EPISODE: 157 – Preparing for August’s Marketing
Plan Ahead: August Marketing Starts Now
August might feel far off, but now’s the time to get your marketing dialed in. Back-to-school season, college car checkups, fall event prep, it’s all coming fast. Brian Walker and Caroline Legrand break down what shop owners should be doing in June to stay ahead of the game.
You’ll hear why now’s the time to smooth out your schedule for slower months, how to build campaigns around national days (yes, even Tug of War Day), and what themes you can tap into to keep your shop top-of-mind.
If you’re looking for simple, practical ideas to stay ahead, fill your bays, and have a little fun doing it, this one’s for you.
Thank you to our friends at RepairPal for providing you this episode. RepairPal is the key that unlocks more business for your repair shop. Learn More at RepairPal.com/shops.
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Timestamps
Introduction and Sponsor Thanks (00:00:10)
Brian introduces Caroline, thanks sponsors, and sets up the episode’s focus on August marketing preparation.
August Marketing Overview & Back-to-School Themes (00:00:59)
Discussion of August marketing, back-to-school prep, safety, community drives, and planning for fall events.
Planning Ahead for August & September (00:02:15)
Emphasizes planning marketing in advance, scheduling repairs for slower months, and balancing shop workload.
August Monthly Themes (00:04:40)
Covers National Dog Month, Happiness Happens Month, and National Back to School Month as social media topics.
Back-to-School Drives & College Car Prep (00:06:05)
Ideas for school supply drives, prepping college students’ cars, and timing service appointments.
August Weekly Observances (00:07:37)
Highlights National Management Training Week and its relevance to fall conference season and staff training.
Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign (00:08:24)
Discusses the national safety campaign before Labor Day and ways shops can promote safe driving.
National Composites Week (00:09:28)
Educational opportunity to discuss vehicle materials, composites, and new trends in automotive manufacturing.
National Aviation Week & Coast Guard Day (00:11:18)
Ideas for local collaborations, celebrating aviation, Coast Guard, and sharing personal or community stories.
Stop on Red Week & School Zone Safety (00:14:23)
Promoting back-to-school safety tips, school zone awareness, and safe driving reminders.
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally & International Clown Week (00:14:59)
Mentions the Sturgis Rally and shares humorous stories about clowns, with ideas for lighthearted shop content.
August Days of the Month Overview (00:17:01)
Notes that August has fewer auto-repair-relevant days, but highlights a few for creative marketing.
Worldwide Web Day (00:17:22)
Encourages shops to promote their websites, run scavenger hunts, or highlight online content.
National Coast Guard Day & Purple Heart Day (00:18:02)
Opportunities to honor military service members and veterans in the community.
International Coworking Day (00:18:33)
Spotlights teamwork within the shop, highlighting staff collaboration and camaraderie.
National Nonprofit Day (00:18:54)
Showcases shop involvement with local nonprofits and community engagement.
National Vlogging Day (00:19:05)
Encourages shops to create and share video content, leveraging video for marketing.
National Delivery Driver Appreciation Day (00:19:28)
Recognizes delivery drivers, both for parts and gig economy, with potential promotions or appreciation posts.
National Tug of War Day & Rock Paper Scissors Day (00:20:15)
Fun team-building activities and social media content ideas for shop staff.
National Petroleum Day (00:21:12)
Industry-relevant day to create engaging or educational content about petroleum and automotive services.
Back-to-School Car Care Campaigns (00:21:29)
Ideas for car care packages, safety checks, and promotions tied to back-to-school season.
Hosts’ Favorite August Marketing Days (00:22:19)
Brian and Caroline share which August days they’d choose for shop marketing, adding a personal touch.
Closing & Outro (00:23:13)
Thanks to sponsors, encouragement to listen to other podcasts, and final sign-off.
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Lagniappe (Books, Links, Other Podcasts, etc)
August Social Media Content Topics
Days of the Year
National Calendar
