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23 Auto Repair Marketing Ideas For Consistent Customers In Your Shop

Need a list of proven auto service marketing ideas to attract more leads and qualified customers into your shop?

Here are 23 — go to town!

 

1. Become the #1 go-to auto repair shop in your town by creating name recognition

Having an attractive logo professionally designed specifically for your auto repair advertising is important for 2 main reasons:

  • It helps you look like a professional trustworthy business
  • It creates name recognition

Both of which amount to MORE customers.

Something like this:

glenway auto center logo

 

Put yourself in your prospect’s shoes for a moment…

Imagine your car just stopped working, and you don’t have a spouse or family member who will crack open the hood and take a look inside.

You know there’s one auto repair place in town… but there’s no sign — just an open garage door with some guys working in a garage…

And then there’s another auto service business that not only has a BIG official-looking sign, but it clearly states the name of the business with an attractive logo, and it just seems like a friendly place.

Which one are you more likely to trust and call when your car breaks down?

The friendly-looking one that has a legit sign and logo!

Why?

Well, first of all, because you know their name. You can just Google them!

But secondly, because they look more established, credible, and trustworthy. If there’s anything your prospects need, it’s confidence that you’re not going to rip them off with unfair pricing but instead, treat them well.

Plus —

You can get your logo designed AND put on multiple promotional items to easily (and inexpensively) boost your shop’s branding and professional appeal.

Check these out:

Those prices are definitely worth it for consistent, professional branding!

A lot of small auto repair or service shops skip this step in their auto repair marketing plan — yet it’s part of why they stay small and don’t generate more leads, including referrals. (Another big reason is that they aren’t doing enough marketing (like automotive postcards!))

 

2. Market your services BEFORE major weather changes to generate $28,000 in revenue

Though people need your services all year round, hot summers and freezing winters prompt vehicles to bust, and prospects should prepare for these weather changes early, right?

Plus:

No matter where you’re located, remember this:

There’s always another guy looking to take your customers!

So whatever marketing medium you’re using, there are 2 rules for winning the auto repair marketing game:

  1. Reach prospects first
  2. Reach prospects more often

You should start planning — and running — your auto repair marketing campaigns well before your prospects need tune-ups, ACs checked, and heating systems fixed.

broken down car in the snow

 

I recommend hitting each prospect with your message AT LEAST 3 times.

Repetition wins the game when it comes to auto repair advertising. It builds your credibility with your prospects because when they see your ads again and again (and again and again!), they understand that you’re a stable, trustworthy business who WANTS to help them.

Repetitive auto shop marketing also increases the likelihood that you’ll reach them when they DO need you, and when it comes to auto repair, that could be anytime.

For example:

These guys used their automotive direct mail campaign to reach prospects with 2 different designs and brought in 80 new customers and $28,000 in revenue!

Check out their automotive postcard design:

baker road service postcard

 

So…

Market yourself in advance and consistently.

Not only will consistent marketing help you stay busy throughout the year, it will give you time to take better care of your customers because your marketing will be running practically on autopilot!

 

3. Target your ideal prospects to generate $14,400 in revenue or more

If you want to avoid wasting money with your auto service marketing, you need to discriminate!

What I mean is this:

Mailing automotive postcards to every single homeowner in your city can get expensive — and FAST — especially if you live in a densely populated area.

So, narrow your focus.

Choose your prospects.

And think about this:

Say you mail automotive postcards all over town.

And let’s say your town is actually a huge city that takes 45 minutes to 2 hours to cross, depending on traffic.

Do you think a prospect with an automotive problem will be able to drive to you to get their car fixed if you’re far away? Do you think they’d even be willing to drive to you?

Probably not.

So your targeting can — and probably should — go beyond just geography for that reason.

Your auto shop marketing needs to hit people who are MOST likely to come to your shop and become a customer.

concept of targeting the right audience

 

In fact, you can target only your IDEAL prospects so you generate the highest quality leads (and jobs)!

For example:

This Ohio auto repair shop mailed automotive postcards using DirectMail2.0 and generated 48 prospect calls and $14,400 in revenue right off the bat.

Don’t worry…

If you don’t know who your ideal prospects are, finding them is easy…

All you have to do is figure out who your best (meaning, most profitable) customers are, and market to more people just like them!

You can run a free count of prospects here.

Your most profitable clients might be commercial businesses (more on partnerships below!).

 

4. Use this time-tested marketing tool to generate a 470% Return on Investment (ROI)

Direct mail remains a time-tested auto service marketing tool — yes, even in our digital age!

Consider these numbers:

Which is to say:

Auto service direct mail WORKS. And one specific type of auto service direct mail works ESPECIALLY well…

merrill auto service postcard

 

You guessed it —

Auto service postcards!

Advertising with auto service postcards is cost-effective because:

  • You can target only your IDEAL prospects by neighborhood and/or demographics
  • Recipients see your message without even having to open it
  • You save on postage when you mail automotive postcards rather than letters or folded flyers

For example…

This Wisconsin auto repair shop generated 40 qualified leads that immediately resulted in $8,000 in sales — a 470% return on investment (ROI)!

FREE report: See more REAL automotive direct mail campaigns with results AND examples

Plus:

Check out these ready-made automotive postcards you can use:

No need to reinvent the wheel —

You can use one of those postcard designs for your next direct mail campaign. Order a FREE sample pack today so you can check them out.

 

5. Update your online listings to reach 93% of online prospects

As many as 93% of all online experiences begin with a search engine, according to SearchEngine Journal.

While many of the people who receive your auto repair postcards will search for you by name and go directly to your website (we’ll talk about what happens then in #6), many of them will simply search for what they need, like:

“Best auto repair shop in [your town].”

And they will see several listings, many of which will be search and review sites, like:

  • Google
  • Yelp
  • Angie’s List
  • Prime Buyer’s Report
  • Yellow Pages
  • Expertise
  • Repair Pal

Make sure you’re listed on those sites, too — and that your business profile is correct, up-to-date and filled with photos of your work (like before-and-after shots) —

Or you risk LOSING all of those prospects to your competitors.

Here’s a great example of a thorough listing on Yellow Pages:

auto repair shop on yellow pages

 

Don’t just sign up for accounts with online listing sites and think you’re done.

Keeping your listing current means setting aside time to upload new photos regularly and asking your happy customers to leave you a review on the site (more on that in #9)!

After you’re done updating your online listings, you need to address your website…

 

6. Capture some of the 95% of leads visiting your website

Your website isn’t just a place for your prospects to visit you online…

It’s actually a MAJOR part of your auto repair and body shop promotion strategy.

Consider this:

95% of your prospects will visit your website before making any decision to buy from you (or not).

So your website must immediately communicate the following:

  • Who you are
  • Which services you provide
  • That you’re a real (credible) business
  • And how to contact you.

 

If your website seems confusing or cluttered, your prospects won’t stay on it long enough to figure out how to contact you, and they’ll just leave.

Take a look at this website:

green's garage auto repair website

 

Right away, you can tell it’s an auto repair shop’s site….. there’s ZERO doubt about that.

Check out this clear, to-the-point menu section:

menu circled on auto website

 

Thanks to that red menu bar, you can see what these guys do and how to schedule an appointment.

And one of my favorite elements on this website, right here:

phone number circled on website

 

When your phone number is in the SAME spot on your website (upper right hand corner works great!), it’s easy for prospects to know where your # is so that they can contact you without having to go search for it.

But one thing this website is missing is a special offer. Your special offer in your auto repair marketing gives your prospects a special deal —

A reason worth contacting you to try your shop out, such as a discount on a service.

Special offers are one of the 10 essential elements of any winning postcard campaign…

But your special offer should go on your WEBSITE too! After all, your website needs to generate leads for your business… not just sit there on the internet doing nothing, right?

Here are some special offers PROVEN to work in auto service marketing:

  • 15% OFF any maintenance or service work
  • 20% OFF first service
  • Get $25 off any service over $200
  • $19.95 oil and filter change

Plus, you can download a whole list of crazy-good special offers to have on hand for your body shop marketing:

FREE report: 128 special offers PROVEN to attract leads, calls, and new customers

One last — but SUPER important — note on your website:

Reviews.

This website example does have a little section for their reviews:

reviews section circled on auto repair website

 

Reviews immediately show prospects you’re not only credible but that you’re well-liked and trusted! (Which is pretty important when it comes to auto servicing.)

If you want your website done with an expert hand so it includes all the best lead-generating components, our website design services start at an extremely affordable $495.

 

7. Avoid losing 96% of hard-earned leads with fill-in forms on your website

You’ve gone to the trouble and expense to generate a lead with your auto service postcards or flyers (or commercial or whatever). Again, the MAJORITY (about 95%) of those people are headed straight for your website.

But 96% of those visitors are not yet ready to become a customer, according to Kissmetrics.

So what then?

They leave your site and go on with their lives. When they’re ready to call an auto shop or detailer, will they remember you?

Maybe — or maybe not.

To maximize your auto shop marketing dollars, you need to capture the identity of those interested prospects so you can follow up with them, keeping your business top of mind so when they need your services, they don’t hesitate to call YOU!

How?

With a lead-capture form, like this:

contact form circled on auto repair website

 

This lead capture form works because it’s on the front page, but ideally your lead capture form should:

  • Be “ABOVE the fold” (meaning, above the point where someone would have to scroll down to read more)
  • Pop out with a bright color so visitors see it
  • And include your special offer!

A lead capture form that generates leads works by offering your website visitor something useful — a FREE alignment, for example, or 20% OFF an oil change — in exchange for their email address.

Like this one:

auto repair form to get a free estimate

 

Believe it or not —

People don’t always love giving up their email address to complete strangers…

But if you offer them something they want and need (like a money-saving deal for their car!), then you’ve got their attention — and most likely, their email address, too.

Plus:

Once you have their email address, you can email them with more special offers and updates regularly!

Tip for your lead form though:

The LESS information you ask for, the more likely people are to fill out your form.

So, JUST ask for their email address — no name, address, or phone number.

Now that you know your prospects will visit your website, and you’re going to ensure you have a contact form on your website, here are even more auto repair and body shop advertising ideas:

 

8. Nail your Google listing to generate FREE leads from Google

Register for a FREE Google Business Profile account. It’s how you’ll update your Google listing for your auto repair or detailing business, meaning…

This:

san francisco auto repair google listing

 

When someone googles for auto repair services like yours (or even for YOUR business directly), one of the first things Google shows from its search is your Google business listing (like the one above).

Your Google listing can (and should) show pictures of your work plus all information googlers want to see right off the bat. This information gets pulled from data you enter in your Google Business Profile account.

So you need to make sure you have this data entered correctly, specifically:

  • Your business’s actual name
  • Address (Google will verify it)
  • Phone number
  • Hours of operation
  • Category of your business.

You’ll also manage and respond to any Google reviews from your Google Business Profile account — more on why that’s important in #9.

Again, make sure you keep ALL your contact information updated in your Google Business Profile account since inaccurate information about you will actually prevent Google from bringing up your business in searches. Meaning, your business may end up showing up LESS in Google searches —

Which is NOT what we want considering Google is the #1-used search engine in the U.S!

So if your address OR hours change (like for holidays) make sure to update it in Google Business Profile.

Another benefit to keeping your business’s information totally up-to-date is you’ll be found easier on Google Maps!

auto repair shops on google maps

 

If someone uses Google Maps to search for a local auto repair or body shop business, your correct and updated information on the internet (including in Google Business Profile) will enable your ranking in Google Maps to be higher than those other business owners and mechanics who didn’t take the time.

So make sure your business’s contact information is correct on these websites too:

  • Yelp
  • Facebook
  • Other social media accounts
  • YP.com
  • Citysearch
  • Angie’s List
  • BBB.org

Plus, Google Maps results show up even BEFORE organic results…

Meaning, prospects see Google Maps results FIRST when they search on Google.

See:

google maps in search results

 

The first organic listing for an auto repair shop in the above search comes AFTER those Google Maps results.

Just remember:

Google LOVES consistency, so just keep your business’s information updated across anywhere it’s listed online and work on getting TONS of positive reviews too…

Which I talk about next here:

 

9. Use Google reviews as 90% trust and act on them

When your prospects see positive reviews, they’re 90% more likely to trust and buy from you.

Makes sense, right?

Plus, people are more likely to click on a business’s website when its Google reviews are positive, meaning those golden star ratings you see!

google star ratings in search results

 

It’s like Google has trained us to recognize that stars = ratings, and the more, the better!

So the game becomes:

Get LOTS of 4- and 5-star reviews of your automotive business online to boost your auto body marketing!

Here are some ways to do that:

  • Have mechanics tell customers they’d appreciate a review
  • Make sure customers know HOW to leave a Google review
  • Add a link in your email signature
  • Send gentle email reminders that you’d appreciate a review

FYI, it’s against Google’s policy to outright solicit reviews from customers, so one way to add the Google review request in your email signature is like this:

“Have feedback about our service? Leave a review!”

FREE report: How to get more positive Google reviews to promote your business

When you’re done servicing a customer’s vehicle, tell them you’d appreciate a review online if they’ve enjoyed your service.

Also:

You also want to take the time to RESPOND to negative reviews.

When you spot a negative review online, make sure to comment on it and respond with a sincere apology and offer to remedy whatever occurred that was dissatisfactory with their automotive service.

The last thing you need is a disgruntled former customer bad-mouthing your business.

So handle the review well, and they could turn into a happy customer!

But:

Even if the customer can’t be satisfied no matter what you offer or do, your response online will at least show other consumers that you care enough to communicate and try to help.

 

10. Attract 75% more of your potential customers with Google Pay-Per-Click ads

As I mentioned before in #5, 93% of online experiences start with a search engine. Unfortunately, only 75% of those people will scroll past the first page of results, according to HubSpot.

With Google Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, your auto repair advertising appears above both the Google Maps results AND the organic listings when people search for your services.

Here’s what I’m talking about:

google ppc results for auto repair

 

What’s great about PPC is that you ONLY pay when someone clicks on your ad!

What’s not so great is that it’s complicated, and you can easily waste money on unqualified clicks (when people click on your ad so you have to pay, but they’re not qualified leads who are likely to turn into customers).

With PPC ads, you bid on keywords, like “auto repair service” or “auto body shop.” Google AdWords (Google’s PPC platform) will suggest a bid for you, but you can actually bid however much you want.

Your cost per click is determined by many factors — your bid being just one — such as:

  • How relevant Google thinks your website is to your targeted keyword
  • “Dwell time” on your website (how long visitors stay there once they click on your ad)
  • Your conversion rate (how many visitors take your desired action, such as filling out your lead capture form (#7!))

Again — it can get complicated.

FREE report: How to do Pay-Per-Click yourself (and not waste money)

When you’re first starting out with PPC, I recommend setting a budget (say, $15 a day) and playing around with your ads to see what gets the best results.

Remember:

The most clicks isn’t necessarily the best result. You PAY for each click (hence the name PAY-PER-CLICK). You want to make sure those clicks are converting into leads for your shop!

Here are a couple of tips:

  • Create a dedicated landing page for each ad that is a clear continuation of the message on your ad (if your ad says “FREE oil change!” but your landing page says “50% off oil change,” people will click away faster than you can say “Sayonara, lead!”
  • Make sure your landing page has a lead capture form (#7)
  • Add call extensions to your ads (either your phone number or a “click to call” button for mobile ads) and the people who are ready to call can do so without you being charged for the click!

Honestly…

Managing a PPC campaign can feel like a full-time job — but as a business owner, you already have one (or 6)!

It’s probably worth it to hire a PPC professional to do it for you.

You can use PostcardMania’s PPC management services here.

 

11. Reach 79% of potential customers on Facebook

Facebook marketing is becoming more and more popular every year, and with good reason.

According to Pew Research:

  • 79% of online Americans are on Facebook
  • That’s 68% of ALL Americans
  • 75% of them go on the site every day

In other words:

It’s a huge opportunity for auto repair advertising.

However:

Many business pages’ organic reach (that’s how many people you can reach for free) have declined sharply. For some, it’s as low as 2 PERCENT, and taking into account Facebook’s January 2018 newsfeed changes, you can pretty much say “so long!” to your page’s posts being seen by your prospects for free.

That means you have to pay up for an ad, like this:

auto repair facebook ad

 

I recommend running Facebook ads at the same time you’re mailing your auto service postcards.

In fact:

You can match your Facebook ad’s special offer and design with that of your automotive direct mail campaign.

Like this:

glenway auto center postcard

 

auto repair facebook ad

 

So your prospects see ONE cohesive marketing message whether they receive your automotive postcard in the mail OR see your ad on Facebook.

Plus, get this:

If you’re mailing your automotive postcards to all the homeowners in Pittsburgh, PA, you can then target those same exact people (meaning, the people on your mailing list) on Facebook, too — at the exact SAME time.

Amazing, right?

This coordination of mailing automotive direct mail plus simultaneously showing matching ads in their Facebook newsfeeds gives your prospects the perception that your auto repair marketing is almost everywhere.

It’s called Everywhere Small Business. With it, your business can simultaneously target prospects with:

  • Direct mail
  • Google ads (across thousands & thousands of internet websites)
  • AND Facebook ads.

And YOU don’t have to do anything.

Essentially your auto service marketing will be shown EVERYWHERE your prospects already spend the vast majority of their time, generating the following:

  • Calls to your business (that we track for you)
  • Clicks to your website (we track these too!)
  • Millions of online impressions (eyes on YOUR ads)
  • Essentially MORE leadswith ZERO effort from you.

Watch the Everywhere Small Business video to see how exactly this program can increase your auto service marketing exponentially starting now.

And since we’re on the subject of marketing on autopilot…

 

12. Turn NEW movers in your area into automatic customers without lifting a finger

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a little over 11% of the American population moves every year. Many of those people need auto repair and body shop services in their new towns or neighborhoods!

With our New In Town program, you can reach new movers in your service area every month without you even having to think about it, which makes it one of the easiest-to-implement auto repair promotion ideas…

Here’s how it works:

  • You tell us your target demographic and service area
  • We design automotive postcards for your business
  • Every month, we automatically send all new movers that fit your targeting criteria your automotive postcards
  • They call to redeem your offer, then you wow them with your service and create new customers!

And this is cool:

Your automotive postcards are personalized with the first name of the recipient (they can also be customized for each recipient to match their demographics), so they take notice of your marketing!

Here’s an example:

auto repair personalized postcard

 

By automatically mailing to all the new movers in your area, your auto repair business can simply receive a steady stream of new customers who need your auto repair, detailing, and body services. Talk about automotive mailers that WORK!

 

13. Start a loyalty rewards program to win 74% of consumers

Because it’s 100% likely a vehicle will need servicing more than once in its lifecycle, why not start a rewards program to build loyalty and generate more repeat business?

After all, repeat business = leads you didn’t have to pay for.

And… bet you didn’t know this:

74% of consumers prefer to buy from businesses that boast a strong loyalty rewards program over ones that don’t.

Here some easy examples of rewards programs:

  • Oil change punch card- FREE oil change after so many
  • Oil change window stickers- include a coupon on it
  • Thank you gifts- mail out special deals or prizes to loyal customers
  • Bonus bucks- create “play money” to be redeemed (like cash) for services

Plus —

If you make the bonus bucks or thank-you gifts usable by friends or family, then your rewards program will generate FREE referrals for your shop and become another method of auto body advertising for your business.

cartoon hand holding cash

 

 

14. Post pictures on your social media profiles & generate visitors to your website

Show off photos you have on the marketing channel where pictures RULE for generating engagement (clicks), meaning:

Social media!

After all, whether prospects are on Facebook or Instagram (or anywhere else for that matter), people LOOK and click when they see images.

Take a look at these statistics:

  • 79% of the U.S. population uses Facebook
  • 70% of Facebook users login DAILY
  • 75% of users take action after seeing an Instagram advertising post

Plus:

Social media is a FREE way to get your body shop marketing out so people can see what quality work you do, and you can drive clicks from social media right back to your website.

auto service worker giving thumbs up

 

Here are some tips on what to post on social media:

  • Pictures of your shop
  • Before-and-afters of jobs (awesome for collision repair marketing!)
  • Photos of your team smiling, looking friendly
  • Special promotional ads (EASY to make even if you have 0 graphic design skills)
  • Contests or giveaways you’re running (to promote people coming in!)

Make sure your phone number, shop address, and website are all listed on your Facebook business page and Instagram profile so it’s easy for prospects to contact you!

Speaking of which…

 

15. Always keep communication open with your customers

Failing to stay in touch with existing customers is an extraordinarily costly mistake.

The biggest asset your company has, along with its employees, is its existing customer base — people who’ve already given you their ultimate vote of confidence:

Their money!

Plus:

Existing customers are not only a source for current business, but also for referrals — which are essentially FREE leads.

auto repair worker smiling on phone

 

So it’s VERY important you keep in touch with customers because they could generate MORE (ahem, free) business for you!

One way to keep in touch with existing customers is by sending them a monthly email newsletter.

You can feature almost anything in your newsletter, but here are some ideas:

  • Current specials and promotions
  • New team additions
  • Any changes to your business
  • New pricing (or discounts!)
  • New services you’re adding
  • That you’re on social media (#14)
  • That you have a rewards program (#13)
  • And how you help the community (#20)

FREE report: 8 easy ways to turn your email newsletter into a MUST read  

Plus:

Motivate your team to be friendly to customers when they see them. Just a simple “hello” shows your customers you appreciate them and makes them feel like they (and their car) are being genuinely cared for.

After all:

People love to buy from those whom they LIKE.

 

16. Ask for referrals since 92% of people trust them

According to a report by Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust referrals from people they know.

Not surprising, right?

When you ask someone for a referral, you’re usually asking them because you know and trust their insight!

Don’t assume your customers know you want to grow your business though.

That’s why you should add a line at the bottom of your invoices that says:

“We LOVE referrals! Get your next oil change FREE for any referral who becomes a customer with us!”

You can also add this to the bottom of your email newsletter (#15)!

LED lights spelling referral

 

Remember that other great thing about referrals?

You don’t have to PAY to generate them as new fresh leads.

Instead — just reward your current customers who give you referrals…

Which will make them feel valued and save YOU extra dollars in your auto body shop marketing plan!

 

17. Use your blog to generate 4.5X more leads

Think a blog is optional for your auto body marketing strategy?

Get this:

Publishing helpful articles on your business’s blog can actually generate up to 4.5 times more leads than businesses who don’t utilize this free auto mechanic advertising resource, according to Hubspot.

Need ideas for your car repair marketing blog?

Listen to your current customers.

And answer these questions:

  • What do they need help figuring out?
  • What questions do they have when they’re looking for a body shop?
  • What helpful content can you write about that will prove you’re credible?

Your blog is factually a resource page for prospects where you answer their FAQs.

woman in car giving ok sign

 

Plus:

When you arm your car repair marketing strategy with helpful content that you feature on your website’s blog, you’ll have a better chance of ranking higher on Google.

How?

By using keywords.

Make a list of keywords that your prospects may use when googling for an auto repair business (just like yours), and include those keywords in both your blog and website pages.

When a prospect googles for a shop like yours, Google will more likely suggest your website to that prospect if keywords used on your website mirror what your prospect entered into Google.

google search illustration

 

It’s essentially FREE SEO (search engine optimization) for your auto repair marketing… speaking of which…

 

18. Improve your Google ranking with search engine optimization (SEO)

Search engines work by finding websites which match the keywords your prospects search with.

So if your prospects enter “[Your City] Auto Repair” (aka “Jackson Auto Repair”), your website will rank higher in Google to the degree that your website pages have the keywords “Jackson Auto Repair” in them (as well as other factors that are more complicated which we won’t get into detail on here).

google results showing jackson auto repair at the top

 

Above are the top results for the keywords “Jackson Auto Repair” when I googled for it. The business owners you see above have websites that are built to be found by Google, and that’s SEO.

To get your website found on Google, your website’s data must be accurate and filled with keywords your prospects use to find a shop just like yours.

Again, make a list of these keywords using Google’s free keyword planner tool, and have your website guy (even if that’s you!) use them on the pages of your website — your homepage, your About Us page, etc.

But it’s NOT only keywords you need.

Here are some tips to increase your website’s SEO:

  • Each page’s title (learn about page titles here) should be different
  • Homepage’s page title should have “auto repair” or “collision repair” (or the like) + your city & state
  • Your contact data (on your contact page) must be correct
  • Your business’s data must be referenced (cited) on other popular web pages (#5)
  • You should have and use a free Google Business Profile (#8)

SEO is NOT a one-shot deal — much like auto service marketing in general!

So beware of any company that claims to guarantee to get your website to #1 on Google in a short amount of time…

SEO is a continual process since Google and its algorithms (formulas) change all the time. That’s why getting reviews (#9) and making sure your website is set up to capture leads is 100% worth your time (and it’s WAY less complicated too.)

 

19. Close up to 80% more sales by automatically following up with leads

Here’s the deal:

The majority of auto mechanic marketing strategies for body shops will probably not close 100% of the leads on the first attempt. And neither will your BEST sales person.

Here’s an example:

Let’s say you receive an email from someone directly from the contact form on your website.

This person’s reached out to you with some level of interest (even if it’s just a question) —

THAT’S a lead!

They’ve asked you how much you charge for looking at and diagnosing the repair of a faulty transmission, and you quickly provide them an answer.

Then…

Crickets.

You email them, maybe call them (if they provided a phone number), and still no word back.

No customer yet.

Now what?

NOW you follow up with them!

But instead of emailing and calling them every single day, you can use email marketing to automatically follow up with this lead for you.

auto repair worker on laptop

 

In a free email marketing software, such as MailChimp for example, you can set up a simple campaign to automatically email leads so that you’re continually reaching out to them.

Also called an “email drip campaign,” it works in auto mechanic marketing by sending out emails on a predetermined schedule to prospects in a list that you create.

FREE report: Easily automate your email marketing to close up to 80% MORE sales

Instead of you remembering to manually email prospects on a set schedule, have your email marketing system do it for you.

Plus, you can use this same email marketing tool to send out monthly newsletters (#15) to your customers, making them feel like you care to keep them updated on things like:

  • Special promotions you’re running
  • New or improved services you’re now offering
  • New technologies your shop’s using for diagnosis and repairs
  • Help you’ve provided the local community
  • Pictures of stellar jobs you’ve done!

The idea is that the more prospects are followed up with consistently, the more likely they’ll remember YOUR business (vs. your competition)…

And when someone remembers you, they’re MUCH more likely to BUY from you when the time comes.

If you want a done-for-you email marketing solution, you can use PostcardMania’s email marketing services.

 

20. Create goodwill (and new customers) with neighborhood involvement

If a storm hits your city, offer your team’s helping hands to clean up and help others recover.

You can even give gift certificates for your services to charity raffles and auctions.

When you give back to the community, your prospects and customers alike not only see your body shop more (from marketing or just meeting your mechanics), but they like to see you’re helping others.

group of people in volunteer shirts

 

With any involvement you do create in your local community, make sure to snap pictures so you can share them on social media (#14).

Another idea:

Sponsor a sports team (or local event) and get your shop’s logo (from #1) shown in the event’s brochures and other promotional materials.

Of course, get pictures of the sports team or event you sponsor and again:

Show them on your website or even in your next email newsletter (#15)!

 

21. Reach out to other similar businesses and form partnerships

What other businesses have (or know) prospects who may need your auto services or collision repair services?

How about these:

  • Insurance companies
  • Law enforcement departments
  • Auto parts stores
  • Tire shops
  • Car dealerships
  • Body or collision repair shops (that is, if you’re not one)

Just to name a few!

auto repair shop worker shaking hands with customer

 

If you’re not in the loop with your local Chamber of Commerce, this is a great place to rub elbows with other local businessmen and women too…

ALL of whom could either use your auto repair expertise personally or know others who do!

 

22. Up your phone game to track & close more leads

Do you know what happens when a prospect calls into your auto service shop?

When a prospect calls your business, you don’t want to waste the call.

With prospects doing a lot of their purchase research online these days, when you have a prospect on the phone, you want to be on your A game.

auto repair worker giving thumbs up

 

Plus:

When a prospect calls in, you can ask which car repair advertising they saw.

Make it easy on whoever mans the phones by using a new caller sheet —

An easy-to-use sheet, which helps your receptionist (or you) gather ALL the vital information about which car repair advertising or auto parts marketing your prospects received or saw.

Plus:

You can also record incoming calls at your office so you can listen and actually hear how your receptionist or other staff handle prospective new customers.

Also called call tracking

We use this in our DirectMail2.0 program so that business owners can not only hear how their prospect calls are handled…

But they can use this insight to train their team members to receive calls properly with the intention of getting appointments for sales purposes.

And your new caller sheet will also help you do one of the most important things you can do in your auto service marketing plan:

 

23. Track your results like an automotive marketing expert

Only TRACKING will show you what parts of your auto shop advertising creates leads (and sales) for your business.

So — HOW do you track?

Well, that new caller sheet (from #22) is one way!

Another way:

Google Analytics — a free tool from Google that tracks the following:

  • Who visits your website
  • Where they’re from
  • What pages they visit
  • How long they stay there
  • And WAY more!

FREE report: Easily set up Google Analytics for website tracking

Let’s say you mail out 6,000 auto service postcards, and you check your Google Analytics account and notice 1,000 people visited your website, with 300 people landing and spending 1-2 minutes on your “About Us” page.

But… maybe only 25 people made it to your contact page to actually contact you and become real leads for your business.

Here’s an idea:

Why not put a pop-up form or lead capture form on that “About Us” page to capture more of the leads who read all about you, and turn them into tangible leads!

Genius!

However — the most important metric to track?

Return on investment (ROI)!

man holding cash in front of car

The ultimate measurement of your auto shop advertising and auto shop postcards = how much sales they generate for your business.

Here’s an example:

A Kentucky auto shop started mailing automotive postcards as part of their body shop marketing strategy and generated 57 prospect calls

45 of whom became brand new customers for their shop!

By mailing 12,000 automotive postcards, they brought in $6,912 in income and now have 45 new people they can earn repeat business from AND also ask for referrals from!

Just a goldmine of growth and opportunities!

Here’s their design:

glenway auto center postcard

 

Plus, with any of our auto repair postcards (which you can see here), we can send them with the U.S. Postage System’s Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) to save you $$$ on postage, if that strategy works for your auto body advertising. (What’s EDDM? Watch the video here.)

So there you have it! 23 auto service marketing ideas to use to grow your auto repair business.

For even more marketing ideas, check out these auto repair postcards that work!

And if you have questions about anything mentioned here, such as marketing with Everywhere Small Business, leave a comment or you can email me directly at Joy.Gendusa@PostcardMania.com.

Ready to start your auto repair marketing campaign? Call one of my experts at 800-628-1804 — the consultation is 100% FREE! I promise you’ll learn a strategy you can use to grow your business this year.

Best,

Joy

FREE REPORT DOWNLOAD: Real Auto Repair Marketing Campaigns and Their Results

 

16 Comments

  • Nice Article. It hits so many points that at least a few of them will definitely work for your business. And the rest will be worth trying out at some point or another. And you will benefit from them for sure.

  • I liked that you explained that it would be smart to ask customers if they would be willing to be a referral for your business. I know that I would be more willing to go to a shop if I could talk to someone who has gone their beforehand. That seems like the best way of making sure that you know what you are getting yourself into.

  • Good to see this wonderful post. I am going to bookmark this page mostly for my brother who is an auto mechanic. Thanks for sharing.

  • All the tips are looking amazing. Having an strong online presence is an important thing for any business. Thanks for the post.

  • I am very impressed with all the info that you provide on your Marketing Ideas site. I would like to see more on Collision Repair shops, so many shop across the US would love to move away from there DRP programs and start a marketing plan to own the customer relationship. I think your programs would be a great start for them to do just that.

    • Drew, we’d love to show you successful campaigns from other collision repair shops! Give us a call at 1-800-628-1804 for a free consultation with one of our expert marketing consultants!

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