Used car lots are evolving fast. As new car shortages continue to drive demand for used vehicles, dealers are also navigating eco-conscious buyers, digital-first shoppers, and an ever-growing list of online tools and platforms. In this fast-changing landscape, running a successful used car lot takes more than just great inventory—it takes smart, strategic branding to stand out and keep up.
The good news? You don’t need a huge marketing budget to make a big impression. With a few well-designed custom decals, license plate frames, and branded stickers, you can turn every vehicle you sell into a rolling billboard for your business.
Here’s how to put these simple tools to work and start growing your dealership’s visibility, one car (and sticker) at a time.
Use Custom License Plate Frames for Free Advertising
Let’s start with one of the easiest wins: custom license plate frames. Every car that drives off your lot should leave with your name on it. A license plate frame is the perfect way to make that happen.
Why? Because they’re seen every single day by other drivers, parking lot passersby, and even people on foot. It’s free advertising that keeps working long after the sale.
Add your dealership name, city, phone number, or website. Something like:
“Another Happy Driver from Mike’s Auto Sales – Salem, OR”
It looks professional, reinforces your brand, and makes your dealership easy to remember when someone needs their next car.
Make Your Deals Pop with Custom Stickers and Decals
Add custom decals or stickers to each vehicle on your lot to highlight pricing, promotions, or special deals. Window transfer decals are a top choice—they come with a layer of transfer tape that makes application fast and frustration-free.
Choose bold, eye-catching colors so your message stands out on the car window—even from across the lot.
Our custom stickers and decals are built for car use: weatherproof, fade-resistant, and long-lasting. Perfect for windows, bumpers, or wherever you want your message to stick.
Use Custom Product Giveaways and Follow-Up Tools
Stickers and custom products aren’t just for marketing, they can also help you build relationships with customers.
Here’s how dealerships are using custom stickers:
- Thank-you decals and funny bumper stickers included with paperwork or mailed after the sale
- Fun custom magnets can be like passing outa business card that customers hold on to instead of tossing. They can use it on their cars or slap it on their refrigerator.
- Custom keychains are another easy and affordable giveaway item that will help your customers remember you by.
These little extras help you stand out—and encourage customers to come back for service or future purchases.
Turn Stickers Into a Referral Engine
Stickers can do more than decorate, they can drive referrals too.
Start a monthly social media giveaway:
“Tag us in a photo of your car with our decal for a chance to win a $50 gas gift card!”
Want to collaborate with other local businesses? Co-branded stickers or referral partnerships (think: “Buy a car, get a free car wash from [Local Business]”) can be a win-win for exposure.
Design Tips for Maximum Impact
Photo by Titi Laru on Unsplash
When you’re creating decals, license plate frames, or stickers, design matters. A few quick tips:
- Keep fonts bold and easy to read
- Use your dealership’s logo or slogan consistently
- Include contact info or a short URL if space allows
- Stick to one message per piece—clean and simple wins
- Choose materials that last (like weatherproof vinyl or reflective film)
Need some help designing? Don’t worry, we have an incredibly user-friendly design tool. You can add images, remove backgrounds, add text, choose from over 1900 fonts, change the colors of your designs and so much more! Check out our custom stickers page to choose your sticker type and start designing custom stickers for your auto dealership today!
