If you are looking drive up your car counts, investing in the right marketing strategies and advertising programs are a good place to start. Yet, far too many shop owners fail to go back to the basics, so with this article I’d like to share some ideas for how you can increase your car counts in quick and cost-free ways.
From the growth in recycling and conservation efforts to increasing alternative energy sources and electric vehicle production, it’s clear that the “go green” movement isn’t going away. Moreover, many of today’s eco-conscious consumers are looking to align their spending dollars with businesses that share a similar viewpoint. By adding a “green” component to your marketing efforts, your shop could grow its customer base.
If there is one thing most shop owners have in common, it’s that they have big hearts. They typically start their careers as technicians, and, as soon as they have their own shops, they want to help as many people as they can. To achieve this goal, they network through their family and friends and do everything in their power to get the word out into their communities about their shop. And then the inevitable happens: they wake up one morning and decide it’s finally time to advertise.
For an industry that was once dominated by males, I’m pleased to have watched us evolve to a point where today we have female technicians, service advisers, managers and shop owners who are superstars in every regard. Without question, there are many powerful ladies throughout our industry who are role models for all of us.
The Internet has forever changed the way consumers shop. Today, competitors are always just a click, text or email away. In this new age, simply having an online presence isn’t enough. Shop owners who want to succeed must develop a comprehensive online marketing strategy designed to both attract and retain customers.
In a world where more than 80 percent of prospective consumers will see your ad, but still look you up online before calling or visiting your repair shop or tire dealership, an ad placement in a local Google search is critical.
If the customer doesn’t feel comfortable with you, it will be a challenge to sell repairs and services. You should always sell yourself first. After the customer is sold on you, you then need to sell them on the technician who is working on their vehicle.
Going online for any service is the new norm with almost every consumer owning a smartphone. With today’s technology, information can be accessed almost anywhere, making a major purchasing or scheduling decision a click away. Searching the Web for repair shops and tire dealers is gaining momentum, making a functioning and user-friendly website more important than ever for your shop’s livelihood.
Social media followers are proven to be more engaged with video than any other type of posting, meaning they “Like,” comment or share video posts more than any other type of posts. More engagement means more branding opportunities for your business. And, when handled correctly, websites that add fresh video regularly also see their rankings go up. These should be compelling reasons to add video to what you do online.
You may have noticed that your customers are starting to get younger. That’s because millennials – the generation born between 1980 and 2000 – have entered their prime spending years. Keep reading to see how to capture their business.
