So you want to open your own auto repair shop—great! The first thing you’ll need to do when starting your own shop is create a solid customer base. In opening an auto repair shop, developing a marketing strategy will be crucial when it comes to attracting new clients, competing with other businesses, and keeping your current customers happy. “Marketing” refers to all the steps that your auto repair shop takes to secure a transaction with a customer.
There are many different aspects of marketing that can be of value in growing your auto repair business—and these five tips will help you to create an airtight strategy!
1. Develop a Great Auto Repair Shop Website During Your Automotive Mechanic Career
Today, when most customers have a problem or a question, the first thing they’ll do is turn to search engines like Google. This is why it’s so important to develop a great website for your auto repair shop. Your website will be the centre of your auto repair shop’s marketing strategy. It’s where your customers will go when they have questions, and it’s also the source of a first impression of your business to anyone discovering your repair shop online. With all of this in mind, it’s important to build a website that’s not only well-designed, but also catered to your client base.
During your automotive mechanic career, focus on building a website that holds all the relevant information about your business. Customers should be able to easily access your contact information, the services you provide, your mission and values and your reviews and testimonials. You might even want to provide an option for them to schedule an appointment online. When you have a user-friendly and accessible website created as part of your marketing strategy, your auto repair shop will see the rewards.
2. Invest in an Email Marketing Campaign
Email is another form of marketing that can do wonders for your auto repair shop. Developing an email marketing campaign keeps your customers in the loop, reminds them of that tune-up they probably need, and entices them with offers such as coupons or promotions. While email marketing won’t always attract new business, it will help your repair shop to retain its existing customers. In order to maintain a solid customer base, send out a weekly email detailing events, services, or new offers your repair shop is promoting. With just a few emails, you’ll bring more customers through your garage doors than you might think.
3. Create an Interesting and Informative Blog
If you want to become a mechanic, developing a blog can be a great way to enhance your repair shop business. You might consider uploading one automotive related post per week to a section of your website. Blog posts will drive traction on your website, as customers might encounter one of your blog posts when searching car-related questions, leading them to discover your business. Consider writing blog posts that highlight potential problems that customers could be having with their cars, and explain how your services could come in handy.
4. Boost Your Social Media Presence
Never underestimate the power of social media. When you develop a schedule for posting on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you’ll be able to attract more potential customers to your business. Through social media, your existing customers will be able to share and comment on your posts, amplifying the amount of people your business is reaching. Additionally, social media is a great way to tell a story about your business through the content you put on display. Using social media, you can share information about your services, customer testimonials, links to your blog posts, special offers, and more.
5. Offer Customer Loyalty Programs
Lastly, don’t underestimate the power of establishing a customer loyalty program. No one will turn down something free, and offering a loyalty program is a great way to show your customers that you appreciate them. An offer through such a program can be something as simple as a free oil change. You can advertise your loyalty program via email, social media, or even your website.
With these marketing tips, you’ll be ready to grow your auto repair business from the ground up!
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