Marketing

You’ve just repaired a vehicle and your female customer seems pleased with the quality of the repair and the service you provided. You deliver the vehicle, hand her the keys and send her on her way. But does that customer really belong to you? Is she really yours?

Testimonials from customers who are raving fans of your shop are among the best methods for gaining new customers. And a major segment of that word-of-mouth promotion is made up of your female customers.

Imagine a form of marketing that’s 95% guaranteed to drive new customers to your shop’s door without any upfront costs. Believe it or not, there’s no catch. On-line group discount websites are making this scenario a reality for a variety of businesses, including automotive repair shops.

In the January/February issue of Shop Owner magazine, I discussed why I believe direct mail is the most effective advertising tool for shop owners. This month, I’m going to provide some guidance to help you measure your direct mail campaign efforts.

For repair shop owners, advertising was once as simple as buying a large advertisement in the local Yellow Pages. Those bulky directories were the best way for customers to locate a shop when they needed repairs.

Advertising can be a great way to drive business, but the key is finding the right vehicle to spread your message. What I really wanted was a compelling way to reach the highest-caliber customers located closest to my shops. Direct mail allowed me to achieve that goal. I was able to target higher-income households within two miles of my shop.

There seems to be a common misconception in the business world that because “new media” involves technology, college-age people are automatically qualified to manage it. Don’t make this mistake! At the very least it could cost you wasted time and resources. Potentially, it could wreck your company’s hard-earned reputation.

In the September/October issue of Shop Owner, we introduced the “new” art of advertising in a modern market, and presented strategies automotive repair shop owners can use to corner their market, maintain loyal customers, and expand their shops’ value and customer base.

Women influence 85% of all consumer-purchasing decisions in the U.S. When thinking about the impact that this group has on commerce and on businesses in general, you are probably asking yourself this question: “Am I getting more than my fair share of this opportunity?” Continue reading to gain some valuable insight into marketing to women.

During challenging economic times, nearly everyone in the automotive service industry asks the same nagging question: “How much should I really be spending on advertising?” In truth, the answer to that question should be another question: “Are you spending or investing?”

Women account for 85% of all consumer purchases, including everything from automobiles to healthcare, and they spend about $5 trillion annually – about half of the U.S. gross domestic product.

Want to build your business by reaching customers through an exciting, visual medium? Videos may just be your answer. They can serve as the ideal medium to break through the clutter and help build your shop’s name and reputation in the community in a unique and visual manner.