Today’s post is aimed at micro businesses and the motor repair shop used below can be replaced by any number of other small business types – coffee shop, hair and beauty salon, garden centre – all small businesses that will have an average of three employees.
Working on cars, trucks, vans or tractors or managing the office paperwork takes up most of your time when operating a small motor repair shop. You barely have a few minutes to take a lunch break during your day when tending the cars in the garage, scheduling appointments, and taking payments. Yet as the calls start to dwindle and there are fewer vehicles in the garage, you have to wonder about how to bring in more customers. You need a way to advertise to people that you are the best small motor repair shop in the neighbourhood.
Understanding Your Advertising Budget
Before tossing out ads at all advertising platforms, you first have to develop a marketing budget that is suitable to your business. This means breaking out the accounting software and taking a hard look at your bookkeeping records. Be realistic on what you can spend toward advertising and what money you have to invest in your repair shop such as paying garage workers, ordering parts, servicing repair equipment, and handling back-office expenses.
Once you have decided on what you can spend for advertising, you now have to determine the best ways to reach out to potential customers. To do this, you have to decide who your main customers are and where they will most likely see your advertising. Do you mainly work on vehicles belonging to commuters? Then billboard advertising may be the best strategy. If you work strictly on vintage and classic cars, passing out flyers and business cards at classic and vintage car shows may be ideal.
How To Advertise A Small Motor Repair Shop
There are numerous ways for you to advertise your motor repair shop. Once you narrowed down who your customer demographic is and where they will see your advertising, then you can decide on how to successfully market your shop. Advertising options can include:
* Television commercials
* Radio spots
* Outdoor advertising (billboards, banners, bus stop signage, and advertising decals on work vehicles)
* Print advertising (magazines, newspapers, local community pages, and flyers)
* Online advertising (paid ads, websites, newsletters and email blasts)
* Social media (Videos, social media sites, online industry trade sites, and blogs)
Investing in several different advertising options can allow you to target the places where your customers are more than likely to see your promotional efforts. Yet keep in mind that word-of-mouth also has advertising value for your business. Creating the best motor repair experience for customers will allow you to create a loyal customer base who will be eager to spread the word about your shop to their friends and family members. This marketing ploy can bring in a stream of business so long as you maintain your professionalism and superior customer service toward every person who has a problem with their vehicle.
Don’t forget to think about what you want to advertise to your customers. Are you going to offer a special deal, pass out coupons, or talk about expanding your services? The type of content you market toward people will also play an important role on where you will place the advertising for it to be seen by the most people. By taking all advertising options into consideration, you can make the most out of your marketing strategies and spend your budget wisely.
The blog from last Friday ‘Three strategies to create actionable sales objectives for your business’ compliments today’s blog as your advertising or marketing should underpin your sales objectives. The sales objectives are basically your plan of action on what you want your motor car parts shop to accomplish in the next 12 months so it makes sense to have the two aligned.
