How shops can capitalize on social media to interact with customers

Connected. That’s one of many buzz words we use around the topics of digital technology, social media and staying up to date. Staying connected is crucial for maintaining relationships, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. But what does it have to do with your collision center? 

The way we communicate as a society has changed dramatically through the evolution of digital communication and technology. From a business standpoint, this is an important topic to recognize, understand and follow. When the Internet was first introduced as a mass medium in the mid-90s, it was largely a “static” experience. Companies built basic websites that were set up mostly for informational purposes with little opportunity to engage with the business it represented. At most customers could either send an e-mail or call. 

The latest trends of the digital era we now live in have shifted to user-generated content, engagement and conversation. In the past, a website was typically the only online presence of a company and a place where viewers could go and attempt to make a connection. Now it should be only one facet of a company’s digital marketing strategy that functions alongside a strong social media presence. 

Interacting with customers through social media channels means making an instant, continued connection with them. You as a business owner are meeting them where they’re at and showing them content about you that they like to see and read about. Over time, they learn to trust and like you as a business and begin to feel like they know you. You become a trusted entity and they continue to follow you. 

Once you are ready to start using social media for your business, it can be a little overwhelming. How do you know where to begin? 

There is a lot to do, and it entails more than just selecting a platform and posting about the services you offer or how many OEM certifications your shop might have. First, decide who is going to be in charge. Is your shop part of a larger network? Consider recruiting a dedicated team for support and building campaigns. The challenge of that can be finding people who understand the business and can execute campaigns with high engagement. Is your collision center on the smaller side? It may make better sense to manage it in house. One benefit of that could be feeling more connected with customers. 

Finding the best way to connect with members of your local community and be in the forefront of someone’s mind when they have a collision can be tricky. One important step to take is understanding the demographics of your community. For example, is your business located in a college town? Most likely, the majority of your clientele will consist of young adults aged 30 or less. 

The next step is to figure out how they prefer to communicate. A college town full of young adults means there is heavy social media use, going well beyond the basic connections with family and friends. They use social media to follow their favorite restaurants, read the local news, hear about special promotions at their favorite stores, and more. To maintain visibility in a community like this, local businesses need to form connections using social channels to begin building relationships early. Early before services are needed and a quick decision needs to be made, such as a vehicle repair. 

Establishing a presence on social media is no longer limited to larger, more popular apps such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. There are other platforms that have either evolved to include social capabilities or have been introduced in recent years, and it’s important to research the ones that will allow you to reach the right audience. 

Keep in mind that customer review sites are also channels to form a connection and build trust. For example, it is common for users to read reviews on Google and Yelp. If a customer has a bad experience, it is important that a manager from your collision center respond directly to their post. It shows that you care about customers and the reputation of your business. 

On average, your customers will need a repair performed once every ten to eleven years, so it’s important to find creative ways to engage with your social communities on a regular basis and keep your name out there. These viewers may not have a car in your shop today, but when the day comes that they are in a hurry to find one, your shop will be in the forefront of their minds. 

Remember that customers want it to feel personal. You want to make them like you on a personal level and build their trust over time by communicating with them on a regular basis. 

What kind of content should you post? It should always be something that helps build a personal connection and reinforce trust. Maybe you could highlight different techs working at your shop each week, sharing their photo and some fun facts about them including their passion for collision repair. Does your collision center offer additional services, such as courtesy cars? Posting about it every so often is a good reminder for customers and reinforces how much you care about them. 

You could also post a question that will encourage viewers to engage, perhaps coupled with an incentive like adding their names to a contest drawing. Questions don’t always have to be related to automotive collision, either. Are you looking for a way to engage around Halloween? Ask customers to share photos of their carved pumpkins. If it is near Christmas, ask them to weigh in on their favorite holiday movie. It shows that you care about them as people and gives your business a more positive, fun feeling. Small efforts to engage from your end will add up and contribute to the bigger decision of bringing their car to your shop when they need a repair. 

Connecting with the public through social media only improves your chances of standing out among competition and bringing more cars to your door. For those business owners who are not sure if social media is really necessary, there are a few important things to consider. 

The main issue is the touchpoint you could lose to a competitor. In the old days, customers came to you, perhaps after flipping through a phone book or newspaper and not knowing much about you. The new way is to meet them where they are. Customers want someone there when and how they need them, and a competitor may be the one to fill that space if you choose not to utilize social media channels. 

By not engaging with others this way, you also limit yourself with ways you are able to compete. We are a mobile, digitalized society and we move quickly. How will you connect with the average consumer whose attention span is only 8 seconds? 

Start thinking today about how you can get started with social media and the opportunities that come with it. It will be extra time and work, but worth the investment. You have worked hard for your business to shine and be successful. Make sure it gets the attention and engagement that it deserves for continued success in today’s digital era. 

i Article source: McPadden, Kevin. (May 14, 2015) “Science: You Now Have a Shorter Attention Span Than a Goldfish.” Retrieved from time.com/3858309/attention-spans-goldfish/.