This article is intended to help new food truck owners, or aspiring food truck business owners, learn about the different types of marketing that work well for their industry. 

How to Market a Food Truck

The food truck business is competitive and knowing how to market yourself is an absolute necessity if you want to survive. These food truck marketing tips will help you build and grow an audience for your business.

1. Create Eye-catching Exterior Designs

You will want to make sure your exterior food truck design allows you to actually convert traffic brought in from marketing. After all, if you get 200 people in a day coming to your food truck because they saw your menu on social media, but if the food truck design doesn’t make a connection with potential customers, and they leave to eat at a competing truck, the marketing efforts are in vain. After all, what good is traffic if it doesn’t convert to a sale?

That said, the food truck design should reflect your menu, appeal to your target buyer audience, and reflect the primary area you work in. For example, if your food truck sells gourmet surf and turf on a beach where surfing is popular and there are lots of locals and tourists that pass through the area, a vinyl wrap food truck design featuring a surfer wearing a tuxedo-wetsuit eating lobster on a fancy table with the cityscape in the background and the waves off to one side will communicate the menu in a fun way that will attract people and make them curious. A design like this is that baited hook that converts sales once the marketing efforts have brought them to your business. 

2. Be Active On Social Media

Social media marketing is likely going to be your best marketing channel for growing your business. The food truck culture is thriving, and the same cohorts that love these trucks are also social media addicts.

When you use platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram you can let your fans know where you will be, when, what the specials are, and run promotions. In fact, word of mouth spreads quickly and there are large numbers of people from out-of-state who follow food trucks simply because their friends rave about them, and the business owner created fun, engaging content. And when these people and all of their friends and family head to your city, you can guarantee they will look you up.

So not only can social media marketing attract loyal locals, but even people from afar. In fact, many food truck business owners report that earnings solely from social media marketing helped pay off their food truck financing loan within the first two years alone. 

3. Get a Website and Run an SEO Strategy

A large percentage of people who try food trucks for the first time do so unintentionally: they want sushi, turn to Google to find the best sushi joints in the city, and when creative food trucks pop up in the results, many people give them a shot. Your website should reflect your food truck’s exterior design, menu, and speak to your target customers. And make sure your SEO specialist knows how to write buyer-focused content that will help you rank for the right search terms that lead to sales.

Build Your Food Truck Business Today

You want to give your customers a memorable experience when they visit your food truck and we are here to help. From flashing lights and booming sounds to seamless transactions, we will employ the latest technologies such as LED lights, digital menu boards, speaker systems, and mobile POS systems to create a memorable experience for your customers. We can even set you up with a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot to attract new guests. Use our custom food truck builder to get started now!

The post How to Market a Food Truck: Tips From the Pros appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

This article will explore four must-haves that a food truck designer should take into consideration when building your custom food truck.

Food Truck Design Tips

great food truck designs don’t just happen. It takes planning, research, and a vision for company growth. Here are four tips to help you and your food truck builder create a winning food truck design.

1. Use Stainless Steel

Materials are everything. Some buyers will opt for cheaper materials that are porous, hard to clean, stain easily, and that can even rub off on to food (cutting up a salad on types of plastic over time can give a strange chemical taste to the food that derives from contact with chemicals, and though they aren’t toxic, the taste is vile). Always get a high-quality stainless steel interior. This means the floor, walls, counters, storage–everything should be stainless steel. It is by far the most sanitary interior material to have, easy to clean and offers a nice modern look.

2. Plan for Growth

A growth-driven platform is something the best food truck builders in the industry do to ensure space works for their clients now and will continue to be a great solution to their future needs as they grow. You should work with food truck builders who take the time to sit down with you, understand your menu, brand, and target customers, as well as what your growth goals are and where you see your food truck in five years.

An interior food truck design will include the necessary equipment needed to store, prep and cook the food and have enough floor space to accommodate your current team. But if your growth goal is to add an oven and an industrial juicer, along with two other staff members, then the food truck design of today must have space for these future goals. And only food truck builders who base the food truck design around their client’s goals will allow for this.

3. Utilize Technology

There are various types of food truck technology. From touch screens that allow people to place their orders, to fun lighting for nighttime aesthetics and even technology for entertainment when you have those long lines at food truck festivals or when you park outside a concert or sports event, your needs could vary.

But the technology needs to provide a solution for your customers or attract people to your truck. For example, if your target audience is night crowds that gather in the city where all the clubs are, having fun flashing strobes so they feel like the party is still swinging could attract people. If your target audience is the rush hour lunch grown Downtown, then having touch screens for placing orders with pick-up times would be an amazing incentive.

4.Your Exterior Food Truck Design

You have two main options: vinyl wraps or a hand-painted job (with traditional brushes or airbrushes). If your food truck business is going to operate down by the beach where the air has high salinity levels, or if you plan to do business up in the mountains during the winter season where the weather can be harsh and where roads are salted, a vinyl wrap would be the best option because they stand up better to harsher conditions.

Stand Out With Unique Food Truck Designs

Make sure your food truck design property brands your business, showcases your logo and social media channels, and has an overall design that ties your local customers, geographic location, and menu items altogether. After all, people love familiarity, and a familiar design with the food they know and love that showcases their hometown and speaks to them at a personal level will garner greater traffic, and with that more sales.

Contact Legion Food Trucks for a custom food truck today. No concept or idea is out of reach for our team of designers and fabricators.

The post 4 Things To Consider for Your Food Truck Design appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

Search for the Best Food Truck Manufacturers In Los Angeles

Getting started can be the hardest part. Start by thinking of the big picture like about the customers you want to attract, the best location for your food truck, and what your menu options will be. There are a lot of things to consider when looking for the right food truck manufacturer to meet your needs. 

• Look for a manufacturer that is certified and knows the ins and outs of the industry, so they can help guide you if you are just starting out
• Your food truck builder should offer a manufacturer warranty
• If you need financing, look for manufacturers that have payment plans and financing options

Do your research and don’t settle for the first food truck manufacturer you find. The manufacturer is the backbone of your food truck and can help make or break your success when you are just starting out. 

Manufacturer Directory

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a directory that included the major food truck manufacturers? In fact, there is! Take a look at this directory, so you can get a feel for what your options are when searching for a food truck manufacturer. With a tool like this, you can basically handpick your food truck manufacturer based on the specifications you input like what type of food you will sell and the location your truck will be set up in.

Before Signing up With a Food Truck Manufacturer in Los Angeles

Now that you know how to find a food truck manufacturer, answer a few questions to yourself before you pull the trigger on your new food truck.

• Do you want a new or a used truck?
• Will the manufacturer include a wrap or design on the outside of your truck? 
• What type of cuisine do you want to focus on? 

Being honest with yourself is an important step. You can’t find a manufacturer if you don’t know what you want from a food truck builder. It’s ok to still have some uncertainties, but you should know the direction you want to head in.

The Best Food Truck Manufacturer in Los Angeles

Legion Food Trucks is a top food truck manufacturer in Los Angeles. We can help you turn your dream into reality. Our interactive food truck builder includes an online tool that will generate a free quote so you can get an idea of what your expenses will be, and our team is here to help every step of the way.

The post Finding The Right Food Truck Manufacturers in Los Angeles appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

Corporate Branded Trucks

Corporate branded food trucks from Legion will automatically set your company on the path to success. We take your firm to a higher level by bringing an entirely new look. Our experienced staff of developers and fabricators bring new and groundbreaking ideas to every project.

Interactive Truck Builder

With our interactive truck builder tool, corporations create the best reflection of their needs. Our team will contact within 24 hours to learn of your goals, and together we come up with the kind of truck that will empower your brand. 

Custom Food Trucks

We have built highly successful customized food trucks. Legion Food Truck only uses the highest quality and equipment in our food trucks. Every installation in the truck is synced and aligned to minimize cost and maximize operations.

Stainless Steel Design

We use 18-gauge to construct our cabinets and counters, ensuring that they are more durable and have a sturdier structure. We weld together all shelves, cabinets, sinks, and storage compartments for maximum durability.

Easy to Maintain

We use stainless steel finishes. The ability to resist dust and grime makes them easy to maintain, clean, and polish.

Aesthetics

Legion employs the use of color throughout our food trucks by using durable powder coats. In addition to enhancing the image of the food truck, the use of bright and vibrant colors also takes away the impersonal feel that comes with stainless steel.

High Health Standards

Health is a concern to every firm that invests in food trucks. Corporate food trucks from Legion are guaranteed to have a health department approval. Our custom-built comply with some of the strictest health standards. Every truck that rolls off our floor is permitted and up to code.

Financing Your Food Truck

Looking at how to finance your food truck? Here are plenty of options. General loan offers different types of options for business owners which include; getting a business loan from your bank, acquiring a microloan which is an appropriate option if you only need a small amount, and crowdfunding which works best for business owners who have strong ties in the communities they serve. Legion Food Trucks also offers financing options so you can easily apply for leases and loans on food trucks and equipment.

Legion Food Trucks love helping new creative and entrepreneurs build their dream! Our professional builders create true works of art designed to empower your brand. Contact us  and let us share our acquaintance and love of food trucks with you.

The post Corporate Food Truck Builder Chosen by Coca Cola & Jack in the Box appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

But identifying food truck builders capable of meeting the strict needs of corporations requires locating a company that can go beyond the typical build requested by an entrepreneur or small business. This article is intended to help those responsible for locating food truck builders find ones capable of creating custom growth-driven designs for restaurant chains while simultaneously meeting all-time restrictions and budgetary needs. 

Look for Food Truck Builders with Repeat Corporate Experience on their Resume

If you are going to give your business to someone capable of meeting the needs of your restaurant chain, then you should partner with one company on your shortlist of food truck builders that have repeat business with a mega-corporation under their belt. This way you can rest assured knowing the builder can meet the demands that come with the territory. For example, many restaurant chains trust Legion Food Trucks because the company has a history of repeat business building food trucks got brands like Google and Jack in the Box. When searching for food truck builders, make sure they have an impressive portfolio that proves their expertise. 

Demand Food Truck Builders that can Satisfy Regulations

As a restaurant chain or corporate entity, there are a number of regulations you are legally obligated to meet. That said, finding food truck builders that know how to create a fully compliant food truck is critical. For example, based on the number of employees you intend to have to work in the food truck at a given time, the platform must be a specific size (this also varies on your state or county). You may also be required to have air conditioning, multiple exits, and you will almost certainly need additional safety precautions put into the design. 

Food Trucks Builders and Sanitation Codes

Most restaurant chains operating a fleet of food trucks will opt for a stainless steel interior for sanitation purposes. All it takes is one visit from the Health Department in which mold is detected or other hazards in a single food truck for your entire business to take a hit. Stainless steel is easy to clean, dry, and because it isn’t porous, it is highly resistant to mold. Look for builders that create custom platforms only using stainless steel for all workspaces, flooring, ceiling, walls, storage, and equipment. 

Design and Branding

Food trucks not only take your product to the streets, but they also function as mobile advertisements. When searching for food truck builders look for a company that has the experience to work with your marketing and brand experts to design an exterior that resonates with your branded identity with your target customers. People may be aware of your restaurants, but perhaps they have never visited one, or if they had, it was once. When restaurant chains have food trucks they get in the public’s face, tempt them with a catchy design embedded into brand recognition, and as a result, more customers convert and revenue gains unfold.

The post What Restaurant Chains Should Consider when Contracting with Food Truck Builders appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

This is similar to someone taking their car to a mechanic: the car owner knows there is a problem, and trusts the mechanic to gove them an honest diagnosis with a fait price. But buying a food truck will be your biggest investment, so when you partner with the best food truck builders, you should enter the initial conversation with enough information to be dangerous and ask the right questions that will help ensure you are making a solid investment. And this article is intended to help entrepreneurs, family businesses and startups learn what to look for in finding top food truck builders that can help them reach their growth goals.

Look for Food Truck Builders that Design Around Your Growth Goals

Avoid working with cookie-cutter food truck builders that offer a one-size-fits-all solution for every business. The fact of the matter is this: your menu is unique, your customers are unique, and your growth goals aren’t going to reflect the goals shared by other food truck businesses. That said, when you buy a food truck you should expect food truck builders to learn your goals, business model, and build a food truck platform that will accommodate your present needs, and future ones. This means there will be space to expand by adding additional equipment down the road, and additional employees without building too big so that you spend unnecessary funds. Your custom food truck should fit your current and future business model like a glove, both now and then. And though this sounds ultra challenging, the best food truck builders do this all the time.

New Food Truck Equipment is Cost-Saving

The best food truck builders will avoid selling used vehicles and equipment to their clients, and with good reason. last year, more than 90% of new food truck businesses failed in their first year, and the primary reason was related to faulty equipment and food trucks. Used food trucks and their equipment simply aren’t reliable. Most failed food truck companies reported tens of thousands of dollars in losses due to expensive repair bills (many ongoing) and the loss of customers–when a food truck if off the street not only is it unable to generate revenue, but its customers find their competitors. This is why the best food truck builders design new food trucks with new equipment so that all that is needed is standard maintenance.

When researching the best food truck builders keep these points in mind, learn what not to do when buying a food truck, and call a few food truck companies, and see where they measure up according to these standards.

The post What Buyers Should Expect from the Best Food Truck Builders in the Industry appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

Look for Food Truck Builders Who Revolve the Design Around Your Goals

As you start your family food truck business be cognizant of your short-term and long-term goals. Keep in mind that where you want to be a year from now is going to be a different place  than where you are in your first week of business, and where you are in five years will be all the more different. When you look for potential food truck builders, look for one that takes the time to learn your business model, understand your goals, and design a food truck that will accommodate your immediate, near-future and long-term goals.

When you start talking to food truck builders look for one that can design a food truck platform that can comfortably accommodate the space you need now to run your business, and that can also accommodate future growth. Right now you need specific food truck equipment, a platform with enough square footage to accommodate the number of people who will be working, and have the prep space and storage space you need. But as you grow, your menu will likely expand, you will need additional equipment, and you will want to hire additional help. This means your food truck design will need to serve as something you can comfortably grow into, and this si why food truck builders need to be focused on your future goals when building a food truck for use today.

The Best Food Truck Builders are Creative Marketers

You likely have a conceptual idea about a logo and design for your food truck, and how it represents your brand, menu items and the communities you intend to serve. You your specialty is cuisine, not marketing. And the best food truck builders are also savvy marketers. They know how to design a food truck using a vinyl wrap or by hand-painted work, to attract your target customers while creating an emotional relationship between them, the community and your food. That said, ask the food truck builders you contact how they can work with you to create a brand and the perfect food truck design that ties it all together.

The post What Family Businesses Should Look for in Food Truck Builders to be Profitable appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

The main piece to your family business is the food truck. So clearly your most important step is to buy from one of the best food truck builders  that can help you grow your business with a custom platform designed to place you firmly on the path to achieving your goals.

In order for your family food truck business to prosper, you need to truly understand your growth goals and identify how the best food truck builders can work with you to ensure you have the best path carved out to achieve them.

This article is intended to help family businesses discover how food truck builders can help them achieve their goals by getting them into a custom food truck that will help them attract and delight customers for years to come.

Successful Family Food Truck Businesses Can Grow into their Truck

One of the biggest mistakes family businesses make when looking for food truck builders is selecting one that doesn’t take their future growth goals into account. For example, a team of cousins may buy a food truck to serve their grandmother’s tamale and taco recipes. They have a fryer, a 2 man-prep station, and appropriate refrigerated storage for their current menu items. But if their growth goal is to bring on 2 more cousins, add burritos, carne asada dishes and chili relleno to the menu, they will need a larger platform with more working space, a grill, a larger refrigerator and freezer, and a griddle.  Food truck builders need to identify these growth goals with clients in the vital meeting that takes place prior to building a food truck, and create a custom solution that will help people be successful with their immediate setup, while providing the space to add more appliances and people as they expand their menu and grow their customer base. When buyers identify the common problems others face in buying a food truck, and platform size is a big one, they can already start to position themselves for optimal success out the gate.

Food Truck Builders Need to be Marketers

When your food truck builders set out to design your food truck, they need to think beyond the platform and consider who the target buyers are, where the food truck business will operate geographically, and use marketing data and insights to design an exterior that will resonate with target buyers. Most food truck builders hand paint food trucks, or use vinyl wraps. Vinyl wraps are especially popular options food truck builders use if their client’s operating areas are near the coast where moisture and salinity is high, where it is hot and windy, or where it rains a lot. Basically, anywhere the elements are not a comfortable, calm 80 degrees. Blowing sand and debris, salty air, rain, and intense sun can weather and fade the paint, and because vinyl wraps last significantly longer-lasting, the option is a popular one. The graphics, logo and other branding consideration needs to reflect your company but also represent who your target buyers are–all things savvy food truck builders take into account when designing custom food trucks for family businesses.

The post What Family Businesses Should Look for in Food Truck Builders appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

1. Used Food Truck Equipment and Platforms

We all love to save money, and often people think that used food truck equipment and platforms are a great route to take in order to shave off some of the upfront cost. But in reality if your food truck company is trying to sell you used equipment and previously used platforms, this presents a big red flag. When food trucks builders go under and aren’t able to compete against their higher quality competitors, it is almost always due to lack of skill that destroys them. So rather than folding, they buy previously owned food truck platforms, clean them up, and retrofit them to trucks. They also get used equipment for next to nothing and charge a bit more so they can make a profit, and the customer appears to be saving.

Here’s the reality: you may save up front, but in the long run this play almost always costs food truck owners thousands of dollars. Used food truck equipment is not reliable and is notorious for breaking down. Not only does used equipment require ongoing costly repairs, but the time you are off the street and away from your customers creates massive financial losses and a drop in your customer numbers because they go to your competition. Instead, look for a high-quality food truck builder that provides clients with new, latest and greatest food truck equipment priced lower than the competition while still being very competitive. You are only paying slightly more anyway, but you get a guarantee that your food truck equipment will be reliable and only need routine maintenance.

2. Buying Custom Food Trucks with No Repair Center

Avoid doing business with food truck companies that don’t offer repairs or perform maintenance. If you were shopping for a new car would you buy one from a company that doesn’t have repair and maintenance services in their dealerships? Of course not. Not only is it a bad look attesting to a lack of quality, but it presents a huge risk, as nobody knows a product better than the manufacturer, and it just makes sense to have service offered by the best. Often, food truck builders that don’t perform maintenance or repairs run this way because they lack skills. Whether they aren’t able to employee a regular team of technicians, or they outsource certain technical positions during the building process and are therefore not able to schedule routine repairs, this is a red flag to look out for. Be sure to work with a food truck company that can make repairs and maintain your food truck.

3. New Food Truck Companies

Just because someone is new in business doesn’t mean they are bad. However, when you are buying custom food trucks, new companies can present red flags for two main reasons. First, some bad food truck builders have tainted the entire industry by performing poor quality work, getting fined or called out, and then they change their business name and re-open under a new disguise. This doesn’t happen often, but it is known to be an issue. So if the food truck company is new, research the owner of the food truck builder business to ensure there isn’t a paper trail of deceit trying to be hid. Finally, new food truck builders simply lack the experience that veteran builders have. Look for a food truck company that has at least 20 years of experience to ensure you will get a high-quality custom food truck capable of helping you hit your growth goals.

The post 3 Red Flags to Look for When Buying Custom Food Trucks appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.

But let’s explore food truck cost in greater depth, and define the factors that matter most. This article will help people interested in buying a food truck make an educated purchasing decision based around value.

The Cost of Used Food Trucks is Deceiving

All too often, people think they are saving money when buying a previously owned food truck. But when it comes to buying a food truck that’s used, most only focus on the sticker price and therefore fall into the illusion they are saving money.

In reality, used food trucks are more prone to repair-needs, and often these come up fairly regularly. In addition, engine problems and other mechanical issues can surface that throw your food truck out of commission. Not only will you have to pay for repair bills, but the loss of revenue and the dip in traffic you will later experience as a result to customers going to your competitors will cause an overall greater loss.

Food Truck Cost is Relative to Business Goals

If your goal is to expand and grow your business, then you will need a food truck built to accommodate your current and future needs. If you only have your sights set on maintaining a small operation, then you don’t want to overspend on something you will never utilize. The best food truck companies ensure all clients gain real value by investing in a food truck that will help them hit their short and long-term goals. The upfront investment cost will be based on growth goals, and a good food truck builder will be able to offer a competitive price for a custom food truck that will help their clients keep cost down and make wise investment decisions for their business.

Food Truck Equipment Cost

The best custom food truck companies will offer equipment at an affordable price. Ranges, refrigerators, freezers, griddles, friers, stoves and ovens can eat into the food truck cost rather quickly. This is why top food truck builders offer high-quality equipment at lower prices than the competition. Do your research and look for average cost, and look into the various brands. Read consumer reviews, and educate yourself. Even though your food truck builder is already well-versed in the world of food truck equipment, entering a relationship with a builder in which you know enough to be dangerous is always beneficial.

The post What is a Reasonable Price? How Much Should a Food Truck Cost? appeared first on Legion Food Trucks.