However, it’s important to stay consistent in also attracting new customers rather than relying solely on the group of existing customers you build up as your shop expands its reputation for good repair work.
While walk-ins are certainly a thing, it isn’t the best bet to depend on them as your sole way of getting new customers. Instead, take proactive approaches to gain a steady stream of new customers coming through your doors.
Community work allows you to not only expose the business to potential new customers but also make a positive impact on the people and places you call home.
Do something good by feeding the homeless, supporting your city’s high school, or raising money for a local nonprofit, like Casey’s Automotive did for Ellie's Hats.
Partner with an adjacent local business, like a car wash or detail facility to establish a flow or referrals between your business and theirs.
According to Mary, advertising locally is one of the most effective techniques to draw new customers into your shop.
Some reliable local advertising mediums include local papers, school mailers, sports programs, small magazines, or even something as simple as hanging up flyers at adjacent businesses.
Running special promotions is a great way to attract new customers. Haglin Automotive provides first-time customers with an oil change special or $25 off a repair each quarter with a seasonal savings card sent to every customer.
A few examples of social media auto repair promotion ideas include both sponsored content and visual advertisements.
When you advertise your auto repair shop on social media, make sure you consider:
A strong automotive SEO strategy will help make your business appear higher in the Google listings when someone searches a keyword in your area.
Pro-tip: the first step you should take to improve SEO is to list your business on Google, then regularly update your website with new content.
Always remember the customers who have been visiting your shop since the beginning. As Mary says, you’ll also want to employ strategies that help retain existing customers and increase loyalty.
Vehicle maintenance can become less of a priority for customers who don’t set their own personal reminders on vehicle maintenance.
By investing in a shop management system that gives you and your team full visibility into what repairs customers have had previously and exactly which repairs they’ve declined, your service advisors have the opportunity to remind them of repairs and maintenance work that may be needed soon, saving them money on what could become more expensive repairs later on.
Your customers will appreciate that you are looking out for them and their vehicles amidst everything else they have to manage, and you can bring more revenue into your shop, too.
One aspect of marketing that Mary prioritizes at Tekmetric is the reliable information that the customer success team provides to Tekmetric users. Implement Digital Vehicle Inspections into your technician’s processes.
With Tekmetric’s DVIs, you can attach images and videos along with your findings, building trust with customers while clearly showing them what’s going on with their vehicles.
Giving small gifts to your customers during holidays, birthdays, or other celebratory times of the year is a great way to show customers that you appreciate their business.
A simple coffee mug with your logo on it could spark the next conversation about your shop when they have their friend over for coffee.
Never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth auto repair shop marketing.
Provide your loyal customers with a gift showing how much you appreciate them.
Implementing a loyalty program in your shop will offer your customers important benefits that keep them coming back.
Or, for returning customers, one of the best ways to give and receive is to create a referral challenge that incentivizes existing customers to refer people to your shop for a reward.
Make your program attractive to customers and easy to track.
Upping your social media game can sound intimidating at first, which is why Mary recommends making it fun.
Consider sharing testimonials from satisfied customers, posting “day-in-the-life” or “behind-the-scenes” looks at what goes on in your shop from your perspective or the perspective of a technician, sending out e-newsletters with fun shop updates and vehicle knowledge, or making applicable “how-to” videos for sticky situations such as flat tires.
No matter what auto repair promotion ideas you put into place at your shop, you’ll want to track what works and what doesn’t.
With regular, careful analysis of the results, you’ll put your shop in the best possible position to generate more profits as cost-efficiently as possible.
Selecting a shop management system that allows you to track your auto repair shop marketing strategies will provide you with insights into who your most loyal customers are, how they found your business, and why they keep coming back.
Tekmetric's former Marketing Coordinator Mary Payton had the chance to share these go-to marketing strategies to attract new customers and retain existing customers with Vehicle Service Pros. Access her full piece here.
Auto repair shops generally calculate the cost of their repairs with numerous factors that contribute to the entire process.
This includes the cost of parts and any necessary upcharges for the shop to generate a profit, as well as the cost of labor.
In this guide, we will help your independent auto repair shop learn how to maximize your profit margin specifically on your shop's labor rate.
Want to learn more? Check out our latest Auto Repair Industry Index! We cover everything from overall industry health to unique shop settings for Tekmetric users to get the most value out of the work they already do!
Drivers typically come in with an expectation of what's wrong with their car, which can make it tricky to sell maintenance work. They might think you're trying to squeeze more money out of them, or may simply have a set budget in their mind and don’t plan on spending extra.
In reality, you're simply trying to go above and beyond and provide them with the best service possible. So how do you show that, and which tools will help you transform the way you sell maintenance?
Here’s how to build customer trust while staying true to your auto repair shop’s mission of providing optimal maintenance recommendations.
Let’s face it, tracking inventory is tricky. It takes keen attention to detail, an ability to anticipate your shop’s needs, great timing, and some serious research skills—not to mention a lot of time on the phone or computer, away from the action of the shop.
Bottom line? Keeping track of inventory is a job that most service advisors and shop owners didn’t sign up for. While some shops have a shop foreman to help with inventory, even the best foreman still needs a solid tracking system.
But when a shop runs low on the right tools and parts, it can mean turning away customers when you could be building loyalty instead. Simply put, without up-to-date inventory records, your shop may have to pump the brakes and turn away customers or delay jobs.
If your team wants to stay ahead in the industry, you probably see inventory upkeep as a frequent task. And without a shop inventory software, you might also spend hours calculating purchases, tracking orders, checking wear and tear to tools, and rotating stock.
Everyone has their own way of conducting the inventory process, but in general, inventory methods fall into three major categories:
If you’re still using pen and paper or a spreadsheet, it may be time to upgrade or at least supplement your inventory process.
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