What tactics can collision repairers use to attract female customers to their shop?
Audra Fordin, owner of Great Bear Auto Repair & Auto Body Shop in Flushing, N.Y.:
Developing marketing strategies that are specifically tailored to female customers is very important. In fact, women do 95 percent of the decision-making when buying new cars, and 53 percent of used car purchases are made by women. Also, 65 to 80 percent of auto repair customers are women. Those statistics ring true at my shop, as most of my customers are women.
Attracting females to your shop isn’t as difficult as you might imagine. Most of them are looking for repairers who can simplify the process of auto maintenance and repair. Here are a few tactics I use that have proven to deliver great results:
- Television. I have a weekly T.V. show that airs 14 times a week to Verizon viewers in my market. The shows are five-minute segments that discuss basic automotive maintenance. It provides valuable automotive information for women who want to increase their general automotive knowledge, and also promotes my shop.
- Radio. I serve as a member on a radio panel that is made up of women. The panel discussions air on Saturdays and Sundays, and reach thousands of listeners.
- Workshops. I developed a free monthly workshop for women, called “Women Auto Know.” The workshops, which are offered on Saturday afternoons, educate women on basic mechanical, collision and body issues—like how to change tires and windshield wipers, how to jump-start cars, and how to buff and polish paint. The workshops also offer basic automotive education on vehicle engines, transmissions, electronic sensors, brakes, post-accident frame damage and the difference between repairing and replacing parts.
- Columns. I have developed partnerships with various media outlets to write articles and blogs on a weekly basis.
