50 Most Important Stats for your 2015 Auto Body Shop Business Strategy

Are you still questioning the importance of implementing a digital marketing strategy? As you enter 2015, I recommend you take a few minutes to read some of the important statistics below.

If you're a single location auto body shop, local, regional or national consolidator, repair network, paint jobber, paint company, equipment supplier, or industry consultant, these 50 trends, statistics and data will help you.

Build your case for making digital marketing a key part of you ongoing business strategy with the important stats below.

Demographics – Who is Your Digital Marketing Target?

• 1.    67% of Google+ users are male (Rocket Post)
• 2.    27% of our population (76 million) are Millennials (born between 1981 and 2000 (leaderswest Digital Marketing Journal) Think about this: Based on accident statistics, this means Millennials will file 2.0 MILLION accident claims in 2015.
• 3.    63% of millennials say they stay updated on brands through social networks; 51% say social opinions influence their purchase decisions; and 46% “count on social media” when buying online. (leaderswest Digital Marketing Journal)
• 4.    89% of 18-29 year-olds are active on social media, as are 43% of adults 65 and older. (Jeff Bullas)

General Digital Marketing Statistics Your Business Cannot Hide From!

• 5.    Nearly half (46%) of people say a website’s design is their number one criterion for determining the credibility of a company. (NewsCred) – How is your shop’s website?
• 6.    Internet advertising will make up 25% of the entire ad market in 2015. (Social Fresh)
• 7.    Videos on landing pages increase conversions by 86%. (Social Fresh)
• 8.    Facebook is the most popular method for sharing interesting content. (Heidi Cohen)

Email Marketing STILL Delivers the BEST ROI!!!

• 9.    Email marketing delivers the highest ROI (about $44 per dollar spent, on average) of any digital marketing tactic. SEO is #2. Banner ads have the lowest ROI. (Mark the Marketer)
• 10.    66% of consumers have made a purchase online as a result of an e-mail marketing message. (Mark the Marketer)
• 11.    Email subject lines matter. Really. 64% of people say they open an e-mail because of the subject line. (Mark the Marketer)
• 12.    Personalized subject lines are 22.2% more likely to be opened. For B2C emails, the words “Alert,” “New,” “News,” “Bulletin,” “Sale,” “Video,” “Daily,” or “Weekly” (though not “Monthly”) all increase open and click-through rates. (Mark the Marketer)
• 13.    Timing is important too. 76% of e-mail opens occur in the first two days after an e-mail is sent. E-mail open rates are noticeably lower on weekends than on weekdays. (Mark the Marketer)
• 14.    Only 8% of companies and agencies have an e-mail marketing team. E-mail marketing responsibilities usually fall on one person as a part of her wider range of marketing responsibilities. (Mark the Marketer)
• 15.    Emails with social sharing buttons increase click-through rates by 158%. (Social Fresh)
• 16.    67 percent of marketers say that email is key for attracting and engaging prospects, and the best path to increase marketing ROI. (Forbes)

While Mobile Marketing MUST Be in Your Plan!!

• 17.    75% of smartphone owners watch videos on their phones; 26% at least once per day. (NewsCred)
• 18.    Over half of all mobile searches lead to a purchase. (Rocket Post)
• 19.    78% of Facebook users are mobile-only. (Rocket Post)
• 20.    E-mail is the most popular activity on smartphones among users ages 18-44. (Mark the Marketer)
• 21.    64% of decision-makers read their e-mail via mobile devices. (Mark the Marketer)
• 22.    Almost half–48%–of all emails are opened on mobile devices. Yet 39% of marketers say they have no strategy for mobile email, and only 11% of e-mails are optimized for mobile. (Mark the Marketer)
• 23.    Mobile is the channel of choice for keep relationships with existing customers alive because it cuts through the clutter of email and social. (Forbes)
• 24.    71% of users access social media from a mobile device. (Jeff Bullas)
• 25.    50% of millennials use their smartphones to research products or services while shopping, and 41% have made purchases using their phones. (leaderswest Digital Marketing Journal)

Content = Digital Marketing Success

• 26.    By 2020, customers will manage 85 percent of their relationship with an enterprise without interacting with a human. (Target Marketing)
• 27.    62% of companies outsource their content marketing. (Iconsive)
• 28.    70% of consumers say they prefer getting to know a company via articles rather than ads. (NewsCred)
• 29.    90% of organizations market with content. 86% of B2C marketers and 91% of B2B marketers use content marketing. (NewsCred)
• 30.    And yet…54% of brands don’t have an onsite, dedicated content director. (NewsCred)
• 31.    Companies will spend $135 billion on digital marketing collateral this year. (Social Fresh)
• 32.    Customer testimonials have the highest effectiveness rating for content marketing at 89%. (Social Fresh)

Should Your Business Consider a Blog?

• 33.    Each month, 329 million people read blogs. (NewsCred)
• 34.    37% of marketers say blogs are the most valuable content type for marketing. (NewsCred)
• 35.    Companies that publish new blog posts 15+ times per month (3-4 posts per week) generate five times more traffic than companies that don’t blog at all. (NewsCred)
• 36.    Blogging increases web traffic by 55% for brands. (Rocket Post)

Why Video Needs to Be Part of Your 2015 Marketing Strategy!!!

• 37.    The use of video content for marketing increased 73% this year; use of infographics grew 51%. (Digital Marketing Philippines)
• 38.    Articles with images get 94% more views than those without. (NewsCred)
• 39.    Posts with videos attract three times as many inbound links as plain text posts. (NewsCred)
• 40.    62% of marketers use video in their content marketing. (NewsCred)
• 41.    Two-thirds of firms plan to increase spending on video marketing in the coming year. (Heidi Cohen)
• 42.    57% of B2B marketers say SEO has the biggest impact on lead generation. (NewsCred)
• 43.    Organic search leads have a 14.6% close rate, compared to 1.7% for outbound marketing leads. (NewsCred)
• 44.    33% of clicks from organic search results go to the top listing on Google. (Social Fresh)

Social Media Marketing….No Options Your Business Needs to Be There

• 45.    “Interesting content” is one of the top three reasons people follow brands on social media. (NewsCred)
• 46.    As consumer use of social media for brand comments and complaints continues to increase, brands are having a hard time keeping up. Only about 20% of consumer comments generate brand responses, and the average response time is over 11 hours. (eMarketer)
• 47.    Nearly three-quarters of US marketers believe customer response management on digital channels is important (so…25% think it’s okay to ignore consumers?); however, just one-third say their company does a good job at this. (eMarketer)
• 48.    Over 70% of US online adults use some form of social media networking. (Heidi Cohen)
• 49.    72% of all internet users are now active on social media. (Jeff Bullas)
• 50.    78% of companies now say they have dedicated social media teams, up from 67% in 2012. (i-SCOOP)

Our 10 Most Read Blog Posts of 2014

With an audience as diverse as Mitchell’s we never know which posts will pique our readers’ interests. So we took a peek into the analytics and found the 10 most popular posts for 2014. If you missed any of these, this is your chance to catch up on some useful information to help you grow your business in 2015. Happy reading and Happy New Year!

#1 - Improving Rental Vehicle Experience in Collision Repair Process - RepairCenter ToolStore's product manager takes a quick look at a critical factor in customer satisfaction. Read it now.

#2 - Auto Body Shop Boot Camp: Making Shops More Productive and Ready for the Future - Held in Chicago, this training course was a big success. Read the recap and watch for similar events near you in 2015. Read it now.

#3 - The Mitchell (m)otorheads - Learn more about Mitchell’s employee race car team. Find out how you can support their work to promote awareness and raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Read it now.

#4 - Auto Repair Estimating Software: The Most Important Tool in Your Shop - In an industry where profitability rides on accurate estimating, this post explores how the right software helps shops reduce errors and contain costs. Read it now.

#5 - Customer Notification re: Open SSL Heartbleed Notification - This post set Mitchell clients at ease by detailing our proactive security protocols to address Heartbleed and other cyber threats. Read it now.

#6 - 3 Customer Focused Ways to Increase Your Shop’s Sales by $50,000 in 2014 - A practical guide to generating bigger profits with a small investment of time and money by capturing more business from existing customers. Read it now.

#7 - Want to Increase Shop Efficiency and Customer Satisfaction? Mobile Apps are the Answer -- Find out how a mobile app designed specifically for auto repair shops can increase efficiency, save money and boost customer satisfaction. Read it now.

#8 - 10 Digital Marketing Actions That Will Help Drive Customers to Your Auto Body Shop -- Learn how any auto body shop, no matter what size, can use digital-based sales, marketing and customer service tools to succeed. Read it now.

#9 - Three Reasons Why You Should Use Social Media to Market Your Auto Repair Shop - Tap the potential of this powerful marketing channel. This short guide has practical tips to help you listen, ask, and contribute in the social media environment. Read it now.

#10 - 6 Ways Auto Body and Repair Shops Can Get More and Better Online Reviews - eMarketing Sherpas’ CEO Frank Terlap shows you how to grow your business by building and managing its online presence. Read it now.

 Did we miss one of your favorite posts? Let us know on Twitter at @MitchellRepair.

When will America embrace diesel passenger cars?

By Greg Horn, Vice President of Industry Relations, Mitchell

The U.S. is unique among developed countries in that consumers demand for diesel-powered cars is practically non-existent. Sure, there are rabid fans of “oil burners” as diesel power plants are called, but they account for a small number of vehicle owners. Consequently, they simply are not offered in the U.S. by many car companies that have robust diesel sales in other countries.

So why don’t Americans like diesel, despite their reputation for exceptional fuel economy? Many blame the ill-fated General Motors Oldsmobile and Cadillac modified gas-into-diesel engines of the late 1970s. The fact that those models self-destructed after fewer than 30,000 miles may well have scared off Americans from diesel power. Others say the old diesels that belched exhaust like a smoke screen from a James Bond car and accelerated like an arthritic snail left a long-lasting negative impression as well.

While those two factors undoubtedly steered generations away from diesel, our federal and state governments’ tax rates also play a role in limiting diesel’s acceptance. The United States federal excise tax on gasoline is 18.4 cents per gallon and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel fuel. On average, as of January 2013, state and local taxes add another 30.4 cents to each gallon of gasoline and 30.0 cents to diesel, for a total US average fuel tax of 49.5 cents per gallon for gas and 54.8 cents per gallon for diesel.

The United States is the one of the only developed country where diesel costs more at the pump than regular unleaded gasoline, despite the fact that diesel costs less to refine than unleaded gasoline. So, if it costs less, why is it taxed more and why, when prices fluctuate, does it not rise or fall at the same rate that gasoline does?

The theory behind the different taxation stems from the fact that the U.S. still views diesel as the fuel of heavy trucks, and heavy trucks cause more damage and wear and tear on the highway infrastructure. To compensate for the added wear and tear, the excise tax is higher. In addition, refineries don’t produce diesel #2 for passenger cars in the same volume as unleaded gasoline. This keeps U.S. diesel prices higher than in the rest of the world. It also means that the rate of replenishment differs at fuel stations causing the price of diesel to change at a different rate than unleaded gas.

This is unfortunate and short-sighted. Modern diesel cars behave much differently than those we remember from the 1970s. Diesels today are reliable (including the Opel-based GM diesel engine offered in the Chevrolet Cruze) and offer great torque and acceleration. They are also significantly easier on the ears both inside and outside the vehicle. Gone too are the soot-laden exhaust fumes; today’s diesels have been re-engineered to burn cleaner and, for larger diesel engines, each manufacturer has developed a urea injection system. (Smaller Jetta diesels don’t require urea injections).

The urea additive adds some complications to diesel vehicle ownership since the tank resides in the truck and sprays the exhaust to lower emissions output, creating a “clean diesel.” However, the tank must be refilled every ten thousand miles or so, and while it’s not expensive (about $30 for the liquid and is DIY friendly), if you ignore the warnings about the tank running low, the car will not start if the urea tank runs dry.

So, will it change? If the lobbyists for BMW, Mercedes, VW and GM are successful in their lobbying efforts for a fairer tax rate, running diesel will offer a bigger financial advantage. It’s an advantage that could potentially be better than hybrid running costs. That should bring buyers interested in high mileage and low running costs into dealerships. My advice is to start educating yourself about diesels, because I think we’ll be seeing more of them soon.

Greg Horn is a contributor to Mitchell’s Quarterly Industry Trends Report, an analytic tool for insurance companies, collision repair shops, and their business partners. Sign up for free delivery of the quarterly report to make sure you never miss an issue.

Read more about the industry here:
•    Technology’s Impact on the Auto Repair Process, Interview with Mitchell's Greg Horn
•    10 Digital Marketing Actions That Will Help Drive Customers to Your Auto Body Shop
•    Auto Repair Estimating Software: The Most Important Tool in Your Shop

Auto Body Shop Boot Camp: Making Shops More Productive and Ready for the Future

Mitchell hosted a local auto body shop boot camp for repair shops in the Chicago area Tuesday, November 18. The one-day training was designed to help local repair shop owners understand the latest technologies and strategies that some of the leading shops are using in the industry.

Matt Heubner, Solution Specialist for Mitchell, welcomes customers to the first BodyShop Boot Camp

Shop owners and industry leaders came together to discuss the evolving landscape of the repair industry. Whether shop owners wondered how to market their business in today's mobile world or how to improve cycle time without having to add more technicians, this training course provided the tools to help shops build for the future.

The Chicago boot camp featured the following sessions:

• How to get more cars and revenue in a consolidating marketplace
• How to improve cycle and touch time
• The future of IT in the collision industry
• Length of rental, how it affects your business and what you can do to control it
• How to increase gross profit on paint and materials
• Changing vehicle technology and the impact on the collision industry

Matt Heubner, Solution Specialist, at Mitchell came up with the idea for the boot camps. As Reid Heiser, Director of Solution Advising, Collision Field Sales South says "All too often companies sell to customers without ever creating a forum to engage with peers and learn about what works and what doesn't. Mitchell's body shop boot camp is an opportunity for managers to learn new tools and tips to grow the business. Our goal is not just to provide the industry's best solutions, but it's also to constantly deliver resources that help shop owners increase their productivity and revenue."

Jason Scharton, Business Development Manager for 3M, discusses new vehicle technologies.

In talking to some of the attendees after the one-day training, it was concluded that the event was a success. Here's some of the feedback we collected after the Chicago Boot Camp.  

Would you recommend Body Shop Bootcamp to other industry colleagues? Why or Why Not? 
Yes. This was very enlightening and informational. It is a great way to cross market or network. It's also great to get a glimpse into other aspects of the collision industry.  

What was the best feature of the Body Shop Boot Camp?
The variety of speakers and information presented. 

Would you recommend Body Shop Boot Camp to other industry colleagues? Why or why not?
Most definitely. If I can implement a quarter of what we learned today, [it] will improve our business.

Would you recommend Body Shop Boot Camp to other industry colleagues? Why or why not?
Most definitely. If I can implement a quarter of what we learned today, [it] will improve our business. 

Yes, I will go back to the shop with fresh eyes. [Body Shop] Boot Camp was worth my time.

Want to attend a Body Shop Boot Camp near you? Interest dictates where we'll be next. Email repaircenterinfo@Mitchell.com to request Mitchell to bring the Body Shop Boot Camp to you.

New Research for Insurance and Collision Repair: Industry Trends Report Q4 2014

Mitchell’s Industry Trends Report, published quarterly and available online, is the easy way to stay in the know. Every issue includes insightful articles by subject matter experts, current data on KPIs and news affecting the collision repair industry in the U.S. and Canada. Read the latest issue and sign up for free delivery of future issues.

Register for our ITR Webinar - Wednesday November 12 - 9 AM PST, 11 AM CST, Noon EST
Join Greg Horn, Mitchell VP of Industry Relations, for an informative hour online. Get a deeper look into industry trends and studies from the Q4/14 Industry Trends Report. Topics will include:
•    Bumper Repair vs. Replace
•    Severity Trends
•    Parts and Paint KPIs
•    Changes in Length of Rental Days

Space is limited. Register now.

Follow the Trends on Twitter
Get your info live and on the go. Follow @MitchellRepair and use the #MitchellITR hashtag to join the conversation.

Technology’s Impact on the Auto Repair Process, Interview with Mitchell's Greg Horn

Modern cars, even the lowest-priced entry-level models, are technological marvels that combine space-age materials, sophisticated computing capabilities and awe-inspiring safety features -- many that function without driver input. But as our vehicles have become more complex, so too have the processes for repairing them.

Nobody can predict the future, but we can say with certainty that technological advances will continue to transform the way we handle collision repairs, from claims processing to estimating, parts pricing and customer service.

According to Greg Horn, Mitchell’s Vice President of Industry Relations, we’re already seeing the impact in several ways.

Give us a little insight into how evolving technology is impacting the property and casualty industry. What do these advances have to do with the future of repairs, costs, and customer service? 

Greg Horn: As cars get more sophisticated, the decision to repair or declare total loss becomes more challenging. We know, for instance, that the cost just to replace deployed airbags in cars valued below $10,000 is between $1,000 and $1,200. Now, consider a more expensive car, one with extremely complicated technology or exotic materials, and the repair costs can really escalate. That’s driving a trend toward more declarations of total loss. In 2000, about 9 percent of appraised vehicles were total losses. This year, it’s over 14 percent. Total losses take the repair shop out of the equation entirely, but data also show a corresponding, significant drop in customer satisfaction ratings when cars are totaled.

What about cars that are deemed repairable? What impact does the complexity of the vehicle and the repair process have then?

Greg Horn: Obviously, as cars become more complicated with more interactive systems, we’re going to need mechanics and technicians who are up to “the ask”. The cost of higher salaries and advanced training will be passed on to the consumer. I think we’ll also see an increase in the number of vehicles that must be handled by a factory-authorized dealership to maintain the warranty. Consider, for example, the Toyota Camry, which has a weight-calculator for the driver and passenger airbags. That has to be recalibrated after deployment, and only a Toyota dealership can do it.

Another, less obvious impact is driven by legislation. There’s always going to be a demand for lower-priced, entry-level cars. But, as government regulations increasingly require manufacturers to add safety technology, price points will go up. That’s going to frighten first-time and price-conscious drivers out of the new car market. We’re already seeing people drive used cars longer -- the average light vehicle on U.S. roads today is over 11 year old. People who stay in the new car market are financing longer -- the average new car loan is 68 months. Or they’re leasing. What’s the impact of that on auto repair? Well, manufacturers are increasingly insisting that repair shops use OEM parts to repair leased vehicles. And that, as we all know, increases the cost of repairs, which in turn affects customer satisfaction ratings.

What’s the answer? How can the claims handling and collision repair processes be more efficient to keep repair costs down and customer satisfaction high?

Greg Horn: Mitchell has been a pioneer in developing products and services that streamline claims handling, estimating and repairs. We’ve been really quick to capitalize on technological advances that advance the transformation, too. From a company that started with book publishing, we’ve evolved into a technology leader. We’ve really embraced cloud computing to facilitate efficient, accurate data transmission.

Solutions for Everyone in the Process

Insurers and their repair partners - Mitchell WorkCenter™ modules help claims move quickly from first notice of loss to settlement, simplifying the workflow for insurers and their repair partners.

Collision Repair Shops - RepairCenter™ helps shops manage every aspect of collision repair, end-to-end. The shop can use a variety of estimating, parts lookup and labor management tools to track and control the repair, automate scheduling and even communicate with the insurer, vendors and the customer.

Appraisers - The appraiser can use FastPhoto to document damage and automatically upload it to the correct RO or estimate.

Mechanics -  And the mechanics can use TechAdvisor to get the latest collision repair techniques and procedures.

It all combines to reduce errors, inform decision-making, improve communications and expedite the outcome, whether it’s to repair or total, with a net result of time and money saved.

***

Discover how Mitchell Estimating can save you time and money, by automatically including removals and installations on your collision repair estimates. Watch this 1:20 minute demo of UltraMate.

You may also enjoy…
•    Auto Repair Estimating Software: The Most Important Tool in your Shop
•    What and Why is Sales and Marketing Automation Important to Auto Body Shops?
•    Learn more about Mitchell estimating and claims management solutions.

4 Reasons Why Online Reviews are Important to Auto Body Shops

Pop Quiz: What percentage of customers say that their buying decisions are influenced by online reviews? 60%? 70%? Try 90% (Source: Marketing Land).

If your body shop already has a plan in place for monitoring and asking your customers for reviews, fist pumps all around. That's great! Or if you're still trying to figure the whole review thing out, it's time to get on it.

Whether you're an avid "Yelper" or not, online reviews are important for your shop's success for a number of reasons:

#1: A vast majority of consumers are influenced by online reviews!

#2: 88% of consumers read online reviews to determine if a local business is a good business.

 #3: Personal recommendations are the only other referral process more trusted than online reviews.

#4: Online reviews have a DRAMATIC effect on your shop's search engine position on Google, YAHOO, Bing and other search engines!

Keeping tabs on your online reviews can be a FREE (yes, free) way to see where your shop has customer service issues and where your staff is knocking it out of the park everyday. And most people blame a bad customer service interaction on the problem not being resolved. That means, addressing your negative reviews gives you a second chance to make things right with your customers, which in turn, can translate into sales.

If you found this blog post interesting, we think you'll also enjoy 10 Digital Marketing Actions That Will Help Drive Customers to Your Auto Body Shop and Three Reasons Why You Should Use Social Media to Market Your Auto Repair Shop.

Want to Increase Shop Efficiency and Customer Satisfaction? Mobile Apps are the Answer.

Do you know anybody who doesn’t have a smartphone? Me neither. But just to set the record straight, here’s the hard data:

• According to Statistica.com, the number of U.S. smartphone users has gone from 62.6 million in 2010 to 163.9 million in 2014.


• That growth is expected to continue unabated, with 220 million U.S. users projected by 2018. 

Growing right along with smartphone use are mobile apps. Flurry, a provider of app analytics, reported this past April that native app usage on smartphones is surging at the expense of the mobile web. It appears that, worldwide, we are now spending on average 2 hours and 42 minute per day on mobile devices, and mobile app use accounts for 2 hours and 19 minutes of that. At the same time, mobile web use has dropped to just 22 minutes per day (via TechCrunch). 

So, in the spirit of fishing where the fish are, adopting a mobile app designed specifically for your auto repair business seems to make sense. We sure think so. Being mobile can increase the overall efficiency of your auto repair shop, saving you money and increasing your customers’ satisfaction. Let’s take a look at how mobile can work for your shop.

Mobile App Equals Mobile Office
The proliferations of mobile devices and on-going improvements in mobile technology have untethered all of us. Now, wherever you and your smartphone are, that’s where your office is. Obviously, not having to wait till you’re back in the shop to check workflow and milestones is a huge timesaver. You can make critical decisions on the fly, manage your staff, oversee repairs and communicate with vendors. It puts everybody on the same virtual page, so jobs don’t fall through the cracks or cause missed communications.

Timely Communication Equals Happy Customers
Even more important, you can stay in touch with your customers in a very personalized, proactive way throughout the entire repair process. From the moment a car is dropped off for repair till the moment it’s picked up, your customer can be kept in the loop via email. That’s the kind of communication that makes customers measurably happy.

 

J.D. Power and Associates’ research indicates that effective communication is a key driver of overall claims satisfaction. That includes communication from the repair shop. Our data confirms that.

Key Findings
We recently did a study of 350 claimants to measure what effect keeping them informed about repair and vehicle delivery status had on Net Promoter Scores (NPS). Quite a bit, as it turns out.

When asked, “Did the shop meet, exceed or delay the estimated completion date?” and “At any point during the repair, did the shop contact you to adjust the promised date?” respondents answered:

• 46% Met
• 26% Exceeded
• 15% Delayed

Now, what’s really interesting is that 25% of the customers who said the shop met or exceeded their delivery promise had been contacted at some point to adjust the delivery date. In other words, because the shop followed up and managed expectations, the customers actually perceived that the delivery was on time.

Another interesting finding was that customers are not always happy when you exceed their expectations. For example, finishing ahead of the promised delivery date can create scheduling conflicts and inconvenience for the customer. By communicating throughout the repair process, you can better manage their expectations. A mobile app facilitates that.

What Can You Do with Your Mobile App?
In a nutshell, everything you can do from an office-bound PC you can now do on the go from anywhere. A mobile repair shop management tool lets you simplify, eliminate or minimize a lot of repetitive manual steps, along with the possibility of error that inevitably comes with input from multiple parties.

To learn more about how mobile adoption can make a major difference to your repair shop, check out the recommended tools below.

Recommended Tools:

• RepairCenter Mobile App Overview and iTunes Download
• Top 10 KPIs for Repair Shops PDF, including Net Promoter Score (NPS)
• Latest Industry Trends Report for Auto Physical Damage and Casualty Industries
• RepairCenter Free 30-day Trial Download

10 Digital Marketing Actions That Will Help Drive Customers to Your Auto Body Shop

Virtually every auto body and repair shop owner I meet wants more cars to repair. In today's web-, social media- and mobile-enabled world, shops need to make sure today's digital consumers, "Generation C", find their online lobbies to ensure they'll actually show up at the shop's physical lobby to have their car repaired.

Here are 10 marketing actions every shop should take to capture, service and retain more cars, customers and revenue from today's digital consumer.

1. Research and use your shop's keywords: Remember the top keywords used in our business are, "auto body", "autobody", "body shop", and "collision repair". There are many other keyword phrases like "BMW auto body" and "ford F150 auto body" or any other searches consumers will use to find your shop on the web.

2. Optimize your site and content: When it comes to optimization, "content is king"! Where it's natural, you should also include your city and state and the surrounding cities and/or counties in your content, to let both visitors and search engines know where you are. If you are a sip in Boulder, Colorado, it doesn't make sense to rank for the generic "auto body" or inaccurate "body shop new york."

You'll also want to get the most out of your Contact page, which for a local business is often the second most important page on your site, after your home page. Be sure you include:

• The name of your company or business
• The address where your business is located
• Your primary phone number
• A geo sitemap embedded so search engines can access it more easily
• If at all possible, use your physical address rather than a P.O. Box., so that Google will be able to list your actual location in their various business tools.
• Don't forget to create pages with testimonials, reviews, ratings and customer stories and FAQ's.
• Information about your staff is also useful, both for your customers and for the search engines.
• The more content you are able to add, the better - provided that all of it offers valuable advice, information, or entertainment value to the web audience.

 

3. Get your business on Google+ Local: Google+ Local for Business was developed to control what information is displayed by Google in Google Search and Google Maps, so you can be found more easily by potential customers. This helps you make sure that your customers have the right information about your local business, such as your opening hours, address, and contact information.

Local Google+ pages can help you communicate with your customers and allow you to get more exposure. They add social interaction to your listing, and help you create a two-way path of communication with your customers by responding to reviews and creating post updates for your customers.

4. Create or claim your local listings: Whether they are local directories or review websites, you'll want to create or claim all listings for your business. Each listing will represent a citation, and citations are an important component used in the ranking algorithm by Google and other search engines. (A citation is a mention of your business online, whether or not it contains a link.)

We already covered Google, but it's important to also create a listing on the more than 50 other local search directories. To do this, you will need to visit one of several local search sites such as GetListed, Localeze, Yext and others.

5. Be consistent: Local search engines DO NOT like inconsistent listings of your business online, and inconsistency can negatively your impact presence. That is why you want to be consistent when you list your business details - like the exact wording of your business name, physical address, and phone number - across all websites. Use the same details on your site, on your social media profiles, and on local directories or review sites.


6. Ask for, manage and share online reviews: First and foremost never, ever add or solicit fake reviews for your business. Trying to use fake reviews will only create problems for you, when search engines or your customers catch on to what you're doing.

You should ask every customer that picks up their vehicle to to leave a genuine review on your Google+ local page, Yelp, or wherever service they prefer. Give them options, and mention the fact that one review will be enough - they don't have to copy the review across all your listings. For example, asking a customer without a Google account to leave a Google+ review may cause them to abandon the whole idea. But if you give them several options, you'll get more results.

Make it easy for your customers. Send follow up emails, text messages, QR Codes, or even a basic postcard!

Keep in mind that the review sites are not perfect, and many businesses are frustrated when genuine positive reviews are improperly deleted or hidden. You'll need a lot of patience.


7. Optimize your social profiles: Google+ is not the only social media platform that you should take advantage of to get more exposure for your website. You need to make sure that every social profile you have includes your physical location (including city and state), along with your business or store name, and a URL back to your website. Remember, keep these consistent across all platforms.

• Facebook: First and foremost you need to claim any Facebook Place pages.
• Make sure that your Facebook page is listed as a local business, so that people can check in at your location. If you encourage people to check in, you can increase the chances of appearing in the Facebook search toward the top of the listings.
• You should also have a presence on LinkedIn and Twitter.

8. Think Local: One great way to drive attention to your on-line business locations is to get other people to talk about and link to you. And if they haven't done that yet, you can reach out to them or find a way to make them talk about you.

You can also use searches in Google like "your location + blogs" to find bloggers who might want to write about your local business. And you can use social media to find authorities in a your location

Other ways of making people talk about you and your business include sponsorships for local events, scholarships, or hosting events in your community. Participating at networking events in your local area can also help you create connections that can offer positive results in the future.
 

9. Go mobile: Think about this....Almost 70% of the population has a smart phone and more than 50% of all searches are performed via a mobile device!

• Everyone knows that mobile is the future now. And that is even more true for local business, whose customers are often on the move and looking for you on their devices. In case you don't have a mobile presence yet, you need to get up to speed.
• Make sure your website is mobile responsive so your customers/potential customers can have a better experience when they visit your website.
• Provide your customers with your own app so it is easy for them to find you and you "own" real estate on their phone!
• Give even more attention to how the most important pages on your site, like your Contact and Product/Services pages, look to mobile viewers. DO NOT use technologies like Flash or PDF that are less usable.

10. Analyze and monitor your results: If you can’t measure it—you can’t manage it. Find a tool like Digital Marketing where virtually EVERYTHING can be measured! You can start by monitoring the target keywords you selected. On a weekly basis you should use Google Analytics to analyze the organic traffic and see if it's improving.

In today's world, EVERY auto body shop, no matter the size, needs to utilize digital based sales, marketing and customer service tools if they are going to succeed!

**Blog written by Frank Terlep, CEO of eMarketing Sherpas**

Auto Repair Estimating Software: The Most Important Tool in Your Shop

Read any good OEM and aftermarket updates lately? Staying on top of paint codes?  Up to speed on recycled parts? Know how long it takes to repair the rear end of a 2000 Isuzu Trooper? Even if you are the best-informed collision repair estimator in the world, odds are the rest of the folks in your shop fall a little short of perfection. 

So, mistakes get made. Time gets wasted correcting them. Productivity suffers. Repairs are delayed. And your customers? Well, they’re not real happy about you or your shop, and they’ll probably let the world know via social media. 

In an industry where profitability rides on accurate estimating, the real cost of errors is incalculable. Getting it right, the first time and fast, is mission-critical. That makes your auto repair estimating software the most important tool in your shop. 

According to “Auto Repair Shop Industry Snapshot,” in 2010, 91% of all U.S. shops owned some kind of computerized estimating system.[1]  But Body Shop Business’s “2013 Operations Profile” reports that 55.2% of all estimates included at least one supplement, 14.3% had two, and only 26.6 had none.[2] We’re going to go out on a limb and suggest that not all computerized estimating systems are created equal -- some are Yugos and some are Ferraris, and most fall somewhere in between. If you’re in the market for a new or improved auto repair estimating system, here are a few things to consider.

Auto Repair Estimating Software Check List

• Accurate, Verifiable Estimates – At bare minimum, you want a system that automatically creates accurate, verifiable estimates that are readily accepted industry-wide. Look for a system that relies on the most comprehensive, current databases for parts and labor. If it includes advanced features like parts lookup, graphics printouts, itemized totals, and alternative or recycled parts, even better.
   
• Proven Technology – You also want a system equipped with technology that’s been proven in the field. Your customer doesn’t care that a bug in the software was to blame for the estimating discrepancy or a three-day delay in the promised delivery.
   
• Easy Installation and Training – Look for a system that someone with little experience can even master easily and quickly. If it’s too hard to use, it won’t get used. Also make sure that training and on-going support from product experts are included.
   
• Communications Access Anywhere, Anytime – Can you use the system to easily communicate with industry partners and your customers? Keeping in touch throughout the repair cycle can help you avoid misunderstandings, delays and disgruntled clients. It can help you clear up problems with vendors quickly, and keep the insurer in the loop, too.
   
• Automatic Error Checking – Does it check itself for errors? Automatically? Great! That’s a huge time-saver.
   
• Systems Flexibility – Is it one-size-fits-all or a flexible system you can customize to your way of doing business?

Mitchell has a range of estimating solutions that satisfy all these criteria and more to help you streamline your estimating process, avoid costly errors and create happy customers. This list, along with our Top 10 RepairCenter KPI pdf, will help you find the auto shop management software that’s best for you.

---

[1] “Auto Repair Shop Industry Snapshot,” http://www.pacificedc.org/Library%20Docs/Auto%20Repair%20Shop%20Industry%20Report.pdf

[2] “2013 Industry Profile: Operations Profile,” http://www.bodyshopbusiness.com/Content/Site303/Articles/05_01_2013/1132023640IPope_00000063588.pdf

Three Reasons Why You Should Use Social Media to Market Your Auto Repair Shop

Ten years ago most of us had never heard the term “social media” let alone thought of using it as a marketing channel. Today social media is an integral part of many people’s daily lives -- and many of those people are your customers and prospects. If you’ve been reluctant to add social media to the marketing mix for your auto repair business, here are some compelling statistics and three good reasons to embrace it. Social media is a measurable, highly effective tactic that any size auto repair shop can use to attract and retain customers and improve the customer experience.

What is it?

Social media are online sites where we can freely share and discuss information with and about each other and our lives, using words, pictures, audio and video. Well-known sites include Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Yelp, Snapchat, Instagram, Reddit and Flickr. The use of these sites has exploded, mirroring the growth of smartphones and tablets.

Who uses it?

The short answer is just about everybody.

As of 2014, about 1.28 billion people use Facebook, 540 million use YouTube, 187 million use LinkedIn and 255 million use Twitter worldwide. In the U.S. there are nearly 200 million social media users -- that’s nearly two-thirds of our entire population.[1]

Seventy-two percent of U.S. Internet users are active social media users. And they look a lot like your customer base. They include:

·   89% of 18 to 29 year olds

·   72% of 30 to 49 year olds

·   60% of 50 to 60 year olds

·   43% of people 65 and older

And 71% of them access social media from a mobile device[2] 

These aren’t just individuals, either. Social media users include some of the nation’s biggest, savviest marketers. McDonald’s has Facebook and Twitter pages, so do Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, and the NBA.  Samsung Mobile, currently #11 on the FanPage.com list of corporate brands with a social media presence, has 39 million Facebook Friends, and 231,662 of them are actively talking about Samsung’s company and products. Would you like 231,662 people talking about your auto repair shop? You bet you would![3]

What can you do with it?

·         Listen. It’s the #1 most important thing you can do, and you’ll learn quite a bit in the process. Negative comments can alert you to problems you may not be aware of. Positive comments can reinforce successful practices.

·         Ask. Asking questions is a great way to engage customers and prospects. Soliciting people’s advice or feedback can provide valuable insights, and position you as somebody who actually cares what your customers think. 

·         Participate. This is social media. Join the conversation, but do so in an authentic way. Respond to comments, even negative ones, in a positive manner that shows you’re listening and willing to fix problems. Avoid blatant sales pitches; social media is about building relationships.

·         Contribute. The saying goes that online content is king, but only if that content is of value to your customers and prospects. If you can make it educational and fun, so much the better. Post useful tips, short items on industry news, information and reviews about new products, even pictures. Good posts go viral, and they support your search engine optimization efforts.

What’s in it for your auto repair shop?

For a relatively small investment in time and resources, even a modest social media strategy can help your auto repair shop:

1. Retain customers and build loyalty. It can cost 10 times more to acquire a new customer than it costs to keep an existing one. And, satisfied customers are one of the best sources of new business referrals.

2. Acquire new customers. Social media opens up a rich vein of prospects beyond the usual insurance company referrals. According to HubSpot.com, 52% of all marketers have found a customer via Facebook in 2013.[4]  

3. Manage the customer experience. Social media can serve as first-rate, low-cost primary research that alerts you to problems so you can address them quickly.

Don’t have time for this? Mitchell’s new RepairCenter™ Customer Engagement Tools include packages that can help you manage your brand presence online. Learn more here.

So what do you think? Let us know about your experiences and opinions of social media marketing. 

---

[1] “A Brief History of Social Media,” http://www2.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/NewMedia/SocialMedia/SocialMediaHistory.html

[2] “Marketing Digitally: From Stress to Simplicity,” http://www.slideshare.net/FrankTerlep/marketing-digitally-from-stress-to-simplicity, Slide 27

[3] http://fanpagelist.com/category/corporate_brands/view/list/sort/fans

[4] http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/18-fresh-stats-about-social-media-marketing