Attracting business in today’s marketplace is quite different than it was 10 or even 5 years ago. The Internet is the shopping venue of choice for consumers and social media is now deeply ingrained in our culture. The impact of traditional advertising has been reduced as information is readily available at no cost to the consumer. The first and most important requirement in today’s environment is to be able to be found. This requires an effective website and being listed on the Internet in as many places as possible. The second and even more important factor in attracting new business is the online review. Nothing is more powerful than a referral – good or bad. So it behooves the shop owner to have as many positive online reviews in as many places as possible. And there are traditional methods of marketing that are still effective. Following are 6 ways to attract new business for an automotive repair business:
- Website – In today’s marketplace a website is not optional it’s essential. Furthermore the landing page of the website should contain phrases that people will use when they’re looking for a company to service their vehicle such as ‘auto repair’. The shop location should also be including on the landing page. This way the shop will be listed when people search on the Internet for a shop in their area.
- Online Reviews – Today people will research online reviews before choosing a service provider. To attract business a shop should have positive reviews on the major review sites such as Yelp. There are many different review sites so a good approach would be to determine which are most widely used in the geographic area of the shop.
- Service Provider Lists – Angie’s List is becoming more and more popular every day. On line services such as this also contain reviews by consumers that have used different service providers. Being listed on Angie’s list and having positive reviews can attract prospective customers.
- Auto Repair Specific Listings – Websites that list automotive repair shops such as Extreme Wrench and Repair Pal are effective places to gain exposure. Market specific listing sites such as Bimmer Shops for BMW service providers are also good places to be listed. These listing services actively work to maintain their search engine rankings and therefore increase the likelihood that a shop will be found.
- Carding Cars – This practice has been used for years and is still effective although it’s prohibited in some cities. Placing a business card between the door and window on the driver side of a car that’s parked will alert people of a shop’s availability without being too intrusive. A flyer is too big and inconvenient. A business card is small and can be set aside until needed.
- License Plate Frames – Placing a license plate frame on the rear license plate of a vehicle that comes in for service with the shop name and city will be visible to anybody driving behind the vehicle. These frames are relatively inexpensive and can build brand awareness.
