Our Auto Repair Marketing Process:

A Clear Path to Growth

You’ve built a shop you’re proud of. You’ve got a solid reputation, loyal customers, and a good team. But if you want to keep growing — in car count, revenue, and reputation — your marketing has to step up too.

That’s where Shop Marketing Pros comes in. Our process is built to give you clarity, consistency, and growth without leaving you in the dark about what’s happening.

HOW THE PROCESS WORKS

Here’s a detailed guide about what it looks like to work with us:

Discovery Call

It all starts with a conversation. The Discovery Call isn’t a sales pitch. It’s about finding out if we’re the right fit for your shop.

What happens:

We talk about your goals, challenges, and what you’ve tried before.
We look at your current marketing and show you where it’s helping or holding you back.
We answer your questions openly, and you’ll know exactly how we work.

If it’s a good fit, you’ll leave knowing how we can help grow your shop. If not, you’ll still leave with a clear plan for what to focus on to strengthen your marketing.

Agreement & Onboarding

When you sign the agreement, your partnership with Shop Marketing Pros officially begins. From that moment, things move quickly, and you’re never left to figure it out on your own.

Within 24 business hours, your Onboarding Specialist will personally call to welcome you and explain what comes next. Unlike agencies that rely on automated emails, you’ll have a real person guiding you from day one.

Think of your Onboarding Specialist as your project manager for onboarding. For the first 2–4 weeks, their only job is to walk you through the process, gather what’s needed, and remove any roadblocks that could slow things down.

You’ll also complete a shop survey to help us understand your shop’s story, strengths, and goals. While you’ll fill it out yourself, your Onboarding Specialist is right there to clarify questions and make sure nothing feels confusing or overwhelming. They’ll also help you provide essentials like logos, photos, or account access.

By the time your Kickoff Meeting takes place (usually within 72 hours of signing), everything will be lined up.

Kickoff Meeting

The Kickoff Meeting is your first official meeting with our Operations team. It’s led by your Onboarding Specialist, who reviews your survey responses, makes sure any remaining onboarding items are complete, and sets the foundation for your marketing plan.

What happens:

We review your completed survey together and finish up any remaining onboarding items.
We walk through your marketing plan and set clear expectations.
We review timelines, so you know when things will be live.
We identify what we need from you (photos, approvals, documents, etc.).
Most importantly, we get to know you and your shop, what sets you apart, and what you want your marketing to reflect.

This isn’t just a handoff. It’s the start of a real partnership.

The Transition from Onboarding to Growth Partnership

Your Onboarding Specialist stays with you through the first month to guide setup and remove any barriers to launching your services. Around the 30-day mark, you’ll transition to your Client Success Manager (CSM).

Your CSM becomes your main partner moving forward. They meet with you regularly to review results, share strategic recommendations, and make sure your marketing evolves as your shop grows. They also ensure that any updates, approvals, or questions you have get to the right team member quickly. Their role is to keep you connected, supported, and confident that your marketing is always moving in the right direction.

Building Your Marketing System

With onboarding complete, our team goes to work on the pieces that will grow your shop.

What happens:

Website: As long as communication stays consistent, we will launch your new website within 75 calendar days of the Kickoff Meeting. Throughout the process, you’ll receive designs and content for approval so you know exactly what to expect.
SEO: We start with the essentials — Google listing management, keyword strategy, content building, and link building — to get your shop visible everywhere and in front of the right clients. SEO is the slow build of your marketing, designed to create a lasting impression online. What we do today, you’ll begin seeing results from in about 3–6 months.
Social Media: We optimize your social media channels right away to ensure they’re set up correctly. From there, we begin posting within two weeks of your Kickoff Meeting, keeping your shop active and professional on the platforms that matter most.
Ads: If boosting car count is the priority, campaigns launch quickly so you can start seeing results fast.
- Google Search Ads and Facebook Ads will be live within two weeks of your Kickoff Meeting.
- Programmatic Ads will be live within two weeks of your Kickoff Meeting, pending necessary asset delivery.
- Local Service Ads (LSAs) will be live within three weeks, depending on Google’s approval process.

As advertising platforms evolve, we’ll continue expanding the options available to you. Our goal is always the same: to get the right cars in your bays through the most effective channels.

You’ll always know what’s happening and why it matters.

Ongoing Marketing & Support

Once the foundation is in place, your marketing system goes into full motion.

What happens:

Regular Check-Ins: Your Client Success Manager (CSM) will meet with you at least once a month (quarterly at minimum if you prefer) to review progress and plan next steps. The first 30-day check-in is often scheduled during your Kickoff Meeting so we stay on track from the start.
Reporting You Can Trust: You’ll have a custom dashboard and monthly reports that track what matters most — calls, leads, and car count. Your Client Success Manager (CSM) will review these reports with you during your monthly meetings, so you understand the numbers, ask questions, and connect performance directly to your shop’s goals.
Behind-the-Scenes Work: Our team is running ads, creating content, monitoring SEO, and keeping your shop visible.
Continuous Improvement: We don’t “set it and forget it.” Campaigns are tested, refined, and adjusted to keep you growing.

We call it “high touch” for a reason. You’re never left wondering what’s going on.

A Quick Look at a Website Build Timeline

If your package includes a new website, here’s how a typical build flows:

Week 1:

Kickoff call & gathering assets (logos, photos, access), Sitemap created & approved

Weeks 2–4

Homepage design and content created & approved

Weeks 4–7

Homepage edits (if necessary), full site content drafted and edited

Weeks 8–10

Full site design and development

Week 11

Final review, testing, and launch

The total timeline is 75 calendar days from your Kickoff Meeting, as long as communication and approvals stay consistent.

Important Note: Depending on the services you choose, a new website may be part of the process. If SEO is included in your plan, your site must meet strict performance standards, and in most cases, that means a rebuild. This ensures your marketing has the strong foundation it needs to help your shop grow.

Frequently ASKED QUESTIONS

How long before I see results?

Marketing isn’t a light switch. Ads can drive car count in a few weeks. SEO and websites build over months. Most shops notice measurable traction around 90 days.

How involved do I need to be?

We do the heavy lifting, but your input matters. That means completing the survey, providing photos or approvals, and showing up for check-ins. The shops that collaborate see the best results.

Do I need a new website to work with SMP?

Your website is the foundation of your marketing. If it can’t support services like SEO, ads, or content, it will hold back your results. That’s why we sometimes recommend a rebuild. When we do, it’s not about selling you a website. It’s about making sure your marketing has the base it needs to grow.

Can I add services later?

Absolutely. Many shops start with ads to boost car count, then add SEO, social media, or a new website as they grow. We’ll guide you on when to level up.

What makes SMP different?

We’re not a cookie-cutter agency. We’re former shop owners who know the industry and care about your success. You’ll have a dedicated Client Success Manager, a team of specialists, and real transparency in everything we do.

Real Results from Shops Like Yours

“Shop Marketing Pros really understands the auto repair world. Since working with them, we’ve seen more cars in the shop and way better visibility online. They built us a killer website, help with our social media, and actually know how to bring in the right kind of customers. Super easy to work with, and they actually care about our success. Wish we found them sooner.”

Eston Deily Jr, E-Motive Performance & Auto Repair

“I love working with Shop Marketing Pros. They have been doing my digital marketing for over 3 years now, and they take marketing to the next level. The team is professional, prompt, super friendly, and very knowledgeable. We get our reports and performance reviews on time every time, and they are super creative. If you are serious about your marketing, this is the company to choose.”

Makram Akram, Mac’s Complete Auto Repair

“Shop Marketing Pros is the top of the ladder when it comes to marketing in the auto repair business. From website design, Google Ads, Facebook, Instagram, or helping with ideas for planning an event at the shop — the entire staff is dedicated to getting you the best results. They truly say what they do and mean what they say.”

Joe Schindler, Schindler’s Garage

Ready to Grow Your Shop?

You don’t need another vendor. You need a marketing partner who understands shops like yours and knows how to help them grow.

If you’re ready for higher car count, stronger reputation, and steady long-term growth, let’s talk.