2) Auto repair is expensive. It takes money away from something else your customer wanted to spend it on. The $29.95 oil change and inspection - that turned into a brake job and a 30,000 mile maintenance - was the $900 they had been saving up to buy that long anticipated - flat screen, High Def TV. They may not hate you, but there could be an underlying negative association that can be completely subconscious and yet quite strong.
3) Looking for a new auto repair shop is confusing, frustrating and frightening. If someone is looking for a new shop, it is because they left the one they were using for some important reason. They usually don’t have the slightest idea of where to go or what to look for and they are afraid they are going to get ripped off because the last shop they tried ripped them off, didn’t fix their car right and treated them rudely.
So Shop Owner – this is the mindset you are dealing with from your potential new customer. When you are developing your marketing you must realize that their priority of importance for finding a new auto repair shop shows up at about number 326 on the list of “Things I Most Like To Do”. A root canal ranks higher…
The Point Is This: With your advertising, you are swimming up-stream from the start, and the Prime Customer - is the hardest of all to win over. You must win their trust and confidence. You need the right content. Nothing else will do.
When It Comes To Auto Service Marketing And Advertising
The Only Function Of A Web Site Is To Sell.
It’s not to show them how cool you are, show your expensive equipment, your stacks of parts and tires, your racing clubs, Yugo Owners Club, political opinions, your new motorcycle, links to 50 other automotive related sites and the first photos of your 1 year old child walking.
The function of your site is to get them there by displaying your image, create a positive feeling and make them an offer they can’t refuse – so they will call or come in.
Hit them immediately – hit them hard (delicately) with an image and comfort zone that is exactly what they are looking for. Hold them for 2 to 6 minutes, show them you love them, have exactly what they need, and give them every reason to desire and prefer you above all other competitive sites, so they will visit you first.
Most auto service shop owners like to put about 70% to 90% of their efforts into SEO when developing their auto service marketing web site. The lure of FREE ADVERTISING with the organic search is the big draw. So you go nuts with Search Engine Optimization and completely leave out customer content that will make the Prime Customer call.
But when it comes to content, not much is known and there seems to be little interest on the subject. You see little or no image, endless copy and behind the curtain tricks – but they have little to no CUSTOMER CONTENT. And often, include content that can actually turn away the very customer the shop is looking for.
