An Automotive Copywriter Can Write Copy that Attracts New Customers
Get a no-obligation quote here.
Today’s auto repair shops need to take an active role in marketing their business.
Today’s auto repair shops have plenty of competition. It’s not only the local car dealerships angling for your customers, it’s also the nationally owned, auto repair franchises like Pep Boys, Midas and Jiffy Lube, the locally owned auto repair and body shops, and even the DIY folks who shop stores like Advance Auto Parts of AutoZone for parts and don’t mind getting their hands dirty.
To make matters worse if you have an auto repair business, today’s cars don’t break down like they used to. They’re designed to last longer and require less maintenance. That’s terrific for vehicle owners, but where does it leave you?
Getting new customers in the door of your car repair business is challenging, even if you’ve built a steady reputation, a loyal clientele and been successful with word-of-mouth advertising. A copywriter for auto repair and auto body shops can help.
If you don’t have a website or your website is old or inadequate, it’s time to dedicate some resources toward improving your online image. These days, you should have a polished web presence for visibility and credibility.
Another must have? Your website must be mobile friendly. It needs to look right and function correctly whether your visitor is viewing your site on their desktop PC, their tablet or their phone.
An automotive copywriter can write content for your website to attract new customers.
A website copywriter for auto repair businesses can create content that explains your company philosophy. Perhaps you’d like people to know about honesty and integrity or that yours is a family-owned business. That’s one way to stand apart from big, impersonal car dealerships and franchise repair shops.
Your website also should describe all of your mechanical and electrical repair services for cars, trucks, vans and trailers. If you do routine maintenance on vehicles, mention that as well.
If you’ve recently added a service like brake repair, wheel and alignment services, or AC tune-ups, the best place to start promoting it is with an offer on your website. Write a separate page about your newly-added service and include details of what it includes and why it’s necessary. You might even want to hype it with a low introductory price.
Automobile product suppliers, from car dealerships to auto technology manufacturers, have been using digital marketing to expand their market share for decades. Follow their lead. With a creative design and the right words on your website, you can attract potential customers and persuade them that you’re the perfect solution for their automotive repair problem.
To compete with auto dealers, auto body shops need to promote their name and capabilities so that prospective customers will think of them should they need accident repair work.
Your auto repair website should target local customers. After all, you have one of those businesses that can’t go virtual.
Have your automotive copywriter write your copy with SEO best practices in mind and optimized for the geographic areas you serve. If you have an auto repair or auto body repair shop in Orlando, Florida, for example, make sure your location is mentioned on your key pages. That way, when someone from your area goes on Google and searches for car repairs in Orlando, your name is likely to come up in the results.
Target the local auto repair market with profiles and ads on sites like Facebook and Yelp.
You should also consider using Facebook and Google ads to target customers in your local area. An auto repair copywriter can help you create Google Business, Facebook, LinkedIn, Angie’s List and Yelp profile pages where you can promote your services and special offers.
Having an online blog can drive traffic to your website. Post informative articles about auto maintenance and repairs. If you can’t write them, or writing isn’t the best use of your time, hire a freelance automotive copywriter who is comfortable with mechanical or technical subject matter.
When someone goes on Google and searches for information on a particular automotive topic, your blog post may come up. At the end of the post, write a brief sales pitch for your service related to the topic. Soon you’ll have prospective customers saying, “I was looking up how to fix my ignition system and found your article. You’re clearly an expert. Can I schedule an appointment for your repair services?”
Start a blog to keep in touch with your automotive repair customers.
Here are 10 quick article ideas for your blog:
Get the idea? The blog posts don’t need to be overly complex. They just need to give useful information and perhaps a subtle sales pitch at the end for your services.
Think of blogging as a way to stay in touch and top of mind with your existing customers. Remember though, your blog is not for overt selling. It’s to share helpful information regarding automobile maintenance and repair, allowing you to promote your expertise.
If you don’t have the time or desire to create content for your blog or website, work with a freelance copywriter who can tackle automotive subject matter.
By offering useful tips, you’re positioning yourself as an authority on the subject matter and your customers are more likely to think of you the next time their car needs fixing.
You should be collecting email addresses from your customers when they come in for auto repairs. Email campaigns can help you build relationships with them. It’s a direct line of communication that allows you to stay in touch with customers. Just don’t abuse the privilege.
Send out useful information about car maintenance and you can also include promotions, such as a discount on an oil change or a reminder to rotate their tires or get their car winter-ready.
Email marketing works. Not only will you generate more business for your services, you’ll also gain loyalty from your customers who appreciate your helpful suggestions that support the safety and longevity of their vehicle.
Consider mailing out auto service postcards. Remind customers about car maintenance or mention your specialties (i.e. foreign auto repairs, transmission problems, etc.).
Send postcards to customers reminding them it’s time to get their oil changed or get their car ready for winter.
Advertising with auto service postcards is cost-effective because:
If your customers are pleased with your work, encourage them to share their positive experience. They can write reviews about your auto repair business on Google, Yelp, and Facebook, to name a few. Those third-party endorsements and five-star reviews on social media will make you stand out from the competition.
Be optimistic about the future of the automobile repair industry. Like so many industries that were adversely affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, auto repair shops, auto parts stores and auto body repair businesses have suffered.
Even though auto repair is considered an essential business, and shops have been allowed to remain open, the shutdowns and slowdowns have resulted in fewer people on the roads. With cars sitting in garages they’re less likely to need repairs.
The 2020 Covid-19 pandemic took a toll on auto repair shops as people drove less and put off maintenance issues.
Jeffrey Cox, president of the Automotive Maintenance and Repair Association, said the problem is a national one. The national trade group represents mostly large chains such as Midas and Pep Boys in the Chicago area but some neighborhood shops, too.
“It’s slow all over, people are staying home. They aren’t going into work and putting miles on their vehicles,” he said in an article in the Chicago Sun Times titled, Auto Repair Shops Feeling Coronavirus Crunch. “And many are putting off maintenance due to uncertainty over paychecks.”
The good news is that the lull in consumer demand likely isn’t permanent. People still have new and used automobiles that will eventually need to be repaired, serviced or maintained.
In the auto repair industry, “independent auto repair shops perform 75% of the aftermarket automobile repair services,” according to Linchpin writing on Trends Transforming the Auto Repair Industry Outlook in 2020. If you’re diligent and proactive in marketing, your auto repair shop can continue to be profitable in 2021 and beyond.
Independent auto repair shops perform 75% of the aftermarket automobile repair services.
Just imagine what it’d be like if…
A professional copywriter for automotive repair can help you achieve those objectives through marketing. She can implement proven marketing techniques to fast track your success.
A professional automotive copywriter can help you accelerate the growth of your auto repair business.
Perhaps you’re a bit hesitant to try new marketing tactics. But if you want a different result, you can’t keep doing the same thing. You need to make changes and improvements. Look to an automotive repair copywriter to help take your auto repair business to the next level.
Get a no-obligation quote here.
Susan Greene
Professional Copywriter
Affordable Rates
Orlando, Florida
floridacopywriter@gmail.com
(407) 578-5528
