TL;DR: Most shop owners either try to do all their marketing themselves, hire someone in-house, or work with an agency, but they’re not sure which one actually makes sense for their situation. DIY works when you’re bootstrapping and focused on community building. In-house works best for social media and local involvement. Agencies handle the technical stuff: SEO, Google Ads, and websites. The real sweet spot? A hybrid approach where you have someone in your shop overseeing marketing and communicating with an agency that handles the heavy lifting. By the end of this, you’ll know exactly which approach fits your shop right now.
I talk to shop owners all over the country, and most can rattle off what marketing they’re doing. “Yeah, we’re on Facebook. Got a website. Tried Google Ads once.”
But when I ask why they’re doing those specific things or what they expect to happen, I usually get silence.
Here’s what I’ve learned: most shops fall into one of three categories when it comes to marketing for auto repair shops.
- DIY – The owner is doing all the marketing themselves between fixing cars and managing the business
- In-House – Someone on the team handles marketing, usually wearing multiple other hats
- Agency – They’re working with auto repair shop marketing companies to handle some or all of it
The problem? Most shop owners don’t know which approach actually makes sense for where they are right now.
Why Shop Owners Don't Trust Marketers
Let’s be honest. The marketing industry is full of smoke and mirrors.
I can’t tell you how many shop owners got burned by someone promising the moon and delivering nothing. Poor communication. Zero transparency. No idea if their money was actually doing anything.
And because most shop owners don’t know much about marketing (why would they? They’re experts at fixing cars, not running ad campaigns), it’s easy for unscrupulous people to take advantage of them.
If that’s you, I get it. But avoiding marketing altogether or doing it poorly isn’t the answer. You just need to understand what actually works for your situation.
The DIY Reality: When It Works and When It Doesn't
Most shop owners start here. When you’re opening your doors with $10,000 in the bank and a dream, you don’t have the budget to hire anyone.
When DIY Works
If you’re brand new, bootstrapping, or in a small community, DIY can get you pretty far, but only if you focus on the right things.
Here’s what works:
- Community involvement – BNI, Chamber of Commerce, local sponsorships
- Networking – Face-to-face relationships with other business owners
- Basic Google Business Profile setup – Get your shop listed and start asking for reviews
- Authentic social media – Real stuff from your shop, not perfectly polished content
When you have more time than money, this is where you put your energy. And here’s something Kim always says: if you don’t have a BNI group in your community, start one. If you don’t have a Chamber, figure out how to start one. If you do have one and it sucks, get in there and make it better.
Where DIY Falls Apart
Here’s where shop owners get stuck: they try to dabble in the technical stuff.
They fire up Google Ads because Google makes it look easy. They build a website on a free template. They post to Facebook once a month when they remember.
The problem? They don’t do any of it well enough for it to work. And when it doesn’t work, they assume marketing doesn’t work for them.
It’s like handing someone a scan tool for the first time and expecting them to diagnose a complex electrical issue. Sure, they can plug it in. But knowing what to do with the data? That takes expertise.
We see this all the time. A shop owner will try Google Ads on their own, spend $500, get a handful of calls that don’t convert, and conclude that ads just don’t work for auto repair. But when we dig into it? They were running a Google Smart campaign, letting Google spend their money with zero strategy behind it.
The Hidden Cost of DIY
Every hour you spend fumbling through ad settings is an hour you’re not spending on the things that actually move the needle in your business that only you can do.
If marketing isn’t your strength and it’s not something you enjoy, you’re better off paying someone who can do it in a fraction of the time while you focus on leading your team and serving customers.
The In-Between Reality Most Shops Live In
Most shops think they have in-house marketing. They don’t. They have their service advisor posting to Facebook when they remember, maybe throwing together a Google Ad. That’s not DIY. That’s not in-house. That’s chaos.
If your marketing person is also answering phones, writing estimates, and managing the service drive, they’re not doing marketing. They’re doing marketing when they have five minutes, which means it’s not getting done right.
True in-house marketing means someone is dedicated to it. That’s their job. Not one of five jobs.
The In-House Approach: What Actually Works
Some shops decide to bring marketing in-house. And depending on what you’re trying to accomplish, this can be a smart move.
But here’s the reality: a full-stack marketer is a unicorn.
Finding one person who can do SEO, run Google Ads, manage social media, build websites, and handle all your marketing needs? You’re more likely to find a unicorn in your service bay. And honestly, that unicorn would probably be great at diagnostics, too 😉.
What Works In-House
The best things to bring in-house are social media and community involvement.Â
One great example of this is Gregg Smith Automotive in Belleview, FL. Betty, one of the owners, spends almost all of her time connecting with their community, taking photos around the shop to get the team involved, and working on their marketing strategy.Â
If you’ve got a person like this in the shop, they should be posting consistently to social media, taking behind-the-scenes content, getting involved in BNI and Chamber, and showcasing their team and culture.
That type of marketing works best when it comes from inside the shop. No outside agency is going to capture your culture the way someone who’s living it every day can.
What Doesn’t Work In-House
The two things you should never try to bring in-house? SEO and Google Ads.
These require a high level of technical skill and constant adaptation. I’ve seen shops try to bring this in-house, and it almost never goes well. Either the person doesn’t have the expertise, or they get overwhelmed trying to keep up with changes while also managing ten other responsibilities.
SEO is probably the most misunderstood piece of auto repair shop marketing out there. People think you just write some blog posts and you’re done. But really good SEO? That’s technical. That’s complex. Even among marketers, true SEO expertise is a highly valued skill.
When Marketing Can't Help You
Here’s something most auto repair shop marketing companies won’t tell you: if your business is broken, marketing will only make it worse.
I’ve had shop owners call me looking for marketing to save their business. The phones aren’t ringing. The bays are empty. And they think the right marketing campaign is going to turn it all around.
That’s not how this works.
If your operations are a mess or your customer service is terrible, adding customers through marketing is like adding fuel to a fire that’s already out of control. We’ve turned down shops because we could see they weren’t ready. The problem wasn’t their marketing. The problem was how they were running their business.
You can’t market your way out of operational problems or advertise your way past poor leadership.
Fix the business first. Then market it.
The Agency Approach: When It Makes Sense
And look, I know this sounds like I’m trying to sell you on agencies. I own one, so of course I’m biased. But I’ve also done the DIY thing. I’ve been the shop owner wearing 47 hats trying to figure out Facebook ads at 11 PM after a 12-hour day in the shop. It sucked. So I’m not selling you on what I think you should do. I’m telling you what I wish someone had told me.
Here’s why working with the best auto repair marketing agency makes sense for a lot of shops: it’s their job to find and solve the marketing problems, so they’re faster and better than someone doing it for the first time.
When you work with a company that lives and breathes auto repair marketing, they’ve already faced the questions and learned how to do everything you’re about to try. They know what works and what doesn’t.
What Agencies Can Handle Best
- Website development – This is usually the first investment for a new shop. Before you spend a dollar on ads or anything else, get your website right. A good website built right the first time saves you from rebuilding it later.
- SEO – The most cost-effective long-term strategy. What you do today keeps working months and years down the road.
- Google Ads – These aren’t an on-off switch. They require constant management, optimization, and strategy.
- Reporting and accountability – A good agency shows you exactly what’s working and what’s not.
What You Should Expect from a Good Agency
One of the biggest complaints we hear is, “I don’t know what my marketing company is even doing.”
Here’s what you should expect:
- Regular communication. Not just when they want to sell you something new. Actual updates on what’s happening and what’s working.
- Transparent reporting. You should be able to see where your money is going and what results it’s producing. If you can’t track it, you can’t trust it.
- Education. A good agency teaches you what they’re doing and why. They’re not keeping you in the dark.
- Honesty about what’s realistic. If an agency tells you they’ll get you to #1 on Google in 30 days, run.
The best auto repair shop marketing companies make you smarter about your own marketing while they’re executing it for you.
The Red Flags to Watch For
- Poor communication – If you only hear from them when they want to sell you something new or when they have a problem, that’s a problem.
- No transparency – You should know exactly what they’re doing and what results you’re getting.
- Overpromising – Guarantees about rankings or results are usually lies.
The Sweet Spot: The Hybrid Approach
Here’s what I think works best for most shops: a hybrid model.
You’ve got someone in your shop who owns this. Maybe it’s you. Maybe it’s someone on your team who really enjoys marketing. This person oversees the overall strategy, communicates with your agency, handles social media and community involvement, keeps their ear to the ground for content opportunities, and holds everyone accountable.
Then you partner with an agency that handles the technical execution: SEO, ads, website management, and reporting.
This setup? It works. You get the best of what happens inside your shop and the best of what happens when experts handle the technical stuff.
Think of it like this: you wouldn’t hire a general technician and expect them to rebuild transmissions, diagnose complex electrical issues, and handle ADAS calibrations. You’d bring in specialists when you need them.
Marketing works the same way.
How to Know Which Approach Is Right for You
Before you pick an approach, you need to establish your marketing budget first. Your budget determines what’s on the table. Not everything is available to you at every stage of your business.
Here’s the reality: if you’re brand new with $10,000 in the bank, you’re doing DIY. You don’t have a choice. Focus on community, not Google Ads.
| Approach | When It Makes Sense |
|---|---|
| DIY | You're brand new with a limited budget. You're willing to focus on community building and networking, not technical stuff. You don’t have a ton of time, but you have more time than money. Reminder: we still recommend at least getting a website up at this time! |
| In-House | You have someone who genuinely enjoys social media and community involvement. They want to showcase your culture authentically. You're ready to invest in a dedicated person—not someone wearing five other hats. |
| Agency | You need technical expertise in SEO, ads, or web development. You want someone who's seen hundreds of shops and knows what works. You're serious about growth and ready to invest properly. |
| Hybrid | You want the best of both worlds. You have someone who can oversee and communicate. You're ready to build a real marketing strategy that combines authentic in-house content with professional technical execution. |
| Full In-House + Agency Support | You have 4–5+ locations and need centralized brand management. You can afford a full marketing team with specialized roles. Even then, you may still want agency partnership for technical expertise and a fresh outside perspective. |
What Gets Measured Gets Managed
Here’s something that doesn’t change whether you go DIY, in-house, or agency: you need to track what’s working.
One of the biggest complaints we hear about agencies is, “I have no idea if my marketing is doing anything.” That’s unacceptable.
A good agency shows you the numbers. Where your leads are actually coming from. What you’re paying to get a customer in the door. Which campaigns are performing and which ones need work. If they can’t show you that, fire them.
A great in-house person tracks conversions, monitors which social posts drive calls, and ties marketing activity back to actual appointments.
Even if you’re doing it yourself, you need to know where your customers are coming from. Ask every caller, “How did you hear about us?” Track it. Pay attention to what’s actually driving business.
Because if you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.
FAQs
Can I really do my own marketing successfully?Â
Yes, but only if you focus on community involvement, networking, and authentic social media. Avoid technical marketing like SEO or Google Ads unless you’re willing to invest serious time learning how to do them right.
When should I hire someone in-house for marketing?Â
When you find someone who genuinely enjoys social media and community engagement, and you can dedicate them to marketing full-time. This person should love showcasing your culture and building relationships, not just checking boxes.
What’s the biggest mistake shops make with DIY marketing?Â
Trying to do technical marketing like Google Ads or SEO without real expertise, getting poor results, then assuming marketing is the biggest mistake for auto repair shops. Technical marketing requires specialized knowledge to execute properly.
Should I stop my marketing when I get busy?Â
No. Consistent marketing raises your overall capacity over time and creates predictable growth. Stopping and starting creates unpredictable revenue swings that make it harder to plan staffing and maintain a steady workflow in your bays.
What should an agency handle versus in-house marketing?Â
Agencies should handle technical work like SEO, Google Ads, and website development. In-house marketing should focus on social media content creation, community events, networking groups, and showcasing your shop’s culture authentically.
How much should I budget for marketing?Â
Start with what you can realistically afford right now. Prioritize building a solid website first, then add other strategies based on your growth goals, current capacity, and whether you need more customers or better retention. General marketing budgets should be 7-9% of your annual projected revenue.
Need Guidance on the Best Marketing Approach for Your Shop? Book a Call Today!
Look, you don’t have to have it all figured out today. Most shop owners are doing some version of marketing. They’re just not sure if it’s the right version.
The key is being honest about where you are right now:
- What can you realistically handle yourself?
- What should you hand off to someone who actually knows what they’re doing?
- What’s your budget, and where should you invest it first?
- Is your business even ready for marketing, or do you need to fix operations first?
We’ve turned down shops because we could see they weren’t ready. The problem wasn’t marketing. The problem was how they were running their business. Fix that first. Other times, we help them build a comprehensive strategy that combines their in-house efforts with our expertise.
The goal isn’t to sell you something you don’t need. It’s to help you figure out what actually makes sense for your shop right now.
If you want to talk through what makes sense for your shop, book a free discovery call here. We’ll figure it out together. No pressure, no pitch. Just straight talk about what actually works for where you are right now.
