Attract business to your auto repair shop through excellent customer service.
Individuals and organizations rely on their vehicles to take them to appointments, for leisure and entertainment, and to get to and from school, work and events. To keep their vehicles running, individuals must invest in routine maintenance and repairs. Make your auto repair shop a local one-stop shop for car owners by coming up with ways to attract business and retain customers for repeat car maintenance and repair appointments.
Place Print Advertisements
Advertise your auto repair shop by placing advertisements in local print publications. Discount circulars, community phone books and directories, magazines and newsletters offer advertising opportunities for businesses such as auto repair shops. Rather than purchasing small classified advertisements, make your advertisements stand out by purchasing advertising space that's at least a quarter-page advertisement. On the advertisement include your auto repair company's logo, a brief bullet-point list of the services you offer, a link to your website and a phone number. Add a call-to-action asking potential customers to give your business a call if they have auto repair needs.
Start an Email Newsletter
Obtain email addresses for each client who patrons your auto repair business. Use these names to send email newsletters that offer tips and advice about car maintenance and repair, let customers know their cars are due for routine maintenance, announce in-store events and sales on everything from paint jobs to repairing dents. At the end of each email newsletter you send to your auto repair shop clients, include a note that asks them to share your email with their friends and family. Include an email newsletter signup box on your company's website to entice visitors to sign up for your updates.
Join Local Networking Groups
By joining local networking groups, you get the opportunity to make fellow business owners aware of the services your auto repair shop offers. Networking groups often have websites where they feature the names, web addresses and contact information of areas businesses who are members of their organizations. Group members, as well as local residents, frequent these sites when they're in search of area businesses such as auto repair shops. Additionally, many networking groups host meetings that allow members to take turns introducing their products and services to the groups to help generate leads for their businesses. With the high level of community involvement networking groups offer, members are able to connect directly with their potential customers, building relations based on trust and loyalty.
Offer Discount Coupons
Print sturdy, postcard-sized cards with your auto repair shop's logo, name and contact information on them. At the bottom of the card, include a discount card customers can bring into your store and use toward first-time services. Hire high school and college students to help you market your auto repair business. Outfit them in T-shirts with your business logo, and send them into the communities you serve with your discount cards. They can place the cards on cars parked in neighborhoods and communities in your area. Other strategies might include partnering with local complementary businesses such as car supply shops and car washes where your target market may visit.
Get Quoted
Establish a relationship with local reporters and bloggers and let them know that you're available if they need quotes on auto repair-related articles and stories they may be writing. By getting quoted, you position yourself as an expert in auto repair services and get your name and business listed in articles local residents will read. This technique is a way to increase your visibility and attract new clients to your auto repair shop.
Create a Social Meda Presence
Take your auto repair shop online by setting up a social media presence using sites such as Facebook. Social media can give your business a local presence and allow you to interact with potential clients, providing them with car care tips, maintenance suggestions and updating them on special promotions your auto repair shop is offering. You might even include contests or trivia your page followers can participate in to win service discounts from your shop.
Invest in Promotional Items
Giving out promotional items such as license plate holders with the name and phone number of your business, pens, key chains, water bottles, notepads, coffee cups, bumper sticks or air fresheners can help you attract business to your auto repair shop. Clients may use their products at home or at the office, which can help increase visibility and attract clients to your auto shop business.
Tags: auto repair, your auto, your auto repair, repair shop, auto repair shop, auto repair shop
