Let's be honest, if there
has ever been a more vilified profession in the blue-collar world then the auto
mechanic, people simply do not trust the folks that work on their cars.
However, for forward thinking auto mechanics, this is actually an advantage.
A bad
customer experience is an opportunity in disguise. With a little effort
mechanics can win the trust of the potential customers. This can be achieved by
following the tips provided in this article.
1) Giving away auto tips.
National Public Radio (NPR)
plays host to perhaps the most unconventional radio program on the air today; Car
Talk with the Magliozzi brothers (Click and Clack on the radio).
And what do these radio
star auto mechanics choose to talk and blog about? Auto mechanic and auto body
tips.
That's right - they give
away the keys to this realm on their radio show and in their blog. However,
their store on the ground has never experienced more traffic. Why? It is simply
because people trust them. They trust them to tell the truth no matter what.
Just because you give away the solution in a blog does not mean that your
customer is actually going to want to get their hands dirty to do it.
There's nothing wrong with
free information and even if you can't get your own nationally syndicated talk
show, you can always try your hand with a podcasting by using apps like Speaker or
joining podcasting communities like BlogTalkRadio.
2) Posting pictures of you
and your staff.
People want to know who
they'll meet when they visit your shop, because the self-imposed image of
"one-eyed Joe" isn't what's bringing them in. Having photos on your
own website will help them feel at ease.
The easiest way to do this
is to hire a local photographer, but you can also have one of your team members
take a few photos. Be sure that each photo is well lit and everyone has a
pleasant smile on their face. Then, have them uploaded to your website. Bonus
points for adding in everyone's name.
3) Blog your expertise.
The single best way to get
new business is to establish yourself as an expert. Right now, your only way of
doing this may be through a pleasant interaction with a customer where you told
them all about how their crummy driving is affecting the shocks on their car.
New Century Auto
Body may have the best variety of the blogs we found. They keep their blog
updated with videos related to auto repair, as well as how-to and tip posts
that can really add value and establish themselves as real experts in their
fields. The best part is that the posts they're putting up don't take a
professional copywriter to put together, just a professional auto mechanic.
4) Using testimonials &
reviews.
Public feedback about your
business is the most important tool to build trust with current and potential
customers. Having reviews and testimonials on your website and on other
review sites will boost your credibility and drive customers to your business.
So how do you get people to
give you testimonials and reviews? Simple, just ask. Want to kick
your reviews and testimonials up a notch? Incentivize them. Surprise your
customers with discounts on their next service appointment. They'll be happy to
have these discounts handy when new dings and dents appear.
5) Establish your presence
on Facebook.
Over a 100 million
Americans have Facebook accounts. That's a lot of car owners! If your auto
repair shop is active on Facebook you can stay on the minds of millions of
Americans that use Facebook each day.
- So how do you own your business on Facebook?
- Start by creating a page for your business on Facebook.
- Upload photos of your business and staff.
- Like the pages of other small businesses in your area.
- Post daily status updates. (use the 5:1 ratio, for every 5 status updates you post, make one of them promotional)
- Reply to any comments left on your page.
- Remind people where they can find your business and how you can be contacted.
- Repeat the above steps.
There is no short cut or secret formula to social media.
Anyone that tells you there is, probably take a lot of other short cuts in life
too. Social media should take some time, but it should also open your eyes to
things you didn't even know about your customers, and it should do the same
thing for them about you.
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