The new role of social media: How to... GET IT RIGHT
Find out why social media is playing an important role for the garage industry, and get some top tips on making sure your messaging works
Published: 22 September, 2020
We have seen lockdown restrictions being lifted, but, the next few months will come with its own set of challenges for the aftermarket.
A backlog of jobs, social distancing rules, and safety restrictions means providing new and old customers with a quality service can be challenging. However, an effective social media strategy can help.
The right message
The pandemic has changed the way customers, suppliers and the entire supply chain functions. With face-to-face interactions limited, digital touch points for customers are increasing and social media now plays an important role in how businesses keep in touch. Getting your social strategy right can mean the difference between making a future sale or seeing a customer go to a competitor.
It’s important to make sure your messaging is clear, concise and reassuring for the customer. With many seeing reduced income due to the pandemic, motor-related issues are likely to be far more stressful than usual. Alleviating this, for example by making sure information is easy to find, will go a long way in improving the experience, and help to secure new customers.
Creating content that appeals to users who are in the research phase will also help businesses. Market shifts resulting from the pandemic means people will be open to new alternatives. Ensuring your social media feeds have engaging and informative top funnel content, will put you in a better position for becoming the preferred alternative supplier.
Key considerations
Your social media strategy should add value to the lives of your audience and customers –by providing helpful information, offering respite from everyday stresses through engaging and entertaining content, or educating your community.
Focus during the next few months should be on stress reduction for your customers. This might look like clear communication of essential information such as whether your business has reopened, what your opening hours are and if these have changed, and how you are adhering to social distancing rules, or it could be through sharing promotional offers and payment plans which relieve final stress. In addition to sharing information about your establishment, use your social channels to keep customers up to date on important industry announcements; this will help to position your business as a trusted industry leader.
To stand out from your competitors, consider using your social channels to add value to prospects and customers – for example, through the use of educational content such as how to guides for easy car maintenance.
Messaging to avoid
The world is still recovering from the impact of Coronavirus, and many of your audience may be finding their feet again. Taking an over-promotional approach, particularly when it comes to messaging around Coronavirus, can negatively impact on the favorability of your businesses and serve as a deterrent to potential customers.
Too many sales messages can have a similar effect too; your customers don’t want to be inundated with deals and products during a time where purchasing power may still be diminished. It’s also worth bearing in mind the mental impact the whole situation will have had on your community; it’s been a difficult and confusing time.
The steps you’ve taken during lockdown are ones which you should continue to bear in mind for the coming months, and beyond. It’s likely the aftermarket will take some time to fully recover, but by paying attention to digital strategy – and in particular your social media presence – you stand your business in very good stead for being a favoured brand on the other side.
- It’s coming home: Comline kicks off social media competition
Comline has today (Friday 12 June) kicked off a social media competition designed to fill the void left by the postponement of EURO 2020 over the next four weeks.
- MOT/servicing bookings up 80%
Demand for MOTs and services was seen to increase by 80% in some quarters last week following the announcement of a third national lockdown, with franchised dealers looking to capitalise on the aftermarket opportunity to offset the closure of showrooms.
According BookMyGarage.com, the price comparison site saw an 80% increase in MOT and service bookings compared to the same period in pre-pandemic 2020. MOT-only bookings were up by more than 50%, while 58% scheduled a full service alongside their MOT.
- No wave of disruption this time say OESAA members via Andy Savva video
The Original Equipment Suppliers Aftermarket Association (OESAA) and its members are reassuring garages they are all very much open for business during the current lockdown via a video from OESAA spokesman Andy Savva a.k.a The Garage Inspector.
- TRW's 'True Originals'
ZF Aftermarket is looking to help garages boost their digital marketing. With this in mind, the latest episode in the long-running TRW ‘True Originals’ campaign provides some tips on digital marketing tools and analytics, with the idea being to help garages modernise their communication techniques.
As the company points out, digitalisation within the industry is increasing at a fast rate. Statistics showing the rising amount of time customers spend online, and how online reviews influence purchasing decisions, should be taken very seriously. ZF Aftermarket is suggesting workshops should adapt their communications accordingly.
According to Ben Smart, Global Marketing Director ZF Aftermarket, businesses can increase sales and customer loyalty through digital marketing and social media, without the need to spend a lot of money: “By 2020, an entire generation, Generation C for ‘connected’, will have grown up in a digital world immersed in an online culture and well versed in social networking methodology. Furthermore, figures show that by next year the average person will be spending 84 minutes a day watching videos online.”
Russ Stanley, Director of Revolution Porsche based in Brighouse, West Yorkshire is featured in a video as part of the campaign. Russ explains how through early adoption of digital marketing he increased loyalty and managed to promote business growth: “Our interactive website means that customers can contact us outside of working hours, and social media has allowed us to grow far more quickly and easily. Every time we send an e-mail we ask our customers to follow us so it’s really easy to organically build up a good database. Sharing links to forums, exhibitions and other websites, together with engaging and relevant information about our team enables customers to interact.
“We also practice video servicing logging, where we send videos to our customers so they can actually see what work their vehicle needs – a good way of sharing information that really builds trust and confidence. Digital marketing costs very little other than your time, but the reach and rewards can be fantastic.”
The video can be found on #ORIGINALWORKSHOPS – a hub of advice, tips, videos and more. New web-based essays include:
What is digital marketing and how can it benefit your workshop?
- “Be primed for digital revolution” says IAAF
Wendy Williamson, Chief Executive of the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) will be taking to the stage of the Aftermarket Seminar Theatre at Automechanika Birmingham next month in order to discuss the challenges faced by the aftermarket in the digital era.