To be a successful auto shop business owner, you’ll need to work to ensure there’s a constant supply of new clients coming in, so there’s plenty of work for you to do. If another problem arises with their car or if they have multiple automobiles to maintain, repeat customers are always a possibility. However, due to a lack of leads and word-of-mouth marketing, they typically won’t be enough to sustain your business on their own.
Customer care is the goal of every auto repair shop even when it comes to existing customers. Great customer service goes above and beyond what the consumer expects, ensuring that all demands are met and fostering long-term client relationships with target customers – an important aspect of any successful company.
Your digital marketing strategy should revolve around a few key channels that have been proven to work for auto repair businesses.
Auto Repair Shop Online Presence
If you want to reach more people, you’ll need an internet presence. Simply placing your company listing in different directories isn’t sufficient to set yourself apart from the competition. Online marketing for auto repair shops starts with a strong website. You must go above and beyond a basic website with a blog and social media accounts to develop a strong online reputation, then take it one step further with local SEO to optimize your site so that it has a better chance of ranking in searches for vehicle repair businesses in your service area.
Website
A professional-looking website should provide details about the services your car shop offers, as well as your expertise and accreditation. Potential customers would want to know that you can trust you and your work, so it’s never a bad idea to include testimonials or reviews from prior clients and current customers on your website as part of your digital marketing campaigns. Your website also needs to have an address, social media connections, and a blog.
Don’t stop there. Because the majority of customers use their phones to search, your website must be mobile-friendly as well. Maintaining a simple user experience regardless of the device a potential customer uses will go a long way toward getting them to convert, whether you want them to call you for more information, send you an email, or sign up for your email marketing list. Marketing automation tools can help you keep track of your website’s visitors and their interactions with your content, making it easier to follow up with prospects that seem interested.
Company Blog
Content marketing is an integral part of any digital marketing strategy, but it’s often neglected by auto repair shops. A company blog is a useful tool for providing content that is relevant to your target audience on a regular basis. Each blog item provides you with another chance to rank in the search engines, making it easier for potential consumers to locate you. Updating your website on a regular basis, as well as blogging, is an easy way to keep it current.
I’m not sure what to write about? Take a look at other automotive blogs for some inspiration. Consider these topics:
- How to Winterize Your Vehicle
- How Often to Rotate Your Tires
- Synthetic vs. Traditional Oil
- News related to vehicle recalls
Customer support is one of the most important aspects of any business. A good customer service aim is to make each stage of the transaction easier for customers. Above and beyond the call of duty, excellent client service goes above and above the customer expectation, ensuring that all requirements are met and building consumer loyalty – an essential component of every successful corporation.
Auto Repair Social Media
Traditional advertising methods are no longer as effective as they once were, which is why more and more businesses are turning to social media to reach their target audiences. Google places a premium on social media signals, so your auto repair company should include it as part of its digital marketing plan. Begin with a Facebook page where you can post content about automobiles and maintenance. You may publish your company blog article, along with photos and videos of your work. To promote your business on Facebook and other relevant social media sites, provide links to your blog articles.
People will be more inclined to interact with you if they appreciate or remark on anything you post on social media. Engage with them so they know you’re paying attention, even if it’s just by liking their comment. Even if you simply like the remark they make, it’s worth taking a moment to say thank you. Another method for obtaining consumer feedback is to watch how people use your company’s social media accounts.
Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Consider incorporating the primary keyword into your business name if you’re still looking for a name for your company. A competitive advantage will be enjoyed by the auto repair shop that finds a name with the main location over other choices.
If you already have a company name, use it to build a solid reputation. Begin by including your company on Google Maps.
Claim your company on Google My Business to improve the listing. Make sure your website includes your address and phone number, as well as a descriptive overview of your company and the categories in which you specialize.
The more prominent your small company website listing is, the more page views you’ll receive. You have the option of including reviews, ratings, photographs, operating hours, and other information in Google My Business. The better your listing is, the more likely it is to appear higher in the local map pack for your chosen keywords.
Auto Repair Customer Service Tips
The customer experience will surpass price as a differentiator by the end of 2020, according to research. That means you must focus your efforts on delivering high-quality customer service in addition to having high-quality goods and services if you want to have a significant competitive advantage.
Customer service is the goal of every company, which is to make all phases of the purchase simpler for customers. Great customer service goes above and beyond what a customer might expect, ensuring that all requirements are met and encouraging repeat business – an important component of every successful firm.
Web Chat
Adding a web chat option makes it simple for potential clients to get in touch with you. You may also develop a mobile app that enables customers to keep track of their oil change and maintenance schedule and receive marketing messages about specials or recalls that impact their car. Include downloadable versions of the app on your website. Mobile marketing is a great way to improve customer loyalty and increase your company’s bottom line.
Reviews
Reviews are an essential component of local SEO marketing for any company, especially those in the service sector. Online reviews are a form of social proof that help to establish trust in your organization. According to data, approximately 95 percent of customers read online reviews before making a purchase, and 54 percent of buyers do so after reading good feedback. To improve your business’s online review profile, make it simple for consumers to leave you evaluations.
Word of mouth is essential to keeping a car repair business going in the automobile repair sector. Encourage clients to post reviews for your firm on Google and Facebook, which can help improve your SEO performance. Begin by contacting previous consumers and requesting that they leave you a review. When customers come to pick up their vehicle, approach them in person immediately.
Print the card with the review sites’ URLs you want people to use so they don’t have to. If they have to work too hard, many will not do it. You may also send a text message or an email after completing the task, asking consumers to leave a written review on additional platforms such as Yelp and Angie’s List in addition to Google and Facebook.
Have Quick Response Time
What kind of leads are your website generating, and how long does it take for you to respond? People will generally pick the first option they see, but they won’t always go with the one they call. Customers, particularly in time-sensitive situations, are most likely to choose the first business that responds. The odds of contacting a lead if you call them in 5 minutes against 30 minutes drop by a factor of 100. The research also shows that firms who contact prospects within an hour are seven times more likely to qualify the lead than those who wait more than an hour, and 60 times more likely to qualify it than if they waited 24 hours or more.
Referrals and Partnerships
As an auto repair professional, you may develop your business and help individuals in your community by forming beneficial connections. Make contact with your local car parts store. Meet with them to explain what you do. Inquire whether they’d be willing to send consumers your way and leave some business cards or brochures with them if you don’t already do so. Offer to get some of your components and supplies from the firm if you’re not already doing it to help solidify the connection. Also, seek out local towing firms and insurance companies for any opportunities that may assist you become a preferred provider.
Connect with other local companies and provide incentives for their vehicle maintenance.
You can also join industry trade organizations such as the Automotive Service Association, the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers, and the Coalition for Collision Repair Excellence.
Promotion
PPC advertising, also known as pay per click, may be used to generate traffic and leads for your company. Facebook Ads and Google Ads are two of the most popular platforms for this.
Facebook Ads
Facebook Ads are a type of social media marketing. You may create a daily budget and target your audience depending on a variety of factors such as location, income, hobbies, and activities. Anyone who meets the requirements of your target audience will see the advertisements in their news feed or sidebar. Facebook ads may be used to increase the number of people who follow your pages or contact individuals who have visited your website.
Google Ads
Google Ads work in the same manner as Facebook ads. Your ad will be seen by Google users who are looking for what you’re selling. Google advertising are expected to return a 2 to 2.3 times ROI if done correctly.
Giveaways
Giveaways are quite useful when it comes to establishing your online presence. Running a contest for a free oil change and encouraging people to like or share the social media post announcing the offer will help you extend your reach. You may also reward repeat business by offering free oil changes as an incentive.
A high-quality online presence to attract new consumers is the basic principle of auto repair marketing. Your objective is to develop a strong online presence that can bring in new customers, regardless of what sector you operate in. Regardless of whether you specialize in foreign cars or provide basic maintenance and repair services such as oil changes and tire rotations, your marketing efforts should show how your firm is the greatest alternative for residents in your region.
