An auto repair business may be lucrative, but in a highly competitive industry, you must do more than sit around and wait for clients to come in. Other than encouraging old customers to return, you must continuously attempt to attract new clients to ensure the stability of your business.
Creating a marketing strategy for your mechanic or auto business is something you can do to entice new clients in. It’s pretty straightforward, so you need not worry about it too much. You may increase your company’s exposure and attract new clients with only a few deliberate and targeted marketing strategies.
Here’s a list of excellent car repair marketing ideas you can incorporate into your strategy to draw in new and old businesses now and in the future.
Marketing Strategies for Auto Repair Shops to Retain Existing Customers and Attract New Ones
A precise and watertight marketing plan for an auto repair business is a must in today’s world, and it should be one that can be readily tracked and evaluated to determine which tactics are effective and which are not.
While there are undoubtedly several tactics for marketing strategies for auto repair shops practical for operating such a business, we have streamlined your task here by outlining some of the most proven strategies of marketing for auto repair shops that would improve your business and add a new dimension to it.
1. Website Branding
Your website is your online storefront, and as such, it should present an appealing perspective of your car repair company that piques people’s curiosity and makes them want to visit. Some fundamental best practices for designing a website that effectively advertises your business include:
- Use a fully responsive design for all devices, including mobile devices. It’s because smartphones account for more significant internet usage than any other device. Also, search engines like Google prefer mobile-friendly websites in search results.
- Secure your website with HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer System Secure), a safe internet communication protocol that helps both users and search results.
- Create website material that describes your services correctly and contains reliable contact information.
You should also select a domain name that matches your company. Make it simple for visitors to your website to contact you by placing live chat boxes around the site or making the “Contact” option prominent on each page.
2. Online Community Engagements
Whether you’re a new car repair company or have been in the industry for a while, engaging in online automobile repair groups is one of the marketing methods you should explore. You may connect with your clients by offering valuable suggestions, answering queries, and referring to your website in any online forum.
Participating in any online community is an excellent approach to establishing credibility and trust with potential consumers. Some customers want to know they’re dealing with an industry expert, and partaking in online groups might help you establish your store as one.
3. Email Marketing
For consumers to know about promotions and new services, ask them to join your company’s email list. Before adding a customer’s email address to your list, always get their consent. If you begin contacting clients without their consent, they may classify your business email as spam, affecting your capacity to email additional customers in the future.
Depending on how many individuals you’re contacting and how frequently, you may utilize one of numerous free email marketing platforms. Most email marketing systems allow you to sign up to 2,000 individuals and send 12,000 emails monthly for free.
4. Local Evaluations
One of your most crucial car repair shop marketing methods should be establishing a presence on local review sites. According to Pew Research Center, half of the consumers aged 50 and under typically read customer reviews before purchasing. Make sure your company has a presence on the following websites:
- Google Local Search: It is linked to your Google Business listing
- Yelp: a review site with over 75 million monthly unique mobile web users and 69 million monthly unique desktop visitors.
- Yellowpages.com: It is the online equivalent of the traditional business directory book.
Increase your marketing power on local review sites by doing the following:
- Adding connections to other websites
- Email marketing link sharing
- Mentioning to satisfied consumers in person that you are on review sites and value feedback
- Including connections to review sites on business cards
Additionally, you should connect with individuals who submit feedback, especially negative ones. Tell them you’re listening, that you value their comments, and that you’re trying to resolve any concerns they’ve raised. Turn every piece of negative feedback into a chance to improve your customer connections and show others that your company truly cares.
5. Content Promotion
Information marketing is a type of marketing in which your company creates valuable content that your target customers would like. By providing great material, you establish trust and authority with leads and existing consumers who will remember your company when making a purchase. Content marketing encompasses marketing techniques such as:
- Blogs
- Infographics
- Webinars
- Videos
According to the Content Marketing Institute, content marketing generates three times as many leads as outbound marketing (such as TV or radio advertisements) while costing 62 percent less. Content marketing boosts marketing strategies since every piece of content you create for your website increases its search potential as more people visit and interact with it.
To be effective with content marketing, you must shift your perspective from car repair business owner to publisher. Create a content calendar using a spreadsheet, and commit to releasing material regularly. A minimum of one blog post each week is an excellent place to start, but the more frequently you create high-quality material, the better. According to HubSpot, firms that publish 16 or more blog articles per month receive 3.5 times the traffic of companies that produce four posts or fewer per month.
6. Referral Programs
Allow satisfied customers to conduct your marketing for you if you want to develop confidence in your company. According to Nielsen data, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family worldwide. This is the most trusted advertising, with branded websites ranking second at 70%.
When a new client indicates a previous customer suggested them, you can give that customer a discount. Promote your referral program while checking out customers, as well as on your website, social media, and email marketing.
7. Reward Programs
Reward programs, like referral programs, are an excellent approach to boosting corporate loyalty. Accenture, a worldwide management consulting organization, conducted research that yielded the following interesting results:
- Seventy-seven percent of individuals engage in at least one retail promotion; your clients are already accustomed to these programs.
- Members of loyalty programs create a 12 to 18 percent incremental sales increase yearly.
- Sixty-six percent of American customers spend more on companies they trust.
You may get creative with the loyalty program you develop, from something as basic as a punch card for services to tracking how much consumers spend and offering them a discount or gift once they spend a particular amount.
8. Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is one of the essential marketing methods to boost your online presence and turn your website visitors into sure buyers. Local companies must employ best practices in SEO to be found by web searches. According to HubSpot, a digital marketing software business, 72 percent of shoppers who conducted a local search, such as “Dallas auto shop,” visited a store within 5 miles. Google reports that 28 percent of searches for anything nearby result in a purchase.
Ensure that your website is SEO-friendly by:
- Investigating prominent keywords related to your business and utilize them organically throughout your website content.
- Including those terms in the biographies of other websites where your company has a presence, such as social media and review sites.
- Adding keyword-related pages to your website, such as different pages for each service you provide at your business.
As previously stated, the security and mobile-friendliness of your website have an impact on your search results. You may consult a professional website designer and SEO specialist to improve your website and content.
The Big Idea
Running an auto repair company isn’t just about being good at repairing cars and providing excellent customer service. To succeed in this highly competitive industry, you must devise a well-thought-out plan to make car owners choose you as their go-to car expert.
A car repair shop must continually adapt to shifting market trends and consumer preferences. A marketing plan for an auto repair firm should be designed to bring in new clients and maintain existing ones. Follow these local marketing tips and start improving your business today. Or, better yet…
Select ADAG for Dependable Automotive Marketing Strategies
Implementing the correct marketing techniques puts you ahead of the game when it comes to eCommerce success, and we’re here to assist! Advanced Digital Automotive Group, a long-standing full-service digital marketing firm, offers the most efficient auto repair shop advertising and marketing solutions to assist your online website in prospering in a competitive market.
With our assistance, you can anticipate ideal outcomes of marketing strategies for auto repair shops from a devoted team of professionals. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us right away if you have any questions about auto repair SEO and other digital marketing solutions!
