As with any industry, the auto business is all about finding and keeping new customers. Without a steady influx of new customers, any auto repair shop is guaranteed to fail.
Given that the vast majority of the developed world now has access to the Internet, it’s imperative that you turn to the world wide web to start marketing services online. In this article, we’ll give you seven marketing strategies you can use to secure additional clientele.
1. Utilize a Follow-up Program
The first online marketing strategy we have for you is a follow-up program. Turn to your old customers whose information you already have. Put them into an email or text cadence where you promote complementary services to the ones they have already received.
For instance, if someone brought in a project car to have the engine heads machined, try upselling your Dustless Blasting service for their car’s exterior.
2. Leverage Referral Rewards
The next marketing strategy is a referral rewards program. Few things are as powerful in business as customers that evangelize on their behalf. Get your customers to refer their friends by incentivizing them for it. Offer a free oil change or tune-up if they get a friend to come in and use your shop.
3. Get on Social Media
Everyone and their grandmother has a social media profile at this point, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have one either! Ask your customers if you can share the work that you do on their cars on your social media — most customers will be more than happy to let you use their vehicles.
Then, you can post before/after pictures to highlight the work that you do. Be sure to leave an address or link to a website in your social profile so that would-be customers have a way to get in touch with you.
4. Start a Blog
By starting a blog where you offer car repair advice in the form of bite-sized articles, you’ll attract readers to your brand. These readers may one day come into your shop for some help on a DIY project they can’t do themselves — and they’ll trust your shop since they’ve been taking advice from it all along.
5. Get on Google
Make sure that you’re using location-based SEO to ensure that your brand shows up anytime someone’s looking for auto repair service in your area. You want your website to show up in the search results as a snippet.
6. Partner with Other Businesses
Partner with other businesses and run simultaneous promotions. For instance, if there’s a car wash nearby, see if you can work out a deal where your customers get a discounted wash. That way, both of you can help each other secure additional business.
7. Host Online Educational Workshops
Last but not least, host online educational workshops. You can do this over social media using live video functionality, or by hosting webinars. The concept here is the same as with the blog – you’ll attract the DIYers who may one day come into your shop for a servicing task that they can’t do at home.
Marketing Services Online Doesn’t Have to Be Hard!
There you have it — marketing services online doesn’t have to be hard. As long as you start implementing these tips, there’s no doubt that you’ll soon be welcoming in a plethora of new clientele.
For more business advice, be sure to check out the rest of the website!
