Social media provides a unique opportunity for collision repairers to augment traditional marketing practices. This presentation will give you a brief lesson on how to harness the power of various social networks/venues when marketing your repair shop.

1. Collision Repairers and Social Media Marketing

2. What is Social Media? Optimal local marketing opportunity Portal for interaction/dialogue with customers and prospects Platform for the most targeted marketing practices (by demographic) around 600,000,000+ users…and growing! Your ticket to more business and visibility within your local market

3. Why Social Media for Collision? Local businesses and organizations (like collision repairers) have a unique marketing opportunity on social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter. With targeted advertising applications (facebook.com/ads) and the ability to speak to your customers, social marketing can augment some of your less successful, traditional marketing. What one social media fan/connection does, is broadcasted out to their connections, resulting in a previously untapped line of company recognition and visibility.

4. Facebook Create a Business Page Include hours of operation, location, phone number, etc. Acquire fans FB Ads Add your FB page link to other ad venues Run a contest Post relevant content regularly Some directly promoting your business Some discussing the going-on’s in and around your community Some “Useful Tips” or “Car Care Ideas” etc. (anything engaging) Respond to your fan’s interaction.

5. Twitter Quick posts (tweets) with relevant content 140 characters or less (Twitter guideline) Ability to follow customers and other parties of interest, and re-broadcast their content Track trends and keywords for your local area to uncover prospects (3rd party applications)

6. YouTube Create a channel for your Collision Repair facility to broadcast video content Commercials, customer review video, how-to videos (i.e. “how to keep your car safe from the snow”) Promote YouTube content on Facebook, Twitter, etc. to grow viewership and enhance all of your social networks Receive customer/fan feedback to use to your shop’s advantage Recommendations, reviews, questions, etc.

7. Foursquare GPS powered social network Allows customers to check in at your business (think, “Bob Smith just checked in at XYZ Auto Body”) This is then broadcasted over Facebook and Twitter Bring customers in through Foursquare only specials “Ding, dent or scuff? Drop in and check-in to receive a free detail after your repair!” Use a seemingly small job like this to open your relationship, then expect their business when a major repair is imminent

8. Yelp Review and rating engine for local businesses and services Claim your business, include pertinent information (i.e. hours, location, etc.) Respond to customer reviews and complaints Often times the decision-making application for service seekers Your shop MUST have a Yelp presence!

9. In Conclusion… Interactivity is key in today’s consumer culture Social media is an avenue for you to actively promote your business, and have a virtual conversation with your customers More and more people are turning to social platforms to both seek out and review service providers Local-oriented businesses have the best opportunity to effectively utilize social marketing