Best place to advertise..

[Bigletch]

Hello fellow Scottish PH'ers

Looking for some fresh ideas and thought that a brain storm session with my fellow pistonheaders would help..

I am currently running a mobile smart repair business and would like to find a better way to advertise..

currently doing the following

Website
Flyer drops
Posters in all my friends and family work places
Had an advert in the east lothian courier (not much responce)

So looking for any ideas to promote myself further..

currently most of my work comes from recomendations or spotting my van..

Thanks in advance for your time and suggestions

Stuart

[kmm]

If your work is good then recommendations is probably your most powerful tool. If you haven't been recommended then trust is big thing when it come to you, working on customers cars. Your website shows some nice work.

Why should we come to you? Is your work better or on par with your competitors? Price...it often comes down to this. Just some questions that customers ask themselves.

You could try a promotion offering a special deal on all or selected work. Previous customers can get involved by passing on dicount vouchers for you, with a reward if a new customer books some work. People like discounts, freebies etc, but won't always do things for nothing.

I have a girl who approached my gym offering sport therapy massages (no James you can't use your gym voucher). She came in on selected nights and did 15-20 mins freebie sessions. It was very well accepted and she is now getting regular booking from my gym members. I am going to run a promo for the gym which will include leaflet drops and member involvement with good discount and rewards.

It would great to get you involved with one of our days and offer advice, quotes or even some work at special ph prices. You may pick up some work as more people meet you and possible see your work.

ps. we're having a christmas night out...are you coming??
good luck
Kenny.

[Robert Burns]

Yea, i have a idea. Come on the runs, i normally end up with damage due to french moblie stupid camper bugging vans.

[Proxy]

Try setting up some adverts on Facebook mate.
I've advertised a site I built on there before & I got 500 sign-ups from there alone

[Bigletch]

When do you hold the runs?
Not sure if my transit would keep up :-(
Joking aside, what is the norm for a run.
Breakfast, lunch, distance ect...

I have a 95 areo Saab running 280ish bhp would that be a better stead?

Love the leasure club idea and customer finder discout voucher..
Going to design a postcard sized flyer that includes this..

I understand the trust thing when it comes to working on a customers car, but any smart repairer will tell you your only as good as your last job and thats why I treat every car as though it was mine.. I have seen some pretty poor smart repairs!!

Are there any sales manager out there or dealer owners that could perhaps give me an idea of the best way in with a dealer?

Thanks again for any comments

Stuart

[SXi Lad]

You should look into advertising on taxi's, you can may do them a deal if you fix their taxi's

Robert Burns said:

Yea, i have a idea. Come on the runs, i normally end up with damage due to french moblie stupid camper bugging vans.

kmm said:

She came in on selected nights and did 15-20 mins freebie sessions.

I thought you were married

[sherman]

Bigletch said:

When do you hold the runs?
Not sure if my transit would keep up :-(
Joking aside, what is the norm for a run.
Breakfast, lunch, distance ect...

I have a 95 areo Saab running 280ish bhp would that be a better stead?

The runs are usually about once a month just keep an eye on the forum but it obviously starting to get to the sort of weather where the runs will stop for a few months. They will no doubt restart properly around march/april time next year.

Im sure you would have a laugh in the transit as the fastest anyone needs to go is the speed limit.

The Saab will have more than enough power to keep up as I say the fastest you have to go is the speed limit.

The bigger runs usually start at around 9am depending on where we are going and setting off from. We stop at least once on the way to wherever it so the run is to so everyone can catch up and have a piss etc. Where ever we are going to is generally the lunch stop and everyone shall stop there for at least an hour before either driving the next part of the route or making their way home if there is no further route planned. The distance varies but is usually no more than a tank or tank and a half of petrol (depending on car).

[Stevenj214]

Get some post-its printed up with your details and a handwritten look message saying something like "I can fix your damaged paintwork. Give me a call. 0131 555 5555. Joe" and stick them on the windscreen of cars any cars you see with damaged paintwork.

Set up in/near a supermarket or shopping centre car park. Offer a 'while you shop' service, if your processes are fast enough.

Can you get some stats and figures to run an ad in your local free ads or car sales paper along the lines of "Cars with perfect bodywork sell for x% more on average. Get in touch to ensure you get the best price for your car"

Some trade work with local 2nd hand car dealers?

[OlberJ]

The best approach is to put questions up on websites regarding your business advertising, works every time

[anonymous-user]

Personal recommendation first and foremost, I probably wouldn't use a SMART repairer without one, even a personal recommendation from a PHer I've never met goes a long way! When you do a good job for someone, don't be afraid to tell them most of your business comes from referrals, and that you'd appreciate it if they spread the good word - give them some extra cards and flyers to hand to their friends/family/colleagues.

[Lastinclass]

Get on Linkedin and get linked to some car dealer management people, just google their names and find them and invite them to link. Then send them a brief outline of what you do.
Try and persuade some of them to put your flyers in their service reception and maybe cut them in on doing a repair while the car is in their workshop?
Buy some database - you could specify people with certain makes/ages in specific post codes? Direct mail is always more cost effective than media advertising.
Sponsor a roundabout? lots of people have shunts on roundabouts, just sponsor one with a high throughput in rush hour there are bound to be prangs.
Go to loads of owners club meetings etc...

[kmm]

I've got a couple of small chips that i touched up myself, far from perfect but better than primer.

We could do some before and after shots, with me paying you as little money as possible. If it's a good job, then i tell everyone i know. If it's mince, then i'll chuck more touch up paint on it.
My poor car gets slagged a lot, but it is quite clean.

[SXi Lad]

kmm said:

My poor car gets slagged a lot

Quit your jibber jabber, fool. Try having a bluey green corsa then..

[OlberJ]

SXi Lad said:

Try having a bluey green corsa then..

Quoted for truthness.

[kmm]

Can you smart repair Brads complete corsa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[6C4GTS]

Why don't you sponsor a PH SMART repair day somewhere - similar to the dyno days and Megys photo days so that you can build a network of recommends...as Kenny says a good rate for Phers on the day might work.

PS: Megy when you get a minute..........suckers!!

Edited by 6C4GTS on Friday 29th October 11:28

[SXi Lad]

kmm said:

Can you smart repair Brads complete corsa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Id be interested in this...thats if you fix dents and scratches.

[Bigletch]

Thanks for all the suggestions..

Dents are coming soon (PDR), been getting loads of inquiry for them.

heading down to london on friday to start training & buy lots of tools and hope to be fully up and running with that side of the business early Jan 2011..

A PH dent day sounds like a great idea...or tag it on to a rolling road meet.
I recon I could easily give up a weekend to offer advice and remove as many dents as possible.
I think a good idea would be to pay what you think its worth and all money collected be handed over to the MacMillian Cancer Support.

Let me know what people think and I we can start to plan a weekend. (end of Jan or Feb 11)

[GordonF430]

Worth having a think about a Social Media Marketing strategy also.

How to people find your website? Do you use SEO - does that convert - is it costs effective?

Social Media Marketing is actually one thing that Ford US are heralding as a major breakthrough in their return to profitability, and even more so in the US, where its been ourageously successful.

Done well it can be brilliant.

Blogs giving advice, insight etc etc - can be really useful too. Video blogs, how to guides, some professional insight etc etc.

Any sort of online forum/site where you can give advice, and start to be seen as something of an expert - will always bring through leads, specially if you then have people on there that will contribute as to the quality of your service/work. Allows you to be quite targeted and specific.

Not sure what sort of PR you have been looking at, but done well, that can help massively also - I tend to find that editiorial/reviews of my products carry far more weight and ROI than adverts, and sponsored things.

Edited by GordonF430 on Saturday 30th October 18:49

[MartinD]

I'll chuck some business your way - got a few things needing done on all the cars