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- From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Daily Release Meetings a Must for Successful Collision Repair Shops
- How Could Gaming Change the Future of Collision Repair Training?
- Shop Strategies: California MSO Launches Kustomine Software to Help Collision Repairers Work More Efficiently
- Generating More Profit in Your Auto Body Shop with Windshield Repair
- Strategies to Help Auto Body Shops Navigate the Semiconductor Microchip Shortage
Cranking Out Estimates to Employ as a Marketing Tool
Written by Tom FranklinThe past few years have been fairly good for most of my body shop clients. In fact, business has been so good it’s been difficult to get some shop owners and managers to get serious about marketing initiatives. They may get interested in an idea for a short time, but as soon as business picks up, that interest disappears.
We’ve all had a customer come into the shop with bumper damage. You write the estimate and he stares at the total cost, stunned! “How could a little bumper damage possibly cost this much?” he exclaims. After you show him the cost of the reinforcement bar, impact strip, (etc, etc.) and then explain how the impact also pushed the fender into the quarter panel requiring additional repairs and refinishing, he may look a little less stunned. And you hope he may begin to understand how what seems to be superficial damage may have traveled far deeper than he could have imagined.
Lack of Time is Poor Excuse For Neglecting Marketing Programs
Written by Tom FranklinEvery professional has a pet peeve. In fact I’m sure that you, as a collision repair professional, have many things that really annoy you. But as a marketing consultant, there is one specific thing that bothers me most of all. People pay me good money for marketing tactics and strategies. Some will put them into practice for a short time, but soon will stop. Others won’t even begin to take the marketing measures I recommend. Why is this? Have I suggested actions that are too complicated? Too expensive? Too difficult to carry out?
The Challenge of Enticing Customers to Return to Your Shop Three Times
Written by Tom FranklinI recently wrote an article berating shop owners who wasted marketing money on ineffective advertising (which is most of it). I pointed out that few people who have recently been in an accident will look to an ad to find a shop for repairs.
Recently one of my readers called to ask how he could find a professional salesperson to go out and sell prospects on sending business to his shop. He had run ads for sales people and interviewed quite a few. He advertised on Monster.com and other online job sites. He may have even tried out a few applicants. But basically he couldn't find any that could effectively go out and represent his shop. I told him he would probably never find anyone who could. Why is that?
Avoid Taking Easy Way Out When Targeting Probable Customers
Written by Tom FranklinAs soon as you open your doors for business, sales pitches and junk mail for every imaginable kind of ad begin to arrive. Yellow Pages, Yellow Book, and Yellow Pages in Spanish, Chinese, or whatever other languages are spoken in your area may arrive first.
Clever Strategies for Drawing in New Customers
Written by Tom FranklinQuality shop owners would generally prefer to replace a damaged part with an OEM part rather than a used part or an aftermarket part. They know that the part from the original manufacturer will be most likely to fit well and thus save them time and trouble. If they can find a used OEM part in reasonably good condition, this would probably be their second choice. The last choice would be the aftermarket part, possibly manufactured in Taiwan, and often lacking in correct dimensions and useablility.
“When I go into any business deal, my chief thoughts are on how I’m going to save myself if things go wrong.” – J. Paul Getty
Franklin--‘Never-eat-alone’ is Good Metaphor for Networking Strategy
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Riding the winds of change: making new technology work for your shop
Written by Tom Franklin“Fly upon the wings of the wind.” Psalms 18:10
In the early 1990s I went to work selling software for CCC Information Systems. I had been in marketing and sales most of my life, but I had never seen a product sell like CCC’s computerized estimating software. Shop owners practically lined up to buy CCC’s “Ezest” product. Mitchell and ADP also got in the game and enjoyed bountiful sales. What was the secret to their success?
Patience plays the biggest role in marketing and advertising returns
Written by Tom FranklinJohn decided to spend some money on advertising and marketing for his shop. He ran ads in local publications and hired a marketing representative to distribute flyers and to offer donuts, flowers, pens and pads to agents, dealership principals, and other collision repair prospects. After three months he dropped the ads. He was annoyed. “They aren’t working,” he said. “We haven’t had a single call.” Six months later he fired the marketing representative. He hadn’t seen a single job from his investments.