Auto Repair Shop Marketing: 8 Ways to Thrive in 2023
Ok, so you own an auto repair shop and want to use auto repair shop marketing to acquire and retain the customers that spend their hard-earned cash to keep their vehicle on the road. You have a mix of local customers with some travelers sprinkled in, but you may be wondering: How do I market my auto repair shop? Figuring out the perfect marketing plan for your shop can help your business stand out in 2023.
Auto Repair Shop Marketing Strategies to Retain Customers
Leveraging Local Customers to Maintain Business
Keeping the customers that you have garnered is important to not only your present growth, but it is important in bringing in new customers as well.
To keep customers coming back, providing proper customer service and quality maintenance and repairs is a no brainer, but there are plenty of other ways that you can grab your audience's attention. The first thing that your business can offer is a loyalty program that rewards customers for trusting your auto repair shop for their vehicle’s needs.
This loyalty program could come in a variety of ways. Your loyalty program could be physical or digital, like a loyalty punch card; or digital, like a mobile app where customers can check in each time they visit. These programs can track the number of services provided, with an option to offer a maintenance service like an oil change or alignment.
You could even create a points system in which customers can use the points they collect from having work done at your shop to receive discounts off services or repairs.
Showing Customers That You Care
The second way to grow your auto repair shop is by connecting with your target audience through social media platforms. Facebook, Google, and Yelp are powerful platforms that allow consumers to communicate their satisfaction, or lack thereof, for your business through reviews. Responding to reviews shows that you as a business owner are aware of what is going on during day-to-day operations.
Although it is not always cut and dry, responding to reviews, regardless of the original poster’s feedback, shows that you are willing to fix a situation or show appreciation for their business.
In fact, Google says that businesses that respond to reviews on the platform are 1.7 times more trustworthy than businesses that do not respond. When 99.9% of consumers read reviews, it is important to respond in the best way possible.
Operating social media with a proactive approach will give customers reasons to share their experiences with other users.
Building customer relationships takes time but showing them that you are aware of their opinions and feelings will entice them to visit your shop more. It is said that 98% of consumers think reviews are essential in their decision making, so, showing compassion will improve your relationship with the community and give your business a positive image.
Connection Through Digital Means
The third way that you can reach your target audience is through valuable content. Posting important content shows the intent of your business. For marketers, video and still images continue to rule as the most valuable types of content to post on social media. As of July of last year, only 14% of posts on Facebook, 11% posts on Instagram, and 5% of content on Twitter was video content. Whether your business is hosting a toy drive, a charity event, or a customer appreciation day where discounts are provided on services, it is a terrific way to give back to a community that assists in keeping the doors open each year.
A Personal Touch
Staying connected with your audience is not exclusive to responding to reviews. Providing great customer service and repairs will work in the short term, but that is not good enough from a long-term approach. Finding ways to get them to come back is one of the more challenging endeavors that businesses face.
Email marketing is encouraged when looking to stay in touch with your customers. Sending your customers holiday, birthday, and thank you messages are a wonderful way to show your customers that, without them, the business would not be where it is today. And it may also score you some brownie points with other consumers if it is shared.
Maintenance and Other Service Reminders
Spending money on things that may or may not be necessary happens regularly. If an automotive repair shop recommends services, that usually means that it is something for motorists to keep an eye on but may not be needed at that very moment.
Sending your target audience reminders about those recommended services can add value to your customer service. You could say something like, “Hi, Nancy! It has been a while since your last visit to (business name). We are offering 10% off (recommended services) through (Date). We hope to see you soon!” Communication efforts like this go a long way to building rapport with your current customers.
Auto Repair Shop Marketing Strategies to Attract New Customers
Up-to-date Business Information.
With information at our fingertips, finding information about a particular business is easier than ever. Google is one platform that has made the lives of consumers so much easier, because information is readily available and decision making happens quicker when consumers find the information they are seeking.
All the effort that consumers put in to learn about your business could be for nothing if your social listings are not up to date. Updating Addresses, phone numbers, business hours, and even services on your business’ social media platforms are all necessary to persuade potential customers to visit your business. Having up-to-date business information on your website is equally as important.
Online Marketing Through Websites
One way to market your business online is to have a website. A dedicated website gives consumers all the details of the business. It serves as an insight as to who you are as a business.
A mobile friendly website is crucial in the pursuit of new customers. It often acts as a first impression, so making sure it performs well is important. Long loading times, broken links, and unattractive sites are things to be warry of, because most consumers will not be on your site for an exceptionally long time. Having a mobile friendly website will aid ranking higher on Google and even improve conversion rates. Retention is key if you are to bring in new customers, so those are two things to focus on.
Staying Involved in the Community
When interacting with the community you serve, it is important to create an image that consumers enjoy engaging with. What better way to build your image than by participating in charity events and other local businesses? Hosting events that consumers can participate in will show your target audience that the welfare of the community is something that you value.
Teaming up with local, popular businesses is another clever way to spread the word about your business. For example, you could team up with a local coffee shop that gives one free coffee when you purchase a full-synthetic oil change. You would be surprised at how many people avoid businesses solely because of what they have been told by other consumers. The opposite of that is true as well. Exciting customers can be done simply by showing that you care for the community and the people who live within it.
Add Ads to your Online Marketing Plans
Targeted marketing allows the reach of your business to exceed beyond the local communities surrounding your business. Consumers will travel longer distances if it means that the work they require is done well and customer service is excellent.
Experts have predicted that, by 2024, advertising on social media will make up around 26.5% of all advertising. Having familiarity with social media platforms like Facebook, Google, and Yelp is a step in the right direction because people ages 16-24 on average spend almost two and a half hours on social media per day. If you have business accounts for all three, you can run Facebook ads, Google Ads, and Yelp ads, to attract new customers.
Social media ad spend is projected to increase by 5% in 2023, with advertising using short-form videos expected to increase by 10%. With ads on those social media platforms, you can target a specific age group in a specific location. Not only that, but you will also be able to decide when the ads will run. Each platform has their own metrics systems that show you how effective the ads are, or if something needs to be changed to meet your expectations.
Optimize Digital Marketing has all the necessary tools to facilitate your digital marketing needs. From social media posting and management to website building and ad packages, you can trust us to assist with your auto repair shop marketing.