, designing a trailer wrap is much more involved than creating door decals.
“We do logo design as well, but we find that usually starts with a simple request for some decals. We are always happy to help our clients by creating the right design for their wraps, decals, and signage,” she said.
For many clients, helping them finalize their wrap decision is a process of refining their vision.
“The majority of our clients know roughly what they are looking for, whether it be a full or partial wrap,” said Roxanne. “We listen to their vision of the finished product and work with them to design a wrap that will help them achieve their goals.”
A bright future for wraps
“The number of requests we field for wraps has absolutely increased in the last five years,” said Albert. “We predict demand will continue to rise as print technology manufacturers develop new generations of printers and keep increasing the colour gamut, and media manufacturers produce additional colour and texture options for vinyl media.”
“We are a small family-run business and we are passionate about what we do. We always strive to provide the best in everything we produce, from our products to our service,” said Roxanne. “We have an outstanding team, and production equipment that can handle any size fleet. We look forward to continuing to serve our clients’ wrap needs as the economy recovers.”
Ginny Mumm is a freelance consultant for digital inkjet printer/cutter provider Roland DGA. For more information, visit www.rolanddga.com.
