Social Media Tips for Auto Repair & Recon Shops
People around the country are feeling the effects of social isolation. But thanks to modern technology, there are still plenty of ways to stay connected, and social media is one of them. Customer communication is more important now than ever, and we’ve already shared some ideas on how to stay in touch with your customers during the coronavirus pandemic. In this article, we’ll focus solely on social media ideas for auto repair shops and auto recon businesses during COVID-19.
During this time, you should think about how you can have a bigger and better online presence. One obvious and free channel is social media. It’s worth reviewing a few basics in social media during the coronavirus pandemic, especially since the rules are slightly different given the present situation. Keep reading for our 5 social media tips:
1. Have a Social Media Plan
If you haven’t created a social media plan before, now is a great time to start. (Here’s a great step-by-step resource to help you get started.) All you have to do to get started is create a spreadsheet or calendar to plan out what you will post on social media. Think about the frequency of posts and what you want to say, then start to write them into your calendar. One post per day, per platform, could be sufficient right now, as you want to be informative without cluttering people’s feeds.
If you already created a social media plan or strategy before the coronavirus pandemic, you should revisit and review it. Make sure everything you were going to post is still relevant in the current situation. For example, you don’t want to share a post about a spring service offer if you are temporarily closed.
2. Know Your Customers
From your experience, you likely already have a pretty good idea of who your customers are. You know if they are mainly local or if they come to you from out of town, if they are repeat customers or one-timers.
To communicate with them over social media during this time, you should spend a few minutes thinking about how the pandemic might be affecting them. And, more importantly, think about how you can help. Without face-to-face interactions, learning how your customers are coping will involve some online research. You should look through the social media feeds of your customers, as well as those of your competitors to gather intel on how they’re reacting to the situation.
This is all about reading your audience so that you know how to best serve them; then you can respond accordingly. For example, if your customer base is mainly local, is there something you can do to help in your neighborhood? Could you offer free services for essential workers when the pandemic is over? Or can you do grocery runs for those in need? Whatever you do, share it on your social media platforms.
The key point to remember here is that you’re not just trying to push sales. You’re showing your community that you care and you’re offering your help. Even if there’s nothing you can do to help right now, you are creating a positive image of your auto recon business and you are forging better connections with your target customers.
3. Don’t Spread Misinformation
With people spending more time on their phones and social media platforms, it’s crucial that any information you share is accurate. Misinformation can spread quickly and the last thing you want to do is add fuel to the fire.
If you’re sharing anything about COVID-19, even if it’s from another source, make sure you’re absolutely positive that it’s accurate first. As a general rule, avoid sharing anything about cures, or lack of, for now. There is not enough research for anyone to have knowledge on cures just yet and you don’t want to engage in scaremongering either.
Keep your opinions aside on social media, especially in relation to politics. It’s always best to remain neutral so that you’re not isolating any of your customers. It also prevents any false information about particular groups being spread.
It’s okay if you don’t have all the answers right now—none of us do. If you don’t know when you’ll be open again, you can say that. Be open without being controversial. Equally, don’t make guarantees that you can’t honor.
4. Listen and Respond Quickly
Now that many people have more time on their hands, you might have taken the smart step of asking your customers for their feedback or reviews. If you haven’t done that yet, do that today. Once you do get feedback and reviews, it’s important to listen to what they say and respond quickly. Some of your customers might have questions about if you’re open, when you plan to re-open or how you are preventing the spread of COVID-19.
If you have a good business response plan, you can use that as your reference. Like we said earlier, if you don’t have a clear answer, still be open and transparent that you don’t know. It’s always better to answer than to leave people hanging.
5. Be Relevant and Relatable
It’s a tough time for everyone, so sharing more personal or even heartwarming content could be just the positive news that your followers want to see. We’re all in this together, so posts about how you’re surviving quarantine with your family could be very relatable. It might not be your typical social media strategy, but these are not ordinary times and your customers will appreciate that you recognize that.
For more information beyond social media ideas for auto repair shops and how to protect your auto recon business during this time, visit our COVID-19 Resources Page. Please let us know if there’s anything we can do to support you and your business.