Online marketing is a key way for body shop staffs to make connections with customers. 

On that note, Tom Zoebelein, the owner of collision industry marketing firm Stratosphere Studios, near Baltimore, recently provided FenderBender with his tips for improving a body shop’s ranking among Google My Business pages. 

Here were his suggestions for mastering this all-important marketing method these days (to see examples of Google My Business pages, click here.) 

• Claim the business on Google My Business, typically by clicking on “own this business.” 
• Clean up elements such as the shop photos that customers have attached to the My Business page. 
• Request more reviews from customers, and ask that they use specific keywords and phrases like “this is the best body shop in Dallas.” 
• Include all key contact information, such as updated hours of operation, the shop’s phone number, and an appointment link. 

Ultimately, Zoebelein notes, by monitoring your shop’s Google My Business page, you can avoid turning away potential customers. 

“People always check reviews” nowadays, the marketing expert says. “And, if they don’t like what they see, they’re going to look elsewhere.”