There’s a lot to do when you’re running an auto repair business, from fixing cars to interacting with customers. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and forget about how to market an auto repair business, which is why many repair shops find themselves in trouble after just a few years of operation. The good news is you can use online marketing techniques that are affordable and effective, even if your budget is small. In this article, you’ll learn how to stand out and market an auto repair business the right way.
Prioritize Direct Mail
Direct mail is a great way to reach your target market when you are trying to market an auto repair business. It’s inexpensive and easy to create, and it can be targeted at specific demographics. You can use direct mail to promote new services or special offers, or even just keep in touch with past customers. Because of its personal nature, it’s a great way to generate leads that can lead to phone calls and web forms (which we’ll cover later).
On top of those benefits, you can also use your direct mail promotions to let your customers know about the unique services you offer. If you are offering local auto hail repair, for example, then you can advertise this during the seasons when hail is more likely to damage a person’s car. Similarly, letting your customers know about your accident towing service can help them seek your assistance the next time they need to be towed.
Compete On Service, Not Price
You want to be competitive, but you don’t want to cut corners. There’s always someone trying to undercut the competition by offering a lower price. If your auto repair business is already providing great service at competitive prices, then it makes no sense for you to try and undercut the competition by lowering your prices as well. You will likely end up losing money on each job and customers won’t be happy with their cars after they leave your shop.
Instead of competing on price, compete on service. Understand what your target market values and offer them more than other auto repair businesses can provide. This can be anything from offering a loaner car when repairs take longer than expected or providing access to a mobile mechanic who can come out after hours if needed (for example, if someone’s car breaks down on their way home from work).
Use Coupons and Gift Certificates
If you want more customers at the door, you’ve come to the right place. As auto repair business owners, you have to know that getting new customers is hard work. However, you can take advantage of a few tips on how you can use coupons and gift certificates to attract more potential clients.
You can start with coupons. Coupons are an excellent way to attract new customers and re-engage old ones—but only if they’re done properly! If your coupon doesn’t have enough value for the consumer or isn’t relevant enough for them (i.e., it’s not something they would actually want), then it won’t do much good for your business. In order for coupons to work well as marketing tools:
- They should be specific about what’s being offered (i.e., detailing exactly what price point is being reached.)
- They should be clear about where these deals are available (i.e., advertising through social media channels only.)
- The offers themselves need to be enticing enough so people will want them.
Remember to always use relevant coupons that provide value to your customers and keep them coming back for additional services. One excellent example is offering oil change coupons. Because every vehicle requires routine oil changes, your customers will enjoy using a coupon that allows them to save some money on this routine service that they will need to do on a regular basis. Using tips like this is essential when you are trying to market an auto repair business in the modern era.
Be Consistent
Don’t change your logo, slogan, website design, social media accounts, or advertising. You don’t want to confuse people or make them think that you’ve gone out of business just because they see something different in one area of marketing than another. Whether you are focused on auto inspections or similar services, staying consistent with your branding will help your potential customers recognize your name as one that carries weight in the local region.
Don’t change your staff either. Changing employees is disruptive and makes it harder for customers to build relationships with their trusted mechanics and technicians if they’re always being replaced! You may have to alter your staff from time to time, but try to cut down on this as having memorable faces at your place will help you as you market an auto repair business.
Reach Out to Every Type of Demographic
When trying to market an auto repair business, many people make the mistake of only pitching their brake repair and other services to a single demographic. Most of the time this demographic is men, as most auto shops assume men are more into vehicles. While this may be true in some cases, when you want to market an auto repair business, you also need to reach out and connect with every demographic you can imagine.
One prime example lies in the realities of women pursuing car repairs. Women are the primary decision-makers for most car-buying decisions, and on top of this, women are more likely to be loyal customers. These kinds of factors cannot be overlooked as you are setting up a marketing plan. Women are more likely to refer friends or family to your business as well, which makes them an important demographic to contact when you are trying to market an auto repair business of any kind.
Make Your Shop More Visible
When you are trying to market an auto business, you need to make your shop more visible. There are many ways to do this, of course, but it’s often a good idea to begin with the most basic approach. Start by improving your signs to advertise special services such as collision repair and auto body repair.
Gone are simple billboards and signs on the road that only announce ‘car care.’ Drivers are busier than ever, and a large part of your marketing strategy should focus on making it easy for them to find you—and keep coming back. With the right tools, you can easily reach drivers in their cars, at home, and on the go with targeted mobile ads. This will help drive more customers to your shop and increase repeat business from existing clients.
It’s no secret that lighting can make any business look more appealing at night, so why not add some nice lighting fixtures? From security lights to decorative fixtures, there are plenty of options for adding some ambiance without breaking the bank or being too flashy about it. You can also create an outdoor space that feels comfortable for clients by putting up awnings or adding landscape features like planters or trees around your property—or even just adding potted plants inside where people can sit and relax. These kinds of touches make all the difference when you are seeking to create a memorable place of business.
Embrace Social Media Marketing More
Social media websites are a great way to reach out to customers, build relationships with them and get feedback on your business. Social media can also be used as a platform for customer reviews. If your business has an active social media presence and you actively engage with your customers, they might be more likely to leave a review because they know you will see it. On the other hand, if your business doesn’t have any social media accounts or hasn’t been updated in several months—or even years—it might be time to create an account and start posting.
On top of this, you can also consider search engine optimization (SEO) as a key pillar of your digital marketing strategy. Create social media content and website content that includes keywords your target customers are looking for when they go online. For example, if someone types in ‘ exhaust repair near me‘, then you want to be sure that your website comes up as the first option. Creating tailor-made content for your online profiles will help search engine algorithms to detect your value as a business and place your services in front of the eyes you need most – your customers.
Use a Testimonial Barometer
One way to establish trust in your customers is by showing them that you are listening to them. A testimonial barometer is a great way to do just that. With auto repairs, people are often worried about the legitimacy of their chosen repair shop, so by getting some positive testimonials, you can reduce some of the worries potential customers may have when doing business with you.
A testimonial barometer is a visual representation of how many customers have reviewed your business on third-party websites and what they think of it. It provides an easy-to-understand picture of the feedback you’ve received from past clients, which shows potential new clients that others have been happy with their work and will likely be too. If someone likes working at your shop, they’ll probably tell their friends about it too.
Hire a Marketing Company That Specializes in Auto Repair Shops
Auto repair shops are unique. They have their own challenges, and those challenges need to be addressed when marketing your business. A marketing company that specializes in auto repair shops can help you get more customers by tailoring their strategies specifically for your niche. You can also hire a marketing company to help you with your website, social media, and other online initiatives so that everything on the Internet is optimized for conversions.
When you are searching for the right marketing company, be sure to take some time and do the proper research. A good company should have results that back up every claim they make. This may mean that you need to request some examples of positive case studies, or other businesses in your niche that the marketing company has been able to accelerate. Always ask for proof and don’t be afraid to let your marketing company know about any concerns you may have when getting your auto repair business out there on the internet.
Make Sure Your Marketing Strategy Reflects the Unique Needs of Your Business and Target Market
As you shape your marketing strategy, it’s important to remember that it’s a numbers game. You need to be consistent with your messaging and content, but also flexible in response to changing needs of your business and customers. If a particular channel doesn’t work for you, don’t hesitate to try something else instead!
All this being said, there are some basic summarizing steps you can take as you develop your online presence: Be consistent with your messaging across different platforms. This might mean creating one tagline or slogan for each social media account (e.g., ‘Our goal is simple: make cars run better!’) or having similar things showing up in all of your email newsletters (e.g., monthly tips on car maintenance). Consistent messaging will help customers recognize what they can expect from interacting with—and thus trusting—your brand in different places around the web and elsewhere.
As you can see, when you set out to market an auto repair business and accident towing service, there are lots of different approaches you can take. The main thing is that you stay consistent and work to provide genuine value to your customers over time. With the right system in place, you will be astounded by how you can grow once you market an auto repair business the right way. Good luck!
