Repair Shop Advice

Are My Customers On Social Media? Do I Need Social Media for My Business?

YES!  Yes, you do.  Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and GOOGLE+ are the modern day word of mouth.  Believe us when we tell you, “Nothing spreads faster than information over social media!”

Example: When Chris arrived at Adam’s Auto Repair Shop he checked into the shop through Foursquare on his smart phone. He appreciated the service so much that he received at Adam’s Auto Repair Shop, he shared the experience with his friends on Facebook. He also has a twitter account so he tweeted it out to his 1,000 followers.  In an instant, tons of people know who, where, and what Adam’s Auto Repair Shop is all about. Now because of the good review by Chris, those people tell their friends, those friends tell their friends, and even more friends tell their friends.  Adam’s has just become “Internet Famous!” That is your goal!

Do you have social media for your business but don’t know what to post or do with it? Check out my list of ideas and tips below.

Ideas for Social Media Posts:

• Company News/ Updates – events, new equipment, important dates
• Share Content – blogs, articles, videos, reviews
• Tips – provide knowledge about vehicle, solutions to problems
• Ideas – how to repair vehicle or what is wrong
• Contests/ Polls – sweepstakes, photo’s, car questions, videos
• Share Photos – choose interesting/ entertaining photos that your customers can relate to or connect with it.
• Ask Questions – get your fans involved, feedback, engage
• Customer Support – answer questions, show you have a face behind your brand
• Promotions/ Specials – coupons or special’s your shop is offering
• Advertise – promote your services or products
• Free Stuff – give away money, services or products

Use social media to promote your services and engage with your customers.  Set up social media accounts, add it to your website, and interact with your fans.  If you don’t have time for Social Media, Repair Shop Websites can take care of it for you.

Did you know our 4th Gear package offers Facebook and Google + set up and posts?  We can post once a week, so you are actively reaching your customers.  This is one thing you can do to help your Auto Repair Shop Website run at maximum potential.  Don’t just have a website for your repair shop.  Help us make it work for you. If you aren’t comfortable or need more information, call 866 665 1605 for assistance.

Repair Shop’s and Social Media

Promote Your Business Online! 

We hear it every day, “I need to save money, but I need new customers.”   Well, what have you done lately to attract new customers?  If the answer is “NOTHING,” we have a few things that can have an immediate impact on new customers finding you.

If you have a website, focus the majority of your marketing efforts online.  Get in front of your customer, and have them remember your services.  When it is time for them to purchase a product or service, they need to check with you first.   Here are some effective ways to promote your business online:

1. Search Engines – Your customers are using search engines a lot more than any other directory to look up products or services. You need to make sure your business website has a strong presence on the most popular search engines. The most popular search engines are: Google, Bing, and Yahoo.  Google, however, has 80% of the search market and you need to focus your search engine efforts there.  Make sure you have completely created your Google Places page.
2. Social Media – Create a social media account on these four sites:  Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.  Use them to share tips, ideas, and information about your business. This will help form a personal relationship with your business.
3. Citations – Citations are local directories where you can list your business.  Citations include Yelp, Citysearch, Yahoo Local, and more.  They are important, because they create quality organic back links to your website.  Being able to have your business name, address, and phone number all over the internet consistently will help add credibility, and help your search rankings.
4. Blogs – In 2013, content is king!  When it comes to search engine optimization, the content you write on your blog is extremely important for your business. Use your blog to share tips, ideas, information about your business, and help your customers.  This will bring in internet traffic from search engines and the traffic will be directed to your website.  Having a blog helps establish your credibility and builds trust with the reader.
5. Newsletters – People check their emails every day.  A great way to get in front of your customers is to send out monthly or bi-weekly newsletters. The newsletter will help them keep your business in mind when they need your help.  You can run promotions, tips, and ideas.
6. Mobile- If your website is not mobile friendly; you are hurting your online marketing strategy. Everyone today has a cell phone and the majority of people have a smart phone. Your website needs to be easy and simple to use for your customers. They should be able to get everything done with one touch!
7.  Call – to –Actions- This is important because your internet visitors need to know what to do when they come to your website, social media page, blog, or citation. Having a call-to-action will result in an action by the web visitor or provide some kind of value. When a visitor arrives, they may be undecided about the purchase.   But, if you ask them to do something or provide valuable information, it may convince them to contact you!

The tips above will help increase traffic to your website, and increase the number of customers in your door.  Make sure you have created goals and a plan for your internet marketing strategy before you move forward.

If you have any questions about online marketing, please contact us at help@repairshopwebsites.com or 1-866-665-1605 Option 2.