FTR 049: Tom Lambert – Discount Model Marketing
Tom Lambert shares his passion for his style of marketing, charging what he is worth and his three-legged stool strategy.
Listen and view episode notesRR 436: Brad Beeston – Building a Reputation Online
Building a Reputation Online
Back in the day where yellow pages, print ads, billboards and TV rule the marketing world, now it is almost irrelevant. It is not completely gone but it will be. We are experiencing an influx of all digital marketing. Marketing technology, Influencers and Data Science now rule the marketing scene. We are observing demographics, page ranks, reviews and so much data to gain advantage over the competition.
Brad Beeston an account executive at Podium brings some very key insights to your online reputation and some tactics behind managing it.
Listen and view episode notesRR 431: Sara Fraser – The Power of Social Media for Automotive Professionals
Sara Fraser – The Power of Social Media for Automotive Professionals
There are a lot of trends happening on social media in the past couple of years. Understanding these trends can give us a competitive advantage and hashtags plays an important role especially on Facebook and Instagram. This episode will help you better understand the power of social media and some of the tricks that will make it work for you.
Sara Fraser has over 15 years of retail management experience, the last 6 of them as an office manager for a used car sales and service center. To bring her customer service, marketing, and business knowledge to the automotive industry she has recently joined the team at Haas Performance Consulting.
Listen and view episode notesFTR 045: Brian Walker – Foundational Marketing Techniques – There Are No Silver Bullets
FTR 045 Brian Walker – Foundational Marketing Techniques – There Are No Silver Bullets
Brian Walker co-owner of Shop Marketing Pros explains that there is no silver bullet to marketing. He shares thirteen Foundational Marketing Tactics and is determined that your marketing is consistent and when business is good, keep marketing and when it is bad, keep marketing. Marketing requires patience. It takes times to build momentum
Listen and view episode notesRR 430: Jennifer Filzen- What Dancing Taught Me About Running a Successful Business
Jennifer Filzen- What Dancing Taught Me About Running a Successful Business
A very interesting discipline that incorporates how you lead and how you strategize your life and business as a whole. Imagine learning the principles of dancing to improve your aftermarket success
Jennifer Filzen, from Rock Star Marketing, is here talking about her new book ‘What Dancing Taught Me About Running A Successful Business”. I was fascinated to hear how she connected dancing to being a strong leader and entrepreneur. I think she nailed it. So if you would like some self-help introspective don’t go anywhere.
We are talking about Clarity, confidence, certainty, teamwork, timing, and technique. Do you want your team, at the shop to move like poetry in motion? You’ve come to the right place.
Listen and view episode notesFTR 044: Murray Voth – Your Opportunity is Huge; Find the River Where the Money Is
FTR 044 Murray Voth – Your Opportunity is Huge; Find the River Where the Money Is
Listen and view episode notesRR 420: Kim Walker – Building a StoryBrand
Kim Walker – Building a Story Brand
People are bombarded with 3,000 marketing messages every 24 hours. What does your message say?
Catch the power of ‘Story Brand’. Learn about the Guide, the Hero, the problem, and the plan among others. It is a perfect fit for growing your relationship with your client. This is a review of the book ‘Building A Story Brand’ by Donald Miller.
Kim Walker is an official Story Brand Guide and along with her husband, Brian are former shop owners who are taking their personal experience and helping shop owners with their ‘story’. Their company is Shop Marketing Pros and they are helping the service professional bring their story brand to their clients.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 111: Building New Customers
Building New Customers
David Roman from Done with Care – Auto Repair from Merium, KS and Greg Bunch from Aspen Auto Clinic from Colorado Springs and also the founder of Transformers Institute bring their A game to this discussion.
We covered a wide spectrum of strategies on customer growth and trust. We enveloped the marketing side of finding new customers and then how to complete the relationship once your service writer brought them from the phone call and into the shop.
David says that a big deception in opening a business; you think you are going to do what you are good at doing, however, you must be good at marketing; to make the phone ring. The CEO must make the phone ring or you’re going to have to spend money to hire a professional to do it.
Greg says that we must educate new clients on who we are, what we do, and why we do it. Greg wants you to Invite your new customer to talk to the tech and walk them through the findings of the inspections. He says that your customer struggles to find a trustworthy mechanic, so if you want to build a long term customer; earn their trust.
Listen and view episode notesRR 413: Jill Trotta on Pricing Transparency
Understanding Consumer Behaviour through Price Transparency
Jill Trotta Vice President, Industry Advocacy and Sales RepairPal, discusses pricing transparency and reiterates the fact that it is not going away. Every shop owner should understand this and never let this disable them in any way. If you happen to have a friend who is struggling with pricing, let them listen to this episode and it may be worthwhile for them to best understand how it works and what it means to your operation.
Jill says that millions of people visit the RepairPal site each month and the data they collect helps them understand how to make pricing transparency work for you. She also offers some survey results that, are frankly, disturbing as it relates to satisfied customers.
Listen and view episode notesRR 406: Geek Talk 2.0 Part 3: The Independents Biggest Competitor
Geek Talk 2.0 Part Three – The Independents Biggest Competitor
This episode will enlighten and open your eyes to who are the biggest competitors of the independent shops; how to deal with them and how to market against them. Some important stats presented shows how market share is changing.
The panel includes Greg Buckley, CEO of Buckley Personalized Auto Care in Wilmington, DE, Chris Cloutier, co-owner of Golden Rule Auto Care in Dallas Texas and CEO of AutoText Me and Karim Morsli owner of Winkler Automomotive in Gaithersburg, MD.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 106: Managing a Negative Online Review
Managing a Negative Online Review
The Academy panel will go over a 5 step process and go above and beyond by sharing their personal experiences.
So you got a “NEGATIVE” Review now what? Here is a 5 step process we are going to discuss: 1/ Two negatives don’t make a positive, 2. Find out what the heck really happened, 3. Take advantage of the learning opportunity, 4. Finalize a resolution, respond and over deliver, and 5. Review with staff and MOVE ON!
The Academy panel will go over this 5 step process and go above and beyond by sharing their personal experiences. Besides digging into these five steps we get into soliciting reviews, the four types of reviews, and sometimes a negative review can be an advertisement for your shop based on how you handle it and so much more
Listen and view episode notesTHA 105: Catering to the Millennial Customer
Catering to the Millennial Customer
We are talking with three millennial aftermarket successors, they are each involved in the family service business. The panel: Lauren Anderson, Victory Auto Service & Glass Minneapolis, MN, Jacquie Hower, from Zimmerman’s Automotive, Mechanicsburg, PA and Carley Paiva, Elite Auto Repair in Warwick, RI
The ladies talk social media, transparency, that millennials have no patience, ‘they should know’, their view on video marketing, and where Instagram fits among other topics.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 094: ASE – The Industry Credential and YOU!
ASE: The Industry Credential and You
It is time to best understand “your” role in bringing the value of ASE to your technician, your customer, and the industry. It’s time we, you, stepped to the plate and used ASE for what it does for you.
Since ASE is a non-for-profit it is not their role to promote your people’s certifications. They do want to do more, but it is your role to promote your technician’s credentials in all your marketing, and on uniforms and inside your shop. ASE must become an ingrained part of your training program and used as an assessment to that means.
We had some candid dialogue, with some great input from the ZOOM chat stream. We also learned of some long-awaited improvements to the ASE program from Mike Coley, the Sr. Vice President at the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence(ASE). You’ll be happy to hear about them.
Also with us is Jeff Walker President of Walker’s Automotive Service of Pleasantville, New Jersey a current ASE board member and ASE past chairman and Amy Mattinat, President of Autocraftsmen, Montpelier, VT who shares a bunch of ideas on how to market and ingrain ASE into your business culture.
Listen and view episode notesRR 380: UNCOPYABLE. How To Create an Unfair Advantage Over Your Competition.
Uncopyable. How To Create an Unfair Advantage Over Your Competition
Steve Miller is best known as Kelly’s Dad and The Marketing Gunslinger. He is the best selling author, speaker, and a renowned marketing strategist. He has helped numerous organization stand out and become uncopyable against the stiffest competition available.
In this episode, we will be sharing with you all the main ingredients on how to become uncopyable. We will bring you the strategy you need to gain that advantage that your customer would be coming back to you and to you alone. Discover that unique quality that will help you stand out!
Listen and view episode notesRR 379: A Banker and a Master Tech Build a BMW Specialty Shop – Down Under
A Banker and a Master Tech Build a BMW Specialty Shop – Down Under
Ken Christie is the Chief Financial Officer of the Australian Bank division of National Australia Bank whose passion for collecting and racing cars decided to find a partner and build a BMW specialty shop. Ken partnered with BMW Mastertech, Mark Higgins and they created BM Performance Centre in Williamstown, Victoria, Australia
In this episode, we will be tackling issues and challenges of running a shop in Australia and surprisingly, it is very similar to the challenges and issues we have with our aftermarket in North America. With wide arrays of topics including customer retention, the Australian technician shortage, and earnings, a tech apprentice program like Europe and the Australian immigration policy. Learn what their BM performance experience is and get a taste of the Australian Aftermarket parts industry.
Enjoy this great study in contrasts and similarities.
Listen and view episode notesRR 368: Shop Talk 4. Gaining New Customers Through Marketing Automation.
Gaining New Customers Through Marketing Automation
Shop Talk 4 brings Doug Callaghan from Vic’s Service Centre, David Roman Done With Care Auto Repair, and Bill DeBoer Jr, AAM from DeBoer’s Auto Sales and Service together for an open discussion.
The big storyline here is Gaining New Customers Through Marketing Automation. We’re talking lead generation, email automation, sales funnels and creating fresh organic content. And so much more.
These owners are looking to find their new customers before they need their services. is what propels them to be better at service.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 085: 21 Tips to Gain an Edge over the Competition – Part 3!
21 Tips To Gain An Edge Over Your Competition – Part 3
With me, in this part three is the same crew from part two and part three. Todd Westerlund, CEO of Kukui , Jeremy O’Neal Freedom Automotive in Hesperia, CA and President and lead sales trainer for Advisorfix and Mark Goldsmith Mark’s Independent Service in Chatsworth, CA
There was a special challenge put forth by Todd Westerlund from Kukui and you’ll discover that at the end of the episode. The combined tips between the three parts are 68 which includes bonus tips.
Too many to list, but you’ll find not only great ideas in this episodes but trends you must be implementing if you plan to stay relevant and in business.
Listen and view episode notesRR 363: David Justice – You Must Manage Your Labor Profit Before Anything Else
David Justice – You Must Manage Your Labor Profit Before Anything Else
When David Justice sold his $5M business he was already speaking and coaching in partnership with NAPA. To help run his business David created the Labor Profit Management tool to keep a tight and smart handle on his labor and he was traveling the country and speaking to service professionals on the power of managing your labor.
Post sale he started Repair Shops of Tomorrow which not only incorporates the Labor Profit Management tools along with a focus on marketing programs.
David decided he needed to give back and is working hard to help shop owners achieve exceptional success. We talk about his three-legged stool, rewards, networking, and so much more.
Listen and view episode notesRR 356: Bruno Tabbi And The Power of a Vanity Phone Number
The Power Of A Vanity Phone Number
Bruno Tabbi is the President and Co-Founder at Ignition Toll-Free, where he focuses on premium vanity phone numbers including 1-800-MECHANIC.
Bruno says that organic marketing, through phones, is still alive and important in this day and age. We are so preoccupied with online marketing strategies that we forget that the phone call is still relevant and powerful. Managing your incoming phones is as powerful as having a solid SEO strategy for the web.
Listen and view episode notesRR 350: Carrie-Lynn Rodenberg on Building Relationships One Transaction at a Time. The Power of CRM.
Building relationships one transaction at a time. The power of CRM.
Carrie-Lynn Rodenberg is the founder of Turnkey Marketing. It is a leading all-in-one marketing system for Auto Repair Shops. It is not just a software platform, but is an entire strategically planned, timed, and executed online and offline system, developed by marketing experts, that removes virtually all of the owner’s stress and time spent on marketing.
She and her team specialize in helping auto repair shops attract new leads, increase car count, and keep customers longer, without the shops having to do any work. She managed to do this by integrating cutting-edge technology with the best digital marketing tactics.
Her valuable tips and advice provide insights on how to build and connect with customers while maintaining healthy marketing content to keep businesses visible. Her strategies also include the most basic form of connecting, the normal conversation and content that revolves around helping customers get over their immediate issues. Appealing to humanize the complicated world of CRM, she enlightens us that the key to loyalty is built one transaction at a time.
Listen and view episode notesFTR 002: Ron Ipach – Email is Destroying Your Business
For The Record. Ron Ipach says that email is destroying your business.
Listen and view episode notesRR 345: Leon Martin from Auto Tech Services – The Importance of Soap-Paint and Light
The Importance of Soap-Paint-Light
Leon Martin started his shop on a 60×40 oat-field, in a community with a population no less than 2,200. He started it with pure guts and determination despite detractors that told him that he can’t do it. When Auto Tech was open in Rochester, Washington for appointments, he appealed to the emotion of his customers.
Starting a business has a lot of challenges especially on the financial side of things. Leon shares some tips on how to make a wise financial decision, getting a business coach, advocating shop cleanliness and the deeper value of customer service. He shares his cleanliness, colors and bright days and nights in Soap-Paint-Light.
He always tells his customers Maintenance is easy to schedule, breakdowns are not. His customers will nod in approval while he and his crew extract a smile and a simple ‘what can I do to make your day better’ will work wonders on any given situations.
Listen and view episode notesTHA 067: Your Ideal Customer Part 2 – Training Your Team To Embrace Your Avatar
Your Ideal Customer Part 2 – Training Your People to Understand and Embrace Your Customer Avatar.
Knowing your ideal customer is an important part of a very successful business and helps define who you want as your customer. Commonly called your customer avatar, or your cardboard cut-out you are defining a customer that trusts you and are advocates for you.
These customers are least likely to stray and are most likely to recommend you because they are also advocates. You must talk to your ideal customer and find out what makes them tick.
In this episode find out the many ways you can engage your team to embrace your ideal customer. Hear from Ron Inchausti Coast Motor Werks in Irvine, CA, a multi-shop owner, Brian Weeks from [atc] Auto Center, a 3rd generation multi-shop owners from Augusta, GA and Patrick McHugh from Bimmer Rescue in Richmond, VA.
Part one is Town Hall Academy Episode 56
Listen and view episode notesRR 323: Jennifer Filzen from Rock Star Marketing
Your Story, Your Accomplishments Brings Authenticity To Your Website.
Jennifer Filzen from Rock Star Marketing helps shop owners bring their story to life on their website. Her purpose is to bring joy to millions of people and she has a proven method.
Jennifer says when you tell your story, you are being authentic and putting your company in the limelight.
There is an excitement level in this interview that will keep you engaged as we talk content marketing and how the power of your story connects you to your clients and prospects. We also get into her training seminar she held at Vision 208 called Fishing for Millennials.
Listen and view episode notesRR 320: Kathleen Jarosik from Xpertech Auto Repair
Trial By Fire Was the Pathway and Learning Curve for This Shop Owner.
Once Kathleen Jarosik from Xpertech Auto Repair in Englewood, FL bought the business from her former husband she went from the background to the foreground of the business. Trial by fire was the norm.
Her story is one of renaissance as she knew there was a better way. Working with her business coach, industry colleagues and association members, Kathleen started her turn around. She is actually doing what she loves to do most for the business.
Kathleen is not without her challenges, but she sees great light ahead and hopes one day to be an industry coach. She wants to help people and give back to the industry. She’s worked hard to build the reputation of the shop and create a positive culture for her team and an environment that her customers feel comfortable in.
Listen and view episode notes