1. Highlight vehicles specialties
Car owners are frequently on the lookout for businesses that specialise in providing repairs for their specific vehicle. So if your business does a steady trade in VW repairs or is known for customising specific makes or models of car, then the internet is the perfect place to showcase this. Along with specialised repairs and customisations the components can often make interesting posts for your followers. So share those photos of a shiny new exhaust or chrome bumpers.
2. Before and after pics
There is nothing more impressive than seeing a crumpled mass of metal and broken glass being returned to its original state. For cars that have been damaged in accidents or incidents, take a good number of photos to use on social channels. As well as being visually impressive, photos like this can really help to demonstrate the capabilities of staff and technicians. From panel beating to resprays, the difference between the damaged vehicle and the finished repair can be dramatic, so post progress on social media channels to impress your audience.
3. Feature your staff
Most auto repair shops require a good number of staff to keep up with repairs and supply the necessary technical skills. From mechanics to painters, use your social channels to feature employees and specialists. It can be a chance to showcase each individuals area of specialty and share intriguing information with your followers. It can often generate questions and inquiries too from customers that need a repair doing on their vehicles. It is not uncommon for auto companies to receive message like ‘Hey. I’ve got a broken wing panel, can Steve fix mine too?’
4. Display premium work
Keep a record of the work your are most proud of on your social accounts so that future customers can easily find it. On channels like Instagram there is a handy ‘highlight’ feature that can be used to share important post and keep them visible on your page. Display top quality work and show off seemingly impossible repairs so your audience can get a real sense of what your auto repair company is capable of doing.
5. Showcase team bios
People will relate better to people more than companies so use this to your best advantage by showcasing your staff on your social media channels. Knowing that their repair is handled by Paul the welder can make the business seem much more relatable to potential clients that are looking for an auto repair company. Details can be shared about teams members to highlight skills and expertise as well as positing the latests news about them. Followers love to know that Dave just finished the GMC repair, or that Stuart has just completed a new skills training course.
6. Share repair tips
Social media accounts can be used to share useful or helpful information with your followers that they can use to perform small repairs on their own vehicles. Make helpful videos and how to guides that explain the steps needed to complete specific tasks. Use things like ‘The correct way to replace a headlamp bulb’ or ‘How to do your own oil change’ to keep audeinces engaged and interested in your social accounts. This can help to position you as an expert in the field of auto repair as well as being informative for your audience.
7. Post cautionary messages
Educate your audience by not only sharing useful tips, but also make sure they know what NOT to do. There are a lot of things that can go wrong on a car or during a repair that can have serious consequences if not done correctly, so share some disaster avoiding tips. Showing your audeinces the wrong way to do things and what to avoid can often be really useful, especially for the uninitiated so consider posting things like ‘The wrong way to change your brake pads’ or ‘Don’t ever mix chemicals’. Lesson that help your users to avoid potentially damaging actions can be gratefully received.
8. Ask for pics
When a customer stops by to pick up their newly repaired vehicle take the opportunity to get a ‘thumbs up’ photo with the driver, a member of your team, or the owner of the business. This works really well for promotional purposes, especially if your strategically position the pic to include the name of your auto repair company. Share the photos in your feeds to gain likes, comments, and follows and politely ask your happy customer if he or she would do the same. User generated content or UGC is an extremely powerful marketing tool as people trust recommendations and referrals from their peers.
9. Run a contest
Everyone loves something for free and you can use this on your auto repair company’s social channels to gain more followers. Discount coupons, deals, or giveaways can all work well and help you to get an increased number of shares. Free items like inexpensive car parts can appeal to your audience and generate interest. Deals and discounts that offer savings can help you to spread your business name across the internet and connect with new followers, or even attract new clients.
