Auto Repair Marketing – 4 Auto Repair Advertising Ideas

Posted by in Automotive Repair on August 7, 2011

By Matthew Lord

So, you want to get more cars in your shop to increase your revenues is that correct? Auto repair marketing via the internet is a great way to get more local customers into your shop! Online marketing has grown leaps and bounds in the last few years, and with phone books and Yellow Pages fast becoming obsolete, internet marketing is where the real profits are for auto shops. Here I want to share with you 5 auto repair advertising ideas that you can implement into your business to drastically improve the number of cars you service on a monthly basis!

1. You must have a website, and it needs to be designed using the WordPress platform. Most websites are basically just “flyers,” but with WordPress you can create great looking websites, integrate a business blog, install a form that automatically acquires leads for you, and integrate your website with Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and other online marketing channels. Sounds pretty cool huh? The sad part is that typically an automotive repair shop will hire a web designer, and he will design a website as cheaply as possible and charge a large sum for the work. The web designer is not a marketing consultant, so instead of designing a marketing machine based on tested internet marketing principles, he simply designs a static site that is not conducive to internet marketing. I see it all of the time when I am look at people who are pushing auto repair marketing services.

2. One of the best auto repair advertising ideas revolves around social media. Websites such as Twitter and Facebook are really taking off, and smart auto shops are using these auto repair marketing platforms to promote their business and acquire new customers. The obvious question is “how can an auto repair shop benefit from Twitter and Facebook marketing?” Those sites are for kids right? Wrong! Facebook has millions of adults logging in on a daily basis, as does Twitter. By being on these sites, you are instantly in front of a large portion of your local or regional audience. Guess what happens when Sally needs a new transmission, brakes, etc. and she sees your businesses profile on Facebook? You have a new customer! Do a good job repairing her vehicle, and she comes back time and time again. This one person seeing your business profile on Facebook or Twitter could easily be worth thousands of dollars to your business!

3. Your website needs to appear in local search results on Google. It is not easy to get listed on the first page of Google and Yahoo, but with some good marketing it can be done. For instance, I am an independent marketing consultant in Atlanta, and I rank #1 on Google for the term “Atlanta independent marketing consultant.” In addition to this, I rank #2 on Yahoo for “Atlanta marketing consultant.” Trust me, having your website ranking highly for local keyword phrases can bring you a ton of new business! This is auto repair marketing at its finest! I have beat out over 2,000 websites to get those rankings, so don’t you think I could help your auto repair shop marketing efforts?

4. Another great auto repair marketing idea is writing information articles and press releases. I imagine you do not have the time to write articles, and certainly do not have the time to put together a well written press release. The good news is that you can get marketing firms to do this for you at a very reasonable price. I have written hundreds of articles promoting by marketing consulting business, and I can tell you it is an impactful and very affordable method to market your auto repair shop online.

These are just a few auto repair advertising ideas that you can add to your auto repair marketing arsenal. The best thing is to hire a professional marketing consultant who can come in and show you step by step exactly what you need to do to turn your internet marketing efforts into a cash generating machine for your automotive repair business!

Do you want to take your auto repair business to the next level with a serious internet marketing campaign designed specifically to get more vehicles in your shop, and put more money in your pocket?

 

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Car Repair Loans – Financing Your Automotive Repairs

Posted by in Car Loans on August 7, 2011

By Alexander Wheaton

If you own a newer vehicle, you know how expensive the repair costs can be, and how quickly they add up. Cars these days are becoming more and more technologically advanced, and require more expertise when it comes to repairing them. With this comes a steeper repair bill, as the costs for the labor and parts are going to be higher. Luckily you can buy yourself some time, and save your wallet from the shock by pursuing Car Repair Loans.

A car repair loan is going to work just like any other type of personal loan. In this case, the amount you apply for will be for the cost of the repair on your car or truck. Be careful not to apply for more than you need, as personal loans like these often come with a pretty high interest rate. After you have been approved and have the money in hand, you will pay your repair bill just like you would with your own money.

There are a couple of different options when you want to finance your car repairs.

Your first option is going to be your personal bank. I would always try them first, as they are familiar with you and your financial situation. It’s also important to be comfortable with your lender, and using your own bank can ease any doubts or concerns. You can also sometimes receive a better rate from a lending institution that you have a history with.

Another option you should look into for a car repair loan is a lender that specializes in loans for auto repair. These lenders are very familiar with the auto repair industry, and can provide you with all the assistance you need to get your car back on the road. When you are looking into these type of lenders, look for the companies that are asset based lenders. Asset based lenders can usually approve a much higher percentage of applicants simply because they don’t use your credit and payment history as their only criteria for lending. This is especially helpful if you are someone with less than desirable credit looking for a loan.

A car repair loan has the ability to really help out someone who is strapped for cash. Especially in these tough economic times, it’s important to manage our money with extreme care. Remember to weigh all your options, and find the lender you are the most comfortable with. Borrowing any amount of money is a big decision, so take your time, and find the right lender for you.

Alexander has worked in the automotive repair industry for years, and provides helpful information on everything automotive related on his blog.

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Automotive Repair Shop Software Review – For Repair Shop Owners

Posted by in Automotive Repair on August 7, 2011

By Tope Ola

Automotive repair shop software is a tool that is designed to reduce to the barest minimum of time you spend on administrative activities, so that you can actually concentrate on the job, improve business work flow and make more profits.

Advanced technology and knowledge has moved car shop management activities and control to a higher level where you can handle much more jobs, work faster, and net more profits.

You can actually move your shop from the traditional time wasting method of filing carbon copy forms, and doing everything manually to tracking all activities electronically.

Good automotive repair shop software will handle all your jobs from the beginning to the end, thus making your shop administration far less boring.

The following are the features that make this software indispensable for every car repair centers that want to really jerk up their productivity.

1. Appointment Scheduling: You can easily plan your appointments with customers ahead of the time, and get information about when customers are due to arrive for their jobs and the time you allow for them.

2. Track Work in Progress: With a simple color code you can track the status of each job and know how they are progressing.

3. Check Your Level of Profitability: You can easily determine when you are making profit or otherwise with the right color code.

4. Car Parts Sales: You can sell auto parts over the counters without the input of the full details of customers, a great time and money saver.

In the situation where you have a lot of customers to deal with, automotive repair shop software will show you who you sell what to, and all the details associated with it.

You can also get all the information you need about customers’ histories, that will help you to quickly confirm and determine important issues like refund, recalls, etc.

5. Parts Management: The software can take care of issues like inventory control, price matrix, restock invoice tracking, etc, which will help you to have total control over parts movement and prices, and minimize losses altogether.

6. Marketing Management: A great marketing tool that will help you do follow up on customers by giving you information on them and helping you to send reminders, thank you cards, appointment scheduling time, etc.

Automotive repair shop software makes all your workshop activities a breeze. It turns every complexity into a simple process that will make your job less burdensome and more profitable.

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