By: Barbara Wilson, Sales and Implementation Specialist
Do you remember when you bought your first car? The excitement that you felt knowing that it was JUST what you wanted, and it was YOURS.
Now imagine a driver in your area being in an accident with their car they worked so hard to buy. Frustrated, flustered, and unsure about the process to get back on the road, they need help.
Their insurance company sends a list of local shop options to the customer, and during their research, they come across a website that looks good. Good logo, nice colors, but when they look around, the information is out of date, the links don't work, there's a "special" listed from three years ago, no customer reviews, and no contact information. Next!
Now imagine that customer lands on a site that looks nice PLUS tells them that the shop is OEM-certified, has recent 5-star reviews, and the customer can book an appointment right then and there.
Building a strong online presence is not just about the first impression; it helps to build a sustainable brand to maintain and grow your shop's reputation.
Your digital presence is like a virtual showcase of your shop's values and capabilities. Starting with a user-friendly website, an easy browsing experience sets the tone for what a customer can expect from your shop.
Craft a polished site with up-to-date content that positions your shop as a trusted authority:
This approach not only attracts but also convinces customers they’re making the right choice by choosing your shop.
Your digital strategy can’t be "set it and forget it"; you need to actively manage your online presence. You've already built a great looking site (we hope!), so now we have to get people there. Is your Google My Business listing up to date? What about industry directories and social media profiles?
Links from these external sources will help improve your website's "SEO," or Search Engine Optimization. To be found online, you can pay to run ads (called Search Engine Marketing, or SEM) or create your site in such a way that it works for you to appear higher in a customer's results when they search for body shops.
Integrating relevant keywords throughout your website will improve your search engine ranking. And again, backlinks from other reputable sites will enhance your credibility and reputation online, further helping your results.
When you plan and execute your digital plan, it's important to implement analytics tools to track website traffic, understand user behavior, and measure marketing effectiveness. Then you can adjust your online strategy if needed so that your shop remains competitive and visible.
These strategies can help you harness the power of a robust online presence allowing you to expand your customer base, cultivate customer loyalty, and solidify your shop's position as a trusted leader in the collision repair industry.
So, what would a customer say about your site? If you want a robust website with all these essentials, click here to learn more about CCC® Amplify.
And stay tuned for next month to learn more about how to create a simpler "Road to Payroll."
