12 Creative Ways to Market Your Auto Glass Repair Service

Auto glass repair and windshield replacement is a competitive industry. If you are serious about growing your auto glass company, it’s time to step your marketing efforts. We have a few ideas to help you get started. Read the article below to learn something new about auto glass marketing.

1. Provide a great customer experience. Word-of-mouth is always going to be one of your most important marketing channels. Thankfully, it’s also very budget-friendly! So, how do you get people to talk about your auto glass business? Do a great job! The best thing you can do is provide a quality service at a fair price. When you do the right thing, people will notice. If you run a mobile auto glass repair service, do your best to provide an accurate ETA. If you get stuck in traffic, let them know that you are running a few minutes late. Stand by your work. If a windshield leaks within the first year, offer to fix the problem free-of-charge.

2. Update your website. If you don’t have a business website yet, now is the time to build one. If you already have a website, you may want to consider a design refresh. Every auto glass repair service needs to have a professional website. A basic webpage with a few pictures is not going to cut it. Your website is your digital business card. This is where people will come to learn more about your auto glass service. What type of vehicles do you work on? What insurance companies do you work with? How much do you charge? How far are you willing to travel? By answering these questions ahead of time, you can spend less time on the phone when a customer contacts you for an estimate.

3. Build relationships with local businesses. Networking can be a powerful marketing strategy. Building relationships with the right people can really benefit your auto glass repair shop. For example, it can help to have relationships with local car washes, auto detailing services, and other car-related businesses. These relationships can be a great source of new leads.

4. Try PPC advertising. If you prefer doing things on your own, pay-per-click advertising may be a good option for your auto glass business. Once you create an account, you can use Google or Bing’s easy-to-use platform to set up your first campaign. You can then bid on keyword searches where you would like your ad to appear. For example, you might want to bid on “auto glass repair near me” or “local windshield replacement". If you’re worried about the cost, you can set a daily budget limit to control your spending. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, you can hire a PPC consultant to help you get started.

5. Keep in touch with old customers. It is important to keep in contact with your existing customer base. This can be done through direct mail or direct email. Although it may seem old-fashioned, sending someone a postcard in the mail can still be very effective. If you prefer email, we recommend using an email marketing service. Using one of their templates helps to ensure your email is readable on every computer and mobile device. When you send something to your past customers, it reminds them to call you when they need a new windshield. It also reminds them to refer your company to their friends and family.

6. Build a brand. What separates your company from the competition? Do you provide 24/7 service? Do you have a shop or do you run a mobile auto glass repair service? Are you locally owned and operated? Do you specialize in commercial auto glass repair? Do you only repair windshields? Creating a strong brand helps past and prospective customers learn what makes your auto glass service unique. If you don’t have a logo yet, think about hiring a local designer to create one for you. Then, you can put your new logo on your company’s vehicles, employee uniforms, business cards, and promotional items.

7. Use third-party review sites to build your reputation online. Encourage your satisfied customers to leave a review of your auto glass business. Now more than ever, It’s incredibly important to have positive reviews of your business online. When you go the extra mile to help your customers, they will be more than willing to take a few minutes to share their experience. If you have received a few negative reviews, it’s not the end of the world. Unfortunately, this is just the way it goes. When someone has a legitimate complaint, do your best to rectify the situation. A polite phone call to the dissatisfied customer can make a big difference. If you need some extra help, there are marketing companies that specialize in online reputation management.

8. Pay-per-call advertising. Buying calls or appointments is a great way to generate new business quickly. It’s relatively easy to sign up. Once you have completed the registration, the pay-per-call advertising will start advertising on your behalf. When someone is interested in hiring you, they will call your number directly. All you need to do is pick up the phone. Then, you can answer the prospect's questions and maybe give a quote over the phone. These call leads may be for a variety of services, ranging from windshield replacement to minor chip repairs.

9. Consider running an ad on the radio. Once you become more of a regional player in the auto glass industry, running an ad on the radio can be a good marketing strategy. Radio ads are ideal for getting publicity and generating new leads. You can reach people throughout an entire metro area with a single ad. Radio advertising, in particular, is a great way to reach drivers (people who will eventually need a new windshield). Who doesn't listen to the radio when they are in the car?

10. Try vehicle wrap advertising. If you run a mobile auto glass repair, vehicle wrap advertising is a cost-effective way to reach many prospective customers in your local area. Everywhere you go, people can learn a little bit about your auto glass business. A vehicle wrap gives your van or truck a professional look. If you have a fleet of matching vehicles, people will become familiar with your company’s brand as they see your trucks around town.

11. Buy leads. Recently, purchasing leads has become very popular. There are several lead programs available for auto glass services. You can buy leads for 1) auto glass repair, 2) front windshield replacement, 3) rear window replacement, and 4) windshield chip or crack repair. Some people may be looking for in-shop service, while others are interested in mobile service. When a lead matches your set preferences, the person’s contact information will be sent directly to your email or cell phone. You are then charged a fixed fee for each lead.

12. Promote your business with a coupon. Coupons are a great idea if you are looking to bring new business. Although online coupons have become very popular in the last few years, paper coupons can also work well. You can offer 10% off any job over $200 or maybe waive the cost of a mobile service call. When offering a coupon, make sure that your promotion has an expiration date. Keep track of how many people redeem your coupon. You can then measure the success of your promotion and see how it impacted your bottom line. You may find that you made money on auto glass replacement jobs but lost money on windshield crack repair jobs. Next time you run a promotion, you can learn from your mistakes.