Marketing and public relations are vital parts of a successful collision center. Proper application and monitoring the return on investment increases their value and makes them profitable ventures.
Proper application involves hitting your specific target with the correct media at the right time. As an example, radio advertising for collision centers can be expensive but very cost effective if properly placed. Drive time hours have a higher rate than mid-morning or mid-afternoon but the audience is proportionally higher.
To maximize your investment you will need to do a little homework. As part of your vehicle check-in procedure you should be recording the radio pre-sets on customer's vehicles.
Using a simple spreadsheet you can identify the top three radio stations listened to by your customers. Contact those three radio stations and find the one with the best rates and most available spots. You do not want to use a station that has a small number of spots available or that already has major involvement by another collision center.
The goal would be to own the particular time slot with emphasis on drive times, traffic alerts and inclement weather closings. You want to communicate your message to the audience while they are in their car to help them make the connection between you and their automotive needs.
Developing a marketing partnership with local businesses is a step toward marketing through public relations. Using local business services as thank you rewards to your customers multiplies your visibility.
One example is partnering with a local restaurant that will support a buy one get one free dinner coupon. Using these coupons as part of a thank you program will spread your word throughout the restaurant. The restaurant hostess will hear your name, as will the waitress, bus-persons, and customers. The restaurant owner or manager will talk about your business to other business owners identifying the rise in business from your dinner coupon. The restaurant might split the cost of the extra dinner with you, reducing your expense.
Finding other examples of business partnering only requires you to look out your business door. Is there a flower shop nearby? How about a driving range? How would your female customers respond to receiving flowers as a thank you reward? How would your male customers react to receiving a coupon for a bucket of range balls? Do you think they would talk about it?
Using rewards that put your customers around other people will bring the best benefit. This allows your customers to do your marketing for you as well as establish great public relations. Having your business partners advertise in your lobby as well as you advertising in theirs increases visibility for all involved.
To ensure the success of these programs they must be monitored and return on investment calculated. When your customers come to your collision center help them complete a quick questionnaire that includes how they heard about you. You can track this in most management systems or by using a simple spreadsheet by creating referral codes for each program.
Tracking will tell you where to direct your attention and which programs you are benefiting from. Have your business partners return the redeemed coupons with their invoice. The coupon should be complete with customer's name and the date the coupon was redeemed. Tracking the coupon redemption will identify its value. If only a few are redeemed you might need to find a new venue. Fine-tuning the program to ensure that you receive maximum benefits.
Some customers will come through referrals. Previous customers are your best advertisers so recognize referring customers through a reward. You might offer to detail their automobile for them or send them a dinner certificate.
When you start your marketing and public relations efforts you should involve your office manager or customer service representative. People with direct customer contact are in the best position to monitor this program. You also will find that when they have played a part in the development they will feel it is their program and make extra effort to ensure its success.
