JustTheBest

Hi GENUINE! Thanks for your comments. First of all, to start, in the particular case that I noted, I would have to explain a lot to have it all make sense. Above that, I try to help here- not sell or force anything on anyone. I'm busy with clients. Jeff had it right - use the best customers and market to them. But market something that nobody else is. Don't use 'Buy-me, Buy-me' postcards. We used letters. Not email - not postcards - actual letters. Well written letters get response. Sorry if I sound vague - but like I said, I am not here to sell. The frustrating thing is that when handed a system - so many shop owners don't even TRY IT! GO figure - and I mean 'handed'. I install a text message system - totally private - and all the shop owner has to do is send a specific message out to a selected group. 10, 20, 30 text messages. Takes about 15 minutes. What do you think happens?? Right! Nothing. On the other hand, shop owners who have done it get "ALMOST 100% RESPONSE" Compare that to a 1/10 of 1% from a 5,000 piece postcard mailing. Sorry if I sound a little 'jaded' - and don't take it personally. I am not here to sell - but I do get frustrated when I hand a shop owner a 'fool proof' system and they're too ^&*^%%$ lazy to do anything. Hope this helps! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

HI 3PuttFever! 17 minutes... Guaranteed!

Not trying to be difficult or offend anyone, but any idea is easy to add to your marketing. It's the implementation that counts. Getting it in the hands of customers, I've had a lot of experience with this type of card. I can tell you that all the other services don't matter. It's the oil change, because that is the ONLY service car owners think they need. So quit trying to give them discounts on exhaust and front end alignments and all that. Keep it Simple... oil changes. Hope this help! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

Hi Nitrorocket, noticed you said "but rarely get messages". Technically, that's good. You don't want... and don't have the time to text back and forth to customers. That's not what you're looking for. You want to solicit a response. A phone call! That's all. So maybe you're sending out the wrong type of message. When you text customers, you CAN NOT do it on a 'blast' basis. You've got to.... 1) Keep it personal and TO THAT CUSTOMER. Use their first name 2) Don't make it salesy - like buy me! buy me! It's not going to work - or it will work as well as postcards! Ha! 3) You must have an easy call to action - get the response - because people look at their messages... so you've got half the battle done when you get them to see you... I hear comments like "Almost 100% response...." Try to get that with a postcard! Ha! Hope this helps Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

Good idea svauto! Good luck. You've got to stand out from the rest... and take a stand. By the way... I notice my first post had a type-o... it should read... FINALLY... a repair shop that FIXES $99 Brake Jobs! And don't forget to put a BIG ARROW on the sign pointing people. Signs with arrows generate a better response. Hope this helps! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

carbtech72, don't overlook your current customers. They are best, most cost effective way to increase your car count and profits. Everyone wants to do the 'sexy' things like send out postcards and all that... going after new customers. The truth of the matter is that new customers (will) cost you between $125 and $150 each. (Ouch!) You say 'word of mouth'... but I promise nothing good happens by accident. There's strategies to easily turn your customers into "referral machines"... and do it without being a pain in the butt. But the key is, you've got to have a system. Just telling people you'll give them 10% off their next service if they send you a customer... will not work. Also, consider targeted direct mail. We started one campaign with a client (shop) where 76 letters generated just about $16,000 in sales. Not bad, huh? Again, the key thing was 'targeted'. Most don't realize that over 70% of the success of ANY marketing or advertising campaign is all about the target. When you blindly send out offers to a bunch of people... you get all the freebie seekers and bottom feeders. Look at your customer list. The money is in the list! Hope this helps Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

All good info and comments. I've been doing web for a long time... longer than I want to think about. Every time I set up a business owner with a bunch of stats to watch, they all told me the same thing. "Way too much information and I don't have time to figure it all out". Keep it simple. You can have a phone number that is tracked AND sends recordings of every call to your email address. Better than seeing who is calling, you get to HEAR what is being said. So many times auto repair shop phones are being answered as if it's a distraction. IT'S YOUR BUSINESS! Make it work and talk the customer in. Hope this help! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

The truth is, when you think about it, what do YOU do when you get a text?? You read it. That's exactly what your customer is going to do. But the problem is that you can't make the message too 'spammy' or 'salesy' (if those are words). It's got to be a personal message to your customer. It's custom - it's targeted - and it works! One shop owner told me he gets "...almost 100% response". Compare that to postcards, ha! Hope this help! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

Make is simple, easy to read and quick. Something like.... "FINALLY, A MECHANIC YOU CAN TRUST" Then your website address below. When you print your website address, make it EASY to read - even use 2 colors if you can and don't forget CAPS and lower case. Something like: YourAutoRepairShop.com or YourAutoRepairShop.com Either way, it's just easier to read and remember. And don't forget, most (over 60% - according to Google) of the local auto repair searches are on MOBILE devices. Make sure your site is mobile friendly. Hope this helps! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

In response to "UsedTireShop", you posted "We have a regional chain store that often offer $99 brakes. We often place our sidewalk sign out and it reads... We Fix $99 Brake Jobs! I would suggest a small edit. Add (in big bold text) FINALLY... as shop that can... Just a suggestion. Hope this helps Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

Nice plan tirengolf (nice name too!). One of the big things I see all the time is that shops don't REWARD for the referral. Now don't take this the wrong way - but have you ever tried to train your pet?? No reward - you don't get anywhere. With that said, the reward has to be instant. Don't offer some lame discount the next time the customer comes in... or something like that. The reward has to be something I can touch (or taste) NOW. Movie tickets; coffee cards; fast food cards; it's your choice. But make the reward instant. Nothing good ever happens on it's own, does it? Hope this helps! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

Thanks for sharing that information Elon! Good information. What I really found interesting is that the report states: "While the light vehicle repair outlet population fell nearly 5,000 from 2010 to 2015..." so many shops still struggle with their car count. I guess it's just a problem of doing all the wrong things... and then giving up. Good information. Thanks for sharing it. Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

I agree 100%! If you fail to plan... you're really just 'planning to fail'. I don't know who said that... but it's the truth. One of the biggest things I see shop owners miss out on (especially when it comes to marketing) is doing things that they can't measure. If you can't measure it - don't do it. What do I mean about measurement? It's all about ROI or your return on investment. I've seen mailing campaigns with great response - but no profit. You don't have to spend a lot - you just have to target correctly. And then, measure the results. As an example, if a campaign costs you $500 and returns $2000 in work, you're probably making money. But you'll never know if you don't track it. One of the simplest ways to track things is using a simple excel spreadsheet. Nothing fancy, and you've probably already got Excel on your computer. The rate of response doesn't matter - it's all about ROI. In one case, I worked with a shop to send out a simple letter to 76 targeted customers. So let's call it about $1 per letter with postage. The response was 16% which is nice - but more impressive was the $9600 in sales. Because he tracked it, do you think we'll do the same thing next month? You bet! Hope this helps! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

newport5, you bring up some good points. Making the personal connection is huge. Think about it. If you're looking for something... and you know somebody in that business... don't you go there first?? There's a better trust with people you know - even if it's not on a real deep level. The other thing I know most shop owners miss (and this is huge) is putting their picture on their website. No matter what you think, people do business with PEOPLE, not companies. I know you don't get up in the morning and see a scary monster in the mirror, but the new customer... well, that's a different story. Show people you're a real person. Big warm, welcoming smile - right on your website. In addition, when you're talking with customers, any time you can 'be like them'... like the guy who tells you about his fishing trip and you tell him that you're just like that because you like the blah, blah, blah... you're setting yourself up to be more like him. People trust people who are like them. One last point. I don't think a lot of shop owners really get it. When a customer has to get his car in for service, it's an INCONVENIENCE! Even worse, he/she is probably inconveniencing others in their family too! You know, need a ride, borrow the other half's car... so they're already pi**ed off when they get there. The other thing to remember... all this is free to do. You're not spending any money to be nice! Hope this helps! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

Joe, I couldn't agree more! So many shop owners I talk with are hung up on getting more new customers. That's THE MOST expensive thing you can do. While they focus there, they ignore their current customers. Now, this isn't going to sound sexy, but what about a simple 'letter' to your existing customers. No, not an email - I mean a USPS snail mail letter. There's a bunch of strategies that can be used and a lot more space is needed to explain it all, but at least you can target your BEST customers and leave the coupon clippers to shop somewhere else. Think about this. What do you do when you hear a notice of a text message on your phone? If you're like most, you check your phone - usually within minutes of receiving that message, right? Well, you're just like 300+million other Americans. So if a text message is so effective, why don't you just text message customers when it's time for their next oil change? I know it sounds simple, but I will tell you this - it works. Get those people that already know, trust and like you to bring their car in for that oil change THEY KNOW THEY NEED and you'll be surprised with where your numbers will go. Hope this helps! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

I agree, the area should be relaxing, not to mention clean and organized too! But I think most shop owners miss the opportunity here. Your waiting room should be a place to passively showcase how good you are! Pictures of you and smiling customers, you and local celebrities (like the mayor or whatever), happy customers with their reviews posted next to their picture... it's all about building TRUST. After all, that's the biggest hurdle you face. The familiarity of being seen (a lot) helps build trust. Also, don't forget that when customers come in, it's usually an inconvenience to them. They're not in the best mood. So do what you can to make it comfortable and don't miss the opportunity to build trust with simple things like pictures and TESTIMONIALS. Hope this helps! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

Thank you for your kind comments ewelchtx! I appreciate it. I think one of the biggest things shop owners miss is that when a customer is at your service counter, they aren't having a good day! They are going to be without their car - and then may be 'pushing' their other half for their car - so now you've got 2 people pi**ed at you... and it can go down hill from there - really fast. You go to your shop every day - but your customer doesn't. When they DO go, it's usually an inconvenience to them. Remember that! Hope this helps! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

Although this may not be popular here, (I'm sorry and not trying to offend anyone) but it's not really about the looks. With that said, no, it shouldn't be 'butt ugly', but here's the real deal. Google claims that more than 50% or now mobile. I would hazard a guess that for auto repair shops, it's even higher, although I don't have data to support that. It's just a gut feeling - and what shop owners tell me about where their new customers come from. So what's this mean to you?? Go have a look at your website on your phone. There has to be 5 pieces of information that are available right away. They are: 1) Phone number 2) Location - Map 3) Reviews 4) Coupons 5) Appointments or Quotes Just to be clear... I am talking about links to these. And all phone numbers must be coded to be 'click-to-call'. That is, as a visitor I don't have to scribble down your number; I just click it and your number is instantly on my phone. Check your site out. I can't tell you how many I see that miss this mark by yards! Hope this helps! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

Hi Frogfinder! I agree with your comments, but you still can't control every situation. What I hear from shop owners is that they focus on things that aren't as important. Here's what I am saying. Your waiting room should be all about YOU, the shop owner. Face it, the biggest hurdle you've got to face is overcoming 'trust'. Car owners typically approach repair shops not trusting them. That's why I promote using your waiting room to 'build' trust. Things like simple pictures of you handing keys to smiling customers; pictures with local celebrities, pictures of happy customers with their testimonial posted right beside it - the 'familiarity' of YOU builds trust. I'm not saying it shouldn't be comfortable - but it's one of your best chances to help build trust with customers. Hope this helps! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

A really good place to start is to treat them like you're really interested in helping them. Not saying you don't - of course - I don't know you and have never met you. But what do you think of this; "Hi Mrs. Smith, glad to see you. Do you want to buy more than what you came in for?" Upselling right off the start is probably not the welcome more want to hear. I think it was Disney who said it - something like do what you do well - and do it so well that people will tell their friends about you. I know you're not Disney, but think about it. Help them first - the money will follow. Hope this helps! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

Perfect! I like the strategy. The only thing missing... or you didn't mention... is how you encourage customers to send customers and make referrals. I also like the 'hand written' card. It's so much more personal. In fact, do you realize that when it comes to those small little 'thank-you' cards, you can actually dominate your customer's mailbox! Why?? Because on average, most people receive between 0 and 3 of those small cards a year! They just stand out in the mail... and always get opened and read! Good one! There's so much to learn from what you've posted... every shop owner should read this! Hope this helps! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

I agree. EDDM is the way to go as for an inexpensive way to get to the prospects. Problem is that the ROI or response usually sucks. Now this is going to sound strange, but you WILL get a response if you drive to 'free' information. Download is okay but real printed report works better. That way, you get the mailing address (yes, direct mail works if you do it right). So why all this?? Because you create a prospect that is actually interested in what you're doing or saying. Above that, the report sets you up as an authority in your market. You can include a discount or coupon in that too. Using local office supply copy services lets you do this on real small volume instead of having to print thousands. Hope this helps! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

Sorry to hear about this. Actually, it's not a new scam. I know shops who have been scammed the same way. But you're right... maintaining cards or dealing with current customers you know shouldn't be a problem. Everyone else pays cash. Hope this help! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

Most owners don't really understand the importance of referrals - nor how to get them. First of all, nothing good happens by accident. You've got to have a system to generate referrals. One of the most important parts is to create an instant reward. It doesn't have to be big either. But you can't use some 'discount' later... or something in the future, and expect it to work. It's got to be instant. It doesn't have to be big. Think about it this way... ever try to train an animal? You won't get anywhere unless you're ready to reward the proper behavior and the reward has to be NOW. Above that, you've got to give the customer the 'tools' to create the referral. You can't do your job unless you've got the right tools. Same thing with generating a referral. I work with a shop that generates 25+ new customers a month. But then... it's not just the new customer. The back up after that is a series of direct mail letters to KEEP the new customer. Crash and burn is no way to grow a business. Hope this helps! Matthew Lee "The Car Count Fixer"

To start, do you have ANY type of customer list? I am talking about customers that you've serviced? You MUST take full contact information. You can't get a flat fixed at Walmart unless you give them everything - you need to be the same way. With a customer list, you can start because they already know, trust and like you. Then put a referral program in place - and a proactive one - not some lame "get 10% off if you send us a customer". That doesn't work. You could also rent a list to get leads or do a daily deal (like Groupon) I know, I know, that one is going to get comments about 'bottom suckers' and all that, but you need to get a list of customers. Your website? Do you have one? It's got to be MOBILE RESPONSIVE or you're wasting your money. I'm not really sure of where you're at - but I'll answer any questions you've got. Matthew Lee Author - The Car Count Fixer