The Digital Shop® Blog
No matter how large or small your auto repair shop is, it needs a substantial advertising strategy to thrive in today’s market. Even if you haven’t given much thought to marketing before, the right ad can go a long way toward helping your business stand out from the competition.
However, you should go about this process carefully. An advertisement that doesn’t “click” with your target demographic could actually discourage them from doing business with your shop.
Creating a successful auto repair ad begins with understanding the basics of marketing and then applying them to your campaign.
Catch Their Attention
Even if your advertisement is well-written and beautifully designed, it won’t help your business if nobody pays attention to it. That’s where headlines come in–a smartly-constructed headline will grab the attention of your audience, encouraging them to look at the rest of your ad.
When you’re writing the headline for your auto repair ad, think about what kind of customer you want to attract to your shop and what would motivate them to read your advertisement in full.
Need some inspiration? Here are a few of the all-time greatest advertising headlines:
- “How to Win Friends and Influence People”: This headline was used to promote the
- famous self-help book of the same name. Since there’s no shortage of folks who want to improve their people skills, this is a classic example of a headline with widespread appeal.
- “A Little Mistake That Cost a Farmer $3,000 a Year”: Whether you’re talking about news or advertising, not all headlines are positive. Consider directly addressing a pain point in your ad such as, “Scared every time it snows?”
- “Is the Life of a Child Worth $1 to You?”: This is more relevant to the auto repair field than you might think–it was written to promote a brake-relining service. On top of that, it’s a perfect demonstration of the role emotional appeal can play in your ads.
Why Your Auto Shop?
Give people in the market for auto services a reason to choose your shop instead of any alternatives. In the advertising world, factors that separate one business from the rest are referred to as “Unique Selling Propositions,” or “USPs” for short.
You’ll need to define your shop’s USP yourself–that’s what makes it a “unique” selling proposition, after all. A “true” USP should meet three criteria:
- It includes a direct, tangible benefit for potential customers. That is to say, it doesn’t just rely on buzzwords or purple prose as a distraction while offering nothing of value.
- The benefit in question is something that your competitors, at least in the local area, can’t or don’t already offer.
- The benefit is strong enough to drive interest in your business while giving existing customers a reason to stick with you.
Depending on what you offer and what your competitors don’t, your USP could be anything from online repair scheduling to digital vehicle inspection.
Address Pain Points
You can supercharge interest in your auto shop by correctly identifying your target audience’s “pain points” and offering a solution.
Put simply, a pain point is another name for a problem a potential customer is going through. Not every individual in your target market will have the same pain points, but some issues are more common than others. Consider the most common pain points among your customers. From there, you can let people know how they can resolve these issues by visiting your auto business.
Let’s get started by looking at a few pain points often associated with auto repair and ways your shop could solve them. Oil changes and other services are a crucial part of automotive repair, but people with busy schedules can find it hard to schedule these appointments. If you offer pickup/drop-off services for customers’ vehicles, you could promote these services as the perfect solution to this problem.
On the other hand, some people who need automotive services may not trust auto shops. In that case, you should try to win over potential customers by focusing on your trustworthiness. Use your ad space to talk about your technicians' and service advisors’ qualifications, including any specific certifications they have.
Offer an Incentive
The fundamentals listed above will help you grab people’s attention, give them a reason to choose you instead of your competitors, and demonstrate how you can fix their problems. The final piece of the puzzle is to sweeten the deal by giving them an incentive - i.e., an extra reason to stop by your shop.
Some incentive ideas your auto shop could use include:
- Online coupons
- Free detailed inspections
- Complimentary windshield wiper replacements
- Oil change discounts
- Gift card giveaways
- Free “swag” branded with your logo
- Contests, raffles, and special events
- A rewards program
Attract and Retain More Customers
With these tips, you’ll be off to a great start when it comes to creating a successful auto repair ad. But it’s also a good idea to work with a digital marketing partner to help get the word out about your business. The right partner will have experience in the auto repair space and can guide you through the best strategies.
AutoVitals, for example, offers robust software for auto repair. With comprehensive website design and digital marketing services, AutoVitals was built by people with decades in the industry who understand the importance of performance, SEO, and user accessibility.
They also provide reliable solutions for digital vehicle inspections, workflow management, review and reputation management, and more. If you want to give your garage the foundation it needs to stay successful for decades to come, schedule a demo with AutoVitals.
