As gas prices continue to drop, consumers will have a few more dollars in their pockets to spend on essentials, like vehicle repair and service. Getting customers to spend some of those dollars in your shop should be one of your goals this spring. With National Car Care Month on the horizon in April, there is no better time to put a proactive plan in place to convince your customers to invest some of that extra cash in their vehicles to keep them running better and longer.
Many motorists will take advantage of the lower gas prices by taking trips they may have not thought about in years. Whether it’s a weekend getaway, driving to a summer vacation destination or simply visiting friends or family, the amount of miles driven this year by vehicles is almost certain to rise.
More miles driven means more service opportunities for independent repair shops coast-to-coast. Having a proper plan in place to capitalize on this potential business is extremely important, and National Car Care Month is the perfect starting point to reach out to current customers and potential new customers.
The Car Care Council offers an assortment of marketing and promotional tools designed to help shops take advantage of the opportunities that National Car Care Month can create.
Displaying the new “Be Car Care Aware” point-of-sale materials is a visible way to participate in this national campaign. The council has updated all the materials, from banners to informational mirror hangers, to help auto care businesses celebrate National Car Care Month. The new materials are available for online purchase individually or as a pre-packaged kit.
A business-building activity that has proven to be successful with customers is hosting a free community car care event during National Car Care Month. Inexpensive to conduct, these vehicle check-up events help capture more business from your current customers and can also lead to new business. Many shops partner with other businesses in their area, as well as local radio stations and organizations like local police for car seat checks for a bigger community event. These events are always a valuable opportunity to raise awareness of your business in the community, while growing your bottom line at the same time.
The Car Care Council website offers a toolbox of items and suggestions on how to get started and host an event. In addition, since there is no one-size-fits-all template for participating in National Car Care Month, the Industry Tool Box also offers additional information on how to incorporate National Car Care Month activities into your plans on a smaller scale.
A giveaway idea for your customers during National Car Care Month is the newly redesigned Car Care Guide, which features 20 additional pages of new information to help motorists “Be Car Care Aware” by better understanding the when, why and how of caring for their vehicles. Available in English and Spanish, the 80-page Car Care Guide uses easy-to-understand everyday language, rather than technical automotive jargon, and fits easily in a glove box.
New sections of the Car Care Guide include finding an automotive repair shop, alternative fuels, understanding the warranty, vehicle telematics, careers in the auto care industry and an expanded environmental awareness section. Car Care Guides can be ordered at the Car Care Council website. Custom printing with a company logo on the back cover is also available in bulk quantities.
National Car Care Month is the ideal time to build awareness of your business, increase car counts and educate consumers on how much of their vehicle’s maintenance is going unchecked. The time and energy spent on National Car Care Month will not only help your shop this April, but can lead to additional business for years to come.
Don’t procrastinate or sit out another year. National Car Care Month can be a lucrative business opportunity if you have the right plan in place. For more information on National Car Care Month and the “Be Car Care Aware” campaign, visit www.carcare.org.