In a world where it seems like everybody is using Facebook, MySpace or LinkedIn, posting pictures on Flickr, videos on YouTube, and random thoughts and observations on Twitter, it's a wonder anybody gets any work done at all. But many companies are leveraging these new social networking sites to increase their visibility and build customer loyalty.
That's fine if you happen to be promoting a new soft drink or an Ashton Kutcher movie, but how could these Web sites possibly be any help in marketing an autobody shop?
It depends on how you use them, says Helen Todd, director at online marketing specialists theKbuzz. "Because this is social media, half the battle is showing up and talking," she says. "If you throw a party, it's not enough to just put plates of food out. You have to talk to your guests."
There are several hundred collision repair shops that have established Facebook pages where customers (or anyone else for that matter) can become a "fan." Others are even using Twitter to update the public on their work or new specials and promotions.
It's important to have a plan with defined business goals before spending any time trying to establish a presence on most of these sites. Typically, the social media approach works best for brand building, increasing Web site traffic, increasing customer loyalty, and offering promotions and specials.
Todd Hayes, owner of the automotive marketing and training firm ClientOne, as well as RepairOne, a mechanical repair shop in Port Orange, Fla., has used social networking media, but primarily for his business-to-business marketing.
"This is still pretty fresh," Hayes says. "A lot of us are learning how to have success with social networking media."
Facebook is quickly taking off as a powerful marketing tool for many businesses. "No other site right now has the type of fan base they do worldwide," Todd says. "There are 250 million people on Facebook, and the natural virality of the site makes it a great tool for businesses to leverage."
She cautions that users shouldn't get too carried away with flash Facebook games and applications. "For brands, those things don't really work," Todd says. "What you want on a fan page is a dialogue, not a glossy applications page."
Body shops also can take advantage of the localized hypertargeting that is possible on Facebook.
"You can build a relevant fan base in the community because the site is built on friends connected to real people," Todd says. "You can also specifically target your ads by location. You could target people between the ages of 18 and 30 years old within a 10-mile radius of your shop, and even go further than that by selecting people who have self-identified in their profiles that they like cars or NASCAR. You can build a really relevant fan base within a geographic region that can hopefully lead to customer conversions."
One site that is probably not that helpful for shops is MySpace. Although some repairers have used MySpace as a way to build a free Web site, the user demographic at MySpace skews young, meaning there aren't many potential paying customers to be found there.
"MySpace just doesn't have the natural virality that is built into Facebook," Todd says. "You can reach a bigger audience on Facebook and get your brand out there in a more cost-effective way."
Twitter, the site on which individuals and businesses can post 140-character updates, can also be used to share information with customers and business partners, provided you can build a good enough follower base.
"If you are in the automotive industry, Twitter is a great vehicle to establish yourself as an expert or thought leader in the field," Todd says. "You can comment about what's going on in the industry, or share links to blogs and articles. You have to know who your audience is and what's going to interest them."
Kyle Adams, owner of Talent Auto in Winter Garden, Fla., has his shop's Twitter account (in existence only a few months) set up to automatically update his followers on what's going on in his shop, which specializes in restoration work, collision and mechanical repairs. "The people following me can see that we're working on a '65 Chevelle, and they can keep track of what I'm doing," says Adams, who also provides live video feeds from his shop. "I'm not sure Twitter is adding to my business, but it does help people keep in touch with me."
In some cases, these sites can be used as a sort-of resume or portfolio for a shop. Repairers can post before and after photos of vehicles they've repaired on Facebook, MySpace or Flickr, or even post video of repairs in progress on YouTube and then embed those clips in their own Web sites.
Offer valuable content to your customers/followers/fans. Give them a reason to keep checking your page by giving them something interesting to look at – new photos, links to relevant articles about auto repair, etc. Provide links to other sites, blogs and businesses. This can boost your profile in Web searches.
"The mission of social media networking is to give, not to ask," Hayes says. "You want to be able to provide a good blog or live video streaming or other information, and people will think, 'This guy has something interesting to say. I want to stay in touch with him and see what's going on.'"
Darrah & Darrah Autobody, a family-owned shop in Lake Placid, N.Y., has established a Facebook presence to increase brand exposure and to network. Co-owner Mia Harrah says she got the idea from a friend who marketed his real estate business through the site. "We do have customers who have signed up as fans," she says. "I try to keep it updated with news about body shops and other things that might interest consumers."
In the past month, Darrah posted links on the site to information about female-friendly businesses, the impact of health care reform on small businesses, and photos of vehicles that the company had successfully repaired.
So far it's unclear how many shops are really making the most of this technology. Most collision-related Facebook pages are relatively new and only have a few dozen fans. Twitter seems to be an even bigger question mark. But since all of these sites provide a free promotional platform for your business, experimenting to see what works and abandoning the online strategies that don't generate new leads can still provide useful marketing information.
The downside of utilizing these sites, though, is that brand owners don't control the conversation with their customers.
"Even running a business with a lot of integrity, these sites give customers an easy platform to complain," Hayes says. "And once that negative information is out there, it's out there forever. That's an area where I'm leery."
"The risk is they're going to be talking about you anyway," Todd counters. "The decision is whether you're going to be present in that conversation, and one, facilitate it, and two have the ability to jump in and address it, take the feedback if it's constructive, and actually do something about it or with it."
