This article provides what you need to market your auto body repair shop and make it a success online and offline in 2015.
Marketing your Auto Body Repair facility should not be considered an expense, but rather as an investment. Many auto body repair shops make the mistake of attempting to create their own online website, or printing their own marketing materials, and the outcome usually results in a poorly constructed print-design, and a website that lacks substantial Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Getting Things Started
First, take the time to write a marketing plan, one that intends to turn a profit and grow your business. While writing your marketing plan, remember to make sure your message is clear, consistent and delivered with the utmost professionalism.
Must-Have Auto Body Shop Online and Offline Marketing Materials
A few unique marketing ideas can produce huge results, but if you are unsure what to include in your marketing plan, don’t worry. AutoBody-Review encourages you to use these marketing hints to help place your auto body shop ahead of the competition:
Business cards – No business can survive without them. Make sure your business impression is attached with any print materials being mailed out, is handed out at every local networking event and distributed to happy customers so they can pass them along to other potential customers.
Postcards – Postcards are one of the most cost-effective ways to market an auto body shop. Send them consistently – a new post card produced quarterly will go a long way to stay in contact with you customers. Seasonal cards are appropriate as well, such as before the winter ice and the spring rain, so customers already know where you are when they need you. Send it to all of your existing customers, and while you are producing repair estimates, make sure you are capturing the potential clients' information so you can then send them a postcard, effectively keeping your shop's name fresh in their minds.
Posters – With the right brand message and graphical elements, well-placed posters can motivate tons of responses. Excellent places to place your auto body facility’s posters would include local car wash establishments, local automobile dealers, tire companies and other auto related businesses. Offering to include their posters and marketing material in your facility can be an excellent networking opportunity. Remember that the employees, owners and friends of these businesses will need collision repairs in their life time as well.
Flyers – Auto body shop flyers are excellent marketing materials for placement on bulletin boards, windshields, direct mail, storefront windows and more.
Auto body booklets/guides – Booklets are a unique and profitable way to give your prospects value. Use a booklet to explain auto body care techniques, and to highlight your work. Think “How to Protect Your Paint Job for Decades.” By utilizing your years of expertise to create useful material, not only will you create value for your community but also provides personal pride.
Brochures – Brochures are auto industry requirements, but this does not mean they have to be boring. Add attention-grabbing information to your brochures with stimulating die cuts and oversized printing. The more unique the brochure, the more attention they will catch.
Calendars –Most people will take a free calendar, and they’ll use it, too. What better way to put your message in front of potential customers than to have it available 365 days a year? Make sure to have your calendar stand out from the crowd. Have it spotlight your best work, and highlight key automotive milestones (such as when tires should be rotated and oil should be changed). This will make your material more engaging than any other run-of-the-mill calendar, and will keep your name in your potential customers’ heads when they are in need of repair.
Greeting cards - Thanking your customers for their business and commemorating their special moments with greeting cards will earn you a special place in their hearts. Remember that most purchasing decisions are based on emotion, and then justified with logic.
Sample of AutoBody-Review Window Cling
Stickers – Sticker marketing lets you shatter boundaries. Affix stickers to anything: ceilings, floors, magazines, notebooks, windows, cars – anywhere your target audience is likely to find them. When you join AutoBody-Review.com, you'll receive a window cling showcasing how you have verified customer reviews online. This should be placed on your store front and other places where you want to draw views.
Blogs – Well written and informative blogs add value and help you stay connected to your customers year round. They also supply the perfect medium to market new and ongoing services. Use your expertise to publicize your education and skill in the Collison Repair industry. Sites such as AutoBody-Review.com will provide you a place to write, edit and produce blogs/articles.
Vinyl banners – Banners are an affordable way to draw attention to your business. Place one on the side of your building, or on another prominent building and have it point to yours. You can include the AutoBody-Review button to encourage consumers to check out your verified reviews online.
Corporate Identity Package – A corporate identity package is perfect for marketing your services to upscale businesses by including a letterhead, envelopes, a brochure, flyers, business cards and a pocket folder. All material and signatures should include your AutoBody-Review.com signature button, alerting them that you have verified reviews online.
Door Hangers – Door hangers help you reach residential neighborhoods without the added expense of postage. Have them provide the highlights of your shop, while also being eye-catching to your prospective customer.
Website – A website is an important online marketing tool and should be back linked with other relevant sites Also, while creating your online and printed materials, do not take shortcuts. You are creating the image of your auto body business. Marketing materials are relatively inexpensive, so hire someone to produce professional photos, send your printing jobs to a state-of-the-art online printing company, and join AutoBody-Review.com for your SEO needs.
Getting your auto body repair shop’s name and brand out to the public can be a challenge, but it is a very worthwhile marketing venture. By following these suggestions alongside the construction of your marketing plan, you will ultimately see an increase of customer response.
At AutoBody-Review.com, we post each and every customer review we receive-both good and bad. We never filter our reviews to “help” a body shop look good and our strict processes prevent phony or fake reviews from being posted to our site. For pure, unadulterated and 100% objective reviews, rely on AutoBody-Review.com each and every time.
