TL;DR: Marketing failures happen for different reasons – sometimes it’s the platform (like Google), sometimes it’s your business processes (phone skills, capacity, pricing), and sometimes it’s just bad marketing. If the marketing is the issue, your company may issue a refund for services. If the reason is an internal issue, a good marketing company should direct you to a business coach. If your marketing itself fails, you can try new strategies and try to learn what went wrong, but oftentimes, it requires a thorough look at the marketing and the shop to determine if the issue was the marketing company, the marketing platform or strategy, or a business issue. If you feel like something’s not working, talk to your marketers to get to the bottom of it.Â
Every business owner has the same nightmare: investing thousands into their business and seeing little to no return.
I’ve seen it happen. Hell, I’ve lived through it with clients. But after working with 300+ auto repair shops over five years, I can tell you that most “marketing failures” aren’t actually marketing problems at all. They’re business problems disguised as marketing problems.
I’m not here to blow sunshine up your tailpipe about how “all marketing works if you just believe hard enough.” That’s garbage, and we both know it. Sometimes marketing legitimately doesn’t work, and when that happens, you deserve to know what comes next.
But here’s what I need you to understand before we dive in: there’s a massive difference between marketing that’s actually failing and marketing that’s working but not converting. Most shop owners can’t tell the difference, and that confusion costs them thousands.
I’ve been helping auto repair shops grow through auto repair shop marketing for over five years now. I’ve worked with 300+ shops, and in that time, I’ve seen everything from Google platform glitches that cost clients months of wasted ad spend to shops that think they have a marketing problem when they really have a phone skills problem.
So when you ask me, “What do I do if my marketing doesn’t work?” I need to tell you some uncomfortable truths about what that really means and what happens next.
The Story That Changed Everything I Thought I Knew
Let me tell you about Archie & Sons Diesel Repair. This story is going to make you uncomfortable, but it perfectly illustrates why this topic is so complicated.
Archie came to us as a referral from Parker Branch, one of our most successful clients. Parker owns Branch Automotive, a specialty diesel shop, and he’s also a business coach. When he recommended Archie work with us for Google Ads, I thought it would be a slam dunk.
We started running Archie’s Google Ads campaigns, and they were an absolute disaster from day one. No calls. No leads. Nothing. But the budget was burning through like we’d lit it on fire.
We tried everything. Different keywords, new ad copy, adjusted targeting, changed landing pages. Nothing worked. In most cases, a shop owner would cancel services after two months of this, and honestly, we were ready to recommend exactly that.
But here’s where it gets interesting: because Parker kept telling Archie how well we’d performed for his shop, Archie stuck with us longer than any reasonable person would. He trusted the process even when the results weren’t there.
After months of beating our heads against the wall, we made a desperate move. We completely scrapped his Google Ads account and started over from scratch. Everything was set up the same way, but with a brand new account.
Suddenly, it started working. Calls started coming in. Leads converted. Revenue flowed.
That was a Google problem, not a Shop Marketing Pros problem. Something was fundamentally broken with that first account, and there was no way for us to diagnose it or fix it. The only solution was to start over.
Here’s the thing: if Archie had quit after three months like most people would have, he never would have seen those results.Â
Now Archie has predictable revenue flowing into his shop every month. He’s not scrambling for customers or wondering where the next job will come from. That’s the difference between shops that survive and shops that thrive.
When We Screw Up (And What Happens Next)
I need to be crystal clear about something: we’re not perfect. We make mistakes, and when we do, we own them completely.
At Shop Marketing Pros, Integrity is one of our core values. Actually, it’s part of our SHIELD acronym: Synergy, Happiness, Integrity, Expansion, Leadership, and Dedication. These aren’t just pretty words on our website. They’re the foundation of how we operate.
If we make a mistake that causes your marketing for auto repair shops to fail, we’re going to make it right. Period.
I’ll give you a perfect example. We were working with Google on a new type of ad campaign for a very specific type of shop. Google told us to check a particular box in the settings, and we followed their guidance. That one checkbox caused the campaign to blow through $12,000 in budget in just a few days before we even realized what had happened.
The client didn’t even have to ask for their money back. We immediately refunded the entire $12,000. It was a massive hit for Shop Marketing Pros, but it was the right thing to do.
When we’re at fault, we’ll either work for free for a period of time, cover your ad budget, or give you a full refund. But here’s the catch: you have to trust us to tell you when we’ve made a mistake.
This level of accountability is why our clients stick with us for years, not months. When you know your marketing partner has your back, you can focus on running your shop instead of worrying about whether your ads are working.
It’s just like when a customer brings their car to your shop, you do a brake job, and then their alternator dies two weeks later. They’re convinced you broke something when you worked on their car. You know that’s not true. I know that’s not true. But they still want you to pay for it.
We don’t roll over and pay for problems we didn’t cause, just like you don’t pay to fix unrelated issues that happen after a repair.
The Real Reasons Marketing "Doesn't Work"
Here’s where things get complicated. Most of the time, when a shop owner tells me their marketing isn’t working, the marketing is actually performing fine. The problem is somewhere else in the business.
Phone Skills Are Everything
The most common issue I see? Poor phone skills. The campaigns are driving calls, but nobody’s converting those calls into appointments.
We’ll look at the marketing metrics and say, “This is working great. You’re getting calls.” The shop owner looks at their bottom line and says, “This isn’t making any impact on my business.”
Both statements are true. The marketing is working, but the business isn’t capitalizing on it.
If you think phone skills may be your issue, we advise that you train your service advisors or hire someone who can actually convert calls. You should be booking 70-80% of your calls, not 30%. If you’re not tracking this, start today.
You’re Too Busy (Yes, That’s a Problem)
I’ve worked with shops that are booked out 3-4 weeks because they’re so busy. Then they complain that their Google Ads aren’t working because people aren’t waiting that long for appointments..Â
Good problem to have, but it won’t last forever. Don’t turn off your marketing – use it to build a waiting list. Start planning to expand now before the busy streak ends.
If you’re booked a few weeks out and can’t handle new leads from marketing, we suggest making sure you’re running as efficiently as possible to get ROs completed. This could be a sign for improving operations, or it could be a sign that it’s time to hire a new team member!Â
Sticker Shock on Diagnostics
Some shops have relatively high diagnostic fees, and when potential customers call and hear “It’s $250 just to get started,” they hang up. The shop owner thinks the marketing is bringing in “price shoppers,” but really, they haven’t properly communicated the value of their diagnostic process.
Stop saying, “It’s $250 to diagnose.” Start saying, “We’ll invest up to $250 to pinpoint exactly what’s wrong, and that applies toward your repair.” Same fee, better presentation.
The “Price Shopper” Myth
Speaking of price shoppers, this is huge. Just because people are asking about pricing doesn’t make them price shoppers. But shops hear someone ask “How much?” and immediately write them off as tire kickers.
We actually did a whole podcast episode about this that I’ll link to, but the bottom line is this: people asking about price are often your best customers if you know how to handle the conversation properly.
Even though everyone may feel like a price shopper, the truth is they usually are not. When someone asks about price, ask them what’s wrong with their car first. Most people are trying to budget for necessary work, not find the cheapest hack in town.
Fix these issues while your marketing runs, and you’ll finally see what good marketing can actually do for your business.
The Hard Truth About Refunds
So here’s the question everyone wants answered: “If my marketing doesn’t work, do you give my money back?”
The simple answer is no, we don’t typically give refunds.
If we mess up and cause the problem, we’ll absolutely make it right. But if the marketing doesn’t work because of external factors like Google platform issues, poor phone skills, capacity problems, or any of the other reasons I mentioned, then no, we’re not giving your money back.
What we will do is re-evaluate your strategy and make sure you’re getting the services that fit your situation. If you’re too busy, we’ll shift your budget toward SEO or brand awareness instead of driving calls. If phone skills are the issue, we’ll adjust our approach and connect you with training resources. We’re not just going to shrug and say “tough luck,” but that’s very different from giving you a refund when the problem wasn’t on our end.
Let me use an analogy that’ll make sense to you. When someone brings you a car with a very difficult diagnostic problem, you might tell them you need an open-ended approval for diagnostic time. You’ll call them at certain points to get continued approval, but the diagnostic could take hours or even days.
If the customer decides to pull the plug halfway through because they don’t want to spend any more money, they still pay you for the diagnostic work you’ve already done. Even if you never found the root cause. Even if their car isn’t fixed.
That’s exactly how auto repair shop marketing companies should operate. If you don’t stick with the process long enough to see results, especially in challenging situations, you still pay for the work that was done.
When Marketing Takes Time (And Why That's Normal)
Sometimes marketing just takes longer to work, especially in certain situations. First, understand that no auto repair marketing is “turn on and see results immediately.” Google Ads has a learning phase, SEO takes months to build momentum, and social media requires consistent effort before you see traction.
But these situations can take even longer than normal:
- Highly populated areas with tons of competition
- Very specific niches that have smaller target audiences
- Seasonal businesses that have natural slow periods
- Premium shops targeting higher-end customers who take longer to make decisions
In these cases, expecting results in 30-60 days is unrealistic. It might take close to 3-6 months to really gain traction.
We can’t always predict when this will happen, but we are usually able to tell shortly after campaigns are live. If someone wants to quit after three months because their marketing isn’t producing results as fast as they want, that’s their choice. But our goal is to educate shop owners to make informed decisions about when to trust the process and have patience to see it through, and when to change direction, because we don’t want you to waste money.
The best auto repair shop marketing strategies often take time to compound. Just like building a loyal customer base in your shop, building effective marketing momentum doesn’t happen overnight.
What You Should Do If Your Marketing Isn't Working
First, figure out if it’s actually a marketing problem or something else:
- Check Your Phone Skills: Are you converting calls into appointments? If not, that’s not a marketing problem.
- Evaluate Your Capacity. If you’re booked solid for weeks, you don’t need more leads. You may need better systems or more technicians.
- Review Your Pricing Communication: How are you presenting your prices and diagnostic fees? Are you explaining value or just quoting numbers?
- Look at Your Competition: Are they facing the same challenges? Sometimes entire markets shift, and it affects everyone.
- Talk to Your Marketers: Â Auto repair marketing often takes longer than you think, especially if you’re in a competitive market or targeting premium customers. Talk to your marketing partner to see what they have to say.
If you’ve checked all these boxes and your trusted marketing partner is telling you everything looks good on their end, you might need to trust the process a little longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I wait before my auto repair shop marketing shows results?
Most auto repair shop marketing campaigns need 3-6 months to show meaningful results, depending on your market competition and budget. Highly competitive areas or niche specialties may require 6-12 months for full optimization.
What should I do if my Google Ads aren’t generating phone calls?
First, verify that your ads are actually running and your phone number is correct in all campaigns. Review the phone calls coming from the ads. If there are no calls, then your ad strategy or setup should be reviewed. If you are getting calls, but not customers, common issues may include poor phone skills, high diagnostic fees scaring customers, or targeting problems that need professional adjustment.
Why do some auto repair shops struggle with phone leads from marketing?
Many shops receive calls from marketing but fail to convert them into appointments due to poor phone training or unclear pricing communication. The marketing may be working perfectly while the business struggles with lead conversion. If you are running ads, having a trained service advisor team is crucial to ensure the ad cost has the opportunity to pay off. This may not be an issue you notice until you’re paying for phone calls.
How can I tell if my marketing company is doing a good job?
Look for transparent reporting, regular communication, and a willingness to explain their strategies in simple terms. The best auto repair shop marketing companies will show you exactly what they’re doing and take responsibility when problems arise.
Don't Just Hope Your Marketing Works, Partner With People Who Make It Work
Marketing doesn’t always work immediately, and sometimes it doesn’t work at all. When that happens, you need a partner who’ll be honest about what’s causing the problem and what they’re going to do about it.
We’ll own our mistakes and make them right every single time. But we’re not going to take responsibility for problems we didn’t cause, just like you wouldn’t pay to fix an alternator that died after you did a brake job.
The best thing you can do is choose a marketing partner you trust, give them the time and information they need to succeed, and be realistic about timelines and expectations.
Because when everything aligns and the marketing starts working, it can transform your entire business.Â
At Shop Marketing Pros, we believe in transparent partnerships that deliver real results. Ready to work with a marketing partner who tells you the truth? Book a free discovery call and let’s talk about what real growth looks like for your shop.
Brian Walker
Brian Walker is the Owner and CEO of Shop Marketing Pros, a marketing agency specializing in marketing independently owned auto repair shops. Brian is a Mercedes Benz Master Technician and has owned multiple shops and served as the Mechanical Division Director for ASA-NC.He’s a mechanic at heart who loves fixing things that are broken, which is why he loves marketing so much.
“Digging in and figuring out why a business’ marketing isn’t working is a lot like it was when he was elbows deep into a car that no one else could fix. When you figure it out, there’s nothing else like it.”
To get to do this for auto repair shop owners combines his passions, and he couldn’t be more excited about helping shop owners.