Opening your own car service is one of the most popular business ideas in Russia. At the moment, in the country there are more than 39 thousand points. Despite the fact that today a car is more a norm than a luxury, and the ranks of motorists are replenishing every day, serious competition is unfolding among car service owners. How to attract customers to a car service in such seemingly unfavorable conditions for doing business?
Proper marketing
A large base of regular customers is the foundation of any business. A continuous flow of customers means high demand, namely, the overall profitability of the business will depend on the demand for a product or service.
Customer acquisition is based on marketing. This is where the first mistakes appear, because most start-up entrepreneurs believe that marketing is a creative process, and only very creative people are able to cope with the tasks of attracting customers, but this is far from the case.
For all those who think they don’t know how to attract customers to the car service, marketing is primarily applied tasks, consisting of dry calculations and schemes. Moreover, these same schemes and calculations, as well as specific plans for attracting customers have long been developed by someone and more than once implemented. It remains only to use the right tools.
Of course, there is still some creativity in how to attract customers to the car service. True, if you think about it, then the creative part, in general, can be found in any business.
The correct marketing policy works according to the “all for the client” formula. What is worth paying attention to attract customers? First of all, on their desires and on the contradictions arising from this. That is, you need to understand what the client wants and how the company can satisfy these desires. After that, it remains to show the potential client that he can get what he wants in a specific car service.
Advertising campaign
There are many ways to attract customers to a car service. The main method is advertising. Large enterprises that have long existed on the market and have already managed to earn a name for themselves, in general, do not need advertising. Large market players already have an established customer base that will grow by working on the principle of “dominoes” or word of mouth (customers will talk to their friends, those to their friends, etc.).
Young businesses need more advertising. But the problem is that novice entrepreneurs often do not have the means to conduct a comprehensive advertising campaign. What exactly and how to advertise? Emphasis can be placed, for example, on quick deadlines for work or specialization for a particular car brand. You do not have to focus only on car services with a narrow range of services, such as those facing, for example, the question: “How to attract customers to car body repair?”
There are also many types of advertising:
- Advertising in the press.
- Printable advertisement.
- Audiovisual advertising on the Internet.
- Radio and television advertising.
- Mailing list to potential customers.
- Participation in exhibitions.
- The implementation of promotional souvenirs.
Printable advertisement
Print advertising is the first thing a novice businessman can do. This type of advertising has proven its worth thanks to its low prices and fast production. Also, the advantages of print advertising include simplicity of perception and high efficiency. That is how you can attract the bulk of customers at first.
Print advertising should be accurate and concise, no vague phrases and unnecessary information. To attract additional attention, you can apply the corresponding illustrations.
Also in print advertising must be present the address of the service center and feedback methods (phone, email, etc.). The presence of feedback will not only increase consumer confidence, but will also allow potential customers to clarify additional issues in a convenient manner.
What exactly relates to print advertising? These are all kinds of leaflets, business cards, brochures, booklets, etc. The production of such advertising media is inexpensive, so they are usually purchased in bulk.
Press Advertising
Advertising in the press is an alternative to print advertising. This type of advertising is even more effective in the matter of how to promote a car service quickly and attract customers, but it also costs more. The ad placement price is higher, the larger the publication and circulation.
This advertising can be very diverse, most often novice entrepreneurs order small ads, where the main emphasis is on the name of the company and contact information. The most important thing in it is a bright and interesting name that can attract the attention of the client. Just like in print advertising, the address and phone should not only be present in the ad, but also stand out well.
TV and radio advertising
Such options as television and radio advertising will cost a round sum, but they are more effective ways to express themselves due to the popularity of television and radio programs themselves.
The concept of radio advertising means the submission of information in the form of voice messages on the air or between the airs. Such an advertisement can be recorded independently, and the radio studio will twist it in the form of a message that is repeated from time to time, or arrange directly with the studio that the hosts be mentioned about the enterprise during the broadcasts.
Television advertising may be different. It can be presented as a regular video, which is played during pauses. However, this option is very expensive for beginning businessmen, and more often advertising for a new car service can be seen as a short splash screen or as a scrolling line.
Internet advertising
Internet advertising is the most innovative marketing method. Such advertising is placed on various sites, blogs and forums, as a rule, similar in theme to the announcement. So, car service advertising should be placed on portals dedicated to repairing and selling vehicles or simply related to cars.
Online advertising is the most diverse of all types of advertising. It can be presented in the form of a link to the car service website (if one exists), a logo and details located on the site or displayed in the corner of the video, in the form of a short video that appears in front of the main video, and so on.
The cost of online advertising varies greatly depending on what kind of announcement will be, where it will be placed and for how long. Sites with more visits will set a higher price than new projects.
Mailing list
Mailing list can be called one of the types of print advertising. In fact, they take the same booklets and flyers, but instead of distributing them on the street, the materials are sent by mail or laid out in mailboxes. The first option is carried out by issuing mail-order services of unicast distribution. You can try distributing booklets and flyers on your own, but there may be problems with intercoms.
The main advantage of this type of advertising is that the recipient will definitely notice the flyer, unlike television advertising, and most likely will remember. The disadvantage is that it is impossible to figure out in advance whether the recipient is a potential customer: is he interested in car service, does he have a car?
In the question “how to attract customers to a car service in a small town”, it is the mailing list that will be the best option for promoting a business.
Exhibitions and souvenirs
Exhibitions and souvenirs are the so-called image advertising. The promotion method is great for those who think how to attract corporate customers to the car service. Exhibitions and souvenir products will bring more benefit even to novice businessmen, but to medium-sized enterprises that have existed for some time and received their first regular customers.
Image advertising is used to increase recognition and create your own brand. This method of attracting customers will cost a lot, although here the price can vary.
Staff selection
Workshop personnel can also play a role in creating the image of the enterprise. Workers must be skilled and friendly towards customers.
Separately, it is necessary to monitor the facts of fraud or violations by workers. It is unlikely that negative reviews about the staff will help in the matter of how to attract new customers to the car service.
One of the ways to attract male clients, the majority of which (at the moment in the CIS countries there are 10 times more male drivers than women), is to hire female attendants. Typically, women in car service play the role of secretaries, cashiers or consultants who receive calls. A female mechanic, on the contrary, “scares away” a male clientele.
Non-standard ways of promotion
Non-standard methods are called that are not related to advertising, but nevertheless are effective marketing techniques.
One of the most popular methods of this type is to create small cafes in the workshop where visitors can wait for work to be completed. Of course, this option cannot be called cheap, and it is suitable as a way only if you have to rack your brains on the question of how to attract customers to a car service with regular attendance. On the other hand, such a marketing move will not only favorably highlight a new auto repair shop, but will also slightly increase revenue.
There is another option for those who are completely desperate and do not know how to attract customers to the car service. Magical help is the way that, judging by the statements of individual owners of such an office, sometimes even helps. True, those who decide on this method should at least read reviews. In no case should you be fooled by tricks like the shocking appearance of a magician or a strangely furnished apartment, because in most cases all this is just a way to distract the attention of customers.
Another popular technique, quite budgetary in implementation, is the departure of workers to correct minor malfunctions at home. You just need to find the right staff and purchase the necessary tools.
