The Short Answer Is: Yes.
But let’s talk about it a little in-depth.
Although many people scoff at the cost of good, professional photography, it’s probably one of the best and most cost-efficient investments you’ll ever make in your business.
People always say to “never judge a book by its cover,” yet everyone almost always does. Knowing this, it’s easy to see why good photography is a pretty big key in getting customers to trust you before they ever step foot in your shop.
Face it; there’s already a stigma around auto repair shops. But you can use photography to remove so many stress points from potential customers before they ever pick up the phone or schedule an appointment.
- “Does this shop seem clean and safe?”
- “Do they have the capacity to accommodate my car?”
- “Will I feel comfortable bringing my car here?”
You can imagine how much easier it is to convert a potential customer into an actual customer if they’ve already decided they know and like you before they’ve ever stepped foot in your doors. It makes it that much easier to gain their trust.
Otto Service in Kansas City, MO
EurAuto in Plano, TX
“But professional photographers charge so much money!”
Look, as a shop owner, you know that quality isn’t cheap. When you think about all the different ways that a single photoshoot can benefit your business, the photos will more than pay for themselves. I’m going to talk about just a few, but there are dozens and dozens of benefits to great photography.
What do people see when they search for your repair shop? If someone is searching for “auto repair near me,” then there’s an excellent chance this will be your chance to make a first impression. I don’t think I need to explain how important that is…
Branding
Your “brand” is more than just your logo. It’s everything about your business, from how you treat your customers to what you wear to how you’re perceived. Great photography helps you build that visual brand and enhance the relationship and trust between you and your customers.
Amplify Your Website
We’ve built many websites over the years, and one thing that’s always held true is this: If you don’t have good photos, your website won’t look as good as it possibly can. Your website is a vessel… think of it as a plate, and your shop photos are the meal. If you’re serving a cheeseburger that looks like it’s been run over by a bike, no one is going to care if it’s served on fine china or not.
Story-telling
You can use photography to showcase what you do, what kind of vehicles you work on, so on and so forth. A great photo shoot allows you to illustrate the value and success that your customers are looking for and help them feel comfortable knowing they’ve come to the right place.
Generic Stock Photo
Hemlock Auto in Hemlock, MI
Social Media
A single photoshoot for your auto repair shop can yield dozens, if not hundreds, of unique social media posts.
Advertising, Collateral, and More!
It’s never a bad idea to have a library of professional photos you can pull from to use for print marketing, digital advertising, collateral, mailers, news & magazine ads, and more. The possibilities are endless!
RepairOne in Spring, TX
“Okay, I’m convinced to hire a photographer to come to my auto repair shop. Now what?”
Glad to hear it! This is a great and important decision, and we’ve got a little more advice to help you make the best out of it:
Research your photographer.
You want someone who is going to make your business look good. Photographing buildings, interiors, and the hustle and bustle of daily shop life are different skill sets than portraits and family photos. While many photographers can cover a lot of ground, it doesn’t hurt to look through their portfolios and ask questions before committing.
Otto Service in Kansas City, MO
Get more than employee photos.
What’s most important to your customers is your work and how you go about doing it. There’s a place for employee and group photos (so definitely get those), but let’s be realistic; do you want to have to rehire a photographer to update the group shot on your home page every time you gain or lose an employee or technician? No.
Capturing the work you do:
For photos of your technicians working on cars, have employees face away from the camera or shoot images from behind and over the shoulder. This way, you don’t have to worry about replacing images if an employee leaves.
Show client success!
When planning the day for your photoshoot, see if any of your raving fans would be willing to come to your auto repair shop and stand in as happy customers. You can also ask family and friends to take part. For these images, you will want to capture their smiling faces and positive interactions with staff.
I hope this was a helpful rundown on how effective photography could benefit your auto repair shop for years to come. If you’re interested in working with a great team who can put all your great new photos to use, we’d love to chat with you about that! Schedule a discovery call with us today!
