Practicing PR doesn't have to be expensive

Do you ever notice your customers when you're shopping in a store or eating in a restaurant? Do you talk to them? Did you ever just walk up to them and say "hello?" If you don't, you're passing up some of the best PR you can get.

Customers might not recognize you, but they'll be impressed that you recognized them. If they're with someone, they'll likely introduce you to them. How's that for free advertising? It's not difficult: "Hi, Mr. Brown. Is everything OK with your Impala?" The customer is likely to carry the conversation from there with a story about the repair, putting you and your shop in the limelight.

How much would five minutes of radio advertising cost? The free PR you just initiated will continue long after you walk away. Your customer will continue telling his story, and everybody around him will be listening – the person behind him in the grocery store line, the waitress in the restaurant – they've all heard who you are and that you run the best body shop in town.

While some public relations and marketing ideas might cost a little more up front, the dividends pay back bigger returns, so they'll seem almost free. Visit a local car club and find out what they do to raise funds and offer to help. Most car clubs sponsor one or more car shows throughout the year. If you have a big enough lot, you can host it for a small expense. If you can't host the event, offer to be a sponsor.

For example, consider sponsoring a trophy. The people's choice trophy gains a lot of attention because every person attending the car show is given a ballot, and the ballot and trophy have your name on it. Be there when the trophy is presented so attendees can associate your face with the name of your shop. Your expense can be posted as an advertising one, or, if the car club is registered as a nonprofit organization, your expenses might be tax deductible.

Get involved in sports. If you have a baseball field in your area, you can sponsor a foul-ball advertisement, for example. Each time a foul ball is hit, the announcer can say, "That ball is going to hit something. When something hits you, call Hometown Collision Center." Most recreation leagues look for ways to generate additional income. Normally, this type of sponsorship is inexpensive, yet allows you to reach a large audience, who will hear your name several times a night, which creates an inexpensive public relations moment.

Many technical colleges and high-school regional training centers need skilled technicians and managers to help develop and validate their curriculum. Associating yourself with one of them will result in significant public relations rewards. Your ability to help develop and validate their curriculum will introduce you to many faculty members and students who will remember you for helping improve their training facility. Additionally, your familiarity with them will help you acquire the young apprentices you need to replace the collision repair industry's aging work force.

Align with I-CAR and open your collision center to host training. I-CAR will advertise your collision center in its schedules and publications, not only promoting your business but your commitment to training as well. I-CAR can provide you with free training coupons to make your collision center available to it, which adds an additional benefit to the free public relations.

Get involved in professional organizations as another way to present your business. Most communities have business councils and networking activities, such as a chamber of commerce or Kiwanis. These business-to-business organizations usually allow one member per business type and create a cooperative to help each other present the organizations' businesses. These relationships have multiple benefits. It allows you to present your business to other businesses in your community, introduces you to businesses that might offer you better prices of items you purchase for your business, and word-of-mouth advertising that's invaluable because it's coming from another business owner to one of their customers.

These are just a few public relations opportunities. While they won't fit all areas and personalities, some of these scenarios might jog your thought process about other opportunities. Public relations opportunities exist all over, and no opportunity should be passed up because you never know which one will bring a profitable return.