- You are here:
-
Home
- Columns
Recent Columns
- From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Don’t Let Higher Sales Take Your Eye Off the Ball
- Collision Repair Association Conducting Study of Blend Time Formula
- How is Your Auto Body Shop Dealing with the Great Resignation?
- Gerber Collision CEO Talks Parts, Personnel Challenges
- Technician/Painter Recovering from Severe Burns Recognized During 11th Annual CIF Gala
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
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.
A strategically planned open house serves a larger purpose than soliciting new customers
Written by Tom FranklinTapping into the referral source inherent in each new customer
Written by Tom FranklinInattention is the root cause of lost customers and profits
Written by Tom FranklinRecently a local shop hired a very experienced estimator. Not only had she worked in many shops, but she had also worked as an independent appraiser and an appraiser for a major insurance company. One of her tasks was to check on the shop’s relationship with DRP directors and a local dealership, She was startled to discover relationships with a couple of the DRPs had soured a bit and the relationship with the dealership was all but lost.
Run your shop as if you were going to sell it
"Begin with the end in mind."
-- Stephen R. Covey
More...
Tough times require a five-prong marketing attack
I have often been surprised by the creative approaches used by some shop owners to increase business. While just about everyone says they want more insurance work, I still find shop after shop that relies strictly on previous customers, word-of-mouth, and a good sign out front to bring in a few additional drive-by customers. Nevertheless, many of these tell me their business is continually dwindling and ask, what should they be doing?
Re-channel mis-directed energy to de-stress for success!
Are you stressed out? It could be said that stress is simply mis-directed energy. One shop owner struggles to shape-up a poorly performing body man instead of directing his full energy to getting a really competent worker and paying him well.
Use sales brochures and websites to inform and sell
There's a new buzzword among marketing professionals these days: "integrated marketing." Like most "new" ideas, it's been around for a long time but the focus has often been elsewhere. McDonald's is probably the best known for completely "integrated marketing." Their "golden arches" identity, along with the Ronald McDonald character give them an instant focal point of identity. Advertisements, stationery, website and all of the rest of their P.R. efforts capitalize on these recognizable characteristics to arrive at an integrated marketing strategy.
Marketing strategies for an economic downturn
Economic indicators were already falling and a recession was looming when the catastrophe with the planes hitting New York's World Trade Center added to our economic pain. I'm already seeing a major slow-down in many shops in my area. "Business-as-usual" can be deadly at a time like this. What should a shop owner be doing to counteract the impact of these world events on his or her business profits?