New Approach For Repair Shop Advertising

Different Way of Thinking

Traditional advertising has got it all backwards. It just doesn't work for small businesses who don't have ad budgets in the millions. Auto repair advertising needs to be very targeted and product specific.

Typical advertising spends huge amounts of largely wasted money attempting spreading your message to everyone. If your lucky you attract a few prospects who are possibly interested in what you are offering. Most times they forget who you are by the time they actually need you.

The problem is that the public has become numb to the daily bombardment of hit-or-miss advertising. They simply ignore it. Until they need your services so if you are not constantly pushing your message out they would become your customer. And advertising to everyone, constantly, gets expensive.

Maybe what you need to do is forget trying to communicate to EVERYONE and make it easier for the TRULY INTERESTED prospects to find YOU.

Seeking You

With people keeping their vehicles longer [1] they are, or will be, looking for more of your auto repair services! But it may surprise you WHERE they are searching for you. And rest assured the Yellow Pages book is no longer the first place they go. Greater numbers of people are turning to the Internet as their first choice for information.

WHERE are they looking on the Web?

Sure you have a listing in the on-line Yellow Pages directory. If you're really with it you've got a Google Business Profile and optimized Google Map listing for your website (you do have a repair shop website don't you?). And you are spending a fortune on SEO and Google Adwords trying to drive traffic to these on-line ads. But still not getting as many new customers as you want?

Consumers aren't stupid. They see these new marketing methods for what they truly are. Just another form of the old advertising pitch game. These wised-up consumers are now going one step further and totally bypassing Google searches leading to websites and generic directories. They are looking for recommendations from other vehicle owners they feel they can trust. They're checking out your reputation on-line to see if you're trustworthy long before walking through your front door [3].

Reputation Explosion

It's all about trust. If you want to attract and keep customers they have to find a measure of trust in you. And they no longer believe advertisements that's for sure!

A good word from their personal friends about “their” favorite auto repair shop is powerful. But if they can't get those recommendations, shoppers are turning to their on-line “friends” to see what they have say to say.

It might be Facebook, Yelp, Angie's List, YouTube, or many others. And users of those websites may already be talking about you. If your smart you will start building an on-line presence and positive reputation in these social networking arenas. This is one consumer revolution that you can't ignore [4].

Make Friends, Not Ads

In the good old days if you wanted more customers you just advertised more. Somebody not happy with you? Who cared. They could only tell so many people so the damage was minimal. But today a single dissatisfied customer combined with the Internet can tell thousands.

Think of how easily and quickly anyone can damage (destroy!) your reputation. Consumers are looking to these on-line communities for opinions and they trust the community voice. The marketplace is changing and consumers are feeling in control!

Head In The Sand = Business Failure

The old tale that a happy customer will tell a couple of their friends, but an unhappy customer will tell ten others is still true. The scary thing is that the Internet has greatly amplified the power of consumers! The unhappy are very vocal and they can tell thousands of their grief!

You have three options to work with this new form of social networking reputation:

1. Ignore what people are saying about you (head in the sand method);
2. Go into damage control and only react to criticism;
3. Be proactive and actively build a reputation that wows people and blows away your competition.

If you start with option #3 you won't end up doing option #2 which WILL happen if you chose option #1. Take control or be controlled! Your choice.

Give Vehicle Owners Something To Find

It's all about changing how you approach auto repair marketing. Rather than trying to hunt down reluctant prospects, build a reputation that people are actively looking for. Don't wait for them to talk about you. Encourage your satisfied customers ones to talk about you. Win back the unhappy. Start building a strong on-line presence and reputation. When prospects go looking for an auto repair shop make your shop THE place to go before they even meet you!

But Where Are You

Now that these motivated prospects have decided to do business with you they need information on how to get to your shop. The final link in this social networking connection is a website. A good website can build on that positive impression of your business and the people they will do business with. If you do a good job of it they'll be talking about you even before meeting you!

In future postings I'll write about how to go about building a on-line presence and how to build your strong, positive, attractive reputation.

[1] Autonet.ca Dee-Ann Durbin - Associated Press (2008-02-21). People keeping vehicles longer: report. Retrieved on 2009-06-23.

[2] Google.com Local Business Center help. Retrieved on 2009-06-23.

[3] The Virtual Handshake (2007-09-25). The Real Reason Advertising Doesn’t Work. Retrieved on 2009-06-23.

[4] Cluetrain.com The Cluetrain Manifesto, Chris Locke, Doc Searls, David Weinberger, Rick Levine. Retrieved on 2009-06-23.