The marketing game has changed considerably for businesses over the last decade: tv and radio ads gave way to social media ads, direct mailers turned into emails, and now Google has to know who you are for customers to even know you exist. But in the auto repair world, it’s easy to look around at your competitors (and there are a lot of them, to be sure!) and see everyone still doing the same thing: direct mail, radio time, low-budget TV ads, billboard, or often, just word-of mouth advertising.
Provide personalized service reminders
Providing personalized shopping experiences is another way to make your business stand out. Collect data from customers and create profiles that allow you to see when a client is due for a service. Then, send targeted, personalized reminders to customers.
Create a customer follow-up program
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 allows you to collect feedback about your performance and create a deeper, more personal connection with your customers.
Implement a subscription service 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 of their upcoming needs. Create a subscription service plan that allows customers to spread their payments out over time in return for discounted scheduled services.
Educate customers through informative in-store and online content
Auto shop customers are notoriously skeptical, so you have to work to build trust with them. One way to do that is by providing informative content that alleviates their fears, concerns, and confusion. Through both in-store signage and online resources, provide content that:
- Explains how services are performed and why they are necessary.
- Shares facts and evidence about the value of products and services.
- Includes product demo videos that show how items work.
Focusing your marketing efforts on your existing customer base is a great way for auto repair shops to increase their word-of-mouth business. You can spend a lot of money on things like TV commercials, radio spots, and direct mail campaigns, but you’ll spend a lot of money targeting the wrong audiences.
Get Reviewed
Don’t hesitate to ask your customers for feedback. Whether positive or negative, when someone hops on Google, Yelp or Facebook to find out more information, even neutral reviews are better than no reviews at all.
Reviews on these sites are also great because they can indirectly act as a word-of-mouth referral. If I visit a dent doctor Facebook page and see two check-ins from my personal friends, I’m more inclined to trust that business over one I’m not connected with at all.
The same concept applies to Yelp and Google+. Google will show reviews from my email contacts when I search for a business on Google maps. Yelp has me log in using Facebook and reviews from my network are highlighted.
Keep providing quality service, stay in touch with your customers through email and social media, and think outside the box to surprise and delight your customers. Building this connection with your customers brands you as a trusted partner and keeps your name at the top of their minds. And if you need a hand with this, we can automate your email and social media marketing for you.
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