Collision shops have to have an Internet presence in order to stay competitive, but simply putting up a website with a phone number and a few shop photos isn't enough anymore. That was the message that Autoshop Solutions founder Danny Sanchez delivered on Thursday afternoon at NACE.
In his session, entitled "Crash Course in Internet Marketing! Internet Marketing for the Collision Industry," Sanchez explained how online marketing for collision shops has to be approached much differently than it would be for other industries. He also covered the basics of online marketing, search engine optimization, and how to speak authoritatively with a website provider.
Collision shops primarily face a branding and "trust- building" challenge when it comes to the Internet. "The call to action for the website is much different than it would be for a general auto repair business," Sanchez said. "You are not necessarily trying to generate a phone call from the website visit. People are making a bit more of a muddy choice. They are looking for a place to take their car, but they aren't ready to take action yet. They are doing research and you have to deliver trust."
Because many customers base their choice on insurance company recommendations, shops have to build their website to encourage trust in their ability to deliver the repairs effectively. "You have to design the website to deliver an emotional impact right off the bat," Sanchez said. "Customers need to feel like your warranty is going to be good, and that you perform quality work and have the right technology available to your technicians."
Use images of the shop that convey professionalism – not dark pictures of cluttered work areas. "In different areas of the country, different color schemes may even work better," Sanchez says.
If you choose the right Web designer, most shop owners won't have to worry about search engine optimization, because the provider will take care of that for them. They do need to consider the content on the site and how best to increase their position in the search results. That means using the right keywords, and updating the site periodically.
Shops can inexpensively use pay-per-click advertising on non-auto related websites to help build traffic. "You can advertise on home and garden or food sites, and just get your name listed in a lot of different places," Sanchez said. "It generates more clicks, but it's like having a billboard on the side of the road.
Beyond the website, social media has become a prominent way to generate online traffic from a local audience. There are challenges in making these types of campaigns work, however. "When you talk about Facebook, owners just don't have time to post twice a week, or even think about what they want to post," Sanchez says. "You can touch a lot of customers on Facebook, but it takes time. Someone has to clear those posts and work on getting the account in front of other people. But it can be a huge resource for referrals, and a confidence builder in the marketplace."
Shops can also benefit from coupon sites like Groupon. "Shops want to drive more customer pay work, and you can do that with a coupon incentive," Sanchez says. Finally, Sanchez emphasized the need to aggressively market your shop online. "There isn't anywhere else to invest your money to deliver the kind of marketing power that the Internet can," Sanchez said. "We're still amazed at how many people are waiting to jump in. Where else are you going to turn? You have to put a real budget in place, but it's going to cost you more in the coming years if you are not participating. The sooner you get in, the less you'll spend in the long term and the better results you'll get."
search/solrSearchResults. jsp ?query=Danny+Sanchez&x=40&y=15&searchscope=thisSite"> Danny Sanchez delivered on Thursday afternoon at NACE.
Collision shops have to have an Internet presence in order to stay competitive, but simply putting up a website with a phone number and a few shop photos isn't enough anymore. That was the message that Autoshop Solutions founder Danny Sanchez delivered on Thursday afternoon at NACE. In his session, entitled "Crash Course in Internet Marketing! Internet Marketing for the Collision Industry," Sanchez explained how online marketing for collision shops has to be approached much differently than it would be for other industries. He also covered the basics of online marketing, search engine optimization, and how to speak authoritatively with a website provider. Collision shops primarily face a branding and "trust- building" challenge when it comes to the Internet. "The call to action for the website is much different than it would be for a general auto repair business," Sanchez said. "You are not necessarily trying to generate a phone call from the website visit. People are making a bit more of a muddy choice. They are looking for a place to take their car, but they aren't ready to take action yet. They are doing research and you have to deliver trust." Because many customers base their choice on insurance company recommendations, shops have to build their website to encourage trust in their ability to deliver the repairs effectively. "You have to design the website to deliver an emotional impact right off the bat," Sanchez said. "Customers need to feel like your warranty is going to be good, and that you perform quality work and have the right technology available to your technicians." Use images of the shop that convey professionalism – not dark pictures of cluttered work areas. "In different areas of the country, different color schemes may even work better," Sanchez says. If you choose the right Web designer, most shop owners won't have to worry about search engine optimization, because the provider will take care of that for them. They do need to consider the content on the site and how best to increase their position in the search results. That means using the right keywords, and updating the site periodically. Shops can inexpensively use pay-per-click advertising on non-auto related websites to help build traffic. "You can advertise on home and garden or food sites, and just get your name listed in a lot of different places," Sanchez said. "It generates more clicks, but it's like having a billboard on the side of the road.
Beyond the website, social media has become a prominent way to generate online traffic from a local audience. There are challenges in making these types of campaigns work, however. "When you talk about Facebook, owners just don't have time to post twice a week, or even think about what they want to post," Sanchez says. "You can touch a lot of customers on Facebook, but it takes time. Someone has to clear those posts and work on getting the account in front of other people. But it can be a huge resource for referrals, and a confidence builder in the marketplace." Shops can also benefit from coupon sites like Groupon. "Shops want to drive more customer pay work, and you can do that with a coupon incentive," Sanchez says. Finally, Sanchez emphasized the need to aggressively market your shop online. "There isn't anywhere else to invest your money to deliver the kind of marketing power that the Internet can," Sanchez said. "We're still amazed at how many people are waiting to jump in. Where else are you going to turn? You have to put a real budget in place, but it's going to cost you more in the coming years if you are not participating. The sooner you get in, the less you'll spend in the long term and the better results you'll get."
