John Wiley, owner of Dream Street Graphics, which does vehicle graphics, had the inspiration for his business when he observed that most fleet vehicle graphics were not effective in communicating the name of the business or what they did. Furthermore, the vehicle owners want a quick turn around time on job completion. With the two principles of a great look and getting the vehicles customized quickly, and no customers, John started Dream Street Graphics in 1995.
John’s background led him to his vehicle wrap business. In the 1980’s he was working for a company that installed pinstriping and body side molding to cars and trucks at new and used car dealerships, learning that customers preferred customized graphics. He built his territory to a revenue of about $1 million per year with 12 – 19 associates. But it wasn’t his business; he was growing a business from the ground up for someone else.
In 1988, John started selling CAD/CAM computer design sytems to graphics shops. The knowledge of computer design was added to his artistic skills, providing the perfect preparation for customized vehicle graphics.
Dream Street Graphics strives to solve the customers’ problems. Whom are they trying to reach? What do they want to say to prospects? What do they want to be remembered for? As John explains it, “We work with the customer to create an effective design. We produce the graphics internally, and we install the graphics on vehicles to provide a marketing message that creates measurable responses from the customer.”
One of the most effective marketing and sales outcomes that Dream Street Graphics has achieved is landing the national account for Chem-Dry. John’s strategy for landing that national account was to start local and get the attention of persons progressively higher up in the Chem-Dry hierarch. The key was to impress each of the individual managers. After landing the local Chem-Dry account (because they were dissatisfied with the national provider in place at that time), John aggressively went after additional Chem-Dry locations, one at a time, armed with a testimonial from the local manager.
John found out that Chem-Dry had around 2400 franchises. Looking up the addresses for the franchises online, he then sent out a mailing as quickly as he could to each. From responses to these mailings, John found that many of the managers were dissatisfied with the vendor. Calls began to trickle in. After an order was placed, John would find something to offer them for free. He also told them to tell him if they were satisfied with their graphics, and if they were, to call their headquarters with a testimonial. After the orders and testimonials began to number in the 40’s to 50’s, the home office called John and asked him if he wanted to be a vendor the company as a whole. The key to success was one-by-one, get the testimonial, and have them relay the message to corporate. It finally payed off.
The customers that John is looking for are those that are willing to pay for quality graphics. They will trust Dream Street Graphics to provide the best design, use the best materials, and ensure that the graphics will last for years and always look great. Current customer types within the service provider category include Heating and Cooling, Electrical, Plumbing, and even Nursing services. He is also looking to connect with companies that provide strategic mareting and advertising services to the same types of customers that they serve.
A unique means to reach one category of customers that John utilizes is the HVAC golf outing. HVAC companies attend this yearly golf event, providing an optimal way for John to meet company owners and talk with them on a leisurely basis. Also, the presence of John’s colorful Dream Street Graphics van is the source for catching the eye of potential customers. John’s suggestions to other business owners is to ask their customers where they get together with others of their profession, what trade magazines they read, what associations they belong to, and where do they look for support when they have a problem?
If you want a dramatic and compelling vehicle wrap, give John a call.
John Wiley
Dream Street Graphics
(317) 784-7775
