5 Marketing Ideas for Auto Repair Shops to Increase Word of Mouth
- Use Email Newsletters to Keep in Touch. Email newsletters are the best way to stay in front of your customers. ...
- Thank People for Their Business. It’s a simple idea, but a thank you goes a long way. ...
- Be Social. You need to share information on your social networks that help and entertain your customers. ...
- Get Reviewed. Don’t hesitate to ask your customers for feedback. ...
- Ask for Referrals. There’s no shame in actively growing your business through your existing network. ...
What is the best marketing for auto repair shop?
Online marketing enables you to see: Here are several digital marketing strategies your auto repair shop can use to grow your business, as well as some print and physical marketing ideas you might consider. If you are curious about what is the best marketing for auto repair shop, keep reading. 1. Website Branding
How do you win the auto repair marketing game?
There’s always another guy looking to take your customers! So whatever marketing medium you’re using, there are 2 rules for winning the auto repair marketing game: You should start planning — and running — your auto repair marketing campaigns well before your prospects need tune-ups, ACs checked, and heating systems fixed.
Why do I need a website for my auto repair shop?
Your website is the first place people visit to find out more about your auto repair shop. Since all your other marketing efforts are going to link back to your website, it's critical that all important information about your shop is easily available.
How to increase auto repair shop profits?
6 Ways to Increase Auto Repair Shop Profits. 1 1. Take a Disciplined Approach to Your Finances. No amount of tips or secrets will increase your profits if you don’t treat your finances with ... 2 2. Schedule Appointments. 3 3. Inspect Every Vehicle. 4 4. Reduce Fees on Card Transactions. 5 5. Invest in Current Customers (and Employees) More items
How do you market to auto repair shops?
If you are curious about what is the best marketing for auto repair shop, keep reading.Website Branding. ... Search Engine Optimization. ... Social Media. ... Email Marketing. ... Local Reviews. ... Content Marketing. ... Referral Program. ... Reward Program.More items...•
What customers want in an auto repair shop?
Provide Wow Worthy Service at Each and Every VisitAllowing a reasonable amount of time for diagnosis and auto repairs.Sharing any information your customer provided at check in.Give your techs access to all the top automotive reference systems.Quickly provide all the parts they need to get the job done right.
How do mechanic shops attract customers?
The Best Ways to Attract Business to an Auto Repair ShopCertified Female Friendly. It might come as no surprise, but women tend to be averse to many male-dominated industries like auto repair. ... Insurance Agency Alliances. ... Join Networking Groups. ... Ask for Reviews.
How profitable is a auto repair shop?
Average Profit of a Auto Body Shop In general, a larger auto body shop can earn $100,000 per year, and mechanics themselves can make between $30,000 and $50,000 per year. BizStats offers a breakdown of costs vs revenues. This, of course, will vary depending on your location and area of expertise.
How do you market a mechanical business?
You need auto repair marketing strategies that consistently drive customers to your business. Thankfully, it isn't too difficult to formulate a marketing plan for your mechanic or auto shop....Email MarketingSend Regular Emails. ... Send Personalized Service Reminders and Deals via Email or Text. ... Create a Follow-Up Program.
How can I make my auto repair shop more profitable?
6 Ways to Increase Auto Repair Shop ProfitsTake a Disciplined Approach to Your Finances. ... Schedule Appointments. ... Inspect Every Vehicle. ... Reduce Fees on Card Transactions. ... Invest in Current Customers (and Employees) ... Generate New Customers with Local Coupon Advertising.
Are muffler shops profitable?
Starting a muffler shop business can be an excellent entrepreneurial activity. With muffler installation experience, you will be able to parlay your background into a profitable business.
How much do car washes make?
The Houston Chronicle, reporting on a survey conducted by Auto Laundry News, a leading car wash industry publication, said that profits can range from $55,000 to $100,000 per year for a self-service car wash to $500,000 to $900,000 for a full-service business.
How can auto body shop improve business?
5 ways your auto body shop can bring in more workMake the most of email. ... Offer coupons and discounts. ... Provide contact-free auto drop-off and pick-up services. ... Use video to engage customers. ... Send customer reminders.
How does auto workshop increase revenue?
The following ways are crucial to maximizing workshop profits.Adopt innovation. ... Offer auto fix financing. ... Become your client's choice. ... Make help advantageous. ... Improve the experience. ... Integrate the service drive with sales. ... Add VAS to your service list.
How to market auto repair?
One of the auto repair marketing strategies that will bring customers right into your store is hosting events. Hosting open houses, information sessions, and seminars about car maintenance is a good way to welcome new faces to your auto shop as well as form relationships with past customers.
How to make your mechanic business stand out?
Providing personalized shopping experiences is another way to make your mechanic business stand out. Collect data ( Wifi Marketing makes this easy!) from customers and create profiles that allow you to see when a client is due for a service. Then, send targeted, personalized reminders and deals to customers through either email or SMS. Ideas for deals may include:
Why is customer review important?
Customer reviews are important pieces of strong auto repair marketing strategies as they build trust and encourage new customers to do business with you. Set up systems that encourage past clients to share reviews on feedback cards, review sites, and even filmed testimonials. Don’t file away reviews.
How to get email addresses from customers?
Use Wifi Marketing or a written form to collect email addresses from your customers and launch an email newsletter. Email is a direct line of communication that allows you to stay in touch with customers. But, it’s only effective if you follow a few best practices.
How to stay in touch with customers?
Another way to stay in touch with customers is following up with them after they have visited your location. Implement a program that requires a call to each of your customers once that have completed a service with your business. This is one of the auto repair marketing strategies that allow you to collect feedback about your performance and create a deeper more personal connection with your customers.
How to capitalize on customers in your store?
Customers in your store are highly engaged prospects. Capitalize on that attention by ditching boring old posters and flyers that customers ignore, and instead use engaging and attractive digital signage marketing tools. Digital screens allow you to customize waiting area television programming, quickly update promotions, deliver animated and video advertisements, and use your programming as a silent, continuous salesperson.
How to expand your customer reach?
Swap marketing materials with your business neighbors to expand your customer reach. You can also take this partnership to social media and offer joint social competitions by asking people to follow each business account and tag a friend. The winner gets a product or service from each participating business.
What is auto repair marketing?
Your focus is on creating a high-quality online presence to bring in new customers regardless of what industry you work in. Whether you specialize in foreign vehicles or offer basic maintenance and repair services, such as oil changes and tire rotations, your marketing efforts must demonstrate how your company is the best choice in your local area.
How to promote your auto repair business on Facebook?
Begin with a Facebook page where you share content related to vehicles and their maintenance. You can share your company blog post, along with photos and videos of your work. share links to your blog posts to promote your business on Facebook and other relevant social media channels.
Why is customer service important?
Good customer service aims to make every aspect of purchase simpler for the customer. Great customer service goes above and beyond the customer expectation, ensures all needs are met and breeds customer loyalty – an important aspect of every successful business.
What trade organizations are involved in collision repair?
Consider joining industry trade organizations such as the Automotive Service Association, the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers, or the Coalition for Collision Repair Excellence.
Why are reviews important in SEO?
Reviews are a vital part of local SEO marketing for any business regardless of Industry. Reviews serve as social proof and build trust with your company. Data shows nearly 95% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase, and 54% of shoppers visit a website after reading positive reviews.
When will customer experience overtake price?
Research shows the customer experience is going to overtake price as the main differentiator by the end of 2020. That means to have a strong competitive advantage, you must focus your efforts on providing good quality customer service on top of having quality products and services.
How to optimize my business listing on Google?
For the best results, make sure the information on your website includes your address and phone number along with a clear description of your business and the business categories you fit in.
1. Create a website for your shop
Showcasing your brand through a website is one of the most effective auto repair marketing strategies.
Why build a website?
A website helps you establish an online presence and gives potential customers more clarity about your brand. Research shows that approximately 77% of customers visiting auto shops conduct online research before picking a service provider.
What should you include on your website?
Shop information: What does your shop do? A website can be effective in highlighting the services that you offer. For example, a shop called “John Smith’s Auto Repair Services” does not convey the full story to potential customers.
What is the first place people visit to find out more about your auto repair shop?
Your website is the first place people visit to find out more about your auto repair shop.
What is the best website to find reviews of auto shops?
Although Google is usually the first source, people use when searching for reviews of auto shops, claiming your business page on other customer review sites such as Yelp!, Angie’s List, and Yellow Pages should be an equally important part of your online marketing strategy.
What is auto advice blog?
An auto advice blog is a simple marketing idea and a great way to connect with your customers, provide them with valuable information, and establish yourself as a trusted source in the auto repair industry.
What should be included in a marketing plan?
Your marketing plan should include updating your website, running an auto advice blog, claiming your Google My Business and other business review pages, enabling bookings, capturing leads through forms, and encouraging reviews in the website and online presence front.
How to improve SEO for auto repair?
To increase your ranking in search results, you should also perform search engine optimization (SEO). One of the ways to improve the SEO of your auto repair business is to run a blog. Back to Top. 2.
Why is it important to allow customers to make appointments?
Allowing your customers to make appointments is a great way for your business to accommodate customers outside of business hours.
Does marketing your auto repair shop have to be complicated?
Marketing your auto repair shop doesn't have to be complicated to get good results.
What happens if someone uses Google Maps to search for a local auto repair business?
If someone uses Google Maps to search for a local auto repair or body shop business, your correct and updated information on the internet (including in Google My Business ) will enable your ranking in Google Maps to be higher than those other business owners and mechanics who didn’t take the time.
How to contact Drew at collision repair?
Drew, we’d love to show you successful campaigns from other collision repair shops! Give us a call at 1-800-628-1804 for a free consultation with one of our expert marketing consultants!
How many online experiences start with search engines?
As many as 93% of all online experiences begin with a search engine, according to SearchEngine Journal.
Is SEO a one shot deal?
SEO is NOT a one-shot deal — much like auto service marketing in general! So beware of any company that claims to guarantee to get your website to #1 on Google in a short amount of time…. SEO is a continual process since Google and its algorithms (formulas) change all the time.
Is it costly to not stay in touch with customers?
Failing to stay in touch with existing customers is an extraordinarily costly mistake.
Do auto mechanics close 100% of leads?
The majority of auto mechanic marketing strategies for body shops will probably not close 100% of the leads on the first attempt. And neither will your BEST sales person.
How to get new customers for auto shop?
One of the best sources of new customers is your current ones! Encourage a referral program for your auto shop that rewards customers with discounts or gifts. Often the only barrier to getting referrals is just a quick question as they are checking out, “Do you know anyone who could use an expert oil change?”
How to increase profits in auto repair?
To increase your auto repair shop profits, follow these rules: Reduce Exp enses. It never hurts to look through your expenses and cut extra services that aren’t contributing to your bottom line. For example, some shop owners cut their monthly trash pickup bill in half by switching to an every-other-week schedule or switching to a smaller dumpster. ...
Why schedule repair appointments?
Scheduling repair appointments helps control labor costs. Make more accurate predictions of who needs to be in the shop and when, order parts in advance, and control your work mix.
Why is it important to reduce idle time in garage?
Reducing idle time in the garage is key to increasing profitability. You’re already paying for the lights to be on all day, so if you don’t have cars in bays, you’re spending money without getting anything in return.
Do tips increase profits?
No amount of tips or secrets will increase your profits if you don’t treat your finances with discipline. Driving more customers and increasing margins will be moot if you spend all that extra revenue right away. To increase your auto repair shop profits, follow these rules:
Why is it important to open a car repair shop?
If you are interested in opening your own car repair shop, now is a great time because the market for mechanics is currently experiencing significant profit gains. Most drivers now have cars that are at least 10 years old, which means that the need for an auto mechanic is growing for more consumers.
How to get more customers for your business?
Consider advertising on TV or on the radio. TV commercials and radio ads may also help you to reach a wider audience and gain new customers.
How much does it cost to join a Jiffy Lube franchise?
Do you plan to remain an independent repair shop or will you join a franchise like Jiffy Lube or Midas? You will generally need $30,000-$200,000 to join a franchise, but the advantage is that they will handle marketing and they often have a nationally trusted brand name for potential customers. If you do not have any existing customers in your current career that you know would follow you to a new business, joining a franchise might be worth the investment.
What happens if your shop is isolated?
If your shop is very isolated, it is unlikely customers will come to you, especially when towing costs are often tallied by the mile. Your location should also be able to accommodate an office for you to take care of your administrative needs and a waiting room area for your customers.
How much does it cost to open a franchise?
While the costs will be more on the business and administrative side than the equipment and resource side, you should still expect to spend $30,000-$200,000 to open your franchise. Guess again!
Who owns Stingray Auto Repair?
This article was co-authored by Jason Shackelford. Jason Shackelford is the Owner of Stingray Auto Repair, a family owned and operated auto repair shop with locations in Seattle and Redmond, Washington.
Where to place flyers?
You can place them in places where lots of customers might congregate, such as gyms, civic centers, office parks, and the parking lots at universities and college campuses.
Email Marketing
Website and Online Marketing
In-Store Marketing
- 8. Implement a Services Subscription Plan
If you offer regular maintenance services at your auto repair shop, consider implementing a program that ensures your customers return to you for all their upcoming needs. Create a subscription service plan that allows customers to spread their payments out over time in return … - 9. Educate customers through informative in-store content.
Auto shop customers are notoriously skeptical, so you have to work to build trustwith them. One way to do that is by providing informative content that alleviates their fears, concerns, and confusion. In-store signage provides content that: 1. Explains how services are performed and w…
Social Media Marketing
- 11. Encourage Engagement on Social Media
Use your social media channels as another way to deliver both informative and engaging content. You don’t need to be on every social media platform. But as part of your auto repair marketing strategies, create at least a profile on Facebook and regularly update your page with content tha… - 12. Reward Customers for Social Check-In’s and Mentions
Take engagement a step further. Positive social mentions about your brand are good for business. They are a form of free advertising because they put your business in front of an audience without any work or payment on your part. So, encourage your customers to mention y…
Community Marketing
- 16. Host Events
One of the auto repair marketing strategies that will bring customers right into your store is hosting events. Hosting open houses, information sessions, and seminars about car maintenance is a good way to welcome new faces to your auto shop as well as form relationships with past custo… - 17. Get Involved Locally
Let people in your community know that you are in the area and dedicated to supporting other local initiatives. Get involved with the community by: 1. Sponsoring local community events 2. Working with nearby charities 3. Partnering with other local businesses
Get Started!
- Round-up posts like this are great because they get your creative, marketing juices flowing. But ideas for auto repair marketing strategies are only powerful if you implement them. Don’t use this post to get ideas, then fail to follow through and execute your plans. Whichever channels you wish to utilize, create a plan of action to execute your marketing program effectively. Draw up an offici…
Auto Repair Shop Online Presence
Auto Repair Customer Service Tips
- Research showsthe customer experience is going to overtake price as the main differentiator by the end of 2020. That means to have a strong competitive advantage, you must focus your efforts on providing good quality customer service on top of having quality products and services. Good customer service aims to make every aspect of purchase simpler for the customer. Great custo…
Referrals and Partnerships
- As an auto repair expert, you can grow your business and support others in your local community by building strategic partnerships. Talk to your local auto parts store. Go meet with them and explain what you do. Ask if they’d be willing to send customers your way and leave some business cards or brochures with them. To help solidify the relationshi...
Promotion
- You can use pay per click advertising (PPC) to generate traffic and leads for your business. Two of the most popular platforms for this are Facebook Ads and Google Ads.