Q: Why owning an ice cream truck sales business is like owning a modeling agency?

A: Because appearances count a LOT.

There’s nothing that will lose you more customers in less time than a truck that has a paint job that makes it look incomplete, shoddy, or just plain boring. So I have created a list of 5 things to do and 5 not to consider when making the crucial decision on how to paint your truck:

BACK:

1. DO wear bright colors that make your truck stand out – after all, you want to be noticed!
2. DO use your writing and text that will advertise it attracting attention and appealing to both kids and adults.
3. DO Keep your design simple – don’t bombard your customers with distracting colors and images.
4. DO Go for a retro design. For many people, ice cream trucks evoke cherished memories of their youth, so it can never be too old-fashioned.
5. DO You know your customer! Certain designs will work better in different places and with people of different backgrounds and income levels. An ice cream truck sold along Venice Beach will look and feel very different from a truck sold in midtown Manhattan!

WHOSE:

1. WHOSE wear brown, gray, or other colors that make it look like it blends in with the background, or worse, look boring.
2. WHOSE go overboard with stickers and decorations. Doing too much visually can be almost as bad as doing too little.
3. WHOSE use color schemes that may be associated with drugs or other illegal activities. Some ice cream vendors have given the industry a bad name by selling more than ice cream from their trucks!
4. WHOSE place decals and other signs too high or too low. Make sure both children and adults can see all the writing.
5. WHOSE spoil your awesome design by forgetting that a window may have to go in the middle! Make sure to consider the practicalities of your vehicle and make a sketch. before you start to paint.

At the end of the day, the design of your ice cream truck will be an important component in how people view your business. When in doubt keep it simple, it is better to have a simple well executed design than to try to get fancy and have an amateur paint job. The easiest things to do are also the most effective, add some color to your bumpers, wheels, mirrors, and your ceiling speaker. Customers will notice the little things like uneven paint, off-center decals and lettering, or crooked lines, so make sure everything is done right, especially on the side of your truck that has the service window.

And remember, just because you’ve painted your truck doesn’t mean you can neglect it; be sure to spray it with water every few days and whenever it rains, because the dirt that collects on your roof will spill over the sides of your truck.