Blog

Email marketing is not dead: tips for 2016

Do you remember in 2015 when all the marketing experts said email marketing was dead? Neither do we. Although there were some published reports that declared the time of email marketing was ending, that didn’t prove to be the case. In fact, email marketing increased slightly last year, according to some industry experts. About 74 percent of... Read More

How to get more traffic to your blog

Maintaining a blog can be a beneficial thing for your business. It allows you to show your expertise, offer some free advice to your customers and, sometimes, have a little fun. As a marketing tool, it is often the cherry on top of your message—if you use it correctly, that is. It can show the... Read More

How to get started with Facebook Audience Optimization

Like the ruby slippers from Wizard of Oz, the key to increasing your Facebook engagement may have been with you all along. Or, in this case, recently added. Facebook has added a new feature, Audience Optimization, that will allow you to specify the audiences most likely to engage with each Facebook page post, based on... Read More

How to handle customer complaints

Customer complaints are as much a part of doing business today as they have been since the first person traded coin for product. Obviously, the methods have changed. Back in the day, people would either bring it up in the store or, perhaps, stew a bit and then give the owner a call. Now, more... Read More

How to grow your Facebook organic reach

If you’re not getting the kind of engagement you’d like with your Facebook page, it’s possible that not many of your followers are seeing it. It’s more than possible, in fact—it’s probable. The reach of your Facebook page has most likely been decreasing no matter what you do. That’s by design. As Facebook relies more... Read More

Posting your content, and checking it twice

Putting together daily social media posts and weekly blogs can seem like a futile task if you don’t know how effective they are. Creating or scheduling the content is only half of the business battle—to use social media effectively, you have to know how well it’s working. Tracking your social media activity will also help... Read More

How to improve social media engagement for your auto shop

If your content is not getting the kind of engagement you’d like, you’re not alone. No matter how well you plan out your marketing efforts, you might not get the kind of interaction with your audience you’re hoping for, making it difficult to tell how effective your social marketing is. It doesn’t mean you should... Read More

Websites and social media: How to find the right blend

Online marketing and internet searches mean there are more ways for you to promote your business and get noticed than ever before. Obviously, the more different channels you use, the more effective you will be in finding and attracting new customers and engaging with and keeping your existing ones. Studies have shown that more than... Read More

How to check out your competitors’ social media marketing plans

It’s important to pay attention to your competitors, both their brick-and-mortar locations and their social media and web spaces. Not only do you want to differentiate yourself from them, but you also want to learn what works for them—and what doesn’t. Knowing each will help you save money and be more successful in the long... Read More

The five components of a healthy web site

We live in a fast-paced world, with dozens of things competing for our attention at all times. The prevalence of social media and the ever-increasing speed of the internet—along with the ever-dwindling attention span of most people—means you don’t have very long to attract and keep the attention of customers and potential customers. In fact,... Read More

How to maximize twitter for your auto shop

Twitter can be an effective tool to leverage your other social media efforts, but it’s important to use it to its highest potential. Fortunately, that’s not as hard as it may seem. As with other social media platforms, it starts with how you describe yourself and who you interact with. Optimize your profile Focus on... Read More

Make the news work for your auto shop

Facebook isn’t just a place for social interaction any more. It’s becoming more and more a place where people get their news and share newsworthy events. A recent study out of the Pew Research Center indicates that increasing numbers of Facebook users visit the site to get news, as well as to catch up with... Read More

Avoid these email marketing mistakes

Today, personalized marketing is more important than ever. There are so many ways businesses are trying to attract the attention of customers—and so many different ways to do it—that the personal touch will go a long way toward elevating your shop above the rest. Email is a tried and true way for business owners to... Read More

How to use social media to promote your auto shop: a refresher course

By now you know that using social media for business purposes isn’t all fun and games. It takes a little bit of effort to convert your social media presence into sales at your auto shop, but don’t worry: you are not alone. Social selling is as common a challenge in the auto repair industry as... Read More

Borrow ideas from other industries to help your auto repair shop

It the auto shop business, it’s not always easy to come up with a different kind of marketing idea that will bring new customers into your business and keep others loyal. Fortunately, the auto repair business isn’t the only type out there, and you can draw your inspiration from other businesses and types of businesses.... Read More

Mistakes to avoid with your auto shop’s website

Your website is the online anchor of your business and it may be the first thing your customers or potential customers see. With all the free tools out there, it’s relatively easy to design your own, but it’s also relatively easy to make some mistakes along the way. Here are a few common errors to... Read More

How to give your auto shop’s email a fighting chance

Your email list is one of your most important marketing tools, but having a large list doesn’t guarantee success. From the moment you request a customer’s email to the moment you sent out your first—and second, and third—email of the month, there are plenty of pratfalls that can trip you up. Here’s how you can... Read More

How to increase customer loyalty for your auto repair shop

As an auto shop owner, you have to split your time between operating and maintaining your shop, attracting new customers and taking care of the ones you already have. Of the three, ensuring customer loyalty is probably the most important—keeping a satisfied customer loyal is cheaper, in the long run, than attracting new ones and... Read More

What to include in your auto shop blog

Maintaining a blog is one of the best things you can do for your business. Blogs are easy to create and maintain and relatively inexpensive—with sites like WordPress or Blogger, you can get started for free—and they will help you reach new customers through improved search engine rankings and general word of mouth. The concept... Read More

Mobility matters: impress your customers no matter where they are

Many companies optimize their web pages for computer users, but it’s important to remember that that’s not the only way people surf the web these days. In fact, according to Kissmetrics, most people are more likely to surf the web through a mobile device–either a smart phone or tablet–than at their own PC or laptop. Consider this:... Read More