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Posted

Please help me figure out how to start marketing for our new shop. I've never done it and need all the help we can get.

Posted

We are looking for suggestions on providers of these services. Who do you use to manage or provide marketing services. What services have provided the best return on investement etc. We do have FB website, etc however we are not in the business of marketing.

 

Thanks.

Posted (edited)

We currently use Netdriven for our website (www.autoDRx.com) and Mechanicnet for our CRM. Other than that the only thing that has worked marketing wise is a monthly bulletin that is mailed to everyone in our area. But, all areas are different. Your best bet is to talk to other businesses in your area (preferably of the same trade) and see what works for them.

Edited by Dustin Rutkowski
  • Solution
Posted

The first thing you need to know about Marketing is that its a process and it has multiple moving parts. There is no such thing as a single activity done one time that will get you the results of launching your business.

 

There are two keys to success: Your message and the market you deliver it to.

There are many options about how to deliver the message.

 

A basic sixpack for marketing a new small business is:

1. A website

2. A Facebook page

3. Customer Reviews

4. Advertising to the population that are your best targets based on services you offer that they want to buy

5. Basic Public Relations

6. A list of targets that you can call on the phone, send mail and email to.

 

The best way to start is to begin with a canned program or service and then add or subtract from it as you get going and have data on what works and what doesn't.

 

You can get a website, automatic email marketing to your customers, reviews, lists to mail to and postcard campaigns with a dedicated account manager from Mitchell 1. I think Mitchell gives pretty good results reporting. Demand Force and Mechanic.net are in that same category.

 

Great PR and advertising can be fairly easy to come by if you're creative. Post your grand opening on Topix and put an ad on Craigslist. Look for all of the free places you can tell people that you exist. And by no means neglect Google.

 

Is there a free paper in your area that writes up interesting, edgy articles, restaurant reviews and hip places to go and things to do? See if you can work with them to do a promotion with a radio station for your grand opening?Talk to your vendor partners about a customer story on your business that they'd post on their websites. There are marketing programs that may include your ad on a page or in a coupon book that another company sells - a lot of schools sell those coupons for fundraisers.

 

Do your vendor partners publish customer stories?

 

The point is to tell people you're there and that there are a few things that make you different than any other provider in your market. In today's socially networked world, your customers want to know you too.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         0 comments
      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.
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      Thanks to our Partners,
      RepairPal at https://repairpal.com/shops. Quality Car Repair. Fair Price Guarantee.
      App Fueled at appfueled.com. “Are you ready to convert clients to members? AppFueled™ specializes in creating custom apps tailored specifically for auto repair businesses. Build your first app like a pro.”
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      Thank you to RepairPal for sponsoring The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast. Learn more about RepairPal at https://repairpal.com/shops
      Are you ready to convert clients to members? App Fueled specializes in creating custom apps tailored specifically for auto repair businesses. Build client loyalty. Get started today with your own customer loyalty app. Visit Appfueled.com
      Lagniappe (Books, Links, Other Podcasts, etc)
      https://www.daysoftheyear.com   
      https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/ 
      https://shopmarketingpros.com/ep-118-doing-video-every-day-for-a-month/ - Doing Video Every Day For A Month
      https://shopmarketingpros.com/how-doing-video-every-day-can-transform-your-auto-repair-shops-marketing-strategy/ 
      Show Notes with Timestamps
      Introduction to April Marketing (00:00:10)  The hosts introduce the episode and discuss the focus on marketing strategies for April. Spring Car Care Month (00:02:43)  April is highlighted as Spring Car Care Month, emphasizing vehicle maintenance and customer education. Car Care Clinics (00:03:11)  Hosts suggest hosting car care clinics to engage customers and educate them about vehicle maintenance. Vida: Video Every Day in April (00:04:55)  Discussion on the importance of video marketing and committing to daily video creation for engagement. Celebrating National Pickleball Month (00:07:44)  Hosts encourage engaging posts related to National Pickleball Month, even if not directly automotive. Honoring EMS Week (00:08:12)  Discussing ways to celebrate and honor first responders during EMS Week with discounts or special offers. Tax Return Promotions (00:09:55)  Promoting services around tax returns, encouraging customers to invest in vehicle maintenance with their refunds. April Fool's Day Marketing (00:10:48)  Ideas for fun social media posts and jokes to engage customers on April Fool's Day. National Ride Your Horse to a Bar Day (00:14:09)  Hosts humorously discuss the quirky holiday and encourage creative marketing ideas around it. National 4x4 Day (April 4) (00:14:45)  Celebration ideas for off-road enthusiasts and engaging posts for customers. World Rat Day (April 4) (00:15:18)  Discussion on celebrating the impact of rats on auto repairs. National Rita Roadmap Day (April 5) (00:16:12)  A fun take on roadmap reading skills among staff. International Pillow Fight Day (April 5) (00:16:27)  Humorous suggestions for a pillow fight as social media content. National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day (April 12) (00:17:05)  Ideas for a grilled cheese challenge at the shop. State Pride Days (April) (00:17:28)  Encouragement to celebrate local state days and community engagement. Tax Day and National That Sucks Day (April 15) (00:18:08)  Creative marketing ideas related to tax day and repairs. National Auctioneers Day (April 17) (00:19:08)  Fun activities like staff auctioneering for customer engagement. Easter (April 20) (00:19:40)  Ideas for Easter celebrations and community involvement. Girl Scout Leaders Day and Earth Day (April 22) (00:20:24)  Promoting community ties with Girl Scouts and environmental awareness. Clean Comedy Day (April 28) (00:21:38)  Encouraging clean jokes and humor among staff. Viral Video Day (April 29) (00:22:17)  Encouragement to create engaging videos for social media. April Showers Bring May Flowers (00:23:38)  Marketing strategies related to spring maintenance and vehicle care.
      How To Get In Touch
      Group - Auto Repair Marketing Mastermind
      Website - shopmarketingpros.com 
      Facebook - facebook.com/shopmarketingpros 
      Get the Book - shopmarketingpros.com/book
      Instagram - @shopmarketingpros 
      Questions/Ideas - [email protected] 
      Thanks again for listening to The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast on Aftermarket Radio Network. There are some other great shows on the network and you can find them at AftermarketRadioNetwork.com or on your favorite podcast listening apps like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and many others


      Tune in for another episode next week. Until then, go fill those bays!
      Talking Points


      General Topics for April:
      April showers bring may flowers - wiper blades, Aquapel, tires Continuing the theme from March Spring maintenance and cleaning Pot holes - winter damage Change back to summer tires Continue with the tax refund talk
      Days of the Year - Monthly Themes
      April is the first of the two National Car Care Months VEDA - Video Every Day in April


      Days of the Year - Weekly Themes
      National EMS Week


      Days of the Year - Daily Themes
      4/1 April Fools Day 4/2 National Ride Your Horse to a Bar Day 4/3 National Burrito Day 4/4 World Rat Day ⅘ International Pllow Fight Day ⅘ National Read a Road Map Day 4/12 National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day 4/15 National That Sucks Day 4/17 National Auctioneers Day 4/20 Easter 4/22 National Jelly Bean Day 4/28 Clean Comedy Day 4/29 Viral Video Day














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    • By Zenoo
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