Building a Loyal Customer Base
When you first started your repair shop, you probably had to get the word out there. Maybe you handed out business cards at the gym or had your family tell all their friends about your new venture. Today, you likely have a loyal customer base – those regulars who drop by whenever they need repairs and recommend your shop to their inner circle. That word-of-mouth marketing is invaluable. After all, new customers can’t come to your shop if they don’t know about it.
But even with loyal customers spreading the good word, you’ll eventually hit a plateau. People don’t have an endless number of friends and family in the area to refer your shop to. Plus, think about all the different information channels people use these days – TV, newspapers, local magazines, social media, online publications, and more. Not everyone gets their information from the same place. Half your potential customers might be on Facebook, while the other half prefer Twitter. There are even some who learn about businesses the old-fashioned way by picking up the local newspaper.
You have to be able to reach people across multiple channels. Even then, customers can be fickle. A new customer that one of your regulars referred might visit your shop once, but then decide to check out a closer shop, even though they really enjoyed your team’s service. This is why word-of-mouth marketing, as nice as it is, shouldn’t be the only strategy you rely on.
Retaining Existing Customers
One of the easiest ways to get more business from existing customers is for your service advisors to follow up on declined repairs. Say a customer came in a month ago with an engine issue, and during the inspection, the technician noted that the brake pads were starting to wear thin, but not severely enough to warrant an immediate replacement. A quick call from your service advisor to check in on how those brakes are holding up could easily turn into scheduling that brake job.
You already have an “in” with that customer – they’ll probably want to finish the repair where they started rather than hunting for a new shop. Plus, they’ll appreciate your team’s attentiveness and diligence in remembering them and their vehicle’s needs. That positive impression will increase the likelihood they’ll come back again in the future.
Another great way to delight existing customers is by providing them with helpful resources to take home, like a flyer on “Engine Maintenance Best Practices” or a pamphlet on “What to Do When You Have a Flat Tire.” It’s a win-win – your customers get a useful reference they can turn to, and they’ll remember your name and logo whenever they do.
You can also show your appreciation through small gifts, like t-shirts with your logo or candy for customers to enjoy while they wait. Timing these gifts can be strategic, like sending them for holidays or to celebrate a customer’s loyalty after a year of regular visits. Just be mindful of costs – you want to ensure you’re getting a good return on these investments.
Building a Loyalty Program
Loyalty programs are a fantastic way to encourage customers to keep coming back to your shop. The key is to offer perks and rewards that create a specific reason for them to return, beyond just your stellar service.
Some ideas for a repair shop loyalty program include discounted oil changes, free annual tire rotations, or exclusive access to repair how-to videos your team creates. The goal is to give customers a sense of belonging and make them feel valued for their continued business.
When determining which customers to invite to your loyalty program, take a look at Tekmetric’s Customer List Report to identify your most frequent and high-spending patrons. These dedicated customers are likely to be the most interested in the benefits a loyalty program has to offer.
Incentivizing Referrals
One of the best ways to give and receive is to create a referral challenge or program where you incentivize your existing customers to refer new business. For example, during the summer months, you could run a promotion where for every three new customers an existing customer brings in, they get a gift card or a certain percentage off their next repair.
The key is to have a system in place to track who is referring new customers. The easiest way is to train your service advisors to simply ask each new customer who walks in if anyone referred them to the shop, and if so, who. That way, you can easily reward your loyal advocates.
Engaging Customers Online
Creating engaging online content that your customers can interact with is one of the more complex auto repair shop marketing strategies, but it can pay big dividends. This requires carefully considering factors like what kind of content to produce, which platforms to share it on, and who will create it.
Some ideas for content could include how-to videos, educational blog posts, or even a virtual tour of your shop. One of the best ways to increase engagement on your website is by offering online scheduling through a tool like Shopgenie, which seamlessly integrates with Tekmetric.
Attracting New Customers
While retaining your existing customers is crucial, you should also have strategies in place to attract new business. Getting involved in your local community is one of the most fulfilling ways to do this. Think about all the events happening in your area – school fundraisers, networking hours, football games, animal shelter adoption showcases, and more. There are so many opportunities to partner up and market your business.
You can also run special promotions for new customers, like a percentage off their first repair or an oil change special. Just be sure to offer similar deals to your loyal customers as well, so they don’t feel left out.
Building partnerships with other local businesses, like auto body shops or collision repair centers, is another effective way to generate new customers. You can refer customers to each other, creating a win-win scenario.
Mastering Search Engine Optimization
Perhaps the most important – and challenging – auto repair shop marketing strategy is mastering search engine optimization (SEO). When people need repair work, Google is often the first place they turn. The key is creating valuable, authoritative content that answers their questions and helps your shop rank high in local search results.
This goes beyond simply listing your business on Google. It requires a more strategic approach, like targeting specific keywords related to the types of repairs you do and the vehicles you work on. An SEO expert can help you determine the best keywords to focus on and optimize your existing content accordingly.
Finding the Right Balance
I know, that’s a lot of different auto repair shop marketing strategies to consider. The good news is, you don’t have to implement them all at once. Start by trying a few that seem most promising for your business and budget, and see what kind of results you get.
Remember to track the impact of each strategy, so you can refine your approach over time. Tekmetric’s various reports, like the Customer Lead Source Report and Discounts Report, make it easy to analyze which marketing efforts are paying off.
The most important thing is to find the right balance for your shop – one that keeps your existing customers coming back while also attracting new business at a pace you and your team can comfortably handle. ITFix is here to support you every step of the way.
