TL;DR
Not sure where to start with marketing? You’re not alone. Most shop owners feel overwhelmed or unsure. The key is to begin with your goal. If you need a car count fast, run ads. If you’re playing the long game, invest in SEO. Want to build community and brand trust? Focus on social media. Don’t have a website? That’s the first thing you need. You don’t need to do everything at once. You just need to start with what makes the most sense for your shop right now.
You know how to fix cars, run a shop, and take care of your people, but when it comes to marketing, it’s easy to feel stuck.
You didn’t get into this industry because you love marketing. You got into it because you’re good at fixing cars, running a shop, and serving your community.
But now you’re running a business, and part of running a business is getting the word out. That’s where auto repair marketing comes in. And if you’re asking, “What services do I actually need?” you’re asking the right question.
This blog will give you a simple, honest framework for figuring out what’s next and how to move forward with confidence.
Start With the Goal
Before you pick a single service, you need to ask yourself one thing:
“What do I want to accomplish with my marketing right now?”
Not someday. Not in a year. Right now.
Think of it like a customer walking into your shop. They say, “Something’s wrong with my car.” Well, that’s a start, but you need more than that. You’ve got to ask questions, run a DVI, and figure out what they’re actually trying to accomplish.
Marketing works the same way. You don’t just need marketing. You need the right marketing for your current goals.
Here are a few common goals we hear from shop owners:
- I need more cars in the shop this month
- I want to be the go-to shop in town, not just another option
- I’m trying to hire a tech or service advisor and need to attract talent
- I want people to trust us before they ever set foot in the shop
- We’re opening a new location and need to make sure it’s successful
Once you’re clear on the goal, we can match the right service to it. It’s not about selling you the biggest package. It’s about building the right foundation.
Use the Marketing Repair Order Approach
If you’ve heard me say this once, you’ve heard me say it a thousand times:
Marketing is just like service advising.
When a customer comes in, you don’t slam them with every repair under the sun. You inspect the vehicle. You prioritize. You educate. You guide them.
We do the same thing with your marketing.
At Shop Marketing Pros, we use what we call the DMI (Digital Marketing Inspection), which is a marketing version of your DVI.
We look under the hood of your business. We check your online presence, your visibility, your competitors, and how customers are finding you or not finding you.
Then we build a marketing repair order. We start with the most urgent and impactful work. No fluff. No upsells. Just the truth.
That’s how marketing for auto repair shops should work.
Choose the Right Service for Your Situation
Let’s break it down and talk about which services fit which goals. This is where most owners get stuck, but it doesn’t have to be complicated.
Just like you don’t use a scan tool to check tire pressure, you don’t use the wrong marketing tool for the wrong job.
If You Need Car Count Fast: Start with Google Ads or LSAs
If you’re in a spot where the phone’s not ringing and the bays are sitting empty, this is your move.
Google Ads and LSAs (Local Service Ads) are what we call high-intent marketing. That means people are actively searching for services right now and ready to buy.
This isn’t billboard marketing. It’s not a long game. It’s someone typing “brake repair near me” into Google and calling the first trustworthy shop they see.
If you’ve got a good team answering the phone and converting calls into appointments, this will move the needle in as soon as a few months.
But here’s the thing.
You can’t just throw money at ads and expect magic. You’ve got to be prepared. You need:
- A solid website to land on
- Someone who answers the phone with energy and confidence
- A process for booking appointments quickly
That’s why when shops like Pleasant Automotive moved their budget from direct mail to LSAs, they saw better results right away. They weren’t just doing marketing. They were doing the right marketing, and they were ready to handle it.
If You’re Playing the Long Game: Go with SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO), or search everywhere optimization as we like to call it, is like compound interest. It’s slow at first, but it builds real power over time.
If your goal is to:
- Show up in Google searches consistently
- Outrank your competitors
- Get customers without paying for every click
It’s perfect for established shops or owners who want to build something sustainable. It doesn’t bring instant results, but once it kicks in, it keeps working.
Think of it like building a reputation in your town. It takes time. But once people know your name and trust your brand, it’s hard to compete with that.
And the best part? Once your SEO is strong, it lowers your ad spend because people start finding you organically.
If You Don’t Have a Website: That’s Priority Number One
Let me be blunt. If you don’t have a website, you’re invisible.
Google doesn’t know you exist. Customers can’t find you. And even if they do, they won’t trust you if your website looks like it was built in 2003.
Your website is your shop’s digital front door. It’s where customers go to check you out before they ever pick up the phone.
So if you’re missing this piece, stop reading right now and get a website built. Nothing else will work properly without it.
If You Want to Build Brand and Community: Go with Social Media
Social media isn’t just about followers and likes. It’s about trust.
When you show up consistently with content that reflects who you are, people start to feel like they know you. And people do business with people they trust.
Social media helps with:
- Building a local presence
- Showing your culture and team
- Attracting great employees
- Staying top of mind with your customers
But you’ve got to do it right.
That means:
- Real photos of your team and shop
- Stories that highlight your values
- Posts that actually connect with your community
This is one of the most underrated tools in auto repair marketing. But when it’s done well, it becomes a key part of how people perceive your shop.
It’s Okay to Start Small
A lot of shop owners feel like they’ve got to check every marketing box right out of the gate: website, ads, SEO, social media, email, branding, all of it. That mindset leads to burnout and bad decisions.
But here’s the truth. Trying to launch everything at once is like recommending an engine rebuild when all the customer needs is a new belt. It’s too much, too soon.
Most of our clients start with one service. They focus on understanding it well, and once it’s working, they build from there. That’s how real momentum happens step by step, not all at once.
Marketing is no different than running a shop. When you trust the process, use the right tools, and take care of the basics, everything runs smoothly.
So start small. Start smart. Then scale when your shop is ready.
How do You Know It’s Time to Add More
Here are the signs that tell us a shop is ready to scale up:
- You’re seeing results from your current service, and the numbers back it up. The phone’s ringing, and the work is showing up.
- You’re staying engaged and asking better questions. You’re not guessing anymore, you’re starting to think strategically about what’s next.
- You have the staff to handle more volume without falling behind or compromising on customer service.
- You’ve got the cash flow to support additional marketing, and it won’t throw your budget off balance.
- You feel excited about what’s possible. Growth doesn’t feel overwhelming anymore; it feels like the natural next step.
That’s when our team will start recommending the next move.
We don’t throw services at you just to grow your invoice. We wait for the right moment, when your business is ready, and we move with purpose.
Don’t Cheap Out on Marketing
Let’s say it plain. Cheap marketing will cost you more in the long run.
We’ve seen it over and over, shops trying to save a few bucks by going with the budget option. On paper, it sounds good. The pitch is polished. The price is lower. But the results? Not there.
Pleasant Automotive lived through that. They started with a lower-cost company. Nice folks. Friendly meetings. But every time they got on a call, it felt like the rep was seeing their numbers for the first time. There was no plan, no strategy, and no ownership of the outcome.
They wasted time. They wasted money. And they ended up having to start over with someone who actually knew the industry and had a plan that worked.
Marketing isn’t where you roll the dice to save a couple of hundred bucks. It’s where you build the machine that keeps your bays full and your phones ringing.
You wouldn’t trust your techs with off-brand tools that might break in their hands. Don’t trust your business with off-brand marketing either.
Invest in what works. Stick with people who know what they’re doing. And remember, you get what you pay for.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I create an auto repair shop marketing plan?
Start by defining what you want your marketing to do: more cars, more trust, more visibility, and match services to those goals. Your plan should be realistic, measurable, and built around what your shop can handle right now.
Why is customer retention important in auto repair?
Keeping loyal customers costs less than chasing new ones and often leads to more consistent revenue. Retained clients trust you, return more often, and are more likely to send friends and family your way.
What are effective marketing strategies for auto repair shops?
Some of the best strategies include local SEO, Google Ads, customer reviews, and regular social media content. These tools help you stay visible and connected to your community.
Why is having a strong online presence important for auto repair shops?
Because most people start their search for auto repair online, and if they can’t find you, they won’t call you. A good website, clear business listings, and an updated Google profile build trust before a customer ever sets foot in your shop.
Ready to Figure Out What Marketing Services Your Auto Repair Shop Actually Needs?
We’ll help you cut through the noise and get clear on where to start, what to focus on right now, and how to grow your marketing at a pace that fits your shop, not someone else’s.
You won’t get a hard sell or a bloated package of things you’re not ready for. You’ll get honest advice, a plan that matches your goals, and a team that knows how to guide shop owners like you every step of the way.
Schedule a free discovery call where we’ll go over your DMI (Digital Marketing Inspection) to see exactly where you stand and what your next best move looks like.
We’ll meet you where you are and help you build the roadmap to where you want to go.
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.