Have a steady stream of customers roll into your shop with smart marketing ideas.
Keeping a steady flow of cars driving into your automotive shop takes more than placing an open sign in the garage window. Premium customers who care more about their cars than their children will gladly show up for routine maintenance and premium services if approached the right way. Keep your customers coming back by making them feel like they are part of a club of car enthusiasts.
Partner With Complementary Businesses
Your customers need the products and services of other businesses, such as car washes, replacement parts and sound systems. Partner with the companies by making a flier with each business listing a coupon that is distributed to customers after making a purchase. A combined offering may get customers a discount. For instance, offer a package price for an oil change at your business plus a car wash at XYZ Cleaners, down the street.
Email Marketing
Build a list of email contacts when your customers have work done on their vehicles. Constant Contact, an email marketing company, says that email marketing has a response rate that is five times greater than traditional direct mail advertising. Many email marketing companies allow you to send as many professional-looking emails as you like for a monthly rate that is a fraction of the cost of sending a printed coupon or newsletter to each customer.
Referral Reward System
Keep new customers rolling in with little out-of-pocket expense by putting a referral system into place. A referral system encourages your existing clients to send their friends and family to your business, provided that you have offered them exceptional service. Offering your customers an incentive, such as a cash reward or discount off of future service, such as exterior detailing, is an excellent way to motivate your patrons to spread the good word about your auto shop.
Promote With Video
Once reserved only for businesses that could afford television commercials, a video showcasing your business is affordable for all auto shop owners. Post videos on the Internet via multiple portals, such as YouTube and Facebook, to highlight the kind of work you do. Show before and after footage of cars you have worked on; take potential customers on a tour of your shop, highlighting your state-of-the-art tools and facility. Post testimonials of your regular customers standing next to their cars while in front of your auto shop.
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