Motorhead Blog

From Car Shows to Careers: Growing the Next Generation of Builders

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:37:11 GMT

How a small local car club and tech school partnership is keeping the automotive restoration culture alive

By Keith Bourgeois

Sometimes the longest journeys begin by accident when you're doing what you love. In this case, merely attending a local car show.

A small local car club called the “ Gone Cruisin Car Club ” in the Finger Lakes area of New York state did a great job putting on their annual car show which features, on average, over 250 classic and modern muscle vehicles from a Model T to classic Jaguars, a Hellcat Red Eye, and even a fully restored WWII Jeep, along with many more. I enjoyed the show so much that I asked how to get involved. At the end of the conversation, I joined their car club and started attending their monthly meetings.

Finding Our Purpose

One of the first orders of business at my first meeting was to decide which local charities the money raised at the car show would go to. Suggestions included the local nursing home, the Boy Scouts, and other community outreach initiatives to help shed a positive light on the car culture in the area.

All were excellent charities, but something didn't feel right. We are a car club after all! Why weren't we donating money to a cause that would help foster and grow our car restoration space? We could donate to something like the SEMA political action committee, which fights for our rights to repair, race, and restore our own cars. Better yet, what about youth engagement? Let's support kids who are interested in getting involved in the car culture and building a career in the industry to help not only preserve our hobby but also ensure its life far into the future.

The car club agreed, and the motion passed to donate and help foster youth engagement in the automotive fields of employment.

Partnering with Wayne Technical Career Center

This led to our involvement with the Wayne Technical Career Center (WTCC) auto body class, which is part of Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES located in Williamson, NY, about 30 minutes east of Rochester, NY, where junior and senior high school students from all over the county come together to learn everything about auto body collision and restoration.

The WTCC teaches in a very unique way. Head instructor Jeremy Tiffany states, "I run the program like a 'real' body shop, doing all live customer work and, as far as we know, we're the only high school trade school body shop in the state that does this."

Tiffany has been teaching kids auto body for 30 years, and with 20 graduates a year, he's introduced about 600 kids to the auto collision and restoration workforce during his tenure. "I started out working in a shop and was approached by a teacher who asked me to be an assistant," Tiffany states. "I stuck with teaching all these years because I like helping kids learn the trade." Jeremy doesn’t quit once the school bell rings; he also runs a body shop after hours, working on clients' vehicles and restoring his own projects, applying the same skills he teaches.

They operate the auto body class like a real collision shop, working on customer cars. Besides working on projects in the shop, the students actually estimate repairs, order parts and supplies, and bill clients—giving them real-world experience. An added bonus for customers who have their car repaired or restored by the students is that they don’t have to pay for labor.

State law requires the school to bring in representatives from local collision and restoration shops as well as auto restoration & repair-related businesses, annually. These industry consultants evaluate the curriculum and provide feedback to ensure students are learning the skills that shops, dealerships, and the industry actually need.

Making an Impact

As mentioned above, the WTCC body shop class was voted by the club as our choice to receive the funds remaining after expenses from the annual car show. The teacher, the school, and especially the students were ecstatic to receive the thousands of dollars that our little car show generated. As of March 2026, over the first three years, this small club has donated $8,700 in support of the students!

Students who plan to pursue further education and certifications in automotive collision and restoration are selected by a committee the school has put together, and the students can use their donations for:

Continuing Education (Trade School or College)
Tools, Supplies, etc.
Vehicle Purchases, Repairs, Parts (for personal transportation to/from school and jobs)
Clothing (for job interviews and work clothing)
Certifications

The 1969 Dodge Dart Swinger Student Project

A happy byproduct of talking to the WTCC instructor and course director was that they learned we were restoring and rebuilding a 1969 Dodge Dart Swinger.

"Well, why not bring the Dart down here to the WTCC shop and let the kids work on it?" Tiffany said. This was our chance not only to increase youth engagement but also to involve the industry. It was a perfect fit.

We reached out to manufacturers, services, and suppliers such as Auto Metal Direct , Borgeson , Red Line Synthetic Oil , Steele Rubber Products , and Motorhead Digital for support with this youth-oriented project. The response was immediate and very positive. These companies in the automotive aftermarket industry stepped up big time and were very gracious in backing our initiative and supplying the parts students needed to complete the restoration.

One thing that we get a huge kick out of is that the students are so stoked to be working on this classic 60’s muscle car that they have to beg to work on it. Currently, there's a small group of junior and senior students that the teacher sees as his most skilled, who work on the car every day. There are even two young ladies doing some amazing work on the Dart.

Once the car is complete, it will be on the road, hitting car shows and Drag & Drive events across the country, showcasing what today's youth can accomplish.

The Road Ahead

It is amazing what can be accomplished and how many lives can be touched when your intentions are good, you get involved, and you keep the goal of passing on our car hobby to the next generation in mind.

Get Engaged - Everyone Benefits!

About Keith Bourgeois
Keith is an avid car guy, a top NY competitive shooter, a data expert, and writer. Keith manages client projects, website projects, and supports MHD at events like the SEMA Show and other car related events. Keith has Mopar blood running through his veins as he recently sold his 1970 440 6BBL Road Runner. But never fear, as he now owns a sweet maroon Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody and a 1969 Dodge Dart that he's putting a big block and new rear end in with high hopes of participating in Hot Rod Magazine's Drag Week and Tom Bailey's Sick Week.

The 2026 Shop Marketing Checklist: What Custom & Performance Shops Need to Win Online

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 02:17:54 GMT

Strategy · Visibility · Growth

The essential 2026 marketing checklist for custom and performance shops relies on consistent fundamentals: maintaining an updated Google Business Profile, documenting shop work weekly, collecting targeted customer reviews, and answering specific customer questions to capture high-quality leads.

You started your shop because you love the work. The sound of a cammed idle. The satisfaction of perfectly shaped metal. The moment a customer sees their finished build for the first time.

The reality is simple: if someone can't find you online, they can't hire you. This isn't about dancing on TikTok or chasing trends. It's about building a digital foundation that supports your reputation, your referrals, and your long-term growth. Here's a practical, no-fluff checklist for custom, restoration, and performance shops that want to compete online.

Start With Google Business Profile

If you do nothing else on this list, do this. Your Google Business Profile is one of the most powerful local marketing tools available, and it's free. When someone searches for "custom car shop near me" or "C10 restoration shop," your profile determines whether your profile appears in the results.

Here's what matters: choose the correct business category, keep your hours up to date, upload photos weekly (shop progress, finished builds, team shots), collect at least 20 high-quality reviews, and post occasional updates on recent projects or shop news. Also, encourage happy customers to leave detailed reviews. Specific language, such as "frame-off 1970 Chevelle restoration," helps Google understand exactly what you do. Details matter.

Build a Website That Earns Trust in 30 Seconds

Before a customer calls, they look. They check your website. They scan your photos. They read reviews. They're looking for proof that you're legitimate, skilled, and busy. Your website has to answer three questions immediately: What do you specialize in? Who do you serve? And how do they contact you?

Your homepage should have a clear headline that states your specialty (not "Welcome to Our Shop" but "Classic Ford Restoration in Austin, Texas"), real photos of your work instead of stock images, Google reviews displayed prominently, a simple contact form and clickable phone number, and your location and service area clearly listed. If your site doesn't clearly state what you do and where you do it, Google and AI tools can't categorize you properly. Clarity wins every time.

Use Social Media as Documentation

Social media isn't about going viral. It's about documentation. You're already doing the work. Capture it. The shops that grow consistently are posting before-and-after transformations, in-progress build updates, shop team photos, customer delivery moments, and the occasional educational tip. Consistency beats perfection. Two to three strong posts per week with real captions will outperform random bursts of content every time.

The Motorhead Digital Take: We tell every shop client the same thing: Your phone already does 90% of the work. Take the photo when the car rolls in. Take another when you hit a milestone. Take one more at delivery. That's your content for the week. No special lighting or scripts required.

Start Email Marketing (Most Shops Ignore This!)

Here's something most shops overlook: email is owned media. Social media is a rented space. If Instagram disappears tomorrow, your email list is still yours. Start building it now. Collect emails from every customer, send one monthly update highlighting recent builds and shop news, and include maintenance reminders for past customers. Email builds loyalty, and loyalty builds repeat business!

Answer Engine Optimization for 2026

SEO isn't just about keywords anymore. Search engines and AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity prioritize clear, structured answers. This shift is called Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), and it's changing how customers find shops. To show up in AI-driven search results, use clear headings, answer specific questions directly, include FAQ sections on your service pages, and add structured schema markup to your site (your developer or SEO partner can handle this).

Instead of a vague service page titled "Our Services," create specific pages like "Classic Mustang Restoration in Denver," or "Coyote Engine Swap Services," or "Custom Exhaust Fabrication." Specificity improves both search rankings and conversion rates. Generic doesn't rank. Being specific does.

Make Review Management Part of Your Process

Reputation is currency in the automotive aftermarket. Make reviews part of your delivery process. After every completed job, send a follow-up email with a direct review link, publicly thank customers for positive reviews, and respond to every review (good or bad) professionally. Silence on negative reviews signals avoidance. Professional responses signal leadership.

Create Content That Educates, Not Just Sells

The shops that dominate online are the ones that teach. They answer questions like: How long does a full restoration take? What does a custom paint job cost? What's involved in an LS swap? When you answer the questions customers are already asking, you build authority before they ever call. Educational content builds trust faster than sales language ever will.

Your 2026 Marketing Checklist

Use this as your quick reference:

☐ Optimized Google Business Profile with correct category and hours

☐ At least 20 detailed customer reviews on Google

☐ Website with a clear specialty statement and real work photos

☐ Embedded Google reviews on homepage

☐ Weekly photo documentation on social media

☐ Email collection system and monthly newsletter

☐ Service pages targeting specific builds or services

☐ FAQ section answering common customer questions

☐ Review the request system after job completion

This isn't complicated. It's consistent. The shops that win online aren't the ones with the biggest budgets. They're the ones that show up, document their work, and make it easy for the right customers to find them, trust them, and choose them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most important marketing channel for a custom car shop? For most local restoration and performance shops, Google Business Profile combined with a strong website produces the highest quality leads. These two channels work together to capture customers when they're actively searching for your services.

How often should a restoration shop post on social media?

Two to three times per week is ideal. Consistency matters more than daily posting. Focus on documenting real work rather than creating content for the sake of posting.

Does SEO really matter for small automotive shops?

Yes. Most customers research online before calling. Optimized service pages help your shop appear in Google search results and AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity.

How long does it take to see results from shop marketing?

Typically, 60 to 90 days of consistent effort begin to show measurable improvements in visibility and lead quality. Marketing is a compound investment, not a quick fix.

The Bottom Line

The best shops in this industry are built on craftsmanship and integrity. Marketing doesn't replace that. It amplifies it.

If your work is exceptional but your visibility is inconsistent, you're leaving opportunity on the table. The goal isn't to become a content creator. The goal is to make sure the right customers can find you, trust you, and choose you.

Because in this industry, trust is still the real horsepower.

— The Motorhead Digital Team

Ready to put your shop’s social media into high gear? Contact Motorhead Digital today and let’s talk about how we can build a strategy that drives real traffic - and real builds - to your bay doors.

About the Author

Shanna Cathey is a Colorado native with over a decade of experience in the powersports industry and is a lifelong Motorhead whose roots just happen to be on two wheels instead of four. She currently rides a 2021 Harley-Davidson Softail Heritage 114 and firmly believes most life decisions improve after a good ride.

Shanna brings hands-on experience in powersports sales and service, lead management, business development, and after-sales support, paired with a strong background in CRM systems, sales funnels, email marketing, and content creation. At Motorhead Digital, she helps custom shops and performance brands turn real-world grit into digital horsepower through smart automation, clean design, and copy that actually converts.

Trust, Loyalty & Relationships: The Real Shop Advantage

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 01:27:18 GMT

The Real Horsepower Behind Successful Shops

Trust, Loyalty & Relationships: The Real Horsepower Behind Successful Automotive Shops

Shop Culture · Client Relationships · Digital Strategy

In the automotive aftermarket, trust isn't a buzzword. It's currency. Shops don't grow on horsepower alone; they grow on relationships. On loyalty earned over time. On the quiet confidence that when someone hands you their keys, you'll treat that vehicle with the same respect they do.

This industry is built on reputation. Always has been. Most shop restoration, performance, and custom build shop owners didn't get into this to run marketing campaigns or chase algorithms. They got into it because they love machines, craftsmanship, problem-solving, and the culture that surrounds them. But as the aftermarket has evolved, so has the way trust is built, tested, and sometimes lost.

This isn't a post about selling you something. It's about naming what already matters, and showing how trust, loyalty, and relationships quietly shape the shops that last.

Trust Starts Long Before the First Job

For most customers, trust begins before they ever set foot inside your shop. They check your website. They read your reviews. They scroll your social media. They're looking for signs that real people stand behind the work. A polished brand with no personality feels distant. A slightly rough brand with genuine honesty feels real.

In a world where anyone can claim to be "the best," trust is built by showing your process , not just your results.

Customers want to know: How do you communicate? Do you explain things clearly? Do you show your work, even when it's mid-build and messy? Do you stand behind your timelines and your pricing? Transparency doesn't mean over-sharing. It means being clear, predictable, and human. When customers know what to expect, anxiety drops. When anxiety drops, trust grows.

What Should Be on Your Shop's Website to Build Trust?

We constantly audit shop websites at Motorhead Digital, and the gap between what most shops have on their sites and what actually converts a skeptical visitor into a paying customer is significant. Your website isn't a brochure; it's your first sales conversation. Here's what it needs to do its job.

Above the Fold: The Confidence Zone

The moment someone lands on your homepage, they're asking one question: Can I trust these guys? Answer it immediately. Your header area should include your shop name and location, a one-line statement of what you do and who you do it for, a primary phone number, and at least one visible trust signal — star rating, years in business, or a brand/certification logo.

The Elements That Actually Move the Needle

Real team photos and bios — Puts a human face on the shop. Customers trust people, not logos. Stock photos or a missing team page are a red flag.

Service pages with honest pricing ranges — Reduce friction and pre-qualify leads. "Call for pricing" with zero guidance signals secrecy, not premium positioning. Even a range ("Turbo builds typically start at $X") builds far more confidence than nothing.

Before-and-after build gallery — Proof over promises. Show the craftsmanship and the range of what you do. Outdated photos or generic stock images of cars you didn't build undercut everything else on the page.

Verified review embeds (Google or Yelp) — Third-party validation you can't manufacture. Customers trust other customers. Hand-picked testimonials with no verification carry a fraction of the weight of a live Google rating.

A genuine FAQ page — Answers unspoken objections before someone has to pick up the phone. It reduces basic inquiry calls and signals transparency. A generic FAQ copy-pasted from another shop does the opposite.

Physical address and an embedded map — Legitimizes the business. Many customers, especially on high-dollar builds, want to know they're dealing with a real brick-and-mortar shop before they commit.

Clear contact info with a stated response time — Reduces anxiety about whether you'll actually respond. A contact form with no phone number and no expectation-setting is a conversion killer.

Brand affiliations and certifications — Association with trusted names (SEMA, ASE, manufacturer certifications, recognized brands you carry) adds instant credibility. Display the logos and link to them.

SEO and AEO: Getting Found and Getting Chosen

Beyond the visual trust signals, your website needs to be structured so search engines — and increasingly, AI answer engines — can understand and search your content. That means writing dedicated service pages for each major offering (not cramming everything onto one page), adding a proper FAQ section, using your city and region naturally throughout your copy, and ensuring your Google Business Profile is fully filled out and connected to your site. When Google or an AI assistant answers "best performance shop near me," your website's structure determines whether you show up—or your competitor does.

Loyalty Is Earned in the In-Between Moments

Loyalty isn't built on one flawless job. It's built on how you handle everything around the job. Delays happen. Parts go on backorder. Builds take longer than expected. Mistakes happen. Customers don't leave because of problems — they leave because of silence, defensiveness, or a feeling of being dismissed.

The shops that earn long-term loyalty tend to do a few things exceptionally well: they communicate early, even when the news isn't good. They explain the why , not just the what . They take ownership when something goes sideways instead of deflecting. And they respect the customer's financial and emotional investment.

Vehicles aren't just machines. They're memories, identities, weekend therapy, family heirlooms, and personal milestones. When a customer trusts you with that, they're trusting you with more than metal. Loyalty grows when customers feel understood .

Relationships Are the Long Game

The strongest shops don't think transactionally. They think relationally. That mindset shows up everywhere — in how they talk to first-time customers, in how they follow up after a job is complete, in how they support returning customers years later, in how they treat their vendors, their partners, and their own team.

Relationships compound. A customer who genuinely trusts you doesn't just come back — they refer friends. They defend your reputation online. They give you grace when things don't go perfectly. That kind of loyalty can't be bought with a coupon or faked with a slick ad campaign. It's built through consistency, integrity, and shared respect over time.

Digital Trust Is Still Real Trust

Some shop owners feel disconnected from digital marketing because it feels impersonal or artificial. We get it. But digital trust works exactly the same way real-world trust does — it's just happening earlier in the relationship.

Your online presence is answering unspoken questions right now: Are you active or abandoned? Do you care about quality? Do you respect your craft? Do you respect your customers? A shop that shows up consistently online feels dependable. A shop that educates rather than constantly promotes feels confident. A shop that highlights its team feels grounded in something real.

Trust isn't about being flashy. It's about being real, reliable, and recognizable.

Trust Inside the Shop Matters Just as Much

Trust isn't only external. Internal trust shapes everything. When team members trust leadership, communication improves. When roles are clear, accountability follows. When expectations are consistent, morale stabilizes — and that stability is felt by every customer who walks through the door.

Shops with high internal trust waste less time fixing preventable problems, retain skilled technicians longer, deliver more consistent customer experiences, and adapt better when things get slow or the industry shifts. Customers can feel when a shop is aligned. They can feel just as clearly when it's not.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

The automotive aftermarket is more competitive than it's ever been. Customers have more choices, more information, and less patience for poor experiences. That's exactly why the shops that invest in relationships will always outlast the ones chasing quick wins. Marketing trends change. Platforms rise and fall. Algorithms shift. But trust, loyalty, and relationships are timeless.

What Strong Relationships Actually Look Like in Practice

You don't need a massive budget to build trust. You need intention. A few deliberate habits go further than most marketing campaigns:

Follow up after a job is complete, even just a quick check-in text or email
Share educational content that helps customers understand their vehicles better
Be direct and honest about timelines and costs
Show behind-the-scenes moments, not just finished builds

These habits tell customers something that no ad ever could: We care about the work, and we care about you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do automotive shops build customer trust? Automotive shops build trust by being transparent about timelines and pricing, communicating proactively when problems arise, showing their process (not just polished final results), and maintaining a consistent online presence. Trust usually starts before the first job — customers vet shops through reviews, websites, and social media before ever picking up the phone.

What should an automotive shop have on its website to build trust? A shop's website should include real team photos and bios, a clear explanation of services with honest pricing ranges, verified customer-review embeds, a before-and-after build gallery, a genuine FAQ page, a clearly visible physical address with an embedded map, explicit contact information, and brand affiliations or certifications prominently displayed. Social proof and transparency above the fold are the biggest conversion factors we see at Motorhead Digital.

Why do customers leave automotive shops? Customers leave not because of problems or delays — those are expected in complex builds and repairs. They leave because of silence, defensiveness, or a feeling of being dismissed when things go wrong. Poor communication is the leading driver of customer churn in the automotive aftermarket.

How important is online reputation for auto shops? It's critical. Most customers research a shop online before calling or visiting. A consistent, active, and honest digital presence — including reviews, social media, and a professional website — is the first trust signal a potential customer encounters. For most shops, the website is doing the selling long before a person ever calls.

What is the difference between transactional and relational thinking in a shop? Transactional shops focus on completing jobs and moving on. Relational shops focus on the full customer experience — before, during, and after every job. They follow up, educate, and support customers years after a build, and treat vendors and team members with the same respect they give customers. The result is compounding loyalty: customers who return, refer others, and defend your reputation when it matters.

Closing Thoughts From Inside the Garage

At Motorhead Digital, we work with shops every day that are deeply committed to their craft. The most successful ones, the ones still growing five and ten years in all, share the same foundation, whether they've named it or not.

They value trust over hype. They prioritize relationships over transactions. They understand that loyalty is earned, not assumed. That's the real engine behind sustainable growth in this industry.

And in a world built on passion, precision, and pride, that kind of foundation doesn't just support a business. It carries a legacy.

If you're building for the long haul, you're already on the right road.

Why Winter Is the Best Time to Fix Your Auto Restoration, Performance, and Custom Build Shop Marketing

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 22:34:31 GMT

Using Downtime to Build Systems That Pay Off All Year

Winter Reveals What's Broken

For many auto restoration, performance, and custom build shop owners, winter carries a familiar reputation. Fewer calls. Slower foot traffic. Projects moving at a crawl. It's easy to label winter as "downtime" and wait for spring to bring momentum back.

But here's the truth most shop owners miss: winter is the best time of year to fix your marketing.

While competitors hibernate, the shops that use winter wisely quietly build the systems that fuel their busiest seasons. The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

When business slows down, the cracks show. Missed calls feel louder. Leads that don't follow up stand out. A website that looks outdated suddenly feels expensive.

In peak season, volume hides inefficiency. In winter, inefficiency is impossible to ignore. That's a gift.

Winter gives you clarity. You can finally see where leads are falling through the cracks, where customers are getting lost, and where your marketing stops working without constant effort.

The Three Critical Areas Where Shops Lose Leads

When you audit your marketing during winter, you'll typically find problems in three key areas:

Visibility Problems – You're not showing up when customers search for shops like yours. Your Google Business Profile is incomplete or inconsistent. Your local SEO is non-existent. Potential customers can't find you organically, so they're finding your competitors instead.

Credibility Problems – Your website looks like it was built in 2010. Your social media is sporadic or silent. There's nothing showcasing your best builds or establishing you as the authority in your niche. High-value customers scroll past because you don't look like a shop that handles premium projects.

Conversion Problems – Traffic arrives at your website, but visitors don't take action. Forms don't get filled out. Calls don't come through. You have no follow-up system for the leads who do reach out. There's no email list to nurture prospects over time.

Winter is when you finally have the bandwidth to fix all three.

You Have Time to Fix It Properly

During busy months, marketing often becomes reactive. A post here. A boosted ad there. A reply when you remember. Winter creates something rare for shop owners: space to think strategically. This is when you can build the foundational systems that turn your online presence into a lead-generating machine.

What Strategic Winter Marketing Looks Like

Get Your Visibility Right

Most auto shops rely on word-of-mouth and referrals. That's great until it's not. Winter is the perfect time to go beyond referrals and make sure you show up when customers are actively searching.

A proper local and organic SEO strategy ensures you rank higher in search results, show up consistently across platforms, and get found by customers who don't already know you exist. This includes optimizing your Google Business Profile, cleaning up your online listings, and building the kind of digital footprint that makes Google (and customers) trust you.

The shops that dominate search results in their market didn't get there by accident. They got there by treating SEO as a system, not a one-time task.

Upgrade Your Website So It Actually Converts

Your website isn't a digital brochure. It's your hardest-working salesperson.

But most shop websites fail at the basics. They're slow. They're not mobile-friendly. They bury contact information. They don't showcase the work that makes customers say "I want that."

A professionally designed, search engine-friendly website does more than look good. It builds trust, tells your story, helps potential customers visualize their dream build becoming reality, and converts visitors into leads who actually pick up the phone.

And here's something most shops miss: the way people search is changing. With AI-powered search and voice assistants becoming the norm, your website content needs to answer questions the way real people ask them. That means going beyond traditional SEO keywords and creating content optimized for Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). Instead of just targeting "custom Mustang builds," your content should answer "How long does a full Mustang restoration take?" or "What's involved in a restomod project?"

This kind of conversational, question-based content doesn't just help you show up in AI search results. It positions you as the expert who actually answers what customers want to know. Winter gives you the time to build or refresh your site properly. Not a rushed job. Not a generic template. A site that works on all devices, loads fast, and turns browsers into buyers.

Build Authority Through Consistent Content

Customers choosing high-ticket builds don't decide overnight. They watch. They research. They follow shops for months before they ever reach out.

Winter is when you can build that authority with strategic content. Behind-the-scenes shop tours. Build breakdowns. Educational posts about your process. The kind of content that positions you as the expert, not just another shop.

And with AI search tools now pulling answers from websites to answer customer questions, your content strategy matters more than ever. If your site answers "What's the difference between a restoration and a restomod?" or "How much does a full custom paint job cost?"—AI search engines can surface your shop as the answer. That's free visibility you can't get any other way.

When you combine website content, blog articles, and social media into one cohesive strategy, you create multiple touchpoints that keep you top-of-mind. While other shops go silent, you're educating, inspiring, and building trust.

Content compounds. The effort you put in during winter keeps working for months (and years) to come.

Set Up Email Marketing That Actually Works

Here's a sobering truth: you don't own your social media audience. Algorithms change. Platforms fade. Your Facebook followers aren't really yours.

But an email list? That's an asset you control.

Winter is the ideal time to build email marketing systems that deliver high-converting messages directly to inboxes. Automated welcome sequences for new leads. Monthly newsletters that showcase recent builds. Targeted campaigns for parts and accessory sales.

Email keeps you top-of-mind with past customers and warms up future ones. And unlike social media, it doesn't disappear when Meta changes its algorithm.

Get Your Social Media House in Order

Speaking of social media, winter is when you finally have time to fix what gets neglected when you're slammed with projects.

Most shops know they should be posting consistently. But when you're buried in builds, social media is the first thing that falls off the radar. A post goes up when you remember. Months go by with nothing. Your Instagram looks abandoned while competitors are staying visible.

The reality? Inconsistent social media tells customers you're inconsistent in general. And high-value clients notice.

Winter gives you the breathing room to:

Clean up outdated profile information across all platforms
Archive old, irrelevant posts that don't represent your current work
Create a content calendar so you're not scrambling for posts during busy season
Batch-create content you can schedule months in advance
Set up systems that keep you posting even when the shop is packed

Here's the thing: you don't need to post every day. You need to post consistently. A solid plan built in winter means your social presence doesn't disappear the minute spring hits and your schedule fills up.

And when you stay consistent while competitors go dark, customers remember who was there when they were researching their next build.

Optimize Your Entire Digital Footprint

Your digital presence isn't just your website. It's everywhere customers might encounter you online: Google, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, review sites, and industry directories.

Most shops have a scattered, inconsistent presence. Different business hours listed in different places. Outdated photos. Incomplete profiles.

Digital footprint optimization means cleaning up every corner of your online presence so that no matter where a customer finds you, they see the same professional, trustworthy shop. This clarity makes customers more confident in choosing you over competitors.

Winter Marketing Is Cheaper and More Effective

Most shops reduce or pause marketing spend during winter. That means:

Less competition for attention
Lower ad costs
More visibility for shops that stay active

While others go quiet, your content, website, and Google presence have more room to breathe. The leads you generate now are often higher quality because they're planning ahead, not shopping impulsively.

Those new customers that show up in the spring when they start thinking about getting work done don't appear out of nowhere. They start researching months earlier.

If you wait until spring to market, you're already late.

The shops winning those high-value spring projects? They earned that business during the winter months when they stayed visible, stayed active, and stayed positioned as the authority.

Check out our article that discusses why stopping your marketing can affect your business for years to come.

Systems Built in Winter Pay Off All Year

The best winter marketing work isn't flashy. It's foundational.

This is the season to build:

A new or refreshed website that showcases your best work
Local SEO that gets you ranking in your market
Social media systems that keep you consistent without burning you out
Email sequences that nurture leads over time
Review request automation that protects your reputation
Content calendars that make posting easier, not exhausting

These systems don't just help in winter. They run quietly in the background during your busiest months when you have zero time to think about marketing.

Spring and summer success is usually decided in winter.

The Power of a Complete Marketing System

Here's what separates shops that stay busy from shops that struggle:

Done-with-you marketing systems.

Most shop owners know they need better marketing. But they don't have the time, expertise, or team to execute properly. They try to DIY their way through SEO, social media, and website updates while running a business. The result? Nothing gets finished. Nothing gets optimized. And the marketing stays broken.

The solution is a proven system that combines visibility, credibility, and conversion into one cohesive strategy. A system where:

Your SEO, AEO, and Google presence get you found
Your website and content establish your authority
Your email marketing and social media keep you top-of-mind
Your conversion systems turn traffic into leads and leads into customers

When these pieces work together, your marketing becomes a true growth engine instead of a constant source of stress.

Winter is when you have the clarity and capacity to build (or fix) that system properly.

Winter Is When Authority Is Built

Customers choosing high-ticket builds don't decide overnight. They watch. They research. They follow shops long before they reach out.

Winter is when you can:

Share behind-the-scenes content that humanizes your shop
Tell your brand story and showcase your awards
Educate customers on your process and expertise
Position yourself as the trusted expert in your niche
Stay consistent on social media when competitors ghost their audience

Authority compounds. The shops that feel "suddenly busy" in spring are often the ones who stayed visible all winter.

They weren't lucky. They were strategic.

The Shops That Win Don't Wait

The most successful auto shops don't treat winter as a pause. They treat it as preparation.

They use slower months to:

Fix what's broken in their visibility, credibility, and conversion
Build what's missing in their marketing infrastructure
Strengthen what's working so it scales during busy season

By the time spring hits, their phones are ringing, their systems are running, and their marketing isn't scrambling to catch up.

The Winter Marketing Checklist

If you want to use this winter strategically, here's what to prioritize:

Week 1-2: Audit & Diagnose

Analyze where you're losing leads
Review your Google presence and rankings
Assess your website's conversion rate
Identify gaps in your content and social media

Week 3-6: Fix Your Foundation

Optimize your Google Business Profile and local SEO
Update or rebuild your website if needed
Clean up your digital footprint across all platforms
Set up review request systems

Week 7-10: Build Your Content Engine

Create a content calendar for social media
Write blog articles that showcase expertise
Film behind-the-scenes and educational videos
Build email sequences for lead nurture

Week 11-14: Turn On Lead Generation

Launch (or optimize) paid search campaigns
Activate email marketing to your list
Ensure all conversion points are working
Set up tracking to measure results

The shops that execute this plan don't just survive winter. They dominate the entire year that follows.

If Your Shop Slows Down in Winter, That's Not a Failure

It's an opportunity. Winter is the season where smart marketing decisions are made quietly, and the payoff shows up loudly later. While your competitors are waiting for spring to "turn things back on," you can be building the systems that ensure you never have to wait for business to find you again.

You can establish the visibility that gets you found.
You can create the credibility that wins high-value projects.
You can build the conversion systems that turn traffic into revenue.
And when spring arrives, you won't be scrambling to catch up.
You'll already be booked.

Ready to make this your best marketing winter yet?

The shops that win don't wait for busy season to fix their marketing. They use winter to build the systems that fuel year-round growth.

At Motorhead Digital, we understand how to position your shop so the right people notice - whether they are paying clients or future employees. If you run an aftermarket restoration, performance, race, or restyling shop, we can help you create a marketing strategy that does the heavy lifting.

Give us a call at (585) 766-9785, email us at maximizesales@motorheaddigital.com , or visit MotorheadDigital.com to start a conversation.

AI’s Place in Automotive Aftermarket Shops - PART 2

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 17:23:28 GMT

How artificial intelligence can power your company’s engine behind the scenes.

Artificial intelligence won’t replace your best workers. But it can assist with locating quality employees. The key to using AI to find the right person for your shop is asking AI the right questions and being specific about your needs, such as the skill level, special skills, tools required, location, and type of employment, for example.

RECOMMENDED AI SYSTEMS

There are tons of AI tools out there, but some are specifically designed to meet the needs of aftermarket auto shops like yours. Here are a few we recommend looking into that are AI-powered or work well with others.

AI TOOLS:

CALENDLY : Say goodbye to the back-and-forth of scheduling appointments once and for all. Calendly lets customers book a time that works for them, sends automatic reminders, and keeps your calendar organized without you lifting a finger.
CLICKUP: A cloud-based project management platform that helps teams plan, organize, and track work through customizable tasks, views, and collaboration tools.
FISHBOWL INVENTORY: Never run out of the vital parts you need again. Fishbowl monitors your inventory and predicts what you’ll need for upcoming jobs. The best part? It can even place orders for you automatically.
MAILCHIMP: Email might have been fun once upon a time, but as important as it is, we’ve all got better things to do than draft another marketing message. Mailchimp’s AI can help you create email updates, follow-ups, and promotions that sound just like you.
MECH AI: When a weird engine problem has your technicians stumped, MECH AI can save the day. It sifts through vehicle data to suggest likely fixes, so your team can diagnose and repair cars faster than ever.
SHOPMONKEY: This super-handy tool helps you track every job happening in your garage, with an easy way to look at each bay, so nothing gets overlooked.
Other Industry Tools: AI is also built into platforms from companies like Bosch and Snap-on, adding intelligent features to tools your shop may already be using.

Pro Tip: Focus on tools that solve your everyday pain points. The right software should make your job easier and improve both customer and employee satisfaction.

What AI Can’t Replace

AI excels at handling routine and repetitive tasks. Things like drafting emails, creating basic content, confirming appointments, predicting maintenance needs, and searching for parts are all areas where automation shines.

But there’s a line it can’t cross.

If every entry-level task is handed off to AI, new technicians miss out on learning the fundamentals. Over time, this creates experience gaps that can impact quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

The most successful aftermarket shops are the ones that pair AI with strong mentorship, hands-on training, and intentional team development.

Here’s where people still run the show:

Hands-On Problem Solving: Complex engine issues, custom suspension setups, and unique builds require experience and intuition.
Mentorship and Training: Teaching new techs how to measure, fabricate, and fine-tune parts requires real-world guidance.
Customer Communication: Understanding a customer’s vision, explaining options, responding to feedback, and building trust are deeply human skills.

Pro Tip: Schedule time for your team to work on projects without AI assistance. It keeps skills sharp and confidence high.

As seen in The Shop Magazine

AI’s Place in Automotive Aftermarket Shops - PART 1

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 21:05:22 GMT

How artificial intelligence can power your company’s engine behind the scenes.

There’s a lot that goes into running your automotive aftermarket shop that no one ever sees. Behind the scenes, you’re shifting gears between parts orders, paperwork, project updates, customer interaction, team schedules, and other back office tasks, and that’s just scratching the surface.

Practical AI uses in the automotive aftermarket industry

Suppose you’ve never used shop scheduling software or a diagnostic tool in your shop. Congratulations! In that case, you’re probably already working with AI, as many tool companies have already incorporated AI functionality into their diagnostic software, even if it’s not apparent.

The thing many people don’t realize is that AI is already all around us. The real power comes from putting it to work on the right tasks to make life in your shop as easy as possible.

With that in mind, here are some practical ways AI can make a real difference for your shop:

AI for content marketing

Keeping your shop visible online is a full-time job in itself. Thankfully, AI can help you generate engaging social media post ideas, suggest different captions, and even schedule content across platforms so you’re consistently connecting with your followers.

But it doesn’t stop there. AI can also assist with blogs, giving you a starting point for guides, how-tos, industry updates, or shop stories that share your expertise with the world.

For online ad campaigns, AI can help target the right audience and test variations to see what works best. This means your ads will reach more of the right people over time without you spending hours manually tweaking campaigns.

PRO TIP: You don’t always have to create brand new content. AI can be used to repurpose existing content, saving a lot of time. For example, one blog post could be turned into multiple social media posts.

Smarter troubleshooting

Searching through info on the web or repair manuals while trying to troubleshoot what’s wrong with a vehicle with modern electronics is time-consuming and energy-draining. Modern AI-driven diagnostic tools can spot patterns in a car’s behavior from a mile away and sometimes pinpoint the exact fix. This can help less-experienced techs handle complex problems. That way, less time is spent scratching your head and a lot more time turning wrenches, getting projects completed and cars back on the road. Bosch and Snap-on are already incorporating AI into their platforms to provide more comprehensive and efficient diagnostic services.

For those pre-computer classics, you can use AI’s Deep Search feature to save hours searching the web for the one issue that’s causing you to pull your hair out. With Deep Search, you can ask AI to act as a Master Mechanic or, better yet, an ASE Certified Master Technician, explaining the issue that you’re having, and let it find a possible solution for your problem. Ask the question(s) and come back in 10-20 minutes, and you’ll be amazed at what AI will dig up.

PRO TIP: The more accurate information in the prompts that you give AI, the better the results will be. You can also ask follow-up questions to dig deeper into your research.

Effortless inventory management

AI-powered inventory systems, integrated with accounting and business management software or point-of-sale (POS) systems, can track parts usage, sales, and inventory levels in real-time. They learn what you use most often and predict what you'll need for upcoming jobs.

For smaller shops with limited storage space or capital, having the right amount of inventory on hand is critical. Carrying too much inventory ties up cash, while low stock levels lead to project delays. AI helps find the perfect balance by analyzing sales data, supplier lead times, and project schedules.

AI-driven inventory systems can even automatically place orders for you without you lifting a finger. You’ll never waste time with manual stock counts or delay a job because of a missing part again.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2025 data shows nearly 1 in 10 businesses are already using AI in daily operations, and adoption in the automotive industry is running well above that, especially in parts and inventory management.

PRO TIP: Set your AI inventory system to send an alert when stock for popular items drops to a certain level. This way, you can avoid running out of any critical parts once and for all.

Streamlined scheduling

The back-and-forth of scheduling with prospects or clients can consume a significant amount of your valuable time with texts, emails, and phone calls. AI tools let your prospects and customers book appointments online and confirm with a quick text.

This frees you up from time-costly phone calls and endless email chains. The result? More time focusing on managing and working on customer projects instead of working on the phone.

PRO TIP: To reduce no-shows and save time on follow-ups, set up automated email and text reminders to go out the day before their appointment.

Faster part search

Hunting down a rare part can mean hours – even days – of digging through forums and online marketplaces for what you need. AI-powered deep search scans all those sources at once with just a few clicks.

It can pull results from eBay, Hemmings, and most any other online sources, such as open car-related forums and resource sites to provide you with the information you need. In some cases almost instantly.

PRO TIP: Utilize AI's handy cross-referencing features to find suitable alternatives when the exact parts you need are unavailable.

Fun Fact

The average restoration project is made up of thousands of individual tasks. Consider this: from the initial teardown to the final detailing, there’s a lot to accomplish. Even if AI tools only save you 10% of that time, it still adds up to days of work and effort saved.

Expert Insight

McKinsey reports productivity gains up to 30% for small businesses using AI. Add that to industry data showing 37–61% adoption of AI-powered shop tools, and it’s clear that these gains are already being realized in real shops.

Using AI to build smarter website content

Shop owners can also use AI-powered tools to create smart, informative content that can:

Improve customer engagement by becoming a go-to resource for auto enthusiasts
Make complex processes like custom paint jobs, complex vehicle issues, or classic car restorations easier to understand
Get seen online more often and draw in the right people without chasing clicks
Show off expertise so new customers come to you first

PRO TIP: Search engines favor websites with clear, helpful content that reads like it was written by a real person. AI and automation tools can provide your shop with a solid starting point, but be sure to tweak the content to convey your message in your own voice.

Next time, we’ll look at specific AI systems that make sense for aftermarket shops and spell out some common mistakes to avoid.

As seen in The Shop Magazine

How Digital Marketing Can Help Staff Your Shop

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 18:28:12 GMT

There seems to be a shift in the modern job market.

Of course, at large, but there is a specific hurdle within our automotive world. If you own a shop, you likely already know what we’re talking about here. We’re talking about skilled workers retiring, and shops are stuck with some 20 to 30 year olds who know more about the Uber app than how a car works; young folks with passion, but zero experience. Long story short: good help is hard to find. In today’s world, where the best mechanics and fabricators have numerous options, you cannot simply hang out a “help wanted” sign and hope.

That is where digital marketing comes in. Let’s jump in and show you how that can help you attract the kind of employees who keep your business running.

The staffing struggle is real

Every weld, every rebuild, every late night in the shop comes back to the same thing: the right team. Finding and keeping good people is one of the most challenging jobs in our industry. For example, tools and parts? You can source those, that’s even hard with some of the supply chain issues we’ve been seeing, but I digress. But human character, passion, skill, and fit? That’s a lot harder.

The truth is, traditional hiring methods rarely get you there. Job boards, newspaper listings, and word of mouth may bring in applicants, but often the wrong ones. You want someone who doesn’t just know how to turn a wrench but also respects your craft.

Digital marketing is the bridge

When people hear “digital marketing,” they think ads or sales funnels. But when we boil it down, it is actually just storytelling. It is about showing people who you are, what you value, and why it matters. That is just as important for recruiting as it is for customer work.

Think of your website, social pages, and blog as introductions. They are often the first handshake with a future employee. If those places feel flat, generic, or outdated, the right candidate will likely move on since it’s so easy to surf online. However, if they feel alive, authentic, and real, you have yourself a real allure to the right person.

Show the shop culture

Good mechanics, painters, and fabricators are not looking for just another job. They want a place where they belong. Think of a team that works hard but respects each other. Or a shop that takes pride in the details. You cannot fake that, but you can show it.

Post pictures of your amazing builds in progress. Share short clips of your crew laughing, problem-solving, or celebrating a milestone. Write a blog about how you train new hires or why you still use a certain process. You don't need fake polished perfection, just honesty.

When someone sees that culture online, they can picture themselves in the shop working on a cool project. They start to feel the connection before they even send a resume.

Your relevancy matters too. The same reputation that earns you customers also attracts employees. A strong digital presence says you are not just another fly-by-night shop. It shows you care about quality and you are here for the long haul.

For a young tech deciding between different shops, that trust matters. So if your shop has a clean, modern website, active social media, and a consistent voice, it communicates stability. Stability means steady work. It means paychecks arrive on time. It means you are investing in growth. That is exactly what most employees are looking for.

Evergreen content works here too

You may think blogs and videos are only for customer education. However, evergreen content also attracts future hires. A blog post on “What It’s Like to Work in a Restoration Shop” has lived online for years. A video of your team firing up a new first-run engine might inspire someone to apply months later.

Instead of only saying “we’re hiring,” you are painting a picture of why someone would want to join. And that picture stays up 24/7.

Reaching people where they already are

The bigger picture

At the end of the day, staffing is not about filling a gap. It is about building a team that carries your shop forward. Digital marketing for restoration and performance shops is not a buzzword. There are ways to make your values visible to a broader circle of people, including both customers and potential employees. The result is the same: growth that lasts.

Grow your auto business with Motorhead Digital

Ready to attract more customers and build a stronger crew? At Motorhead Digital , we understand how to position your shop so the right people notice - whether they are paying clients or future employees. If you run an aftermarket restoration, performance, race, or restyling shop, we can help you create a marketing strategy that does the heavy lifting.

Give us a call at (585) 766-9785, email us at maximizesales@motorheaddigital.com , or visit MotorheadDigital.com to start a conversation.

How to Use Paid Advertising Campaigns to Boost Sales for your Restoration and Performance Shop

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 07:00:12 GMT

You’ve built your shop on pure hard work, grit, and determination. You’re known for doing great work and word’s spread about how great it is to work with your crew.

But while you’re in the shop working your magic, how much time are you spending on bringing in new customers to your shop?

Word-of-mouth referrals can only take you so far, and if you’re eager to grow, paid advertising can be a big help. Not only will it help you get more cars into your shop, but you’ll be able to focus more on restoring cars and less on sales.

If a paid advertising campaign is new ground for you, don’t worry, you won’t need a marketing degree or a huge budget. All you need is the right approach to attract more customers, fill your schedule, and get your shop the attention it needs to succeed.

With help from our guide, we’ll show you exactly how to attract more clients through the door, so you can spend more time focusing on your work.

#1 Determine your goals for the paid campaigns

Dropping cash on ads is a big investment, which is why you want to be clear on what you’re hoping to accomplish before spending a single dollar.

Are you trying to bring in more local customers for restorations? Promote a specific part or service? Or fill your shop with performance builds?

With a proper goal in place, you can tailor your ad spend to reach the right people and make sure you’re not burning money without a clear end goal in mind.

Pro Tip: Be as specific as possible. The clearer your goal, the easier it is to create ads that actually help you achieve it.

#2 Know your target audience

Are you trying to reach classic car collectors, weekend warriors looking for upgrades, or performance enthusiasts who want a shop that really knows engines? Think about where they hang out online and what kind of content catches their eye. The more you know about them, the better your ads will hit the right people.

Some great paid advertising channels to increase brand awareness include:

Social media advertising: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn ads are great for reaching local car enthusiasts with eye-catching visuals.
Search engine advertising: Google Ads can show your shop to people who are already searching online for restorations, performance upgrades, or parts in your area. At the same time, investing in search engine optimization (SEO) helps your website rank higher in organic search results.
YouTube: Perfect for video advertising! Show off your coolest builds and tutorials on video advertising platforms to show your skills and attract enthusiasts who love seeing cars come to life.
Banner ads: Automotive websites, forums, or blog ads can also get your shop in front of enthusiasts who are browsing content related to restorations or performance builds.

Pro tip: Keep it simple! Focus on the group that matters most to your shop and tailor your ad campaigns to the advertising platforms that reach them best. Also, remember if you’re trying to get in front of the 18 - 35 age group, they might not be on Facebook

#3 Craft your ad message

By this stage, you know your goal, audience, and where you’re running your ads. Now, it’s time to create ads that grab attention (and drive action!).

Remember, your message should speak directly to your ideal customer and clearly show why your shop is the place to go. Some ways you can do this include:

Showing off a recent restoration or performance build (before and after pics work wonders).
Highlighting a service or part that solves a real problem for your customers.
Keeping it short and punchy with a focus on showing that you know cars and your shop gets results.

Pro Tip: Lead with visuals and benefits. People scroll fast, so make sure your ad stops them in their tracks and shows them why they should care about what you’re offering.

#4 Set your budget

Alright, let’s talk about money. Running ads doesn’t have to cost a fortune, but you do need a plan. Decide how much you’re willing to spend daily or monthly, and stick to it.

Most platforms allow you to choose how you pay: per click, per impression, or per action – so you can work with a budget that fits your business.

You can also focus on a local radius around your shop or an area of the country where you know your customers live. This will help keep your ad spend in check by focusing it on a specific area rather than the entire country.

Pro Tip: If in doubt, start small and see what works. You can always scale up. Plus, you’ll quickly learn which ads actually drive customers to your shop before dropping big bucks.

#5 Track results (and adjust where needed)

To make your budget count, you need to see which ads are working and which are costing you more than they’re worth.

How can you do this? Well, most platforms give you data on clicks, views, and conversions, so keep a close eye on this for the info you need. Check which ads are getting people to call, book, or visit your shop, and which ones are just burning cash.

Pro Tip: Tweak your message, visuals, or audience based on what’s performing best. Some platforms also allow you to do A/B testing to see which ad resonates the best.

#6 Retarget to keep people interested

Not everyone who sees your ad is going to book right away – and that’s totally normal!

Retargeting can be done through social media or paid search advertising, showing ads to people who’ve already visited your site or clicked on previous ads.

The idea is to remind them about your shop and give them another reason to take action. You don’t have to use the exact same ad every time, but in some cases, it can work to show the same ad again to keep your shop on their radar.

You can also:

Make a new ad highlighting a different build, service, or special offer.
Tailor the message based on what they were checking out before – like a specific part or restoration service.

Pro Tip: Keep it relevant. Only show ads that connect to what the person already looked at or clicked on.

Key takeaway

Paid advertising doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Set clear goals, know your audience, craft strong messages, track results, and retarget to the right people, and you’ll bring more customers into your shop and grow your business.

And don’t forget to start small, pay attention to the ad platforms that work for you, and adjust as you go. Before long, your ads can turn curious car enthusiasts into loyal clients.

Ready to boost sales with paid ads and auto shop marketing?

With the right auto shop ads, you can reach the customers who are already looking for your services. The team at Motorhead Digital helps auto restoration, performance, racing, or restyling shops create effective online ads that bring more calls, bookings, and walk-ins to your business.

Whether you want to run social media ads, Google search campaigns, video ads, or retarget visitors who’ve checked out your builds, our team can set it all up.

Getting started is easy. Call us at (585) 766-9785, email maximizesales@motorheaddigital.com , or visit MotorheadDigital.com to learn more about how our digital marketing services can drive real results for your auto shop.

The Role of Social Media in Driving Traffic to Your Auto Restoration and Performance Shop

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 06:00:09 GMT

TL;DR

Social media isn’t just for selfies and memes; it’s one of the most powerful (and cost-effective) ways to drive traffic to your auto restoration and performance shop. With the right platforms, compelling content, and some solid shop personality, you can boost your visibility, build a loyal community, and keep that garage bay booked solid.

Key Takeaways

Social media is a cost-effective traffic booster for auto restoration and performance shops.
Use visual platforms like Instagram and Facebook to show off your builds.
Engage with your followers, answer questions, respond to comments, and be part of the car-loving community.
Contact Motorhead Digital to fine-tune your social strategy.

Introduction

Let’s be honest: when you’re elbow-deep in a ‘67 Camaro rebuild or swapping out a small block for something a bit more spicy, "posting on Instagram" is probably the last thing on your mind. But here's the deal: your next customer might be scrolling through their feed right now , looking for a shop just like yours.

Social media isn’t fluff. It's horsepower for your business engine. And if you're not using it to show off your craftsmanship, attract new clients, and keep that restoration queue full, you're leaving serious money on the lift.

Why Social Media Matters for Auto Shops

Auto restoration and performance builds are visual as well as mechanical art. Whether you're welding custom exhausts, laying down a pristine paint job, or rebuilding a beast from the frame up, people love seeing the transformation. Social media gives you a place to:

Showcase your skills
Tell your shop's story
Build a community of gearheads
Drive traffic to your website
Book more high-quality jobs

Choosing the Right Platforms

Not all platforms are created equal. Here's where to focus:

Instagram

Perfect for photos and videos of your builds. Think of it as your rolling portfolio.

Facebook

Great for events, updates, and engaging with local car lovers.

YouTube

Got the time and tech? Build videos, how-tos, or time-lapse restorations make killer content.

TikTok

Yep, even TikTok. Short-form videos of your coolest builds or quirks can go viral fast.

Don’t forget LinkedIn, as that’s where Executives and some business owners live. They are swamped and don’t have time for Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, but are are on LinkIn runny they’re businesses and are still hardcore car people and they most likely have disposable income to spend on cool builds

Creating Gearhead-Worthy Content

Before-and-After Photos

This one’s a no-brainer. Car lovers live for transformation shots. The gnarlier the “before,” the more satisfying the “after.”

Behind-the-Scenes Shop Life

People love a peek behind the curtain. What’s it like inside a real-deal restoration shop? Capture the tools, the noise, the grease, the glory.

Showcasing Restorations and Builds

Show off that gorgeous GTO or boosted ‘Stang. Talk about what you did, the parts used, and what made the job unique. Tag the owner (with permission!) and use hashtags to attract attention.

Engaging with Your Audience Like a Pro

Don’t post and ghost. If someone comments, reply. If they message, answer, if they share your post, be sure to thank them! It’s about building community, not just shouting into the void.

Pro tip: Ask questions in your captions. Example: “Would you drive this monster daily?” gets way more engagement than just “’70 Chevelle SS, done and dusted.”

Using Hashtags and Location Tags Strategically

Use relevant hashtags like #RestorationShop, #ClassicMuscle, or #LSswap to appear in search feeds. And always geotag your location, especially on Instagram and Facebook. It helps potential local clients discover you.

Keywords in your content

Some social media content (e.g., from X/Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube) can be indexed by Google, especially if it's public. Including keywords helps it rank. BUT use keywords naturally — focus on engaging, valuable content first. Stuffing posts with keywords looks spammy and can hurt credibility.

Fun Fact & Expert Insight

Fun Fact: The average person spends 147 minutes per day on social media. That’s over 2 hours a day you could be showing off your engine swaps and custom interiors!

Expert Insight: According to HubSpot, brands that post consistently on social media get up to 2x more traffic to their websites. That’s a lot of potential tire-kickers turning into customers.

FAQs

What platforms should I focus on?

We always suggest asking your favorite customer where they spend their time on social media. You need to know where your customers spend time online and understand your demographic. For example, 18–34 (the most significant share is 25–34) are on TikTok, and it’s 30–49 and 50–64 for Facebook. So if your shop targets the 18–34 age group, you know where you need to spend most of your time.

How often should I post on social media?

Aim for at least 3-4 times a week to stay visible and consistent.

Know when to post?

Check your insights and post data to learn when your target market is online and post then.

What kind of content works best?

Before/after shots, video walkarounds, behind-the-scenes footage, and customer testimonials. Reels are the hot on Instagram. The more you can post pure from the moment updates that show you and your team doing the work in the shop or updates from an event, the better.

Should I pay for social media ads?

Boosting key posts can help, especially for local reach—but organic content still works wonders.

How do I get more followers?

Post great content, use hashtags, geotag, and engage with your audience regularly. It's a marathon, not a drag race.

What if I just don’t have time to manage social media?

That’s where folks like Motorhead Digital come in. We handle the strategy, content scheduling, and graphic design so you can focus on builds.

Conclusion

Social media isn’t just another marketing tool. It’s a visual showroom, a word-of-mouth amplifier, and a direct line to the next customer who’s dreaming of their perfect ride. Whether you’re restoring Mopars or modernizing muscle, your shop’s story deserves to be seen.

Ready to put your shop’s social media into high gear? Contact Motorhead Digital today and let’s talk about how we can build a strategy that drives real traffic - and real builds - to your bay doors.

The Engine Behind the Business: How Restoration and Build Shops Are Modernizing Without Losing Soul

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 11:50:34 GMT

Sometimes, to our detriment, there is a reason classic car restoration shops resist trends.

Our businesses are built on things like memory, touch, and trust. We value experience and quality over hype, letting the big reveal do the heavy lifting. So when the digital world came knocking, some of us stood still. Not so much out of fear, but because they knew what they had should not be copied or mass-produced. After all, we didn't develop this passion out of selling out, but rather hunkering down, which is why it sometimes feels right to ignore the noise outside of the shop.

The Fine Line

How do you modernize without losing what made you worth following in the first place? How do you use tools built for speed without sacrificing the patience that defines your work? The answer is simpler than it seems. You don't have to change your soul. You just turn up the volume.

The best shops are doing exactly that. RJ Cars is one example. Their online presence does not feel like marketing; it feels like you walked into a restoration booth. You see the project boards. You hear the updates. You meet the people behind the metal. Nothing flashy, just daily work done with care. That honesty is what draws people in. They are not promoting anything fake, they are simply sharing an honest process.

Level 7 Motorsports , a specialty custom build shop for classic Chevy C10 and OBS trucks, takes a different yet equally authentic approach. Their website is crisp and efficient. You can find what you need, whether that is a full F100 suspension setup or a deep dive on C10 performance tuning, fabrication, or performance parts. They have videos and customer stories, but nothing feels overdone. It all serves one purpose: to make you feel confident that they know what they are doing. And it shows!

What both shops understand is that modern marketing is not so much about telling people what to think. It is about showing them something real to believe in. In our new digital age of AI and photo filters, most people no longer want perfect brands, they want honest ones. Shops that show the human side of the build. People enjoy things like going back and hitting missed welds, how to properly set up suspension geometry, the extra late nights, and, of course, the sound of an engine starting after months of waiting. That is key to resonating with followers and potential customers.

This shift from real-life performance to online presence is the key

What we recommend is not so much the quantity of content, but the quality. And not quality like a massive film crew, quality in the meat and potatoes of the subject matter. One blog post that explains how to break in an engine is more valuable than a hundred posts filled with hashtags. One minute of video showing a customer picking up their finished car means more than an hour of generic promotion. In online marketing, we call this “evergreen” content because it's always in season, rain or shine. It brings viewers and customers in for years to come and props you up as foundational and trustworthy.

Some assume modernizing means following every trend, but that's not the case. It means knowing your story well enough to share it in the right places. It means things like having a website that answers questions, posting updates that show progress instead of perfection, using tools to support your work, etc. When done right, the result is a brand that feels as personal online as it does in person.

Not just a theory

Across the industry, shops are stepping into digital spaces without giving up an inch of identity. Basically showing who they are to more people while staying rooted and reaching out at the same time.

Your website, your blog, your social media, and even in-person events, these are just tools. But the actual engine is your reputation. When those things come through clearly, the rest takes care of itself.

Many misunderstand and think this is about chasing attention. It’s actually about keeping momentum. Because when you build trust with people who were not in the room yesterday, they could be in the shop tomorrow. It is about making your values visible.

You do not have to give up any soul to step forward. You just have to carry it with you.

Grow your auto restoration or custom build business with Motorhead Digital

Ready to attract more customers and improve your shop's marketing efforts? Awesome. When it comes to marketing services for the automotive aftermarket industry, we are always ready to talk shop. Whether you run an aftermarket restoration, performance, or custom build shop, the Motorhead Digital team is here to help you create a winning brand strategy.

Give us a call at (585) 766-9785, email us at maximizesales@motorheaddigital.com , or visit MotorheadDigital.com for all the info you need about our auto restoration and custom build shop marketing services.

When is less more?

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 13:38:20 GMT

There’s no replacement for displacement. Except one.

More is more of many things in our life, for both the good and bad. For example, more money means more money. And then, unfortunately, more calories means more calories. While the simple formula can work with most everything, what do you do when, like the calories, more starts becoming a plateau, or worse, a negative?

Well, in those cases, less is more, and what we really need is hiding in plain sight.

I am talking about weight savings. Both literally and figuratively. I say figuratively because your business will likely come upon the same challenge as a car build. When your business is on that plateau, or spiraling downward, you may want to look at how lightening the load can work miracles.

That’s where Motorhead Digital earns its stripes. We help businesses in the classic and performance automotive space shed digital dead weight. Things like clunky websites, outdated or nonexistent SEO tactics, and wasted ad spend. Just like a lightweight build, things will be easier to reach and work on, more efficient so you have more time and less stress.

Since running lean and mean is so essential, let’s talk about what it did for automotive racing and how we can do the same with your online presence.

The paragon of the ethos

If there was one man and perhaps one car company most famous for this approach, it is Colin Chapman of Lotus. His famous quote “Simplify, then add lightness” has been at the core of their offerings since the beginning until… well… maybe when Geely bought them and made them release a 3,200 lb modern car with computers and safety. I digress though.

In the late 70s and early 80s, the ultra-rich were showing off their mid-engine exotics complete with V12 engines capable of blistering 0-60 stats along with white-knuckle quarter-mile times. The British underdog on the other hand, didn't have the R&D budget or facilities to produce a V12. But they knew that the mainstream racing world hadn't gone all-in yet with extreme weight savings.

Around this time, Lotus switched out of the roadster lane, and into the European Exotic lane with the Lotus Esprit. The car was an initial hit, and rivaled the other supercars of the day. All were delighted with the performance of the car. As long as they didn't see the four letter word on the spec sheet. Or should I say, four cylinder word.

Leaning in on what you know

The Esprit had a miniscule 2.2l 4 cylinder engine. An impossible 8 entire cylinders less than the competition and in most cases, less than half the litre size too. By living the lightweight ethos, the Lotus Esprit was able to shed over 1000 lbs compared to the average exotic competitor to maintain peak performance. Once you study the physics behind it, such as rolling resistance, or traction efficiency, then things get really mind blowing.

Not just imports, but domestics benefit too

The hotrods and muscle cars of America initially didn't worry a lot about weight. But as drag racing and the Bonneville Salt Flats became more and more a part of American Car Culture, more began to lean into this trend.

You may have heard something akin to the phrase “100 lbs of weight savings equals .10 seconds off your quarter mile”. No one is too sure where this idea began, but many professionals, even the famous “Mythbusters” have put this to the test. The results? While not an exact formula, the myth isn't too far from reality.

As the years have gone on, people have done just about everything (aside from watching our own caloric intake we talked about earlier) to achieve speed through efficiency. Maybe you start small by swapping out the hood for something carbon fiber. Maybe you decide you don't need amenities like an AC or backseat. Or maybe, you go all in and gut the interior entirely! Just don't ask us to scale back on an extra cookie, and we’ll be all smiles.

Where does that put you and your business?

Like a lot of our favorite builds, your business is probably stocked with the best. Great track record, great crew, great knowledge, great tools, maybe even a great facility. But at this point, you’ve reached that plateau. You need to get more out of what you have, much more.

That's where the efficiency of Motorhead Digital comes in. We can get your customers, profits, and visibility all to shift into overdrive. And not only that, since we're making this more efficient along the way, your hassles and stress decrease exponentially.

Grow your auto business with Motorhead Digital

Ready to attract more customers and improve your shop's marketing efforts? Awesome! When it comes to marketing services for the automotive industry, we’re always ready to talk shop. Whether you run an aftermarket restoration, performance, race, or restyling shop, the Motorhead Digital team is here to help you create a winning brand strategy.

Give us a call at (585) 766-9785, email us at maximizesales@motorheaddigital.com , or visit MotorheadDigital.com for all the info you need about our auto shop marketing services.

How to Reduce Downtime and Maximize Productivity in Your Auto Shop

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Thu, 01 May 2025 05:45:00 GMT

Missed deadlines, bottlenecks, and unexpected delays – any of these sound familiar? If yes, you’re not alone. A lot of automotive restoration, restyling, and performance shops have either been there or are still there, struggling with similar issues.

But while they’re not exactly rare, they’re still a major headache for you and your team. What’s worse, they can eat into your profits and take a serious toll on your business.

The silver lining? You don’t have to just accept them as part and parcel of the job. In fact, a little planning and scheduling go a long way in overcoming downtime, delays, and slow processes. By tackling these challenges head on with some A-plus time management, trust us – you’ll see a major shift and feel a lot more at ease.

So, how do you get your shop running on a more productive schedule? The process is actually surprisingly simple, and the benefits are huge .

To help, we’ve laid out some proven strategies to help you get your shop running more efficiently than a well-oiled Camaro.

Take a look at your current workflow

The ‘check engine’ light comes on to let you know there’s a problem – but you can’t fix it until you know where it’s coming from. The same goes for your automotive business.

You’ll need to set aside a good chunk of time to pop the hood and take a closer look at your current processes.

For example, are you putting off ordering custom parts? If so, you might not have what you need for repairs, which can lead to delays, missed deadlines, and unhappy customers.

Or are you completely forgetting about certain tasks only to realize they were never scheduled in the first place? When things get busy, it’s easy for important jobs to slip through the cracks.

Taking a closer look at how you manage your workflow will help you spot problem areas and start creating a better schedule.

Use a digital scheduling system

There’s nothing inherently wrong with keeping a handwritten schedule. But it can be prone to errors, time-consuming to maintain, and let’s be honest – kinda boring!

With reliable automotive scheduling software, you’ll save time and enjoy some pretty cool features you just can’t get the old fashioned way. Think real-time updates, automated assignments, inventory tracking, and much more.

And there’s no shortage of great auto repair scheduling software to choose from. Some of our favorites include Shopmonkey , Tekmetric , and Mitchell 1 . But do a little homework to find the one that’s just right for you.

Get your priorities in order

Whether you schedule your projects digitally or manually, make sure you’re prioritizing the most time-sensitive tasks on your list. You don’t want to get caught up in basic, routine maintenance when there are urgent repairs with tight deadlines or critical inventory restocking to do.

Pro tip: Look for automotive scheduling software that allows you to arrange your tasks by deadline, importance, or urgency to help you keep your shop on track.

Establish Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Nobody likes a chaotic workshop. But with SOPs in place for each of your processes, you can get your operations running like clockwork. It’s like keeping the manufacturer’s manual in the glove box – it’s there to make sure things get done right the first time, with more clarity, fewer mistakes, and a lot less time spent fixing avoidable issues.

This is probably the most time-consuming task on the list, but it's also one of the most impactful! Just make sure your team has easy access to SOPs for all tasks – from handling customer vehicles to tool maintenance and everything in between.

Set realistic expectations

The last thing you want to do is overpromise and underdeliver. When you say you’ll get a repair done in 1 week but end up taking 2, clients might walk away, refusing to pay for the service. They’ll probably tell their friends about their experience, and they probably won’t come back to give your auto shop another chance.

It’s better to set clear, honest, and realistic timelines from the start. Most clients won’t mind waiting a few more days to get the job done right.

Plan for delays

In a perfect world, your shop would run like a well-oiled machine day in, day out. But if there’s one thing we know for sure, that’s just not how running an auto shop works.

The best thing you can do? Be ready for the curveballs. Say there’s a sudden supply delay with your go-to supplier. Having a backup supplier you can turn to means you won’t be left scrambling.

That said, loyalty matters. The stronger your relationship with your suppliers, the better your chances of getting priority shipping, discounts, and other perks. So stay true to your regular suppliers whenever you can. And when in doubt, restock and order parts ahead of time factoring in potential delays in the supply chain.

Stay prepared (and minimize downtime)

Nothing kills productivity faster than unplanned downtime. Luckily, you can avoid a lot of it with a little prep work. First, take care of your tools and equipment. Preventive maintenance today equals less breakdowns (and fewer headaches) later.

Next, make sure your team isn’t stuck in a one-job-only mindset. With a multi-talented crew, any team member can jump on a task when you need some extra hands, instead of standing around twiddling their thumbs.

But sometimes, processes come to a halt for reasons outside your control. Try to plan a little wiggle room into your schedule to accommodate planned downtime or unexpected delays in your shop.

Closing thoughts

And there you have it! By reviewing your current workflow, using repair shop scheduling software, prioritizing tasks, and following the other tips shared above, you’ll optimize your auto shop’s processes. You’ll improve customer retention, keep your team productive, and save on downtime costs. Remember, you don’t have to change everything overnight. But small (consistent!) efforts will make a huge difference over time.

Grow your auto business with Motorhead Digital

Give us a call at (585) 766-9785, email us at maximizesales@motorheaddigital.com , or visit MotorheadDigital.com for all the info you need about our auto shop marketing services.

Rev Up Your Business: Top Digital Marketing Strategies for Automotive Restoration Shops

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 05:15:00 GMT

As an automotive restoration shop owner, you take pride in bringing classic cars back to life and crafting high-performance machines that turn heads.

But while you’re in the garage working your magic, how much time are you spending marketing your business? Without a strong digital marketing strategy, you could be missing out on a steady stream of customers who are searching for exactly what you offer.

That’s where we come in. At Motorhead Digital, we specialize in helping auto restoration, restyling, and performance shops like yours grow their online presence and bring in more business. In this post, we’ll cover the top digital marketing strategies that can transform your shop’s visibility and drive more revenue.

1. Build a Killer Website

Your website is your shop’s digital storefront. It’s often the first impression potential customers have of your business, so it needs to be professional, easy to navigate, and designed to convert visitors into customers.

Key elements of a high-performing website:

High-quality images of your restoration work
Clear contact information and easy-to-use contact forms
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) -optimized content to help your site rank on Google
Testimonials and reviews from satisfied customers
Before-and-after galleries showcasing your craftsmanship

If your website looks outdated or takes too long to load, visitors will leave — and likely go to your competitors. Investing in a fast, mobile-friendly website is one of the best things you can do for your business.

2. Master Local SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is what helps your shop show up on Google when someone searches for services like “classic car restoration near me” or “custom auto paint jobs in [your city].”

Here’s how you can improve your local SEO:

Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile. Fill it out completely, add photos, and respond to reviews.
Target location-based keywords. Use terms like “auto restoration in [your city]” throughout your website content.
Get listed in local directories. Websites like Yelp, Angi, and the Better Business Bureau can boost your visibility.

When you rank higher on Google, you’ll get more phone calls, website visits, and customers walking through your door. See our guide to get more specific strategies for ranking higher on Google.

3. Leverage Social Media (The Right Way)

Social media is a goldmine for automotive restoration shops — if used correctly. Platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok allow you to visually showcase your work, build a community of car enthusiasts, and attract new customers.

What to post:

Before-and-after photos of your restoration projects
Behind-the-scenes videos of your team working
Customer testimonials and success stories
Live videos at car shows or events

Pro Tip: Use relevant hashtags like #ClassicCarRestoration, #MuscleCarBuild, #AutoRestoration, and #CarPaintJob to reach a broader audience!

To improve your social media presence, read our detailed guide .

4. Email Marketing to Stay Connected

Email marketing is often overlooked in the auto restoration industry, but it can be incredibly powerful for staying top-of-mind with your customers. According to OptinMonster, for every $1 spent on email marketing, $36 is made in return . That seems like a great ROI to us!

What to send in your emails:

Monthly newsletters with updates on your shop and new services
Exclusive offers or discounts
Showcase recent projects or customer success stories
Event announcements like car shows or meet-ups

A simple monthly email can keep your shop on your customers’ radar and encourage repeat business or referrals.

5. Showcase Your Work on YouTube

Video content is king, and YouTube is the perfect platform for automotive restoration shops to gain visibility. Consider creating videos that:

Document your restoration process from start to finish
Provide tips on car maintenance or restoration
Showcase your team and the passion behind your work

People love watching restoration transformations, and YouTube videos can drive traffic to your website and build your brand. Videos can also help with repeat customer traffic. Take a look at our guide on 5 Ways to Increase Repeat Business Using Video .

6. Encourage Online Reviews

Online reviews can make or break your business. Potential customers heavily rely on reviews to decide whether to trust you with their prized classic cars.

How to get more reviews:

Ask satisfied customers to leave a Google review
Follow up via email with a direct link to your review page
Incentivize reviews by offering a small discount on future services

Read our article to find out how positive reviews boost your credibility and improve your local SEO.

7. Run Paid Advertising Campaigns

If you want to scale your business quickly, paid advertising is a powerful tool. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads allow you to target your ideal customers — people searching for auto restoration services or classic car enthusiasts.

Effective ad strategies include:

Google Search Ads: Capture people actively searching for your services.
Facebook/Instagram Ads: Showcase stunning images of your work and target local car enthusiasts.
Retargeting Ads: Re-engage website visitors who didn’t book an appointment the first time.

Paid advertising can deliver fast, measurable results — and significantly increase your leads and sales.

Ready to Supercharge Your Shop’s Marketing?

You’re a master at bringing classic cars back to life — let us help you bring your business to life online. At Motorhead Digital, we specialize in digital marketing for auto restoration, restyling, and performance shops just like yours.

If you’re ready to get more leads, book more jobs, and grow your business, contact us today. We’d love to help your shop get the recognition (and revenue) it deserves.

�� Contact Motorhead Digital to start accelerating your business growth today!

How to Build a Successful Brand for Your Auto Restoration and Performance Shop

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 17:37:16 GMT

You've worked hard to build your shop and serve your customers well – the last thing you want is for all that effort to go unnoticed. The good news is, with a strong brand, it won't.

A polished brand identity builds trust with your customers, helps you stand out from the competition, and most importantly – makes you memorable.

So, how can you create a winning brand strategy that sets your business up for success? We'll share a few simple yet powerful steps in this guide.

From identifying your target audience and creating a strong brand logo to developing a distinct brand voice and beyond – let's get into the different components of a successful brand strategy.

1. Define your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

The first step in developing a strong brand for your automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, race, and restyling shop is to define what sets you apart from your competitors. This is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP).

Maybe you specialize in certain makes, models, or styles of classic cars, or you go the extra mile with outstanding customer service. Whatever makes you special, be sure to communicate it with potential customers.

Turn it into a simple message you can easily share, like "Classic car restorations, specializing in European exotics" or "Performance tuning experts who put customers first."

2. Identify your target market

Next, figure out who your ideal customers are. Once you know who you're talking to, you can shape your services and messaging to fit them.

Are they classic car collectors, casual weekend restorers, or everyday drivers looking to upgrade performance? The better you understand who your ideal customer is (and what they care about!), the better you can create a brand that matches their needs and really resonates with them.

3. Create a memorable logo (and visual identity)

Your logo is the first thing potential customers notice about your company – so you want to make it count. The best logos are simple, clear, and easy to recognize at a glance.

The colors you pick for your logo (and other brand visuals) matter more than you might think. Each color sparks a different feeling. For example, red conveys energy and power, while black exudes luxury and sophistication. Decide what kind of feeling you want to get across to your audience and choose colors accordingly.

Once you've defined your business visuals, keep them consistent across ads, signs, business cards, uniforms, vehicle wraps, and merch. The goal is to create a cohesive brand image that makes your shop instantly recognizable wherever it pops up.

4. Develop a distinct brand voice

Every business has its own way of talking to customers – and yours should, too. Maybe your tone is professional and technical or friendly and enthusiastic. Whatever it is, make sure your brand voice reflects who you are and what your customers expect.

In other words, skip the generic marketing talk and communicate in a way that feels authentic to your shop. Let your brand personality shine through in every message, and make sure it resonates with the people you want to attract.

And just like your visual branding, keep your brand voice consistent across all your platforms and marketing campaigns. From your website and social media to emails and face-to-face interactions, consistency like this shows potential customers that you’re professional, reliable, and recognizable. They’ll trust you to have the same attention to detail when it comes to running your shop.

5. Build a strong online presence

Many potential customers will discover your auto repair shop online when doing a quick search for auto services in their area. In fact, 81% of consumers do some online searching before they make a purchase or use a service.

That’s why it’s so important to build a strong online presence. Here's how to do it:

Optimize your website: Make sure your website is easy to use, loads quickly, and looks good on any screen. Put your offerings front and center so customers can easily see what you offer. Add clear photos of your work to showcase your expertise, an "About Us" page to tell your story, and customer reviews to build trust.
Stay active on social media: Share behind-the-scenes content, before-and-after restoration photos, and fun moments from your shop. Post regularly to stay on your audience's radar and keep them engaged.
Use content marketing and SEO: This is all about delivering more value to your customers. Write blogs about topics they care about – like car trends and restoration tips. With consistent posting, you’ll position yourself as the go-to expert on all things auto. Don't forget to use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) so your website shows up when people search for the services you offer.

6. Engage with your community

One of the best ways to make your auto shop stand out and attract loyal customers is to get involved in the local car enthusiast community. You can do this by:

Sponsoring local events: Your marketing efforts aren’t limited to online activity. Get involved IRL by sponsoring car shows, races, or events that support the car scene.
Hosting shop tours and meetups: Connect with car lovers by hosting shop tours, meetups, or workshops. It's a great way to reinforce your brand recognition and build loyalty.
Partner with influencers: Team up with popular car influencers and builders to get your name out there, broaden your reach, and boost your shop's credibility.
Attend classic car shows: Join classic car shows to meet potential customers who appreciate the art of restoration.

Key takeaway

A great brand builds trust, makes you memorable, and sets you apart from the competition. By figuring out what makes you unique, understanding your customers, creating a great logo, finding your brand voice, and following the other helpful tips shared in this guide, you're setting yourself up for success.

Motorhead Digital is here to help

The Motorhead Digital team is here to help you create a winning brand strategy with our marketing services for automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, race, and restyling shops. We'll work with you to develop everything from your logo to your online presence – making sure your shop looks great and gets noticed by the right people.

Getting in touch with the MHD team couldn't be easier. Give us a call at (585) 766-9785 or email us at maximizesales@motorheaddigital.com . Or feel free to visit MotorheadDigital.com to find all the info you need about our effective digital marketing strategies for auto repair, performance, racing, or restyling shops.

5 Must-Have Digital Tools to Boost Your Shop's Efficiency

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 18:43:55 GMT

Running an automotive performance, restoration, or restyling shop requires more than just technical expertise—it demands smooth operations, streamlined processes, and effective time management. With the right digital tools, you can save valuable time, minimize errors, and improve overall efficiency. In this article, we’ll explore five must-have digital tools that can help your shop run like a well-oiled machine.

1. Scheduling Tools

Managing appointments, work shifts, and customer bookings manually can lead to scheduling conflicts and inefficiencies. A scheduling tool automates this process, ensuring optimal resource allocation and clear communication with staff and clients.

Recommended Tools:

Calendly/Book Like A Boss : Automates client appointments and syncs with your calendar to prevent double bookings.
Google Calendar Integration : Allows seamless scheduling for teams, including shared calendars and task reminders.

Benefits:

Reduces no-shows and scheduling conflicts.
Improves time management and workload distribution.
Allows clients to book services without back-and-forth communication.

Integration Tips:

Connect scheduling tools with your CRM to keep customer records updated.
Set up automated email and SMS reminders to reduce missed appointments.
Use color coding for different job types to enhance visual organization.

2. Project and Time Management Apps

For restoration and customization shops, juggling multiple long-term projects at once can be overwhelming. Project management apps help keep tasks organized, assign responsibilities, and track progress from start to finish.

Recommended Tools:

Trello : Uses a card-based system to manage tasks, set deadlines, and collaborate with team members.
Asana : Provides detailed task tracking with customizable workflows, file sharing, and progress visualization.
ClickUp : A versatile project management tool that combines task management, goal tracking, and team collaboration features.
Shopmonkey: Modern auto repair software built for efficiency and ease of use. Work faster and smarter with the all-in-one, cloud-based solution.

Benefits:

Ensures every team member knows their tasks and deadlines.
Keeps detailed records of project progress.
Reduces miscommunication and task duplication.

Integration Tips:

Link with cloud storage (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox) for easy file access.
Use task automation to reduce repetitive work.
Create templates for common project types to speed up planning.

3. Payment and Invoicing Systems

Fast, secure, and hassle-free transactions are essential for keeping cash flow steady and customers satisfied. Digital payment and invoicing systems allow you to accept multiple payment methods and automate the billing process.

Recommended Tools:

QuickBooks Online/Wave App : Offers accounting, invoicing, expense management and reporting.
PayPal Business : Provides seamless invoicing and payment processing for customers worldwide.
Square : Offers POS systems, mobile payment solutions, and easy invoicing for small businesses.
Stripe : A powerful online payment processing platform with advanced invoicing and subscription billing options.

Benefits:

Enhances customer experience with flexible payment options.
Speeds up the billing process and reduces administrative work.
Improves record-keeping and financial tracking.

Integration Tips:

Connect payment systems with your accounting software for automatic reconciliation.
Set up recurring invoices for repeat customers or payment plans.
Offer digital receipts to minimize paper waste.

4. Marketing Automation Platforms

To keep your shop top-of-mind for customers, you need consistent marketing efforts. Marketing automation platforms help streamline email campaigns, social media posts, and advertising, ensuring your brand remains visible without consuming all your time.

Recommended Tools:

HubSpot : A comprehensive CRM and marketing automation tool for managing leads and campaigns.
Mailchimp : Excellent for email marketing automation, audience segmentation, and analytics tracking.
Motorhead Digital’s Communication Maximizer: An all-in-one tool for email marketing, SMS text messaging and automated workflows.

Benefits:

Saves time by automating repetitive marketing tasks.
Enhances customer engagement with targeted messaging.
Provides data insights to refine marketing strategies.

Integration Tips:

Sync with your website and CRM to personalize customer interactions.
Set up automated follow-ups for finished projects and past clients.
Use analytics to track the effectiveness of campaigns and adjust accordingly.

5. Inventory Management Software

Keeping track of your shop’s parts inventory is crucial to avoiding shortages, reducing overstock, and ensuring projects stay on schedule. Inventory management software automates stock tracking, sets reorder levels, and integrates with your accounting system.

Recommended Tools:

QuickBooks : Offers inventory tracking alongside accounting features, helping you manage costs efficiently.
Shopmonkey: Modern auto repair software built for efficiency and ease of use. Work faster and smarter with the all-in-one, cloud-based solution.
Shop-Ware : Specifically designed for automotive repair shops, it provides real-time inventory updates and workflow automation.

Benefits:

Prevents running out of critical parts and delays in projects.
Reduces manual tracking errors.
Integrates with suppliers for seamless reordering.

Integration Tips:

Sync with your accounting software to monitor expenses and profits.
Use barcode scanning features to speed up inventory logging.
Set automatic reorder alerts for commonly used parts.

Final Thoughts

If you're looking for an all-in-one solution that can replace multiple tools mentioned in this article, our Communication Maximizer Program is an excellent choice. The Communication Maximizer integrates CRM, project management, scheduling, marketing automation, and payment processing into a single platform, helping you streamline operations even further. At Motorhead Digital , we specialize in setting up High Level for automotive performance, restoration, or restyling shop, ensuring you get the most out of its powerful features. Contact us today to see how we can help optimize your shop's workflow!

Leveraging these digital tools can significantly improve your shop’s efficiency, reduce manual workload, and enhance customer satisfaction. Whether you're managing inventory, scheduling jobs, overseeing projects, handling payments, or automating marketing, the right technology can make all the difference. Start integrating these tools today and watch your shop run more smoothly than ever before!

The US Election's Consequences on the Auto Industry in 2025

keith@motorheaddigital.com (Keith Bourgeois) — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 14:15:53 GMT

Typically we focus on the automotive trends we see at the SEMA show in our annual article, but this year is different. Much different. We’re going to stay away from discussing politics and ideology, but the long-lasting effects of the presidential election on our hobby is impossible to ignore and needs to be addressed. Regarding this, we’re focusing on Dodge, who is the auto manufacturer arguably most affected by the election.

Stellantis has a Big Problem

Regrettably, for the fans of the “Brotherhood of Muscle,” Stellantis bought into the current administration's EV mandate. They canceled our beloved Hemis and are presently rolling out vehicles nobody on either side of the pond wants to buy. With the EV mandate, the US Government and other world governing bodies were promising huge kickbacks and incentives. So, even if an EV car failed, at least the bottom wouldn't be rock hard, and they'd get some money to pay for their innovation, tooling, and development costs.

Even with that, with this current election result, Stellantis is going to be in a pickle of all pickles. Just like in 2016, Trump upended Obama's EPA mandates in the first 72 hours he was in office. He's already claimed that this is also another “day one” issue for him, so we can rest assured that the EV mandate and the onerous 2025+ EPA regulations are going to be rolled back or eliminated. Biden’s EPA is trying his best to thwart this by forcing California's regulations down everyone’s throats , well at least the 17 States that signed onto California’s CARB mandates, and soon, all the free money for EV adoption is going to evaporate. Companies like Ford, who never got out of the internal combustion game, are going to be looking very good.

Stellantis, the world's largest automaker with a fleet of vehicles for sale that nobody wants in the first place, isn't going to be buoyed by government incentives. We’ll be looking at their lineup for the first time, and there’s no V8. Stellantis, who built its entire identity on loud, powerful, crazy V8 engines, never produced enough 4-cylinder vehicles, hybrids, or EVs to offset the CAFE requirements, thus dooming their V8s. I think the waves are going to crash up against the rocks hard by the end of this year. 2025 is going to be an earnings bloodbath for them in North America. Likely, 2026-2027 won't be much better unless they can shoehorn a V8 into that Charger Daytona.

The Landscape Has Changed Overnight

While I agree that the I6 Hurricane is the engine people want when compared to the EV, it's still not the engine they'd pick, given an optional V8. I would bet the farm that Chevy and Ford will jump full-on back into V8 production, and I wouldn't be surprised if another Camaro didn't magically reappear by 2026-2027.

I remember reading a piece on the End of the Mopar V8s due to the Obama CAFE hike. Remember that, had Trump not punted/changed/killed the CAFE standard back in 2016 that was to go into effect in 2017, Dodge would have lost all their passenger car V8s by the end of 2018. But, as luck would have it, Trump won, and they got a reprieve. We would have had no Redeye, no Super Stock, and no 1320 Challengers if Trump had not won in 2016. The original Demon might have been the end of the line of the second golden age of the muscle car.

Keep in mind the EPA is an executive branch agency, so Trump doesn't need Congress to squash or amend the CAFE standards. The primary pain point for domestic automakers is the EV mandate, which Trump has said numerous times is going to be eliminated. This won't prevent states like California and New York from maintaining their own state mandates, but it will allow the rest of free America to hopefully have more affordable real engine options in the future. I fully expect Trump to roll back the EPA this time. Also, Elon Musk is supposedly going to take the government efficiency oversight position, so we'll see what he does with that. Musk might own Tesla, but I think he hates the EPA more than us car guys do.

Is There Hope for the Future?

All I can say is that the future is a bit uncertain, but the worst of it was yesterday. It only gets better from here in automotive terms. Pull back the regulations, let consumers decide what we want and allow manufacturers to build them. That's all that needs doing, and I have a feeling that's what is going to be allowed to happen.

But is it too late for Dodge to come back? With Tim Kuniskis back on board and the head Stellantis stepping down it’s a big move in the right direction. It takes a few years to get new models from design to production, but powertrain adaptation only takes a fraction of that time. So, the question becomes does Stellantis suck it up and let Dodge start building a new generation of V8s? Especially now that we know everyone at Dodge wanted to keep the V8 besides the now deposed CEO. Or are they going to dig in and stick with the EV nonsense?

2025-2026 are going to be utterly painful because they picked the wrong horse. Are they going to move quickly to position themselves to capitalize on the more favorable EPA standards? What we see them do in the next 60 days is going to determine if Dodge remains a viable brand or not in the future. We’ll have to wait and see.

Building a Content Strategy That Keeps Your Automotive Restoration, Performance, and Restyling Shop Top of Mind

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 08:15:00 GMT

In today's competitive world of auto restoration, performance, and restyling, standing out from the crowd is essential. While a solid reputation for quality service is crucial, a strong online presence can significantly boost your visibility and attract new customers. This is where a well-crafted content strategy comes into play. By consistently creating and sharing valuable content, you can position your auto restoration, performance, and restyling shop as an industry leader and build lasting relationships with potential clients.

Why Consistency and Quality Matter

Creating content isn’t just about churning out blog posts or videos; it’s about delivering value. Consistent, high-quality content ensures that your audience views your shop as a trusted resource. Whether you’re explaining how to choose the best performance parts or showcasing a recent restoration project, every piece of content should serve a purpose: educate, inspire, or solve a problem.

Understanding Your Audience

Before diving into content creation, it's vital to understand your target audience. Who are your ideal customers? What are their interests? What are their pain points? By answering these questions, you can tailor your content to resonate with their specific needs and preferences.

Consider conducting audience research to gather valuable insights. This could involve:

Analyzing website traffic: Identify which pages are most popular and which topics generate the most interest.
Monitoring social media engagement: See which posts receive the most likes, comments, and shares.
Using online tools: Leverage platforms like Google Analytics and social media analytics dashboards to gain deeper insights into your audience's behavior.
Conducting surveys: Gather direct feedback from your existing customers about their preferences and concerns.

Content Pillars: A Foundation for Success

Once you have a good understanding of your audience, it's time to define your content pillars. These are the core themes that will guide your content creation efforts. For an auto restoration, performance, and restyling shop, some relevant pillars might include:

Restoration Techniques: Share tips and step-by-step guides on classic car restoration, from bodywork to paint jobs.
Performance Upgrades: Educate your audience on enhancing vehicle performance, such as engine swaps, suspension upgrades, or turbo installations.
Showcase Projects: Highlight your shop’s completed builds, detailing the challenges, solutions, and final results.
Events and news: Share information about local car shows, big national, regional shows, racing events, and other automotive-related happenings.
Customer testimonials and success stories: Showcase positive customer experiences to build trust and credibility.

Content Types: A Diverse Approach

To keep your audience engaged, it's essential to diversify your content. Experiment with a variety of formats, including:

Blog posts: Share in-depth articles on a range of automotive topics, from DIY maintenance tips to the latest industry trends.
Videos: Create engaging video content, such as project overviews, customer testimonials, or behind-the-scenes glimpses of your shop, and your team showing the “human” side of your business.
Infographics: Use visually appealing infographics to present complex information in a creative format.
Case studies: Showcase your expertise by sharing successful case studies of past restoration or restyling projects.
Social media posts: Utilize short, engaging posts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to share quick tips, updates, and promotions.

Planning a Content Calendar

Consistency is key when it comes to content marketing. A well-structured content calendar will help you stay organized and ensure regular content publication. Consider the following:

Seasonal trends: Plan content around seasonal events, such as winter storage tips for your classic car or summer road trip destinations for car enthusiasts.
Shop milestones: Celebrate anniversaries, project completions, or team achievements with relevant content.
Industry events: Stay informed about industry news and events, and create content that ties into these happenings, like “Highlights from This Year’s SEMA Show.”

Repurposing Content: Maximizing Your Efforts

Don't let your hard work go to waste! Repurpose your existing content to maximize its reach and impact. For example:

Turn a blog post into a video: Create a short video summary or a more in-depth video tutorial based on your blog content.
Transform a video into an infographic: Extract key data or statistics from your videos and present them in a visually appealing infographic.
Share excerpts on social media: Break down longer blog posts into shorter, shareable excerpts for social media platforms.
Create digital downloads: Compile related blog articles into a downloadable ebook for your audience to print and read.

Measuring Your Success

To track the effectiveness of your content strategy, it's essential to measure your results. Monitor key metrics such as:

Website traffic: Track the number of visitors to your website and the pages they visit most frequently.
Social media engagement: Monitor likes, comments, shares, and other engagement metrics on your social media platforms.
Lead generation: Track the number of leads generated through your content marketing efforts.
Customer inquiries: Monitor the number of inquiries received from potential customers as a result of your content.

By regularly analyzing your results, you can identify what's working and what's not, and make adjustments to your strategy accordingly.

Final Thoughts

Building a content strategy is an ongoing process, but it’s one that pays dividends in visibility, credibility, and customer loyalty. By delivering consistent, high-quality content tailored to your audience’s interests, your shop can become the go-to destination for restoration, performance, and restyling needs.

Remember, content marketing is a long-term investment, so be patient persistent, and always strive to provide value to your audience. Let the digital marketing team at Motorhead Digital help you start planning today to keep your restoration, performance, and restyling shop top of mind tomorrow.

Raving Reviews: Harnessing Testimonials for Your Automotive Restoration and Performance Shop

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 07:15:00 GMT

Looking to take your automotive restoration or performance shop to the next level? Imagine the impact of showcasing a series of glowing testimonials from satisfied customers who rave about the quality of your work and the exceptional service they received.

The power of online customer reviews and testimonials cannot be overstated, and in this article, we uncover the strategies for harnessing this influential tool to elevate your brand's reputation and attract high-value projects.

So, how exactly can you leverage the potential of raving reviews to propel your automotive restoration, performance or restyling shop forward? Let's explore the key tactics and insights that will set you on the path to harnessing the true power of customer testimonials.

Key Takeaways

Customer reviews and testimonials are crucial for establishing credibility and trust with potential customers.
Positive customer feedback acts as powerful endorsements and influences purchasing decisions of others.
Showcasing diverse and authentic testimonials enhances the perception of your brand and solidifies trust.
Leveraging social proof through testimonials differentiates your automotive restoration, performance or restyling shop, strengthens reputation, and leads to increased loyalty.

Importance of Customer Reviews

Harness the power of customer reviews to elevate your automotive restoration, performance or restyling shop’s reputation and credibility within the industry. Using customer feedback is a strategic way to build credibility and establish trust with potential customers. When potential clients are researching automotive restoration, performance or restyling shops, they often turn to customer reviews to gauge the quality and reliability of the products and services offered. Positive customer reviews act as powerful endorsements, influencing the purchasing decisions of prospective buyers. By actively seeking and showcasing positive customer feedback, you can effectively shape the perception of your brand and differentiate it from competitors.

Building credibility through customer reviews also contributes to fostering a loyal customer base. Satisfied customers who leave glowing reviews not only attract new clients but also reinforce the loyalty of existing ones. Their positive experiences serve as compelling testimonials, instilling confidence in potential customers who are considering your automotive restoration, performance or restyling shop.

Furthermore, responding to both positive and negative reviews demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction, showcasing a proactive approach to addressing concerns and feedback.

Building Trust With Testimonials

When leveraging testimonials, prioritize showcasing authentic experiences that resonate with your target audience, establishing a sense of trust and reliability in your automotive shop. Building credibility through customer satisfaction is essential for your automotive restoration and performance business. Potential customers seek assurance that your products or services deliver as promised, and genuine testimonials play a crucial role in this process. By featuring real customer experiences, you can build trust and credibility, assuring prospects of the quality and reliability of your offerings.

Testimonials are powerful tools for building trust with potential customers. When individuals see positive feedback from others who've used your automotive restoration, performance or restyling services, they're more likely to trust your brand. Authentic testimonials act as social proof, demonstrating that real people have had positive experiences with your business. This builds confidence in your business and encourages potential customers to engage with your products or services.

To further enhance the credibility of your testimonials, consider including specific details about the customer's experience. Highlighting the particular aspects of your automotive restoration or performance services that contributed to their satisfaction can make the testimonial more compelling and relatable.

Additionally, featuring a diverse range of testimonials from different types of customers can demonstrate the broad appeal and effectiveness of your offerings, further solidifying trust in your brand.

Leveraging Social Proof for Branding

To establish a compelling brand image, leverage social proof as a powerful tool for showcasing the positive impact of your automotive restoration and performance services on real customers. Social proof benefits your brand by providing tangible evidence of customer satisfaction, which in turn enhances brand credibility. Testimonials play a crucial role in this process as they serve as authentic endorsements of your services, influencing potential customers' perceptions and decisions.

By leveraging social proof, such as customer testimonials, you can effectively communicate the value and quality of your automotive restoration and performance services. When prospective clients see real people sharing their positive experiences, it creates a sense of trust and reliability in your brand. This can significantly influence their decision-making process, leading to higher conversion rates and customer retention.

Furthermore, social proof can help differentiate your brand from competitors. Highlighting positive customer experiences through testimonials sets your brand apart and emphasizes its unique selling proposition. This can be particularly impactful in the automotive industry, where trust and credibility are paramount.

Incorporating social proof into your branding strategy not only fosters trust but also strengthens your brand's reputation. It demonstrates that your automotive restoration and performance services have a track record of delivering on their promises, thus instilling confidence in potential customers. This, in turn, can lead to increased brand loyalty and positive word-of-mouth referrals, further amplifying the impact of social proof on your brand's success.

Effective Strategies for Gathering Testimonials

You can start gathering testimonials by soliciting authentic feedback from your customers. Encourage them to share their experiences with your automotive brand and showcase their success stories.

This approach not only highlights the positive impact of your products or services but also builds trust and credibility with potential customers.

Soliciting Authentic Feedback

Gathering authentic feedback for your automotive brand's testimonials is a crucial component of building trust and credibility in the market. To ensure you source feedback that truly reflects customer satisfaction, consider the following strategies:

Implement a post-purchase survey : Send out a brief questionnaire after customers have had the opportunity to experience your products or services. This can provide valuable insights into their satisfaction levels.
Encourage online reviews : Prompt satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms such as Google, Yelp, or industry-specific forums. Positive online feedback can greatly enhance your brand's reputation.
Leverage social media engagement : Actively engage with your audience on social media platforms to encourage them to share their experiences and feedback. This can help in garnering authentic testimonials that resonate with potential customers.

Showcasing Client Success

Transitioning from soliciting authentic feedback, an effective strategy for showcasing client success through testimonials involves highlighting real-life experiences that resonate with potential customers. By emphasizing the positive outcomes of your automotive restoration or performance services, you can illustrate the tangible benefits that clients have experienced.

When gathering testimonials, focus on stories that demonstrate significant improvements in client satisfaction and loyalty. Encourage customers to share specific details about how your services have positively impacted their automotive projects or businesses. Authenticity is key in portraying client success, so ensure that the testimonials are genuine and relatable.

Potential customers are more likely to be persuaded by real-life success stories that mirror their own aspirations and challenges. By showcasing client success, you can build trust and credibility, ultimately attracting new business opportunities.

Highlight Success Stories

When showcasing success stories for your automotive brand, focus on impactful client stories that highlight authentic experiences and tangible business results.

By emphasizing the positive outcomes and benefits of your products or services through real-life examples, you can effectively build trust and credibility with potential customers.

Publicizing these success stories can help prospective clients envision the potential impact your brand can have on their own automotive ventures.

Impactful Client Stories

Leverage the power of impactful client stories to showcase the success of your automotive brand and build trust with potential customers. Sharing compelling client stories can significantly impact customer loyalty and satisfaction, ultimately leading to increased credibility for your brand.

Here's how to make the most of impactful client stories:

Personal Touch: Highlight specific instances where your automotive restoration or performance services exceeded client expectations, emphasizing the personal connections and emotions involved.
Quantifiable Results: Showcase measurable outcomes such as improved vehicle performance, enhanced aesthetics, or any other tangible benefits your clients have experienced.
Diversity of Experiences: Feature a range of client stories to demonstrate the versatility and effectiveness of your automotive services across different vehicle types and customer needs.

Authentic Client Experiences

To further amplify the impact of impactful client stories, authentically showcase the success of your automotive brand through compelling and diverse client experiences.

By highlighting real client satisfaction and success stories, you can effectively leverage word of mouth marketing to attract new customers. Share diverse experiences that showcase the effectiveness of your automotive restoration and performance services.

Whether it's a customer who saw a significant performance improvement in their vehicle or a restoration project that exceeded expectations, these authentic client experiences serve as powerful testimonials for your brand.

Potential customers are more likely to trust the experiences of others, making it crucial to showcase a range of client successes to demonstrate the value and quality of your automotive brand.

Tangible Business Results

Showcase the tangible business results achieved by your automotive brand through compelling success stories that highlight the measurable impact of your services on clients' businesses.

Increased Revenue : Share how your automotive restoration and performance solutions have directly contributed to significant revenue growth for your clients, showcasing the effectiveness of your services in driving business success.
Enhanced Efficiency : Highlight specific instances where your expertise has streamlined operations and improved productivity for your clients, demonstrating the tangible benefits of partnering with your brand.
Elevated Customer Satisfaction : Present testimonials illustrating how your automotive brand has positively impacted customer satisfaction levels, emphasizing the real-world outcomes of your services.

Optimizing Testimonials for SEO

Harnessing the power of client testimonials is crucial for boosting your automotive brand's search engine optimization (SEO) and attracting more potential customers to your website. When optimizing testimonials for conversions, it's essential to strategically place them on your website, especially on high-traffic pages such as the homepage, product/service pages, and checkout pages. This can significantly impact the decision-making process of potential customers, leading to higher conversion rates.

Measuring the impact of testimonials is equally important. Utilize tools like Google Analytics to track the performance of pages where testimonials are displayed. Look for changes in metrics such as time spent on the page, bounce rates, and conversion rates to gauge the influence of testimonials on user behavior. Additionally, implementing unique promo codes or tracking links within testimonials can provide insights into the direct impact on sales generated from these testimonials.

Furthermore, consider the language used in the testimonials. Including keywords relevant to your automotive restoration and performance brand can improve SEO. For example, if your brand specializes in classic car restoration, having testimonials that mention 'classic car restoration' or related phrases can enhance your website's visibility for those specific search terms.

Overcoming Common Testimonial Challenges

After optimizing your testimonials for SEO, you may encounter common challenges in effectively leveraging them to maximize their impact on your automotive brand's online presence. Overcoming these testimonial challenges is crucial for successful customer feedback management. Here are three key challenges you may face and how to address them:

Authenticity : One common challenge is ensuring the authenticity of testimonials. In an industry where trust and credibility are paramount, it's essential to validate the legitimacy of customer feedback. Encourage specific details in testimonials, such as the customer's experience with a particular automotive restoration or performance service, to enhance authenticity. Additionally, consider including photos or videos of satisfied customers alongside their testimonials to add a personal touch and credibility to their feedback.
Diversity : Another challenge is obtaining a diverse range of testimonials that represent various demographics and automotive services. To address this, actively seek feedback from customers with different backgrounds and experiences. Showcasing a diverse array of testimonials can help potential customers relate to the positive experiences of others and envision their own satisfaction with your automotive brand.
Visibility : Ensuring the visibility of testimonials across your online platforms can be a challenge. To overcome this, strategically place testimonials on your website's homepage, service pages, and contact page. Additionally, leverage social media channels to share customer testimonials regularly, increasing their visibility and reach. Encouraging satisfied customers to leave reviews on third-party platforms such as Google My Business and Yelp can also enhance the visibility and credibility of your testimonials.

Using Testimonials in Marketing Campaigns

How can testimonials effectively bolster your automotive brand's marketing campaigns and connect with potential customers on a personal level?

Testimonials serve as powerful tools for building trust and credibility with your audience. When potential customers see real stories and experiences from satisfied clients, it resonates with them on a personal level, making them more likely to engage with your brand.

To maximize the impact of testimonials in your marketing campaigns, consider utilizing influencers who align with your automotive brand's values and target audience. Influencers can amplify the reach of your testimonials and lend further authenticity to the experiences shared.

Additionally, incorporating customer satisfaction surveys into your marketing strategy can provide valuable insights that can be used to craft compelling testimonial content. By gathering feedback directly from your customers, you can identify key themes and sentiments that can be highlighted in your testimonials.

This approach not only showcases the positive experiences of your customers but also allows you to address any concerns or areas for improvement, demonstrating your brand's commitment to customer satisfaction.

Furthermore, integrating testimonials into your digital marketing efforts, such as social media campaigns and website content, can significantly enhance the overall impact of your messaging. By strategically placing testimonials where potential customers are most likely to engage with your brand, you can effectively build rapport and cultivate a loyal customer base.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can Automotive Restoration and Performance Brands Effectively Utilize Customer Reviews and Testimonials to Improve Their Online Presence?

To improve your online presence, leverage social media and build trustworthiness by showcasing customer reviews and testimonials.

Encourage satisfied customers to share their experiences and feedback on your automotive restoration and performance services.

Highlighting real-life success stories can help potential clients see the value and quality of your work.

What Are Some Unique and Creative Strategies for Gathering Testimonials Specifically Tailored to the Automotive Industry?

To gather unique testimonials tailored to the automotive industry, consider offering incentives for customer reviews and video testimonials.

Engage with your audience, encouraging them to share their experiences and showcase their satisfaction with your brand.

By providing opportunities for customers to express their enthusiasm, you can create engaging social proof that resonates with automotive enthusiasts.

This approach adds a personalized touch and authenticity to your online presence, enhancing the overall customer experience.

How Can Automotive Brands Overcome Common Challenges in Obtaining and Showcasing Customer Testimonials?

To overcome challenges in obtaining and showcasing customer testimonials, there are a few strategies you can employ.

First, actively seek out customer experiences by engaging with your clients. Ask for their feedback and encourage them to share their positive experiences. This proactive approach can help you gather testimonials that highlight the strengths of your automotive brand.

Second, ensure that the testimonials you collect are authentic and diverse. It's important to have testimonials that represent different aspects of your brand. This will give potential customers a well-rounded perspective and increase trustworthiness.

Finally, displaying a range of testimonials from satisfied customers is crucial. This can help overcome common challenges and establish credibility within the industry. By showcasing positive feedback from a variety of sources, you are demonstrating that your brand consistently delivers on its promises.

What Are Some Innovative Ways to Incorporate Customer Reviews and Testimonials Into Marketing Campaigns for Automotive Restoration and Performance Businesses?

Incorporating visuals and storytelling techniques can elevate your marketing campaigns for automotive restoration and performance businesses.

Captivating images and compelling narratives in customer testimonials create an emotional connection with potential clients. Showcase before-and-after photos, and weave customer experiences into a powerful story that resonates with your audience.

How Can Automotive Brands Optimize Their Testimonials for SEO to Improve Their Visibility and Credibility Online?

To optimize your automotive brand's testimonials for SEO, focus on credibility building. Incorporate relevant keywords in the testimonials to improve visibility online.

Encourage satisfied customers to leave detailed reviews, enhancing the authenticity and value of the testimonials. Ensure that the testimonials are prominently displayed on your website and social media platforms.

Additionally, respond to the reviews and engage with customers to further boost credibility and demonstrate your brand's commitment to customer satisfaction.

Final Thoughts

You've learned the keys to unlocking the power of customer testimonials and reviews for your automotive restoration, performance or restyling shop.

By harnessing the voice of your satisfied customers, you can rev up your online presence and drive high-value projects to your business.

Just like a well-oiled engine, testimonials fuel your business’ success and propel it to new heights. Contact Motorhead Digital today to start revving up your shop with the fuel of raving reviews and watch it roar ahead of the competition!

The 4 Pillars of Effective Business Marketing for Auto Restoration, Performance, Racing, and Restyling Shops (Part 2)

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 18:32:43 GMT

A well-designed strategy will help you build your reputation, grow your customer base and ultimately make your business successful.

3. Videography

While video may demand more effort to perfect than snappy copy or sharp photos, it’s undeniably the best way to showcase your shop's incredible work or review products on your website. When paired with high-quality images and compelling text, video becomes an unbeatable tool for capturing attention and driving engagement.

Video is so important in auto restoration, performance, racing, and restyling shops as it not only increases your visibility and connects with your audience on a much deeper level, but it also improves your relationship with existing clients.

Think about it.

Videos let you show off your expertise in action. Whether it’s a time-lapse of a restoration project, a walk-through of your shop, how you're performing specific performance upgrades, on-track video, or customer testimonials, video can bring more life to your brand.

Videography proves that you know what you're doing, highlights the great products you carry, and lets potential customers see the quality of your work up close and personal. With a video, they can clearly envision what you can do for them and their vehicles and get pumped to start their next project with you.

Data shows that videos also perform very well on YouTube and social media over the written word or photos. Video can stop scrollers in their tracks and get them to interact with your content.

A good video will be shared, liked, and commented on, getting your shop in front of more people. According to Search Engine Journal’s 2023 Social Media Statistics report 70% of viewers become aware of new brands because of YouTube videos and viewers are twice as likely to buy something because they saw it on YouTube.

Types of videos to create if you’re an auto restoration, performance, racing, and restyling shop

Behind-the-scenes footage: These videos give customers a look into your daily operations, introduce your team, and show the care that goes into your work. They're a great way to build trust and connect with your customers.
Project update videos: These are videos you take periodically during a project to update a client, create an archive for the project, and share on your site or social media.
Product videos: These can be video reviews of a new product or even a new service that you offer
Explainer videos: These are great for breaking down complex services or processes. For example, a video showing the step-by-step process of a popular performance upgrade or custom fabrication on a build can educate potential customers and showcase your expertise.
Promotional content: Use these videos to promote special offers, new products, or unique aspects of your shop. A high-energy video promoting your shop's latest offers or a new service can attract attention and drive action.
Event Content: These can be videos letting people know to come out and visit you at an event and stop by your booth or they can be used to update followers on your status at an event if for example, race and other event coverage that your shop may be involved in.

Tips for creating great video content:

Invest in quality: High-quality visuals and sound make a big difference. Invest in good equipment or get professional help so your videos look and sound professional. Today’s mobile devices are great for taking great videos but nothing compares to great audio and video equipment designed specifically for the task.
Tell a story: Whether you're explaining a process or promoting a product or service, make sure your video tells a clear and engaging story. A well-structured narrative keeps viewers interested and makes your message more memorable.
Include a call to action (CTA): Remember to tell viewers what to do next. Whether it's to schedule an appointment, visit your website, or call your shop, a clear CTA will turn viewers into customers.

WARNING: As with images, videos are also subject to copyright law, so it's important to proceed with caution. We strongly recommend creating and using your own original video content whenever possible.

Pro tip: Keep it short and sweet. According to Forbes's Top Social Media Statistics And Trends Of 2024; Short form video clips are 2.5 times more engaging than longer videos, and 34% of consumers appreciate the more genuine nature of the shorter form.

Shorter videos are more likely to hold viewers' attention and get your message across quickly, so aim to keep your videos concise and to the point.

4. Digital Marketing & Messaging

Now let's bring it all together for solid digital marketing and messaging for your business.

When it comes to making your shop or products stand out when marketing your business and getting customers to act, messaging combined with your branding, photos, and video is everything.

Remember, it’s not what you say, it’s how—and where—you say it! Good messaging cuts through the noise, gets attention, and convinces potential customers you’re the best choice for them.

Think of messaging as the voice of your marketing strategy. It’s what communicates your business's unique value, the quality or your work or products, and why you’re better than your competition. Your digital messaging should tell your audience that you’re the right choice for their next big auto restoration, restyling, or performance project.

Remember: From the tone of your social media posts and the style of your email marketing to the content on your website and the ads you run, your messaging should be clear, engaging, and always on brand.

Key elements of effective digital marketing and messaging for auto restoration, performance, racing, and restyling shops

High-quality website: Your website is often the first impression potential customers get of your brand. Make sure it features strong messaging that effectively promotes your shop, reflects your brand's personality, and provides an engaging experience.
Clarity and consistency: For a more professional appearance, ensure that your message is clear and consistent across all platforms. This includes not only text but your branding, photos, and videos that you combine to convey your message.
Audience focus: Tailor your messages to your target audience's needs and interests. Think about what your audience wants to hear from you—be specific!
Value proposition: Clearly highlight what makes your shop or products unique and showcase why they should choose you over your competitors.

Tips for effective messaging in digital marketing:

Tell stories: Storytelling techniques make your messages more engaging and memorable.
Use data-driven insights: Analyze data to see what works best and fine-tune your messaging accordingly.
Stay adaptable: Be flexible and adjust your messaging based on feedback and market changes.

Pro tip: Add quizzes, polls, or interactive features to your digital content. This will boost engagement and provide valuable insights into your audience's preferences.

Part 1 | Part 2

As seen in The Shop Magazine

Blogging and Guest Posting for Automotive Restoration and Performance Leaders

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 06:30:00 GMT

If you've ever heard the saying 'knowledge is power,' then you understand the importance of staying ahead in the automotive restoration and performance industry.

But how exactly can you elevate your restoration or performance shop's presence in a crowded digital space?

The answer lies in the world of automotive blogging and guest posting, where strategic content creation can transform your brand's visibility and attract a wider audience.

Let's explore the untapped potential of these digital marketing tools and uncover how they can be the key to unlocking new opportunities for your automotive restoration or performance shop.

Understanding Automotive Blogging

Understanding blogging for auto restoration, performance, racing, or restyling shops involves creating and curating content that resonates with enthusiasts, professionals, and consumers in the automotive industry. To excel in this field, it's crucial to implement effective automotive blogging strategies and engage in impactful guest posting.

Successful automotive blogging strategies entail a deep understanding of the target audience, creating content that addresses their specific needs and preferences. By consistently delivering valuable and relevant content, you can establish yourself as a trusted source of information within the auto restoration, performance, racing, or restyling community.

Effective guest posting is another vital aspect of automotive blogging. It involves collaborating with other industry-related websites and blogs to publish content that drives traffic back to your own blog. When choosing platforms for guest posting, it's essential to target websites with a strong readership base and a focus on automotive topics that align with your niche.

Benefits of Guest Posting for Auto Restoration or Performance Shops

Guest posting for auto restoration or performance shops offers a valuable opportunity to showcase your expertise and expand your reach within the automotive community. By collaborating with automotive restoration, performance or restyling influencers, you can leverage their established audience and credibility to gain exposure for your brand or services.

When crafting guest posting strategies, it's crucial to focus on providing valuable, informative content that resonates with the audience. This can help position you as an authority in the auto restoration, performance and restyling space and drive traffic back to your own platform.

Furthermore, guest posting allows you to tap into new networks and connect with like-minded individuals who share a passion for automotive restoration. It opens the door to potential partnerships, collaborations, and further opportunities to contribute to industry publications or events. Through strategic guest posting, you can also enhance your website's search engine optimization (SEO) by acquiring backlinks from reputable sources, ultimately boosting your online visibility and credibility.

Additionally, guest posting for other auto restoration or performance shops enables you to engage with a broader audience and receive direct feedback from enthusiasts and professionals within the field. This interaction can provide valuable insights and foster relationships that may lead to future business prospects or collaborations.

Leveraging Guest Posting

When expanding your guest posting efforts from auto restoration to automotive performance, focus on targeting enthusiasts and professionals in the high-performance automotive sector to amplify your brand's visibility and industry credibility. By strategically crafting guest posts for platforms that cater to your niche, you can increase visibility, drive traffic, and establish yourself as a knowledgeable and reputable figure in your area of expertise.

Increasing visibility through guest posting involves identifying platforms that specifically cater to automotive performance enthusiasts. Look for blogs, forums, and online communities that are dedicated to high-performance modifications, restyling, and racing. By contributing valuable and insightful content to these platforms, you can capture the attention of a highly targeted audience, thereby increasing your brand's visibility within the automotive performance sector.

In addition to increasing visibility, guest blogging can be a powerful tool for driving traffic to your own website or blog. When crafting guest posts, strategically incorporate backlinks to relevant content on your website. This not only directs interested readers to further explore your expertise and offerings but also enhances your website's SEO by building authoritative backlinks from reputable automotive restoration and performance sources.

Crafting Engaging Content for Auto Restoration and Performance Leaders

Crafting engaging content for auto restoration and performance leaders requires a deep understanding of their unique challenges and a strategic approach to showcasing their expertise in the automotive restoration niche.

To effectively capture the attention of restoration leaders, consider the following:

Content Strategy : Develop a comprehensive content strategy that aligns with the specific needs and interests of auto restoration and performance leaders. This may include highlighting the intricacies of restoration projects, sharing industry insights, and providing valuable tips and techniques.
Storytelling Techniques : Utilize storytelling techniques to create compelling narratives around restoration and restyling projects, showcasing the intricacies and challenges faced. This approach can help restoration leaders connect with the content on a deeper level, fostering a sense of engagement and appreciation for the craft.
Visual Content : Incorporate visually appealing content such as before-and-after images, behind-the-scenes glimpses of processes, and captivating visuals that showcase the artistry and skill involved in automotive restoration, performance and restyling techniques.
Interactive Elements : Integrate interactive elements within the content, such as quizzes, polls, or interactive timelines, to encourage active engagement and participation from restoration and performance leaders, fostering a sense of community and collaboration.

Building Authority Through Guest Posting

To establish credibility and expertise in the automotive niche, consider leveraging guest posting opportunities on reputable industry websites and blogs. Guest posting strategies can significantly elevate your authority within the automotive restoration and performance community. By contributing insightful and valuable content to established platforms, you can position yourself as a thought leader and expert in your field.

When crafting guest posts, focus on providing practical tips, industry insights, and unique perspectives that resonate with the target audience. This can help in establishing credibility through guest blogging.

Selecting the right platforms for guest posting is crucial. Look for websites and blogs that have a strong following and are respected within the automotive industry. By associating yourself with reputable and authoritative platforms, you can enhance your own reputation and reach a wider audience. Additionally, ensure that the content you submit aligns with the host site's guidelines and audience preferences. Tailoring your posts to fit the tone and style of the hosting platform can increase the likelihood of acceptance and engagement.

Furthermore, engage with the audience on the host site by responding to comments and feedback on your guest posts. Building a positive rapport with readers can further solidify your authority and expertise in the automotive niche.

Ultimately, through strategic guest posting, you can cultivate a strong presence, gain recognition, and establish yourself as a trusted voice within the automotive restoration and performance community.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can Automotive Restoration and Performance Shops Use Blogging and Guest Posting to Specifically Target Their Ideal Customers?

To target customers effectively, focus on creating engaging blog content and guest posts that resonate with their interests and needs. Share valuable insights, tips, and success stories related to automotive restoration and performance.

Use targeted keywords to boost visibility and reach your ideal audience. Encourage interaction and feedback to build a community around your brand.

Consistently delivering high-quality, relevant content will establish your shop as a go-to resource for enthusiasts.

What Are Some Unique Challenges and Opportunities That Automotive Restoration and Performance Shops Face When It Comes to Guest Posting on Industry-Related Blogs?

When it comes to guest posting on industry-related blogs, automotive restoration and performance shops face unique challenges and opportunities.

The challenges include standing out in a crowded space and finding the right platforms to target ideal customers.

However, guest posting also provides the opportunity to showcase expertise and build credibility within the automotive industry.

It's a chance to connect with a broader audience and establish authority in the field.

Are There Any Specific Strategies or Best Practices for Creating Content That Resonates With the Automotive Restoration and Performance Audience, Beyond the Standard Tips for Engaging Content?

When creating viral content for the automotive restoration and performance audience, targeting niches is key. Understand the specific interests and needs of this audience to tailor your content.

Highlight unique restoration techniques, performance upgrades, and success stories to captivate their attention. Incorporate engaging visuals and behind-the-scenes footage to showcase the intricacies of automotive work.

How Can Automotive Restoration and Performance Shops Measure the Impact and Success of Their Guest Posting Efforts in Terms of Building Authority and Attracting High-Value Projects?

To measure the impact and success of your guest posting efforts in authority building and attracting high-value projects, track metrics like website traffic, backlinks, and social media engagement.

These indicators act like road signs, guiding you toward ideal customers.

It's akin to mapping out your journey - each milestone reinforces your authority and draws invaluable projects.

What Are Some Lesser-Known but Effective Ways for Automotive Restoration and Performance Shops to Leverage Guest Posting to Enhance Their Online Presence and Reach a Wider Audience?

To enhance your online presence and reach a wider audience, consider leveraging partnerships and niche expertise. Engage in targeted outreach to collaborate with industry influencers and complementary businesses.

Showcase your unique knowledge through guest posting on reputable automotive platforms. This can significantly increase your online visibility and authority within the automotive restoration and performance niche.

Final Thoughts

So, are you ready to take your automotive restoration, performance or restyling shop to the next level?

With the power of automotive blogging and guest posting, you can boost your online presence, attract high-value projects, and engage with a broader audience.

Motorhead Digital is here to help you harness the potential of these digital marketing tools and propel your business forward.

Let's rev up your brand's visibility and drive success together!

The 4 Pillars of Effective Business Marketing for Auto Restoration, Performance, Racing, and Restyling Shops (Part 1)

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 20:57:20 GMT

1. Branding

Branding is the foundation of your entire marketing strategy. It’s what sets you apart in a crowded market where every auto restoration, performance, racing, and restyling shop says they’re the best.

Authentic branding goes much deeper than any logo or catchy slogan. It’s not just about how badass your website is or how killer your brand colors look; it’s all about creating a unique identity that your audience connects with. It’s about bringing your shop’s personality to life online and highlighting the reason behind everything you do for your audience to see.

Branding is everywhere—especially online! Your brand's personality comes to life with every post you make on social media and with every interaction you have with your clients.

Your website tells your brand’s whole story, giving your audience a memorable first impression that will keep them thinking about your shop. So, together, your social media profiles and your website create a unique brand experience that builds trust with your audience and showcases just how awesome your shop is.

Key elements of branding for auto restoration, performance, racing, and restyling shops

Brand identity: This is your business's overall persona. It's the big-picture view of how you want to position yourself in the market. For example, if your shop focuses on high-performance tuning and upgrades, your brand identity might emphasize precision, power, and expertise. If you’re a restoration shop, do you restore any vehicle that comes your way, or does your shop specialize in restoring Mopars, Vintage Porsches, or Chevy C10 trucks?
Core values: These are the principles that guide how you run your business and interact with customers. Core values might include integrity, customer focus, quality, and innovation.
Visuals: Visual elements like your logo, colors, typography, and images make your brand recognizable. Keeping these consistent across all of your branding is key to looking professional and being memorable.
Messaging/copywriting: Strong branding hinges on clear, engaging messaging, and copywriting is a big part of this. Whether on your website, social media, email marketing, or advertising, your copy must capture your brand's unique voice and personality.

Top tips for Branding

To make your brand stand out and connect with your audience, keep these tips in mind:

Be consistent: Make sure all your branding elements—visuals, messaging, and tone—are consistent across every platform. This builds recognition and trust.
Know your customers: Be aware of who they are, what they care about, and how they interact with your brand. Tailor your branding to align with their expectations.
Engage with your community: Branding isn't just about your online presence. Get involved in your local community by attending events and supporting local initiatives.
Stay authentic: Make sure your brand reflects your actual core values and mission. Authenticity resonates with customers and helps build lasting connections.

Pro tip: Readdress and periodically update your branding and messaging to match your audience's changing needs and tastes. Being flexible helps your brand stay relevant and connected to your customers over time.

2. Photography

Types of high-quality brand photography for auto restoration, performance, racing, and restyling shops

Product and build photography: Highlight your auto performance parts or services with detailed, high-resolution images. For example, close-ups or before-and-after shots of a high-performance engine upgrade or restoration can showcase its quality and craftsmanship.
Behind-the-scenes content: Share what happens behind closed doors. Photos of your staff at work or your shop's daily work add a personal touch and show how much effort you put into your services.
Progress pictures: Everybody loves a good story, and what better way to tell a story than by showing off the progress pictures of your latest or past projects with an image gallery full of build progress and completion? Not only do your clients get excited about seeing their cars on display, but your audience will be blown away by the transformations you make to vehicles every year.
Lifestyle photography: Show your team in action or happy customers enjoying your work. These images help potential customers picture themselves partnering with your shop.

Things to consider to take great photos:

Lighting: Use natural or good studio light to make your photos bright and clear. Avoid dim light or harsh shadows. The more professional your photos look, the less your audience can look away.
Composition: Frame your shots and use the rule of thirds to create balanced images.
Background: Keep it simple. A clean background keeps the focus on your subject. For example, if you’re taking a picture of a finished project, try taking it with an uncluttered background. Progress shots look great in the shop, but when she’s all cleaned up, you wanna make sure the only thing the audience sees is the beautiful work you’ve completed.
Focus: Make sure your main subject is sharp. Blurry photos look unprofessional and won’t keep anybody’s attention for very long.

WARNING: We would be doing a disservice here if we didn’t warn you about using images you find with a Google search or grabbing pics from paid stock photo sites without paying for and licensing them. NEVER do this! You won’t believe how many clients send us photos they’ve found on the internet.

Most images on the internet are copyrighted, so using them could result in a lawsuit or fines from stock photo companies. There is no problem using a limited number of licensed photos or even free royalty-free images on your site or social media, as there is a place for them, but we always recommend using your own images.

Pro tip: Keep the style and quality of your photos consistent across all your branding materials and - when appropriate - include your logo and brand colors on your images, especially for social media posts. This consistency helps create a polished and professional image for your shop’s brand.

Part 1 | Part 2

Data-Driven Decisions: Using Analytics to Fine-Tune Your Digital Marketing

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 06:30:00 GMT

You didn’t get into the automotive aftermarket industry to sit down at your laptop and analyze marketing metrics.

But if you want to grow your shop – whether it’s auto restoration, performance, racing, or restyling – you’ve got to pay attention to your analytics.

After all, you can’t improve your marketing results if you don’t know what’s working and what isn’t, right? Without analytics, you wouldn’t be able to track the progress of your website, your Google Ads, or even how well your latest post on social media is doing.

Tapping into your analytics lets you see how well your marketing efforts are doing and what you need to improve.

The word analytics might cause some confusion, and you might even feel a bit overwhelmed by the thought of tracking a load of data. Don’t worry, because in this blog we’re going to cover:

What analytics are and why your digital marketing campaign won’t be successful without them
How you can easily use analytics to improve your shop’s marketing

Now, let’s get straight into it and talk about what analytics are and why data-driven decisions should be the foundation of your digital marketing strategy.

What are digital marketing analytics, and why are they important for your shop?

Digital marketing analytics is data you can collect from a variety of digital channels. By tracking this data, you gain insight into user behavior and learn how they interact with your content.

You can gather data from sources like your:

Website
Social media profiles
Email marketing campaigns
Paid ads
Landing pages

But really any digital channel can provide you with useful data and insights that you can use to improve your digital marketing.

Why should you analyze data?

Analyzing data will show you which areas are performing the best and which ones are driving traffic away from your site, allowing you to adjust your marketing to suit your target audience.

82% of marketers say data-driven marketing campaigns are more successful than traditional marketing efforts, and if you use marketing analytics in your shop, you’re 23 times more likely to acquire customers!

So now that we’re clear on what marketing analytics is and why you should use it, let's break down how you can use analytics for your auto restoration, performance, racing, or restyling shop’s digital marketing.

How to use analytics to improve your shop’s digital marketing campaigns

Let's waste no time getting into it. Here are six simple tips to show you how to use analytics to take your marketing efforts to the next level.

1. Identify the right key performance indicators (KPIs)

Before you can really take advantage of analytics for your digital marketing campaigns, you have to make sure you’ve identified the KPIs that matter most for your shop and your marketing goals.

You can set KPIs for metrics like:

Click-through rates
Conversion rates
Bounce rates
Return on ad spend
Customer acquisition costs
Engagement rates
Organic traffic

So what KPIs should you focus on? That really depends on the kind of campaign you’re running and what you want to achieve.

For example, if you’re investing in new blog posts to improve traffic to your website, then you’ll want to keep an eye on the engagement rates and the organic traffic coming to your site through these new blogs.

If you’d like to track your return on ad spend then pay attention to the amount of people converting thanks to your paid Google ads.

The KPIs you choose to measure the success of your campaign will help you justify the investment you’ve put into it. They give you a simple way to health check your shop’s marketing and make it easy for you to know when to make adjustments.

2. Get to know your audience on a whole new level

One of the best things about analytics is that it helps you get to know your audience a lot better.

It allows you to gain vital insights into what they like about your marketing campaigns and what doesn’t really work for them.

Use your analytics to identify customer trends and behaviors to help you get a better idea of what your audience is looking for.

As soon as you’ve gathered data on your customers’ behavior, consider segmenting your customers by:

Demographics like age, gender, and location
Behavior and engagement on your website
The type of content they engage with

This is going to let you create super detailed and personalized campaigns that will resonate a whole lot better with your audience than before!

3. Don’t lose sight of your KPIs

There’s no point in setting KPIs and choosing what data to track if you’re not tracking it.

Don’t shy away from analytics tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Keep on top of your data so you can see when your campaign is doing really well with your customers and when it’s dipping a bit.

The more you measure results, the more you can respond with new and improved marketing strategies.

4. Use A/B testing to your advantage

Another great way to improve your digital marketing efforts and create a fine-tuned marketing campaign is to use A/B testing to your advantage.

A/B testing is a brilliant marketing tool for comparing different versions of your campaign and determining which one will perform better with your audience.

By using analytics to keep track of each campaign variant’s performance, you’ll gain more data and have the metrics you need to optimize your campaigns going forward.

5. Adapt and optimize your digital marketing efforts

Detailed analytics aren’t just for show. Even if some campaigns are going really well, don’t forget about the ones that aren’t doing great. You need to do some heavy lifting to make the most out of the data you have.

If you notice that something really isn’t working for your marketing goals, adapt. This is where you take what you have and improve it. Otherwise, what was the point?

When a strategy is tanking or putting a stop to your growth, don’t ignore it. Act quickly and make a change so you can continue to watch your shop thrive online.

6. Use marketing analytics software to your advantage

No campaign can be successful without some help from an excellent digital marketing tool. We love to use analytics tools in house, which is why we’d recommend you do the same.

Not only will it make your life easier but it’ll also help you ensure that the data you're collecting is accurate and accessible.

Here are a few awesome marketing analytics software that you can use to track your marketing analytics:

Need some help with your marketing analytics?

Analytics can be difficult to take care of and if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed after all this - we get it!

But we’ve had a lot of experience tracking analytics for auto restoration, performance, racing, or restyling shops and we have a lot of experience getting results for our clients.

If you’re looking for somebody to help you with your digital marketing campaigns and want a team that will take care of everything for you, including analytics, then give us a shout. We’d be happy to talk shop with you.

Get in touch with our team today by giving us a call on (585) 766-9785 or contacting us here on our website.

Building an Online Presence: 7 Strategies for Engaging with Your Auto Shop's Customers Online

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 06:15:00 GMT

Building a successful online presence is a great way to promote your auto restoration, performance, racing, or restyling shop. With the right digital marketing strategy, you can reach a wider audience, build lasting relationships, and turn casual visitors into loyal customers.

But simply being online isn't enough. To truly succeed, you need to engage your audience in creative and meaningful ways.

If you're unsure where to start, this guide is here to help. We've put together our top 7 strategies for engaging with your auto shop's customers online and keeping them coming back for more.

1. Create an outstanding website

Your auto website is often the first impression potential customers get of your shop. A well-designed site builds trust, shares details about your services, showcases your work, and makes it easy for customers to contact you.

The most important features to include in your website include:

User-friendly navigation : Make it easy for visitors to find what they're looking for with a clear menu and search bar on your site's home page.
High-quality visuals : Use eye-catching photos and videos to draw in visitors and shine a spotlight on your great work.
Clear service information : Present your services with straightforward descriptions and easy booking options.
Customer reviews : Feature glowing testimonials from past customers to build trust and show off your positive reputation.
Mobile optimization : Make sure your site looks and performs optimally on phones and tablets.
Strong CTAs : Encourage action with clear, compelling calls to action throughout your site.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) : Optimize your website's content with local SEO to improve its visibility on search engines and help your target audience find you more easily.

Top Tip: Track your site's performance to see what is and isn't working. Use these insights to make smart improvements moving forward.

2. Prioritize social media

Did you know that over 70% of adults in the US use social media ? Engaging with your customers on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn is a goldmine for keeping your shop at the forefront of your audience’s mind.

Tips for engaging your audience on social media :

Post regularly : Keep your followers in the loop with frequent updates about your latest projects, special offers, and industry news.
Use visual content: Make high-quality, memorable visuals a key part of your social media strategy to grab attention and encourage sharing.
Take part in conversations : Show customers you care about their options by responding to comments, messages, questions, and mentions.
Host contests or giveaways : Spark excitement with photo contests, trivia challenges, and product giveaways.
Collaborate with influencers : Work with influencers, brands, or car experts to keep your content fresh and exciting.

Top Tip : Use a social media content calendar to plan and organize your posts ahead of time. This helps you post consistently and keeps your content interesting and varied.

3. Try out email marketing

Email marketing is a powerful tool for staying connected with customers. It helps keep your business top of mind by sharing the latest news, insights, and updates.

To get started, invite visitors to join your newsletter with exciting offers or exclusive updates. Then, keep subscribers in the loop with fun updates, special promotions, and the latest industry news.

Top Tip: Divide your email list into categories to target specific groups with personalized content and offers for better engagement.

4. Start a blog

A blog is a great way to connect with your audience and show off your insider knowledge. It lets you offer valuable insights, industry trends, and updates about your shop.

To make your blog a success, be sure to:

Share your expertise : Post blogs with useful tips, trends, and updates in the auto industry to give valuable content to your readers.
Get readers involved : Invite comments and start conversations to create a lively community around your blog.
Post regularly : Keep your blog fresh and engaging by posting new content regularly.

Top Tip : Promote your blog posts on social media and email newsletters to help them reach a wider audience and build brand awareness.

5. Collaborate with influencers and local businesses

Partner with auto influencers or local businesses to expand your reach and refresh your content.

Passionate car enthusiasts can introduce your shop to their followers, helping you attract new customers. Partnering with local businesses can also create win-win relationships, strengthening your community presence and bringing in more clients.

Top tip: Reach out to influencers and businesses whose followers match your ideal customers. This way, your message will reach people who are actually interested in your services, making it more likely they will become customers.

6. Optimize your online business directories

Make sure your auto shop is listed correctly on sites like Google Business Profile, Yelp, and other directories specific to the auto restoration industry.

This is an important part of any successful digital marketing campaign and will make finding you online easier for those interested in the services.

How to make it work:

Include important information : Fill in all essential details like your address, phone number, and business hours.
Add photos : Upload high-quality images and videos to keep visitors' attention.
Ask for reviews : Encourage happy customers to leave positive reviews.
Keep information updated : Regularly check and update your listings to make sure everything is still accurate.

Top Tip: Keep an eye on how your listings are doing and update any areas that need improvement to get the best results.

7. Offer an online booking system

Make it easy for customers to book appointments and request services directly from your website. A simple online booking system can attract more business by making scheduling quick and hassle-free.

Tips for a great booking system:

Keep it simple: Choose an easy-to-use tool so customers can book their appointments effortlessly.
Add live chat: Include a chat feature for real-time help and to answer any questions.
Send reminders: Set up automatic reminders to help reduce no-shows and keep everyone on track.

Top tip: Make sure your booking system works well on mobile devices, as many customers will use their phones to schedule appointments.

Closing thoughts

Connecting with customers online is important for growing your auto shop.

A great website, active social media, email updates, a blog, influencer partnerships, updated online directories, and simple booking options are all essential to an effective digital marketing strategy.

Start putting these ideas into action, and watch your online presence—and your business—grow!

Engage customers online with Motorhead Digital

Do you want to improve your online visibility and attract more customers? At Motorhead Digital, we're here to help you build a strong online presence with our auto shop marketing services.

Whether you need a better website, more engaging social media, a winning email marketing campaign, or a complete digital marketing strategy, our team can handle it.

Getting in touch with the MHD team is easy. Dial us at (585) 766-9785, email maximizesales@motorheaddigital.com, or visit MotorheadDigital.com for all the info you need about our effective digital marketing strategies for auto repair, performance, racing, or restyling shops.

Earth Tones and Patina: A Recap of the 2023 SEMA Trade Show in Las Vegas

keith@motorheaddigital.com (Keith Bourgeois) — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 18:31:11 GMT

The 2023 SEMA show was spectacular this year regarding the quality of cutting-edge automotive builds, the innovations and the attendance. The aisles were just as full as they were pre-covid if not more. Enthusiasts and industry professionals packed the halls to witness the unveiling of the latest products, technologies, and designs that are shaping the future of the automotive world. This year, a distinct theme emerged as earthy tones, patina finishes, and an increasing electric vehicle scene arose.

Earthy Tone Paint Colors

One of the standout trends at the 2023 SEMA Trade Show was the prevalence of earth tone paint colors adorning the sleek exteriors of many showcased vehicles. From deep browns and rustic reds to forest greens and sandy beige, automotive enthusiasts witnessed a departure from the traditional bold and vibrant colors. These earth tones could not be farther from the wild, annoying neon colors of the 80’s.

Embracing Patina: The Beauty of Aged Finishes

Another trend we approve of that captured attention was the embrace of patina finishes. Rather than the glossy perfection of showroom-fresh vehicles and million dollar customs, exhibitors proudly displayed cars with rusty, aged, or worn finishes. The beauty of patina lies in making it look authentic, telling a story of a vehicle's history, age and adventures invoking your imagination. Attendees were intrigued by the charm of these weathered exteriors, appreciating the unique character each vehicle presented

Rustic Revival: Celebrating Worn Finishes and Paint Jobs

The 2023 SEMA Trade Show saw a resurgence of interest in rustic and worn finishes, challenging the conventional notion of flawless paint jobs. Exhibitors showcased cars with intentionally distressed exteriors, celebrating the beauty of imperfections and the cars that we all have that just sat outside too long. The trend reflects a shift towards embracing and honoring the “I’ll restore it someday” people and encourages people that they don't need a perfect 6 figure high dollar paint job to make an awe inspiring “cool” car (or truck!).

We would be remiss not to mention the Tonka Donks were once again out in force this year.

We still haven't figured out what niche they fit in or what the attraction is, but they roll in every year taking up most of the outdoor space at SEMA.

Their gargantuan proportions and cartoon appearance provided us some comic relief as we strolled to the Optima Street Car Challenge and Hoonigan burndown pits.

E lectrifying Innovations

In a clear sign of the automotive industry's evolution, electric vehicles (EVs) and accessories dominated a significant portion of the 2023 SEMA Trade Show. Compared to the previous year, there was a notable increase in the number of booths dedicated to electric cars and EV-related accessories. From high-performance electric sports cars to innovative charging solutions, the show highlighted the industry's commitment (albeit forced) sustainable and eco-friendly mobility.

There’s still significant pushback here from enthusiasts and the industry itself. SEMA is pushing back. People just don't like being forced/told what to do. The industry wants the government to recognize ALL the choices of alternative energy source cars and not put all their eggs and everyone’s future in the EV basket. Hydrogen is still making huge strides as well as synthetic fuels.

SEMA politics

As we move forward, we are reminded that anything worth doing is worth fighting for and SEMA is, thankfully, leading the way on capitol hill with renewed vigor and commitment to take the fight to them instead of always being on the defensive. SEMA PAC has pledged to do everything it can by devoting time, manpower and money to keep our right to modify our cars alive. They can’t do it alone and they need our help. We are stronger together. If you run or administer anything from a large racing event to the smallest local car show, please consider donating or contributing what funds you can to SEMA PAC to help us win the fight!

Conclusion

Attendees marveled at the paradigm shift in automotive design and technology and where the culture is headed. The 2023 SEMA Trade Show in Las Vegas provided a glimpse into the future of what we’ll see in 2024. The earthy tones and patina finishes no question dominated the show, and the electric vehicle freight train mandate marches on, but with noticeable chinks starting to show in it’s once unpenetrable armor.

Rev Up Your Photo Gallery With Smart Marketing

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 17:44:34 GMT

Elevate your automotive restoration or performance shop gallery's success with smart marketing strategies.

Capture attention with impactful before-and-after galleries showcasing transformative vehicle changes. Focus on high-quality images for visual appeal and use engaging captions to drive customer interaction. Optimize SEO for better visibility and leverage social media to target your audience effectively. Enhance user engagement through interactive features and consider email marketing campaigns for personalized outreach. Collaborate with influencers to boost brand visibility and credibility. Track performance metrics closely and continuously optimize your marketing efforts. Experimentation and customer journey optimization will further refine your strategy for continued success.

Key Takeaways

Showcase transformative vehicle images to highlight design impact and attract customers.
Use high-quality images with balanced composition and color balance for visual appeal.
Craft compelling image captions with a focus on engagement and call-to-action messages.
Optimize for visibility with local SEO, keyword research, and mobile optimization strategies.
Share engaging visual content on social media, target the right audience, and refine strategies for best results.

Importance of Before-and-After Galleries

Engage your potential customers instantly by showcasing the transformative power of your expertise through compelling before-and-after galleries. Design impact is essential in the automotive industry, and these galleries offer a visually striking way to demonstrate the significant changes your vehicles can undergo. By presenting the design impact in a clear and concise manner, you can effectively communicate the value your shop brings to the table.

Customer satisfaction is at the core of any successful business, and before-and-after galleries play an important role in not only attracting customers but also in ensuring their satisfaction. When customers can see the tangible improvements their vehicles can undergo, they're more likely to feel confident in their purchase decision. These galleries provide a visual representation of the quality and care you put into your projects, instilling trust and loyalty in your customer base.

Utilizing before-and-after galleries strategically can set your shop apart from the competition. By curating these galleries with high-quality images and detailed descriptions, you can create a narrative that resonates with your target audience. This data-driven approach allows you to tailor your marketing efforts to showcase the unique points of each project, ultimately driving customer engagement and increasing sales.

Selecting High-Quality Images

When selecting images for your photo gallery, remember that image composition, lighting considerations, and editing for clarity play vital roles in capturing the audience's attention.

By focusing on these aspects, you can enhance the visual appeal of your gallery, making it more engaging and impactful.

High-quality images can elevate your marketing efforts, driving more interest and ultimately leading to increased conversions.

Image Composition Tips

To enhance the visual impact of your marketing materials, prioritize selecting images that embody a harmonious balance of elements and evoke a powerful emotional response. Incorporating the rule of thirds can help create dynamic compositions that draw the viewer's eye to key focal points. By aligning important elements along the imaginary gridlines, you can achieve a more visually appealing and engaging image.

Additionally, paying attention to color balance is vital. Utilize colors that complement each other and enhance the overall aesthetic of the photograph. This strategic approach not only improves the overall quality of your auto gallery images but also helps establish a strong connection with your audience, driving interest and potential sales.

Lighting Considerations

Enhancing the visual quality of your shop’s gallery images starts with carefully considering the lighting conditions in which the photographs are taken. Natural lighting can bring out the true colors and details of the cars, giving a more authentic feel to the images. When natural light isn't available or is insufficient, artificial lighting can be strategically used to highlight specific features of the vehicles. Understanding how different light sources interact with the cars can help create compelling images that attract potential buyers.

Experimenting with various lighting setups and angles can greatly impact the overall appeal of your gallery. By mastering the balance between natural and artificial lighting, you can ensure that your images stand out and leave a lasting impression on viewers.

Editing for Clarity

In order to guarantee the highest quality visual representation in your gallery, the key step is selecting high-quality images and editing them for clarity.

When it comes to marketing strategies and branding techniques, crisp and clear images are essential for capturing the attention of potential customers.

In the domain of digital advertising and online presence, high-quality visuals can greatly impact customer engagement and conversion rates.

Writing Compelling Image Captions and Project Descriptions

When crafting image captions for your project gallery, remember that caption length matters. Short, concise photo captions and detailed project description tend to perform better, engaging viewers effectively.

Additionally, incorporating call-to-action captions can drive more interaction and conversions, boosting your marketing efforts.

Caption and Description Lengths

Crafting engaging image captions that resonate with your audience requires precision and strategic use of words. When it comes to caption length in social media, studies show that shorter captions tend to drive higher engagement rates. By keeping your captions concise and to the point, you can capture your audience's attention more effectively.

However, having detailed descriptions of each project, explaining the challenges, the goals of the project, and the steps to obtain them encourages more views and creates more potential customers. Visitors enjoy reading about successful transformations.

Experiment with different caption lengths to see what works best for your specific auto gallery audience. Utilize engagement strategies such as posing questions, using emojis, or creating a sense of intrigue to encourage interaction. Remember, the goal is to spark interest and encourage viewers to explore further, so make every word count in your captions and descriptions to enhance their effectiveness on social media platforms.

Call-to-Action Captions

Utilize actionable language in your image captions to prompt immediate engagement from your audience. By incorporating interactive engagement strategies, you can encourage viewers to participate actively with your project gallery content.

Craft captions that inspire creative storytelling, inviting your audience to envision themselves behind the wheel of their newly restored vehicles. Use compelling calls-to-action that drive visitors to interact further with your gallery, whether through liking, commenting, or sharing.

Implementing this approach can greatly boost the overall engagement levels on your gallery posts. Remember, each caption is an opportunity to captivate your audience and create a connection that goes beyond a mere visual experience. Make the most of it by infusing your captions with energy and purpose.

Leveraging SEO for Visibility

To enhance your Auto Gallery's online presence and attract more potential customers, optimizing your website for search engines is vital. Here are some innovative strategies to leverage SEO for visibility:

Local SEO Strategies : Focus on optimizing your website for local searches by including location-specific keywords, creating Google Business Profile listings, and obtaining reviews from satisfied local customers.
SEO Keyword Research : Conduct thorough keyword research to identify relevant terms your target audience is searching for. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to discover high-volume keywords with low competition.
On-Page Optimization : Ensure your website's meta tags, headings, and content incorporate your chosen keywords naturally. Optimize images with descriptive alt text and compress large files to improve loading speed.
Mobile Optimization : With more users accessing websites via mobile devices, make sure your site is mobile-responsive for a better user experience. Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites in search rankings, so this step is essential for visibility.

Sharing on Social Media Platforms

You need compelling visual content that connects with your audience to make a mark on social media.

By targeting the right audience with tailored messages, you can maximize engagement and drive traffic to your photogallery.

Utilize analytics to track performance and refine your strategy for best results.

Engaging Visual Content

Craft compelling and visually enchanting content to resonate with your audience on social media platforms, enhancing engagement and driving traffic to your gallery. To guarantee your visual content stands out, consider the following strategies:

Engaging Design : Use eye-catching graphics, high-quality images, and professional layouts to capture attention.
Interactive Features : Incorporate interactive elements like polls, quizzes, or 360-degree views to make the content more engaging.
Storytelling Through Visuals : Create a narrative with your images to evoke emotions and connect with your audience on a deeper level.
Consistent Branding : Maintain a cohesive visual style across all platforms to strengthen brand recognition and build trust with your followers.

Targeting the Right Audience

Targeting the right audience on social media platforms requires a deep understanding of demographics and online behaviors to maximize engagement and conversion rates. Audience segmentation is key - categorize your followers based on age, location, interests, and browsing habits to tailor your content effectively.

Utilize conversion optimization techniques by analyzing data to refine your marketing strategies continuously. Implement remarketing strategies to reconnect with potential customers who've shown interest in your project gallery but haven't worked with you yet.

Customer retention is essential; engage with your existing audience through personalized interactions and exclusive offers to foster loyalty. By harnessing the power of targeted marketing, you can drive higher engagement and increase conversions, ultimately boosting your gallery's online presence and sales.

Utilizing Email Marketing Campaigns

Leverage personalized email campaigns to maximize customer engagement and drive conversions effectively. Personalized outreach is key in the competitive auto restoration and performance shop market. By tailoring your email content to individual customer preferences and behaviors, you can greatly increase open rates and click-through rates. Start by segmenting your email list based on customer demographics, browsing history, and past purchases. This targeted approach guarantees that each email resonates with the recipient, boosting the likelihood of conversion.

To further enhance your email marketing strategy, analyze data on customer interactions with your emails. Track metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to understand what content drives the most engagement. Use A/B testing to experiment with different subject lines, visuals, and calls to action to optimize your campaigns continuously.

When crafting your emails, focus on providing valuable content that's relevant to the recipient. Whether it's showcasing new projects in your gallery, offering exclusive promotions, or providing informative car-related tips, make sure your emails add value to the customer. By delivering content that meets the customer's needs and interests, you can build trust and loyalty, leading to higher conversion rates.

Collaborating With Influencers

Maximize the reach and engagement of your gallery in the competitive auto restoration and performance shop market by strategically collaborating with influencers who resonate with your target audience. In today's digital age, influencer partnerships and creative collaborations can greatly enhance your brand's visibility and credibility. Here's how you can make the most out of influencer marketing to drive success for your auto gallery:

Identify the Right Influencers : Conduct thorough research to find influencers whose values and content align with your brand. Look for influencers with a genuine interest in cars, and the restoration and performance shop industries to guarantee authenticity in your collaborations.
Engage Brand Ambassadors : Cultivate long-term relationships with influencers who can become brand ambassadors for your shop. These ambassadors can provide sustained exposure and help build a loyal following over time.
Create Unique Campaigns : Work closely with influencers to develop innovative and engaging campaigns that showcase your gallery in an exciting light. Whether it's through car reviews, behind-the-scenes tours, or interactive social media challenges, creativity is key to capturing your audience's attention.
Measure Impact and Adjust : Utilize data analytics to track the performance of your influencer marketing campaigns. Monitor metrics such as reach, engagement, and conversion rates to gauge the effectiveness of your collaborations. Use these insights to refine your strategies and optimize future partnerships for maximum impact.

Tracking Performance Metrics

Enhance your project gallery's performance by actively engaging in monitoring and analyzing key metrics to drive strategic decision-making and optimization. Measuring results and conducting thorough data analysis are essential components for your gallery's success. By tracking performance metrics, you gain valuable insights into what's working well and where improvements are needed.

Start by identifying the most critical key performance indicators (KPIs) for your gallery. These could include website traffic, conversion rates, social media engagement, and lead generation. Utilize tools like Google Analytics, social media analytics, and customer relationship management (CRM) software to gather and analyze this data effectively.

Once you have collected the necessary data, immerse yourself in the analysis phase. Look for trends, patterns, and correlations that can provide you with actionable insights. For example, if you notice a spike in website traffic after a particular marketing campaign, explore what elements of that campaign contributed to the increase.

Regularly reviewing and interpreting your performance metrics will enable you to make informed decisions about your marketing strategies. It allows you to allocate resources effectively, identify areas for improvement, and capitalize on successful tactics. By prioritizing data-driven decision-making, you set your project gallery up for continuous growth and success.

Continuous Optimization Strategies

Implementing continuous optimization strategies is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge in the restoration and performance shop industry. To guarantee your project gallery stands out and attracts more customers, consider the following key strategies:

Leverage Marketing Analytics : Utilize data-driven insights to understand customer behavior, preferences, and trends. By analyzing marketing analytics, you can make informed decisions to optimize your gallery's promotional efforts and enhance customer engagement.
Implement A/B Testing Techniques : Conduct A/B tests on various aspects of your marketing campaigns, such as ad copy, imagery, or promotional offers. This experimentation allows you to compare different strategies and identify what resonates best with your target audience, leading to improved marketing performance.
Regularly Monitor Performance Metrics : Keep a close eye on key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the effectiveness of your marketing initiatives. By continuously monitoring metrics like conversion rates, website traffic, and customer acquisition costs, you can identify areas for improvement and adjust your strategies accordingly.
Optimize Customer Journey : Use insights from marketing analytics to optimize the customer journey, from initial awareness to final purchase. By understanding how customers interact with your gallery at each touchpoint, you can tailor your marketing efforts to enhance the overall customer experience and drive conversions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the Best Practices for Protecting Images From Copyright Infringement?

To safeguard your images, incorporate image watermarking to deter copyright infringement. Familiarize yourself with copyright laws to protect your visual assets effectively. Remember, 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.'

Is There a Recommended Frequency for Updating Project Gallery Content?

Updating your project gallery content regularly is vital for engaging customers. Content scheduling guarantees fresh material, keeping visitors interested. Vary your content to attract a wider audience and improve customer interaction.

Consider using engagement strategies like interactive features or polls on social media to boost visitor participation. By staying consistent with updates and incorporating diverse content, you create a dynamic gallery that captivates and retains customers.

How Do I Handle Negative Comments or Reviews on Social Media Platforms?

When dealing with negative comments or reviews on social media platforms, remember to respond professionally. Engage with the feedback constructively and address any legitimate concerns.

Handling trolls can be tricky, but maintain a calm demeanor and avoid escalating the situation. Utilize the opportunity to showcase your excellent customer service skills and turn negative experiences into positive ones.

Consistency in your responses and a proactive approach can help mitigate any potential damage to your brand.

What Are the Key Indicators to Measure the Success of Influencer Collaborations?

To gauge the success of influencer collaborations, focus on engagement metrics and brand awareness. Look for increased likes, comments, shares, and mentions.

Track website traffic and conversions stemming from the collaborations. Monitor how your brand's visibility and recognition have grown as a result.

These indicators will provide valuable insights into the impact of influencer partnerships on your marketing goals.

Final Thoughts

As you rev up your project gallery with smart marketing strategies, remember that each image is like a piece of a puzzle, forming an engaging story that draws in your audience.

By carefully selecting high-quality photos, crafting compelling captions, and optimizing for search engines, you're painting a picture of success.

Keep track of your performance metrics, adapt your tactics, and watch your gallery shine brighter than ever before. Your marketing journey is a road worth traveling.

Are you ready to optimize your project gallery? Let the team at Motorhead Digital enhance your customer’s experience with an impactful and transformative gallery on your website. Get in touch today to learn more.

A Complete Guide for Promoting Your Auto Shop Through Email Marketing Campaigns

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 06:00:01 GMT

Did you know that the average return on investment for every $1 invested in email marketing is an incredible $36 ? Talk about a powerful tool for boosting your profits!

But to achieve these healthy returns, it's essential to understand how to use email to effectively promote your auto shop.

Great email campaigns help you connect with your audience, share valuable tips and updates, and build a loyal community.

If you're new to email marketing and not sure how to use it to promote your auto repair, restoration, performance, race, or restyling shop – don't worry. We're here to talk you through the entire process with a complete guide jam-packed with our top tips on marketing your shop using the power of email.

1. Build an email list

To promote your shop through email, you first need to create an email list of people who are interested in hearing more about your products, services, promotions, and updates.

You can collect email addresses through a signup form on your website, during in-store visits, at events, and on social media. Just make it easy for people to subscribe to your email list wherever they find you.

Pro tip: Encourage signups with perks like service discounts, free vehicle inspections, or helpful eBooks on car maintenance. It's a win-win: subscribers get value, and you get their email.

2. Segment your audience

Segmenting your email list simply means splitting it into different groups to send them more relevant messages. This is also known as email targeting.

For example, you could divide your list of email subscribers into categories like new customers, loyal clients, and those who want to hear about promotions.

Once you’ve separated your categories, you can customize your emails to match each group's specific needs and interests. Each segment could receive a separate email.

This personalization improves your subscribers' experiences with your brand. It makes them more likely to take action or remain loyal customers at your auto repair shop.

Pro tip: Analyze past customer interactions with your emails to create segments. For example, target customers who have engaged with emails about performance parts with personalized product recommendations or exclusive offers.

3. Use compelling subject lines

Your email subject lines are a crucial part of any successful email marketing campaign because they’re the first things people see in their inbox.

Engaging text can make all the difference in determining whether your emails will be opened or ignored.

To make your subject lines more clickable, follow these tips:

Make it personal: Include the recipient's name in your subject line to personalize the interaction and help build a connection.
Get to the point: Attention spans are shorter than ever before. Clearly state your main offer or benefit right away, whether it's a discount, promotion, or valuable information.
Keep it concise: Keep subject lines short and sweet to make them easy to read on mobile devices and in preview banners. Stick to 50 characters or less.

Pro tip: Use urgency or curiosity to prompt action. For instance, phrases like "Limited Time Offer" or "While Stock Lasts," encourage immediate engagement.

4. Create engaging email content

Once your subject line has gotten a reader to open your email, your content needs to be engaging enough to keep them reading in order for your email marketing strategy to succeed.

Top tips for creating promotional email content:

Offer valuable tips and insights: Provide readers with practical advice on car maintenance, performance upgrades, or relevant industry trends that may interest them.
Share success stories: Highlight customer testimonials to show the real-life benefits of your products or auto repair services. This is a great way to build credibility and trust.
Use visual content: Include eye-catching images or videos to break up blocks of text or present information more clearly.

Pro tip: Feature content your customers create, such as reviews, photos, or testimonials, to showcase authentic experiences and foster community.

5. Design mobile-friendly emails

55% of all emails are now opened on a mobile device, so your emails need to be easy to read and navigate on smartphones and tablets.

Make sure every email has the following:

Fonts that are easily readable without zooming
Buttons that are easy to tap on a touchscreen
Images and graphics designed to load fast on mobile platforms

Pro tip: Test your emails on different devices to be sure they look good and work well everywhere. This includes smartphones, tablets, as well as different email platforms like Gmail and Outlook.

6. Include an appealing call-to-action (CTA)

An appealing call-to-action (CTA) is designed to encourage your subscribers to take specific actions. To create a CTA, you'll need to:

State the action clearly: Tell subscribers exactly what you want them to do next, whether it’s booking a service or exploring new products.
Make CTAs stand out visually: Use buttons and contrasting colors to make CTAs easy to see and tap or click on.
Use persuasive language: Encourage immediate interaction with compelling phrases. For example, "Claim your exclusive 20% off" or "Discover our latest performance upgrades".

Pro tip: Experiment with different CTAs to discover the most effective way to encourage more customers to click and take action.

Closing thoughts

Email marketing is a powerful tool for connecting with your audience and boosting your auto shop's profits.

You can engage customers and share important information about your products or services by building a segmented email list, creating personalized content, and optimizing for mobile devices.

Remember to use compelling subject lines and clear, visually-appealing CTAs to encourage subscribers to take action fast.

Create an exceptional email marketing campaign with Motorhead Digital

If you want to create email marketing campaigns that effectively promote your business and win over auto enthusiasts, look no further than Motorhead Digital!

Led by Barry Alt and boasting 26 years of digital marketing expertise, we specialize in maximizing online presence and attracting high-value leads for auto repair shops.

Along with email marketing, we offer comprehensive online auto repair marketing services. We help customers boost their marketing efforts through website development, social media management, search engine optimization, blog posts, and more.

Simply contact us today , and we'll kick things off with a quick auto shop marketing consultation.

Local SEO for Automotive Restorers and Performance Shops: Navigating GBP to Win Customers

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 19:30:31 GMT

When revving up your local SEO game for automotive restorers and performance shops, the key lies in deciphering the Google Business Profile (GBP) puzzle effectively.

Ensuring your GBP listing is finely tuned can be the horsepower boost your business needs to reach more potential customers in your area.

But, the real secret sauce is in how you fine-tune your GBP posts, encourage customer feedback, and track performance insights. These strategies could be the difference between idling in obscurity or cruising ahead in the race for customer acquisition.

Key Takeaways

Implement strong local SEO strategies to stand out in the competitive automotive market.
Optimize Google Business Profile listing for enhanced local visibility and customer engagement.
Use GBP posts strategically to share updates, promotions, and drive user interaction.
Encourage customer reviews and feedback to shape perceptions and attract local clientele.

Importance of Local SEO for Automotive Businesses

To effectively reach potential customers in your local area, implementing strong local SEO strategies is crucial for automotive businesses. In a competitive landscape where local competition is fierce, standing out is essential to attract your target audience effectively. Understanding the importance of local SEO and how it can impact your business is key to gaining a competitive edge.

Local competition among automotive businesses can be intense, making it necessary to optimize your online presence to rank higher in local search results. By focusing on local SEO strategies such as optimizing your website for local keywords, creating location-specific content, and obtaining high-quality backlinks from local sources, you can improve your visibility and attract more customers in your area.

Identifying and targeting the right demographics is vital for the success of your automotive business. Through local SEO, you can tailor your online presence to appeal to the specific interests and needs of your local customer base. By optimizing your website and online profiles with location-based keywords and information, you can increase your chances of connecting with potential customers who are actively seeking automotive services in your area.

Optimizing Google Business Profile Listing

Optimize your Google Business Profile listing strategically to enhance your automotive business's online visibility and attract local customers effectively. When it comes to listing optimization and boosting local rankings, the following steps can make a significant impact:

Complete Profile Information : Ensure that all fields in your GBP profile are accurately filled out, including categories, business hours, and contact information. This completeness signals trust to Google's algorithms, potentially improving your local search rankings.
Utilize GBP Features : Take advantage of all the features GBP provides, such as posting updates, responding to reviews, and adding photos. Regularly updating your profile and engaging with customers through the platform can positively affect local search visibility and customer interaction.
Consistent NAP Information : Ensure that your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) are consistent across all online platforms, including your GBP listing. Consistency reinforces trustworthiness with both customers and search engines, improving your chances of ranking well in local searches.

Leveraging GBP Posts for Engagement

Maximize your online presence and customer engagement by strategically leveraging GBP posts for your automotive business. Google Business Profile (GBP) posts are a powerful tool that allows you to share updates, promotions, and events directly on your GBP listing. By utilizing GBP posts effectively, you can enhance your visibility in local search results, drive traffic to your website, and increase customer engagement.

When crafting GBP posts, consider incorporating elements of social media and content marketing strategies. Create posts that are visually appealing and informative, capturing the attention of potential customers scrolling through search results. Use high-quality images of your automotive restorations or performance upgrades to showcase your expertise and attract users' interest. Additionally, include compelling calls-to-action in your posts to encourage users to visit your website, contact your shop, or learn more about your services.

Consistency is key when leveraging GBP posts for engagement. Regularly update your posts with fresh content to keep your audience engaged and informed about your business. By posting consistently and providing valuable information to your customers, you can establish your automotive shop as a trusted authority in the industry. Remember, each GBP post is an opportunity to connect with potential customers and drive conversions, so make the most of this valuable feature to grow your business.

Encouraging Customer Reviews and Feedback

Customer reviews play a crucial role in shaping perceptions and influencing potential customers. Encourage customers to leave reviews and provide feedback to boost your online reputation and credibility. Here are three strategic ways to enhance review acquisition and reputation management:

Engage with Customers : Actively engage with customers post-service to encourage them to share their experiences online. By fostering a connection and showing genuine interest in their feedback, you not only increase the likelihood of receiving reviews but also strengthen customer loyalty.
Implement Feedback Strategies : Develop structured feedback strategies to gather insights systematically. Utilize tools like surveys or feedback forms to collect detailed information about customer experiences. Analyzing this feedback can help identify areas for improvement and showcase your commitment to customer satisfaction.
Incentivize Reviews : Offer incentives such as discounts on future services or exclusive promotions for customers who leave reviews. Incentivizing reviews can motivate customers to take the time to share their thoughts and experiences, ultimately contributing to a higher volume of feedback.

Monitoring GBP Insights for Performance Tracking

To effectively track the performance and optimize your local SEO strategy for automotive restoration and performance shops, monitoring Google Business Profile (GBP) Insights is essential. One key aspect to focus on is brand awareness. GBP Insights can show you how many people have viewed your business profile, requested directions, or visited your website. This data helps you understand how visible your brand is to potential customers in your local area.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can Automotive Businesses Effectively Utilize Social Media Platforms in Conjunction With Their Google Business Profile Listing to Enhance Their Online Presence?

To enhance your online presence, engage in social media to connect with your audience. Use social media platforms strategically to showcase your expertise and services. Combine this with targeted online advertising to reach potential customers.

What Are Some Common Mistakes That Automotive Businesses Make When Optimizing Their Google Business Profile Listing, and How Can These Be Avoided?

When it comes to optimizing your Google Business Profile listing, avoiding common mistakes is key to winning customers. Improving optimization means steering clear of errors like inconsistent business information, neglecting customer reviews, or ignoring photo uploads.

Are There Any Specific Strategies That Automotive Businesses Can Use to Target and Attract Local Customers Through Their GBP Profile?

To attract local customers through your GBP profile, focus on Local SEO strategies like optimizing keywords, images, and reviews. Utilize GBP features such as posts, Q&A, and messaging to engage with potential customers.

Ensure your business information is accurate and updated. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews. By implementing these strategies, you can enhance your GBP profile and attract more local customers to your automotive business.

How Can Automotive Businesses Effectively Respond to Both Positive and Negative Customer Reviews in Order to Maintain a Positive Reputation?

When addressing customer reviews on your Google Business Profile listing, it's crucial to engage with both positive and negative feedback promptly.

Respond graciously to positive reviews, expressing gratitude and reinforcing brand loyalty.

For negative reviews, acknowledge the concerns, offer solutions, and show a commitment to customer satisfaction.

This proactive approach to reputation management fosters customer engagement and helps maintain a positive online reputation for your automotive business.

What Are Some Key Metrics or Indicators That Automotive Businesses Should Pay Attention to When Monitoring Their GBP Insights for Performance Tracking, and How Can These Insights Be Used to Make Data-Driven Decisions for Business Growth?

When analyzing your GBP insights, focus on conversion rates and customer engagement to gauge performance. Conduct competitor analysis and keep an eye on local search trends for strategic growth. By tracking these key metrics, you can make data-driven decisions for business expansion.

Understand the importance of these insights in driving success, attracting more customers to elevate your presence in the market.

Final Thoughts

Optimizing your Google Business Profile listing and implementing local SEO strategies are crucial for automotive businesses to attract and retain customers.

By leveraging GBP posts, encouraging customer reviews, and monitoring insights, you can track performance and stay ahead of the competition.

Remember, in the world of automotive restorers and performance shops, staying on top of your online presence is key to winning over customers and driving business growth.

Keep revving your engines and dominating the local search game!

Get Local Customers with Motorhead Digital

Is managing your own online marketing slowing you down?

We help small business owners in the automotive industry with online presence management by creating tailored digital marketing strategies that deliver real results.

With many years of expertise, our digital marketing agency can enhance your online visibility, improve search engine rankings, establish your brand as an authority in the industry, and effectively reach your target audience.

If you’d like to know more about how to attract more customers to your shop, get in touch and see how our Marketing Maximizer can help you.

Your Website and Social Media Accounts are Broken! Why and How to Fix Them - Part 4

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sat, 18 May 2024 20:29:07 GMT

Let’s wrap things up with a couple more social media mistakes to avoid and a quick look at how artifi cial intelligence (AI) may affect things now and in the future.

Issue #9: Failing to keep up with trends

When it comes to social media, staying current is staying ahead. That's why keeping updated with trends is necessary for your shop's success.

Solution

Commit to ongoing trend research and awareness. While consistency in your messaging is essential, blending in timely and trending content can boost your reach and engagement, expanding your social media presence. For example, Instagram currently favors Reels over static graphics, and often, less is more with hashtags. Just because you can use 30 hashtags doesn’t mean you should .

Pro tip: Don't force your brand into irrelevant trends; instead, participate in those that align most naturally with your content and brand identity.

Issue #10: Over-promotion of your shop

Tips for leveraging AI on your shop's website & social media

AI has been a hot topic lately, and like many other businesses, you're likely wondering how you can use it to your advantage. The truth is, incorporating AI into your website and social media strategy can be a game-changer. But there are important factors to consider first.

These include:

The benefits of AI

Incorporating AI into your website and social media strategy can offer significant benefits, including:

Automating routine tasks: Efficiently handles repetitive chores, like chatbots responding to common questions, saving valuable human resources.
Providing useful insights: Data analysis helps you understand user behaviors and trends, guiding your decision-making with helpful information.
Streamlining processes: Simplifies operational tasks, making your work more efficient and productive.
Personalizing user interactions: Lets you deliver customized content and recommendations to each user, boosting engagement and satisfaction.
Optimizing content delivery: Guarantees your content reaches the right people at the right time through the most effective channels.
Improving audience engagement: AI-powered interactions and content can deepen engagement, strengthening your connections with your audience.
Staying competitive: By embracing AI, you can keep a competitive edge, providing cutting-edge user experiences and staying up-to-date with industry trends.

AI mistakes to avoid

Even though AI has many benefits, it's crucial to know about its drawbacks. If you depend too much on AI, you might lose that personal touch in your interactions, which could turn off your audience.

Remember how important it is to have real and authentic connections with your customers. Don't let AI take over completely and sacrifice the personalized and human-centered approach that many users like.

Striking the right balance between AI and human interaction

The key is to find a balance between using AI and keeping real human connections. Figure out where AI can help with tasks like quick responses and data analysis.

But remember, there are times when humans are needed, especially for tricky questions, keeping your brand's personality, and addressing special customer needs. By finding this balance, you can use AI effectively while still offering that human touch that keeps your audience happy and engaged.

Key takeaway

Staying ahead is crucial in the fiercely competitive world of aftermarket restoration, performance enhancement, racing, and restyling. One effective way to achieve this is by establishing a robust online presence.

We've identified critical areas where your shop's website and social media platforms may need improvement. Following the provided solutions for these issues, you can address any weaknesses in your social media and website strategies. This will empower you to attract new customers, enhance your brand's visibility, and pull ahead of your competitors.

By proactively tackling common pitfalls and implementing best practices, you have the potential to make a lasting and positive impression on your target audience. Ultimately, this will play a pivotal role in driving the success of your restoration shop.

While AI undoubtedly offers valuable enhancements, it's essential to balance AI-driven automation and the human touch. This ensures you create an engaging and authentic online experience for your audience.

Statistic sources: Salesforce

Are you on the hunt for an organic marketing solution to turbocharge your automotive restoration, performance, racing, or restyling shop? Look no further than Motorhead Digital!

Barry Alt and the seasoned squad at Motorhead Digital boast an impressive 26-year track record in digital marketing and website development.

Their arsenal includes the innovative DONE-FOR-YOU Location, Site, and Marketing Maximizer™ programs, designed to rev up your website, supercharge your social media game, and elevate your entire online presence – all aimed at attracting top-notch, high-value leads straight to your shop.

Getting in touch with the MHD team is a breeze. Dial them at (585) 766-9785, email them at maximizesales@motorheaddigital.com, or hop over to MotorheadDigital.com for all the info you need.

Let's kick your shop into high gear together!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

As seen in The Shop Magazine

Mastering Social Media Engagement: Keeping Your Audience Hooked While Promoting Your Shop

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Wed, 01 May 2024 05:45:00 GMT

Did you know the average person spends as much as 2 hours and 23 minutes on social media?

Because of their popularity, social media platforms are a brilliant way to promote your restoration, performance, race, or restyling shop online.

But it's tough to stand out when everyone's fighting for attention on the same platforms.

To set yourself apart from competitors, you need to be creative and strategic and find new ways to grab your audience’s attention.

Thankfully, there are many ways to engage your audience on social media, and we’re here to share them with you.

Stay tuned to find out how to kick your social media presence into high gear and get more likes, follows, and comments on your platforms than ever with a standout social media engagement strategy.

1. Set a regular content posting schedule

Keeping your brand fresh in the minds of your social media followers is vital for keeping them interested and engaged.

Neglecting your social media presence means risking your brand getting lost in the shuffle – and missing tons of engagement opportunities.

The trick is to share content across each social media platform on a regular schedule. This gives your audience a steady stream of content that keeps them engaged over time.

Creating a content calendar for your social media posts can help you keep things consistent. Simply brainstorm content ideas that align with your brand, and then choose specific posting dates and times.

Top tip: There are several social media scheduling tools and apps out there that can help you plan and organize your content. Some will even share posts automatically at the scheduled time!

2. Share valuable content

Sharing valuable content on social media is key to building your brand's reputation and connecting with your audience.

By consistently providing helpful, interesting, or entertaining content, you establish yourself as an authority in your field and build trust with your followers.

This increases engagement and boosts your brand's reach, because people are much more likely to re-share content on other platforms or send it to people they know when they find it valuable.

Top tip: Tackle common pain points or challenges your audience faces by giving them practical solutions or advice. This provides value while fostering community and connection among your audience. It’s a win-win!

3. Ask your audience for feedback

If you’re stumped on how to engage your target audience, sometimes the best solution is to ask them directly. After all, they know better than anyone what content they want to see.

Reach out to your current and potential customers and ask them if they like what they see on your social media channels.

Whether it’s car showcases, maintenance tips, promotions, or success stories, how your audience feels about your content matters.

By listening to what they have to say, you'll gain valuable insights that you can use to tailor your content to meet their preferences and keep them engaged with your shop. No more guesswork!

Top tip: To get feedback from your audience, you can use polls, surveys, or simply encourage comments and messages on social media sites.

4. Use visual content

Human attention spans are shorter than ever, and people are drawn to visually-appealing posts like images and videos, which often get the message across better than long paragraphs of text.

Images and videos are eye-catching, easy to digest, and more likely to stick in your audience's minds. Plus, they’re super easy to share. So, make sure to include plenty of them in your social media accounts!

Top tip: Making sure your visual content is always high-quality adds a layer of professionalism and attention to detail to your social media presence, giving you an edge over your competitors.

5. Host contest or giveaways

Another effective social media marketing strategy is to organize fun and interactive contests or giveaways to engage your audience and generate excitement around your brand.

Whether it's a photo contest, a trivia challenge, or a product giveaway, contests are a great way to encourage participation and reward your loyal followers.

Top tip: Make it a rule that participants must tag a friend or share the post on their social media to enter prize draws. This boosts social media engagement and helps you attract new followers or customers.

6. Collaborate with influencers and industry experts

Another way to rev up your social media marketing efforts is to reach out to influencers, brands, or industry experts who share your love for cars and automotive culture.

Ask if they’d be interested in a collaboration. It's a fantastic way to expand your reach while adding a touch of authenticity to your brand.

Top tip: Focus on collaborative content that resonates with your audience, like unveiling new products, sharing insider tips, or showcasing exciting events.

7. Share behind-the-scenes content

Let your audience peek behind the curtain at what’s happening in your shop.

It’s an excellent way to introduce them to your processes, projects, and team members humanizing your business and making it more relatable to your audience.

Top tip: Avoid over-scripting or over-editing to make this behind-the-scenes content feel genuine. People will appreciate the raw, unfiltered glimpse into your shop's daily operations. Don't be afraid to let your personality shine through!

Closing thoughts

With its continuous rise in popularity, social media platforms are a golden opportunity for promoting your restoration, performance, race, or restyling shop online.

You can keep your audience hooked with regular, valuable content, and by listening to their feedback. Mix things up with visual appeal and fun contests to get them involved.

Collaborating with influencers and sharing behind-the-scenes content adds authenticity and a personal touch. By focusing on social media engagement, you'll build a vibrant online presence that drives success for your shop.

Revamp your social media presence with Motorhead Digital!

If you'd like help creating a social media strategy that boosts engagement and expands your brand’s reach, the team at Motorhead Digital would love to help.

Barry Alt and the seasoned squad at Motorhead Digital boast an impressive 26-year track record in digital marketing strategy and website development.

Getting in touch with the MHD team is easy. Dial them at (585) 766-9785, email them at maximizesales@motorheaddigital.com , or visit MotorheadDigital.com for all the info you need about their auto marketing services.

Your Website and Social Media Accounts are Broken! - Part 3

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 20:58:43 GMT

Now that we've explored some common website issues that can impact your business's progress, it's time to shift gears and focus on social media.

Issue #1: START HERE - Focusing on the wrong social media platforms

Choose your social media platforms wisely. Before you spend one second setting up and posting to your social media channels, you need to understand where your prospective customers spend their time online. If you’re only on Facebook and they’re on Instagram or YouTube, you might be wasting your time and resources by barking up the wrong tree.

Choosing the right social media platforms is critical to reach your target audience effectively.

Solution

Carry out thorough audience research. Use competitor analysis, surveys, and industry research to identify where your audience spends the most time online.

We’ve found that sometimes the best solution to this, is simply to ask your favorite clients where they spend their time online.

Pro tip: There’s also a ton of demographic data out there that indicates that people in different age groups may gravitate toward different social media platforms. If most of your customers are baby boomers, then they might be on Facebook, for example, and maybe LinkedIn, too. (Yes, LinkedIn counts as social media…)

Issue #2: Inconsistent branding

Maintaining a cohesive brand identity across social media profiles is key for a professional and memorable online presence.

Solution

Create comprehensive brand guidelines, including color schemes, fonts, and tone of voice. Apply these guidelines consistently to all your social media profiles to ensure a unified and instantly recognizable brand.

This means using the same logo, profile info, and messaging across all platforms

Pro tip: If you have a team of people supporting your social media efforts, we recommend that you regularly audit your social media profiles to make sure they align with your brand guidelines.

Issue #3: Incomplete profiles and about sections

Your social media profiles act as the online representation of your shop. Filling these out is important, because they provide vital information about your business, enhance your credibility, and help potential customers easily connect with you.

Solution

Make sure to fill out all the required fields in the profile section of each social media platform. Include Google Business Profile details in your posts for local visibility. Always link back to your website where possible to drive traffic and provide additional information about your business.

Pro tip: Craft a compelling and concise bio that succinctly communicates your brand's identity and value proposition.

Issue #4: Not maintaining a regular posting schedule

Work would stop getting done if you quit showing up, right? In the same way, consistently posting on social media is crucial for staying engaged with your audience.

Solution

We see a lot of sites that haven’t posted any new content in years. Are they even still in business? Without consistent posting, it can be hard to tell. To address the issue of irregular posting, establish a content calendar. This tool lets you plan, schedule, and automate posts in advance. This guarantees a steady and reliable stream of content for your followers.

Pro tip: Use social media management tools to streamline the scheduling and automation process. These platforms provide insights and analytics to optimize your posting strategy even further.

Issue #5: Ignoring audience engagement

You’d never ignore a customer standing in your brick and mortar store. If you want your online audience to become customers, too, you shouldn’t ignore them, either. Engaging with your audience is a cornerstone of successful social media management. Ignoring this can be a costly mistake for your shop.

Solution

Make it a practice to regularly monitor questions and comments, and promptly respond to them. Acknowledging comments, messages, and feedback creates a sense of community and builds stronger connections with your followers.

Pro tip: Consider setting aside dedicated time each day for social media engagement. (This is the social part of social media!)

Issue #6: Limited mix of content

Seeing the same old thing day after day can bore your audience and make them quickly lose interest in your social media content. They may just ignore you or unfollow you altogether.

Solution

Provide various content types, including educational posts, behind-the-scenes glimpses, engaging videos, captivating images, and more. A well-rounded content strategy keeps your audience engaged and eager for what's next.

Pro tip: Regularly assess the performance of different content types to figure out what resonates most with your audience. Tailor your strategy to emphasize this content going forward.

Issue #7: Neglecting valuable analytics & insight data

Analytics are your compass in the vast sea of social media, guiding you forward by showing you what’s working well, and what could use a little improvement. Neglecting it can leave you at a major disadvantage.

Solution:

Make it a habit to use the analytics tools provided by the platforms you use, or employ third-party tools. Track engagement, reach, and user behavior to gain valuable insights that can inform your content strategy and help you make data-driven decisions.

Pro tip: Set clear goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) for your social media efforts. Regularly review your analytics data to assess your progress toward these goals.

Issue #8: Lack of a clear CTA

Clear CTAs are essential for guiding your audience on social media to take the action you want.

Solution:

The goal here with proper CTA’s is to prompt people to engage or act. To do that, define your social media goals, whether it's brand awareness, lead generation, or driving website visits. Then, ensure that your CTAs are in harmony with these objectives.

Pro tip: Use compelling language to create a sense of urgency and encourage immediate action from your followers.

Next time

We'll take another batch of common social media issues and their fixes.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4

8 Tips to Enhance Your Auto Restoration or Performance Shop's Business Website

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 19:51:44 GMT

Your auto restoration or performance shop's website is the heartbeat of your online presence. It’s a gateway to your products or services, instantly shaping visitors' perceptions of your brand.

A lackluster website might push potential customers away with a single click. On the other hand, a polished, informative website can be a powerful tool for promoting your products or services online.

This guide will share 8 actionable tips for revising your auto restoration or performance shop's website and captivating your audience from the first click.

1. High-quality visuals and images

Car enthusiasts don't just want to read about what your shop does; they want to see it with their own eyes. They're seeking inspiration, excitement, and a connection to their love for cars.

That's where high-quality images and videos come in. By showcasing your restoration projects and performance upgrades with appealing visuals, you're introducing your business to customers in the best way possible.

Once they see what your team is capable of, your site visitors will be eager to work with you, knowing that their car is in the hands of true experts.

2. Clear navigation

A smooth browsing experience is another great way to win the approval of customers online. It helps visitors quickly find what they need, increasing engagement and satisfaction with your website.

Here are some tips for improving your website's navigation:

Keep it simple: Make your website menu easy to understand with straightforward labels like 'Pricing', 'Contact', 'Portfolio', or 'Online Store'.
Be descriptive: Instead of just saying 'Services’, be specific. Use labels like 'Restorations', 'Performance Upgrades', or 'Maintenance' so visitors know exactly what they're clicking on.
Put important details up front: Make sure your most important pages—like services and contact details—are easy to find. Stick them at the top of your menu so visitors don't have to hunt for them.
Add a search bar: Sometimes, people just want to find what they need fast. A search bar makes it easy for them to do this.
Make it consistent: It’s important that your site’s menu looks the same no matter what device someone's using. Keep it consistent across desktop and mobile devices so visitors always know where to find what they need.

3. Blog or news section

Start a blog or news section on your website to let your passion for cars shine through!

Share exciting updates, industry news, insider tips, and personal insights on auto restoration and performance upgrades.

This will keep visitors engaged and coming back for more. It’ll also showcase your expertise, positioning you as an authority in the field.

Whether you're diving deep into the restoration process of a classic car or discussing the latest trends in performance tuning, your blog is your platform to connect with fellow car enthusiasts.

4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Boost your website's visibility and attract more visitors through search engine optimization (SEO). To optimize your website for search engine results pages, follow these simple tips:

Keyword research: First, find out what words and phrases people use when looking for products and services like yours. Tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush can help with this.
Optimize meta titles and descriptions: Make sure each page on your website has a title and short description that tells people and search engines what it's about. Use the keywords you found earlier!
Optimize images: Give your images names and descriptions explaining what they are. It helps search engines understand what your site’s purpose is.
Internal linking: Connect your pages with links to other parts of your website. This powerful internet marketing trick helps people find what they're looking for and shows search engines that your site is well organized.

5. Online booking or inquiry form

Make it easy for website visitors to contact you. Include a simple form on your website where they can book appointments or ask questions.

When processes like these are simple, folks are more likely to reach out. Plus, when you eliminate the hassle of scheduling phone calls, it saves time for both you and your audience.

6. Client testimonials and reviews

Showcase your customers’ satisfaction by featuring their positive testimonials and glowing reviews prominently on your website.

Seeing endorsements from others builds trust and confidence in your services, much like a recommendation from a friend. Let your satisfied clients' positive experiences highlight the quality and reliability of your work.

7. Loyalty programs or VIP memberships

Encourage repeat business and foster customer loyalty by offering loyalty programs or VIP memberships through your website. Provide exclusive perks like:

Discounts
Early access to promotions
Priority scheduling for members

These perks will incentivize customers to return to your shop for their automotive needs.

8. Mobile optimization

More and more people are using their mobile devices to browse the internet. If your website isn't easy to use on a phone, you could miss out on a lot of potential customers.

Some tips for improving the mobile-friendliness of your small business website include:

Responsive design: Use a design that adjusts automatically to fit different screen sizes. This keeps your site looking great on any device.
Optimized images and media: Shrink down images and videos, so they load quickly on mobile devices, where internet speeds might be slower.
Clickable elements: Make buttons and links big enough to tap on a touchscreen.
Readability: Use fonts and spacing that are easily read on smaller screens.
Fast loading speed: Make sure your site loads quickly on mobile by minimizing unnecessary stuff that slows it down.

Following the tips in this guide, you can transform your auto restoration or performance shop's website and online marketing efforts.

From eye-catching visuals to seamless navigation and mobile optimization, each strategy packs a punch in shaping your online presence.

Get ready to turbocharge your digital experience and drive success for your business like never before!

Boost your shop's website with Motorhead Digital

If you'd like help enhancing your shop's website, the team at Motorhead Digital would love to help.

Barry Alt and the seasoned squad at Motorhead Digital boast an impressive 26-year track record in digital marketing strategy and website development.

Your Website and Social Media Accounts are Broken! - Part 2

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 12:38:59 GMT

Here's why & some steps to fix them.

Note; This is the second in a multipart article addressing common issues with website and social media accounts often encountered by speciality automotive after market shops. Part I appeared in the February 2024 issue of THE SHOP.

Lets continue looking at some of the most common issues with automotive shop websites and their solutions.

Issue #8: Lack of mobile-friendliness

In today's mobile-centered world, neglecting mobile-friendliness is a big mistake. If your website visitors have to pinch and zoom in to see your content on a smaller screen, or if they’re unable to navigate your site on different devices, you run the risk of losing them.

Solution

Make sure your website is built to be mobile-ready and works smoothly on various devices and screen sizes. Test your site across different platforms to guarantee a consistent and user-friendly experience for all.

Pro Tip: Regularly test and update your website's mobile responsiveness to adapt to new devices and technologies.

Issue #9: Inaccessibility

Building the best possible website for your business takes more than just a slick design, compelling copy, and high-quality content. You want your services to be available to the widest possible audience, so your website needs to be accessible to all visitors, and to be compliant with ADA (The Americans with Disabilities Act) regulations.

Solution

Consider the accessibility of each element of your website’s design. Is your font clear, and large enough to be readable for people with visual impairments? Are there audio options available? If you include video content, consider providing a transcript for those who are hard-of-hearing. Apply these and other accessible elements to your site to ensure a smooth user experience for all. Much more about this subject can be found in our resource articles section of our site.

Pro tip: Consider using accessibility plugins and tools that can help automatically find and fix common accessibility issues on your website. For more information, check out these Web Content Accessibility Guidelines .

Issue #10: Missing policies and outdated copyright information

I know what you’re thinking. “Nobody reads these things anyway, right?” Still, neglecting privacy policies, terms of use, and copyright information on your site can break the trust of your audience and leave you vulnerable to legal consequences.

Solution

Make sure your website includes essential information like your privacy policy, terms of service, and cookie policies. And if you have an eCommerce website, you’ll also need to provide clear shipping, return, and warranty policies. Additionally, make sure you’re keeping all copyright dates and information current.

Make it easy for users to find these details by dedicating an easily accessible section of your website to them and linking this section in the footer of your site.

Pro tip: Regularly review and update your policies to align with changing legal requirements and industry standards. To make things a bit easier on your end, there are a number of companies that specialize in US privacy laws, and privacy regulations all around the world.

Issue #11: Inactive or faulty forms

If you're not getting responses from submission forms on your website, the culprit may be missing SPF (Sender Policy Framework) or DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) records in your domain registry's backend. These are a bit technical but they’re important to set up as they tell your customer’s receive mail server that the email coming from your site is legit and not spam.

Solution

Update and configure the SPF and DKIM records properly to guarantee that form submissions reach your inbox and that your responses reach the customer’s.

Pro tip: We recommend that you – and ideally several of your team members – test all of your forms to see if any automatic notifications or error messages occur. Some hosting or domain name providers may be able to help you with setting up these records if you don’t know where to start.

Issue #12: Slow loading times due to bad code or large files

Slow loading times can be a major turnoff for visitors to your website, making them more likely to leave – especially when they’re browsing on a mobile device. Plus, slow loading times can damage your search engine ranking, making it harder for people to find you at all!

Solution

To speed up loading times, resize and optimize large image files by compressing and formatting them properly. Avoid using pre-loaders or unnecessary content. Also, streamline your website's code by minifying CSS and JavaScript files. These steps enhance user experience and improve your website's performance. If you’re DIY-ing, this might be time to call in a developer who knows what all this means and can help you get it done without the headache.

Pro tip: Regularly test your website's loading speed using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix .

#Issue 13: Lack of knowledge about website builders

Using DIY tools like WordPress, Shopify, WIX, Squarespace or other website builders without proper knowledge can lead to poorly designed and dysfunctional websites with key elements missing or not working properly. You can also run into major security issues if some of these tools aren’t kept up to date.

Solution

Invest time learning how to use DIY tools effectively, or consider seeking professional help to ensure your website looks appealing, functions correctly, and caters to the needs of mobile users.

Pro tip: Properly update, test, and optimize key elements to guarantee a seamless online experience for your audience.

#Issue 14: Not setting up Google Analytics or Search Console

Google Analytics and Search Console are free tools that are essential to the success of your site and your business – especially if you’re also doing marketing. Google Analytics is a tool that tracks the traffic on your website, how people navigate it, as well as how they found you.

Google Search Console is a tool that not only shows traffic to your site, but allows you to submit your SITEMAP.XML file. That means they can see what pages are on your site and when you update them. Search Console also provides Core Web Vitals that let you know when something is wrong. Imagine getting notified the moment a page of your website is corrupted by malicious code. A tool like Google Search Console alerts you to issues like these so you can fix them as quickly as possible.

Solution

Setup accounts on both of these platforms and connect them to your site. Monitor the data they provide to see how people are using your site and make sure it’s functioning on all cylinders at all times.

Pro tip: Use Google Analytics to see what pages are the most popular and which ones get less traffic so you can optimize them for better user engagement.

Keep and eye out for all of these common website issues to make sure your virtual storefront is as welcoming and helpful as if the customer had actually walked into your font door.

Next Time

Meanwhile, there's another half of your online presence to monitor and maximize - social media. Tune in next time to learn how to make your shop a social media sensation.

Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4

Automotive Forums and Community Engagement: Connecting With Automotive Restoration and Automotive Performance Communities

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 22:37:07 GMT

If you're passionate about automotive restoration and performance, you may not be aware of the untapped potential that automotive forums hold for connecting with like-minded individuals and industry professionals.

Engaging with these online communities can be a game-changer for your shop, providing a platform to share expertise, learn from others, and establish valuable connections.

But how exactly can forum engagement benefit your business and elevate your presence within these niche communities?

Stay tuned to uncover the strategies and insights that could transform the way you connect with the automotive restoration and performance world.

Importance of Automotive Forums

Engaging with automotive forums is crucial for staying updated on the latest industry trends and connecting with like-minded enthusiasts for knowledge sharing. Participating in online automotive forums offers numerous benefits for the automotive restoration and performance community.

These forums serve as invaluable platforms for accessing a wealth of information, ranging from technical expertise and troubleshooting advice to the latest product reviews and industry news.

One of the primary advantages of active participation in automotive forums is the opportunity to tap into a vast reservoir of collective knowledge. Enthusiasts and experts within these communities visit them often, typically share their experiences and offer practical solutions and innovative ideas for tackling complex automotive challenges. By actively engaging in discussions and seeking advice within these forums users gain access to a wide range of perspectives and solutions that can significantly enhance a user’s understanding and proficiency in whatever problems or challenges they are dealing with.

Interacting in the online community can result in meaningful connections and relationships, valuable networking opportunities, mentorship and collaborative projects, establish credibility, increase recognition and open doors to potential partnerships and professional opportunities.

Key Takeaways of Active Participation:

Build Trust and Credibility

When building trust and credibility within automotive forums, it's essential to actively engage with the community. By participating in discussions, sharing valuable insights, and offering assistance, you can establish yourself as THE authority: a knowledgeable and trustworthy member. The key here is consistency. You must be an active and reliable member. Also, most forum members neglect to check their direct messages within the forums. Be sure to check your messages and respond promptly to any questions users may be attempting to ask you directly.

The Importance of Making Connections

Building trust and credibility within the automotive community can also be achieved by recognizing the importance of forum connections and actively participating in relevant discussions and interactions. Consistently engaging in automotive forums provides you with the chance to network with industry professionals, potential customers, and like-minded enthusiasts, creating valuable connections that can lead to partnerships and collaborations.

Leveraging Niche Communities

Leveraging niche communities can significantly enhance your automotive business's reach and engagement with highly targeted audiences. By actively participating in niche automotive restoration and performance communities, you can gain valuable insights into the specific needs and preferences of potential customers.

Clear and Concise Communication

When engaging in automotive forums and communities, keep these three E’s in mind: Empathize by showing genuine interest in their experiences. Encourage others to share their stories and Educate by sharing your valuable knowledge and mastery of the topic at hand.

Drive Business Growth

By being consistent and making insightful comments, you can position yourself as a knowledgeable industry expert, earning the trust and respect of fellow community members. The number one thing car guys love is a better way to get things done. If you can give them a shortcut, tip or trick to accomplishing a task, or better yet have a product that will get their project done faster and more efficiently, don’t keep that a secret! This can lead to increased visibility and recognition which leads to actively driving traffic to your business website.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can Automotive Forums Help in Building a Sense of Community Among Automotive Enthusiasts?

They provide a platform for sharing experiences, insights, and knowledge related to restoration and performance.

How Can Businesses Effectively Showcase Their Expertise and Authority Within Automotive Forums?

Share success stories, talk about what didn’t work as much as you talk about what did work. Post day to day progress on real world projects that you’re currently working on. Also, linking this progress to social media increases this benefit by developing a fanbase that will hopefully follow you and become invested in what you have going on. Consistent and genuine participation like this will help establish your business as a go-to resource!

Final Thoughts

So, now that you've learned the power of forum engagement in the automotive restoration and performance industry, you can just sit back and watch the magic happen, right? Wrong! Get out there and start connecting, sharing, and learning.

Show off your expertise, build trust, and watch your business grow. Don't just be a passive observer - be an active participant in the automotive community and reap the rewards!

Your Website and Social Media Accounts are Broken! Why and How to Fix Them - Part 1

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 21:50:37 GMT

In this day and age, Restoration, Performance, Race, and Restyling Shops can’t afford to have a weak online presence, so staying ahead is a must.

With Smart Search Engines and AI on the rise, consumers using multiple electronic devices, and stricter government & platform compliance and regulations coming into play – your shop needs a robust, user-friendly, website and social media business accounts to keep up and stand out.

These are like digital shop windows where potential customers can check out your offerings, assess your expertise, and judge your credibility.

In fact, according to a Salesforce survey, 85% of consumers do some online digging before they make a purchase or use a service. Among the most-used channels for research are websites (74%) and social media (38%).

This is why ensuring your online presence is in tip-top shape isn't just important – it's absolutely vital.

We're here to help you spot the key areas where your online presence may be lacking, on both your website and social media accounts, to identify opportunities to improve them.

Rest assured – we'll also provide the solutions to these issues, empowering you to attract new customers, boost your brand's recognition, and maintain a competitive edge in the aftermarket industry.

Even if you do decide to hire a web developer or marketing agency, we believe it’s still important to familiarize yourself with and take the time to address all the issues we’ve listed here.

Issue #1: START HERE - Neglecting your website & only focusing on social media

One of the most common website-related mistakes you can make is relying only on social media while neglecting your website – or not having a site at all. We see this a lot with people starting out in the automotive aftermarket.

Solution

Social media can do a lot for your business – especially when it comes to growing your customer base and keeping them engaged – but it can’t do everything. Most likely, you’ll need a strong, clear, user-friendly website to carry out the bulk of your business online, from booking consultations to converting casual visitors into customers. An experienced web designer or web development agency who specializes in the automotive industry can help. Together, you can build and maintain the perfect site for your business, that goes hand-in-hand with your social media presence.

Pro tip: Strike a balance by using social media as a complementary tool to drive traffic to your website. Share project teasers, exclusive content, and updates to encourage your audience to explore your website for more information on your automotive aftermarket services.

#Issue 2: An incomplete site map

Before you or a developer start building your site, you need to understand what pages and content to include. We find so many sites that are missing key pages, making it difficult for visitors to find the information they need. Here’s a simple example of key pages we always start out with for an auto restoration or build shop:

Home
Our Services
[Service]
[Service]
[Service]
[Service]
[Service]
FAQs
Photo Gallery
Current Projects
Completed Projects
About
Our Facility
Our Team
Testimonials
Careers
Contact
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Cookie Notice
Accessibility Statement

Solution

First, consider what people want to know when they search for your automotive aftermarket products and services. Plan to build your site so that it answers their questions and offers solutions to the problems they’re trying to solve. What would help them choose to work with you? An FAQ page? A gallery of builds you’re proud of?

Issue #3: Missing or low-quality content

Quality content (copy and images) is the lifeblood of any successful website, and a lack of it can seriously impact your level of perceived professionalism.

Solution

Think about the story that you're going to tell across your entire site creating great SEO rich copy for each page of your site. You should also consider adding a blog with step-by-step DIY guides, process demos, and showcasing successful vehicle builds. Enhance your site by including FAQs and detailed pages to offer valuable information to visitors.

Once you’ve loaded your site with valuable content, perform regular content audits to ensure accuracy, relevance, and proper grammar.

Pro tip: Encourage user-generated content, such as customer reviews and testimonials, to enhance credibility and authenticity. Oh, and we mention blogs because they’re great for SEO (search engine optimization), helping your website show up more prominently in search results. One key thing to remember is that anyone could enter your site on any page. Not everyone hits your homepage first.

Issue #4: Lack of clear Calls To Action

Clear and compelling Calls To Action (CTAs) in your website text or buttons will guide your visitors toward the action you want them to take. Unclear CTAs may lead to confused visitors and missed opportunities.

Solution

Strategically position prominent CTAs and descriptive buttons at relevant places throughout the pages of your site. Ensure the language is concise, action-focused, and tells users exactly what to do next.

Pro tip: Carry out A/B testing on different CTAs to find out which ones resonate best with your audience.

Issue #5: Neglecting Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

A lack of good quality SEO related content that informs the search engines about your products and services can make it extremely difficult for your audience to find your website.

I always say that Google does not care about your business, they care about their customers, the people using their search tools. Google’s goal is to provide the best possible experience to their customers by giving them the most accurate results to their search queries and if you’re not tell Google who you are or what you do by making sure you have great content that includes keyword phrases your potential customer search for Google will not deliver your business to your potential customers search results.

Solution

Make sure your website follows SEO best practices . This includes crafting compelling Title and meta tag descriptions for each page, using SEO-rich H1 headers, optimizing your on-site copy to include important keyword phrases and optimizing images with descriptive ALT tags.

Pro tip: Regularly monitor your website's performance through tools like Google Analytics and Search Console . Adjust your SEO strategy based on these insights for best results.

Issue #6: No contact information or contact form

If you expect people to hire you, they’ll need a quick and easy way to get a hold of you first. Prospective customers should have easy access to contact information. If you’re missing this, it can leave them frustrated – and possibly send them on to a competitor's website.

Solution

Make sure your contact details are readily available on your website. Consider placing them in the header or footer for maximum visibility and accessibility. You can even embed a scheduling tool into your site like Calendly or Book Like a Boss .

Pro tip: Include as many contact options as possible, like a contact form, email address, phone number, and even a physical address, if possible.

Issue #7: Missing or hard to navigate headers and footers

Other common stumbling blocks for website visitors are poor headers, and footers that aren’t properly formatted – or haven’t been included at all. These are two key features that elevate both the look and feel of your website and its ease of navigation. Leaving these items unaddressed can often lead to users feeling frustrated.

Solution

Keep your website menu simple, use clear labels, and organize your content logically. Make it easy for users to find what they want without any hassle. We also always recommend linking your phone number in the header and making sure you logo is readable and looks great. And remember social media profiles? Put all those social media links down in the footer.

Pro tip: Carry out user testing or gather feedback from your audience to identify any issues with your website’s look and feel as well as how easy it is to navigate.

Next Time

Check back as we address even more common website issues you'll want to avoid.

Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Search Engine Success: A Comprehensive Guide to Boosting Your Shop's Online Visibility

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 05:30:00 GMT

As an auto restoration, performance, or race shop operating in today's digital world, having a strong online presence is key to your success.

When someone needs the type of services you offer, their first stop is usually a search engine. If your shop isn't popping up in their search results, you're missing out on valuable business opportunities.

Tapping into the power of search engines is a key move to connect with those seeking your services. In other words, it’s all about being visible to the right people at the right time.

So, how do you turn your shop into a search engine favorite?

Well, that's exactly what we're diving into here. From revving up your website's SEO to making a big splash on social media, we've got practical, easy-to-implement strategies to put your shop in the spotlight.

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

First things first, to improve your auto shop's online presence, it’s important to make your website more search engine friendly.

This process, known as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), involves tweaking your site to increase its usability for customers and search engines. Here's how to do it:

Keyword research : Begin by finding out what your potential customers are typing into search engines when looking for an auto repair shop like yours. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, or Ahrefs to find terms related to your services.
On-page SEO: Naturally add these keywords throughout your auto website's titles, headings, and main content. This step helps search engines recognize the relevance of your auto shop, boosting your online visibility.
Optimize your descriptions and images: Craft keyword-rich descriptions for each service you offer. Also, add clear 'alt-text' to images, especially those showing your work or shop. This gives clarity to search engines while making your site accessible to visually impaired users.
Speed: A website that loads quickly is not only user-friendly but also ranks better in search results.
Mobile optimization: 88% of consumers who do a local search on their smartphone end up visiting or calling a store within a day, so having a mobile-responsive web design is essential.
Secure your site : Use HTTPS to protect your visitors' information. This is a sign of good security for users and search engines. The 'S' in HTTPS stands for 'Secure,' meaning all communication between your browser and the website is encrypted. The security provided by HTTPS is powered by SSL (Secure Socket Layer) Certificates. These certificates authenticate your website's identity and enable an encrypted connection.
Focus on local SEO: As an auto shop, local clientele is key. Claim your Google Business Profile , and make sure your shop's details are consistent across online directories. Encourage happy customers to leave positive reviews, which can greatly influence new customers.

2. Social media integration

To really boost your shop's presence and connect with customers, it's important to use social media the right way. Let's look at how you can do this:

Target the ideal platforms: Choosing the right social media platforms is crucial for your auto shop. Think about where car lovers hang out online. Instagram and Facebook are excellent for visual storytelling and community building. Plus, YouTube can be a goldmine for detailed car build and restoration videos or showcases.
Showcase your work: Post high-quality images and videos of what you do, from everyday maintenance to more complex repairs. People love seeing transformations, so before-and-after pictures or time-lapse videos are always a hit.
Educate and entertain: Share your knowledge and have some fun doing it. Offer auto maintenance tips, easy-fix tutorials, or interesting car facts. This way, you're not just a shop but a go-to resource for auto restoration and builds.
Engage with your audience: Remember to chat with your followers. Respond to comments and questions online, just like you'd talk to customers in your shop.
Collaborate for broader reach: Finally, team up for a wider reach. Collaborating with local influencers, bloggers, or auto vloggers can boost your shop's reputation and attract more local customers.

3. High-quality content

For your auto shop to really shine online, you’ll have to focus on crafting content that speaks to your customers.

Remember, quality content does more than just draw people to your website; it keeps them there, browsing, learning, and interacting with your brand.

Here are some effective ways to create content that resonates with your audience:

Educational and informative articles: Think about the questions your customers usually ask you in the shop. Turn those into articles for your website. For example, 'Easy Tricks to Keep Your Classic Car Running Smoothly' or 'What does a quality a paint job run and why?'
Helpful FAQ page: Set up a simple FAQ section on your site where you answer all those common questions you get daily. This improves customer service and helps your website rank for more search queries.
Video content: Videos are highly engaging and can increase visitors' time on your site. You could create tutorial videos, customer testimonial compilations, or even a funny TikTok about vintage car restoration.
Regular updates: Keep your content fresh and up to date. This could be news about the latest automotive trends, new services at your shop, new team members, or seasonal maintenance tips. Regular updates signal to search engines that your site is active and relevant.
User-generated content: Ask your existing customers to share their experiences with your shop's auto restoration or build work. Bonus points if they post a photo of their newly restored car on social media and tag you!

4. Link building

Link building is another straightforward marketing strategy for getting your shop noticed online. It's all about getting other websites to link to yours.

The more of these links you have, the more reliable your site seems to search engines. This can help your site show up better in search results.

Here's how you can make link-building work for you:

Collaborate with local businesses: Work with other local businesses in your area. You can write guest blog posts for each other's websites or agree to share each other's web links in relevant content.
Join automotive industry groups: Become a member of automotive industry groups or local business associations. Being included in their online directories gives you backlinks that make your website more credible and also help to improve your ranking in search engine results.
Participate in or sponsor local community events: Get involved in local events by participating or offering sponsorship. Many of these events feature their sponsors on their websites, including a link to your website.

5. Email marketing

Email marketing is a great way to keep in touch with your loyal customers and make sure your auto shop stays on their minds.

Here's a practical approach to make email marketing a powerful tool for your business:

Collect email addresses: Start by asking your customers for their email when they visit your shop or invite them to sign up on your website. Maybe offer a little thank-you for signing up, like a discount or helpful car tips.
Get to know your customers: People have different cars and needs. Sort your email list by what customers like or the kind of cars they have. This way, you can send emails that matter to them.
Send interesting emails: Keep sending emails regularly, but make sure they're good ones. Share marketing messages like useful tips for looking after cars, news about what's new in your shop, or special deals for different times of the year.

Establishing a strong online presence is key for your auto restoration or performance race shop. By optimizing your website for search engines, engaging actively on social media, using effective email marketing, crafting quality content, and focusing on link building, you open up a world of opportunities.

These strategies aren’t just about being seen; they're about connecting with potential customers precisely when they're on the lookout for classic auto repair shops.

So, apply these insights to your shop, and watch as you attract more customers, build lasting relationships, and drive your business toward greater success in the digital age.

Boost your online visibility with Motorhead Digital

Boost your shop's online visibility and soar in search engine rankings with Motorhead Digital.

Specializing in crafting tailored digital marketing strategies, we provide top-tier services in website design, blog content creation, email marketing, and social media management.

Our expertise in online marketing is fine-tuned for big and small businesses, making your brand stand out as a recognized authority in your industry.

Contact Motorhead Digital today , and let's accelerate your journey to the top of search engine results!

Mastering the Digital Landscape: Essential Marketing Tips for Auto Restoration and Performance Shops

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 05:15:00 GMT

For auto restoration and performance shops like yours, diving into the digital scene is a must.

In the internet era, being visible to the right audience can make or break your success.

That’s exactly why a strong digital marketing strategy is the secret sauce that sets thriving businesses apart from the rest.

To guide your shop toward triumph, we've crafted practical, straightforward steps to elevate your marketing game.

These strategies extend beyond the finish line, making sure your business competes and excels in the competitive world of auto services.

1. Optimize your auto website

Revamp your auto restoration or performance shop's online presence by optimizing your website. A well-optimized website is essential for attracting customers, guaranteeing a positive user experience, and establishing credibility in the competitive automotive industry.

Here are some straightforward tips to successfully optimize your website:

Clear navigation: Make sure visitors can easily find what they want. Use a straightforward menu and clear labels.
Mobile-friendly design: Make sure your website looks good and functions well on smartphones and tablets.
Quick loading time: Optimize images and code so your site loads fast. Unfortunately, visitors won't stick around to wait for a slow site to stop buffering.
Concise content: Keep text brief and to the point, and remember headings and bullet points make for easy reading.
Contact information: Display your contact details prominently, making it easy for visitors to reach you.
High-quality images: Use clear, high-quality, and relevant images. Blurry or irrelevant pictures can deter visitors.
Social media links: Connect your website to social media accounts for broader online visibility.
Regular updates: Keep your content fresh and up-to-date. Outdated information can harm credibility.

2. Get Google-friendly

Focus on search engine optimization (SEO) to make your auto restoration or performance shop easily discoverable online.

Start by doing some keyword research – understand the terms your potential customers are typing into search engines when looking for auto services. Once armed with these keywords, strategically sprinkle them into your website's content, meta tags, and descriptions.

This helps your shop get noticed and ensures it speaks the language of search engines, making it more likely to pop up when customers browse online.

3. Focus on storytelling

Craft engaging stories that shed light on the incredible projects you've worked on and share success stories from satisfied customers.

Highlight the unique challenges your team has overcome, showcasing the artistry and dedication behind each project. These narratives create a powerful connection with your audience, giving them a glimpse into the heart of your shop.

Use a mix of written content, vibrant images, and compelling videos to bring these projects and success stories to life, leaving a lasting impression on your customers.

4. Build an email marketing list

Nurture a strong connection with your customers by building and maintaining an email list of those genuinely interested in your auto restoration or performance shop.

Engage with them regularly through thoughtfully crafted emails, sharing your latest promotions, introducing new services, and unfolding the stories behind your exciting projects.

Add a personal touch to your emails, making each customer feel valued and involved in your shop's journey.

5. Connect with your audience on social media

Dive into the lively world of social media marketing, where your auto repair or restoration shop can become a hub for car enthusiasts to connect, share, and revel in their love for automobiles.

Share high quality images and videos that bring your team’s craftsmanship and capabilities to life. Engage in authentic conversations, respond to comments, and invite new and existing customers to share their stories, too.

Your social media channels aren't just tools for promotion; they're vibrant communities where your shop is at the heart of automotive passion.

Keep the excitement flowing by sharing behind-the-scenes moments, showcasing unique projects, and staying up-to-speed with the latest happenings in the automotive world.

6. Focus on local visibility

Elevate your shop's presence in the local community by creating a Google Business Profile. When potential customers in your area search for local auto repair shops, make sure your shop appears on their radar with accurate business information, including your address, phone number, and business hours.

Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, providing valuable insights for others seeking auto restoration or performance services.

By enhancing your local visibility, you attract new customers within your vicinity and build trust and credibility in your community.

It's also a great way to gain a competitive edge!

7. Create online ads

Amplify your shop's visibility by strategically placing online ads through platforms like Google Ads and social media platforms.

Tailor your advertisements to resonate with the interests of your target market, showcasing the unique aspects of your auto restoration or performance services. This expands your reach to a broader audience and positions your shop in front of those actively seeking automotive expertise.

With compelling visuals and persuasive messaging, your online ads can be a powerful tool to captivate potential customers and drive increased traffic to your shop.

Note : For these to be fully effective, at least $1,000 should be dedicated to your ad spend on a monthly basis to get any return on investment.

Key takeaway

Leveraging the digital landscape for your auto restoration or performance shop is a game-changer. Elevate your marketing efforts with these strategies to optimize your website for a seamless user experience, enhance local visibility, and connect with your audience through engaging storytelling, email campaigns, and social media interactions.

And don't miss the opportunity to showcase your shop's unique projects and services with strategic online advertising.

Discover Motorhead Digital for all your auto shop

marketing needs!

Motorhead Digital offers comprehensive online marketing services, including website and blog content creation, email marketing campaigns, and social media management. Our content marketing strategies are tailored to meet your needs and goals as we work with large and small local business owners.

If you're ready to supercharge your content strategy and elevate your online presence, please contact us today.

Maximize Your Auto Shop's Budget: 7 Quick Website Upgrades for Business Success

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 07:30:00 GMT

Did you know that as many as 75% of people judge the credibility of a business by its website?

This statistic shows just how important it is for your automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, or race shop to have a website that’s as high-quality as the work you do in real life.

But who has the time? We understand the hustle it takes to run an auto shop. Finding the time to spruce up your website can be challenging.

That's why we've put together 7 simple, budget-friendly ideas to enhance your website quickly and effectively.

Let's explore these tips and gear up to make your online presence shine.

1. Optimize user experience (UX)

Having an attractive and easy-to-use website is key for converting your site's visitors into paying customers.

We recommend keeping things simple and straightforward for a smooth user experience.

Make sure all essential details – like your services, pricing, contact information, and location – are neatly organized and easy to find on your web pages.

And don't forget to add a search bar! It's a helpful shortcut for users to find what they're looking for.

2. Keep your design mobile-friendly

An icredible 5 5% of website traffic comes from mobile devices. This means a mobile-friendly website design is crucial for reaching the widest possible audience.

Here are a few steps to make your website mobile-friendly:

Responsive design: Opt for a design that adjusts seamlessly to various screen sizes for a great mobile experience .
Optimize images and media: Compress images and videos to boost load speed for users with limited mobile data.
Streamlined navigation: Simplify your navigation menu for easy tapping and scrolling on smaller screens.
Readable text: Make sure all text is easily readable on mobile screens so there’s no need for visitors to zoom in.
Touch-friendly buttons: Design buttons that are large enough for easy tapping with fingers.

3. Collect customer feedback

Sharing positive customer feedback is a budget-friendly way to enhance your website while showing off your expertise.

Here are some simple ways to include customer feedback on your shop's website:

Create a testimonials page: Make a dedicated page on your website to showcase customer feedback.
Display on service pages: Put quotes or reviews from satisfied customers on relevant service pages to highlight experiences related to those services.
Feature customer stories: Share in-depth customer success stories or case studies of your work to give a fuller picture of your service quality.
Regularly update: Keep the feedback fresh by updating it regularly to show that your customers are consistently happy with your products and services.

4. Highlight special offers and promotions

Create a dedicated section of your website or use eye-catching pop-ups to display your ongoing promotions, discounts, or seasonal offers.

This grabs visitors' attention and encourages them to explore your services further, which may lead to more sales. Everyone loves a good deal, so make sure to highlight yours.

5. Implement an SEO strategy

Implementing a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy is crucial to boost the visibility of your autoshop's website.

SEO helps your website rank higher in search engine results, making it more likely for potential customers to discover your auto shop. Here are key aspects to focus on:

Keyword research: Find out what words and phrases users commonly type into search engines when seeking businesses like yours, and include them naturally in your website's headings, meta descriptions, content, and image alt text.
Focus on local SEO: If your business is tied to a specific area, focus on local SEO and popular searches. Use keywords related to your location, get listed in local directories, and make sure your business's name, address, and phone number are consistent across various platforms.
Speed optimization: Boost loading speeds by optimizing images, using browser caching, and choosing a reliable web hosting service.
High-quality content: Make sure your website content is engaging, helpful, and regularly updated to attract and retain visitors. When people find your content valuable, it builds trust in your business.
Regular updates: Keep a sharp eye on your website's overall performance using SEO tools. Regularly update and adjust your SEO strategy based on these insights.

6. Add an FAQs section

An FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section is a quick and helpful way to address common customer questions and concerns. Here’s how to create one:

Identify common questions : Figure out the most common questions related to your services, pricing, working hours, etc.
Clear answers: Provide direct and simple answers to each question.
Regular updates: Update the FAQ section with any new questions you've been receiving from customers and remove those that are no longer relevant.
Add keywords: Use keywords naturally in your questions and answers to enhance search visibility.
Outbound and inbound links: Include internal links to other sections of your website if it helps solve a user query. You can also include links to helpful external resources to provide further insights.
Engagement: Give customers the option to contact you directly if your FAQs haven’t addressed their question.

7. Incorporate social sharing buttons

Consider adding social sharing buttons to your website, especially on pages with great content or showcasing your products or services.

When visitors like what they see, these buttons make sharing with their friends and followers simple. It's a quick way to broaden your audience and might drive even more visitors to your business.

Overall, your auto shop's website is more than just an online presence – it reflects your credibility and professionalism.

You can boost the look and performance of your website by implementing the tips we’ve outlined above – like focusing on user experience, mobile-friendliness, SEO, customer feedback, and more.

When you update your website with these new features, you improve its appeal and functionality, which helps you stay ahead in the competitive aftermarket restoration and auto performance industry.

Refresh your auto website with Motorhead Digital

At Motorhead Digital, we craft compelling content and provide comprehensive online marketing services for automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, or race shops.

Whether it's creating a new website and blog content, running email marketing campaigns, updating an old website, or managing social media, we tailor our strategies to meet your specific needs.

With years of expertise, we enhance online visibility, improve search rankings, establish your shop as an industry authority, and effectively reach your target audience.

Ready to boost your content strategy and become a proud website owner? Contact us today.

Fuel Your Success: 7 Marketing Tips To Kickstart Your Auto Shop's New Year

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 05:30:00 GMT

The start of a new year brings exciting opportunities to refresh your business and steer it towards greater success.

Effectively marketing your automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, or race shop is the key to putting your services in the spotlight and attracting new clientele.

Now, that’s a powerful way to kickstart the year!

In this blog, we'll unveil the 7 top strategies to fuel your marketing efforts for a successful year ahead.

Let’s get started.

7 powerful marketing strategies to implement this year

Here’s how you can rev up your marketing efforts this new year and set your shop up for success.

1. Leverage the power of social media marketing

In the motor industry, engaging with a community of auto enthusiasts and showing off your expertise is key to establishing a strong online presence.

Leveraging the power of popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) is an excellent way to build a connection with fellow car lovers.

Tips for creating engaging social media posts include:

Share restoration stories: Tell stories of how classic cars are transformed, sharing the challenges faced and the exciting results.
Before and after photos: Show dramatic pictures of how a car looked before restoration, and how it turned out after. Let the visuals speak for your skills and services.
Offer insider knowledge: Share valuable tips and tricks for car restoration and maintenance, positioning yourself as a go-to expert.
Engage with your audience: Talk to your audience, respond to their messages, and encourage happy customers to share their experiences.
Interactive polls and quizzes: Keep your audience engaged by posting fun, interactive polls and quizzes related to the auto world.

2. Optimize your website

When your website is professional and informative, people are more likely to trust your services.

Tips for optimizing your website include:

Choose a user-friendly design: Design your website so it's easy to navigate and prevents potential customers from getting frustrated and clicking away.
Share informative content: Share helpful information about your work and services. Answer questions your target audience might have about car restoration with an FAQ section.
Focus on search engine optimization (SEO): Boost your website's visibility by including words and phrases (keywords) that people are likely to type into search engines when they’re looking for services like yours.
Show off your work: Show pictures and descriptions of the car projects you’re proudest of to celebrate your successes and highlight the quality of your work.
Share success stories: Post stories from satisfied customers. Their positive experiences can encourage others to choose your shop.
Make it easy to connect: Provide clear contact information so visitors can easily get in touch.

3. Remember content is king

Content reigns supreme in the world of marketing. Crafting relatable content for your target market can help you attract customers and establish yourself as a trusted expert in your field.

Here is how you can use high-quality content to your advantage:

Share valuable content: Create content that brings value to your audience, like engaging blog posts, informative videos, step-by-step guides, or other educational content.
Stay current: Discuss the latest trends and innovations in the automotive world.
Highlight satisfied customers: Share the success stories and testimonials of happy customers.
Cross-platform sharing: Share your content across multiple platforms to reach a broader audience. Adapt your content for different platforms to maximize its effectiveness.

4. Share offers and promotions

Starting the year strong with appealing promotions or discounts on your services is a strategic move to capture attention and drive your business forward.

Here's how to do it:

Special deals to grab attention: Offer appealing deals and promotions to attract new customers and drive sales. Clearly display these exciting offers on your website, social media, and other marketing channels.
Create urgency with limited-time offers: Encourage current and existing customers to act fast with limited-time or limited-supply promotions.
Bundle services for value: Combine services to create unique packages that will appeal to your customers – and offer the bundle at a discounted price to encourage them to choose a service combo that works for them.
Welcome new customers: Extend a warm welcome to new customers by offering a special discount on their first visit to your shop.
Reward loyalty: Show appreciation to your regular customers with loyalty programs or membership benefits to keep them coming back.

5. Focus on email marketing

Did you know the average expected return on investment is $40 for every $1 you spend on email marketing?

Launching a solid email marketing strategy is a great way to keep people in the loop about your business and engage them with interesting and helpful information.

Emails also help you maintain a connection with your target market and keep your shop fresh in their minds.

Leverage the power of email by sending regular newsletters with updates about your shop, new promotions, stories of successful projects, and more.

It’s also a great way to share educational content that’s helpful to your readers. Car maintenance tips, explanations about new services, how-to guides – you name it. You’re the expert, and informative emails are a powerful way to bring that extra bit of value to your audience.

6. Take part in collaborations and partnerships

Collaborating with related businesses or influencers in the automotive industry expands your reach and credibility.

Here's how to team up effectively with like-minded individuals:

Be authentic: Make sure the collaboration is in line with both party’s core values.
Define benefits: Clearly state what each party brings to the partnership.
Joint marketing: Create content or run campaigns together.
Use social media: Share each other's content on social media.
Special offers : Give discounts to each other's customers.
Measure results: Check data to see how well the collaboration worked.
Build relationships: Stay in touch for future partnerships.

7. Implement a local SEO strategy

Creating a local SEO strategy for your automotive shop is another smart marketing move.

This specific type of SEO targets customers in your area, increasing your chances of attracting local business to your shop.

To create a successful local SEO strategy, take the following steps:

Keyword research: Identify local keywords related to your services. For example, “car restoration in [your city]”. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, or Surfer SEO to find the most relevant keywords.
Google Business Profile: Create or claim your Google Business Profile listing. Include your business name, address, phone number, and website so local folks know where to find you and how to get in touch.
Local citations: List your business on local directories and citation sites like Yelp.
Localized content: Create content related to local news and events. Don’t forget to mention your location in the content!
Customer reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook.
On-page SEO: Optimize your website's title tags, meta descriptions, and headers with local keywords.
Mobile optimization: Make sure your website is mobile-friendly, as many local searches happen on a phone or tablet.

Starting a new year is a chance to change gears, breathe fresh life into your business, and drive it towards success. Effectively marketing your automotive shop is the key to grabbing attention and attracting prospective customers.

In this blog, we’ve given you some top strategies to boost your marketing efforts for a successful year ahead. These strategies include leveraging social media, optimizing your website, creating engaging content, offering special deals, influencer marketing, and focusing on local SEO.

Using these expert tips, you can enhance your shop's visibility and engagement, setting the stage for a prosperous year ahead.

Discover Motorhead Digital

Our dedicated digital marketing team at Motorhead Digital specializes in crafting compelling content.

We offer comprehensive online marketing services, including website and blog content creation, email marketing campaigns, and social media management. Our content marketing strategies are tailored to meet your needs and goals as we work with large and small business owners.

If you're ready to supercharge your content strategy and elevate your online presence, please contact us today.

MHD Sponsors First Ever Pro-Touring 101 Display at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 19:33:39 GMT

New showcase includes 10 custom vehicles designed and rendered by Pfaff Designs
Custom Pro-Touring cars from across the Midwest to be featured for the first time in Chicago
Pro-Touring vehicles on display span 65-year timeline

For Immediate Release

Contact: Murray Pfaff

248-259-6175

murray@pfaffdesigns.com

Detroit, MI – For the first time ever, the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals will showcase a Pro Touring display, including vehicles spanning 65 years of Pro-Touring history. The event will take place November 18-19, 2023 at the Donald E. Stevens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL.

The Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals is the premiere muscle car collector event in the world. Nicknamed “the Pebble Beach of Muscle Cars,” it attracts the most dedicated car enthusiasts from across the country and around the world. Each year the show draws vehicles out of collections, garages, and barns. The event is also well known for its unique, entertaining, and informative displays, attractions, and automotive surprises.

Pfaff Designs was invited to assemble some of its most creative designs to represent and showcase the creative side of Pro-Touring. The Pro-Touring phenomenon in car culture is the combination of road-racing and autocross-racing performance with hot rods and muscle cars. This gives people the ability to express themselves and their style through classic and custom cars while enjoying the extreme driving of performance vehicles built to handle corners, stop, and accelerate on par with racing-class vehicles.

Ten vehicles originally drawn by Murray as concepts have been selected to represent a wide cross section of the Pro-Touring movement. From Joe Holyfield’s “Double Agent” MGB GT to Terry Cook’s “Kryptonite” 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air, these cars illustrate the creative nature involved with building a performance classic. Byron Burnham’s Vega “RCR” and Tom Bailey’s twin turbo Talladega confirm that these cars are driven hard and fast. Kevin Byrd’s (host of Two Guys Garage) BMW M3 and Chuck Yee’s 1977 Olds 442 will also be featured. Bookending the display are Murray’s iconic 1959 Imperial Speedster and his late-model twin-turbo Ford Explorer ST “twiSTed”.

Pro-Touring 101 takes place as part of the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals November 18-19 at the Donald E. Stevens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL . Visit www.mcacn.com for more information and to purchase tickets which are $30 per day or $60 for the weekend, kids under 12 are always free.

Sponsors of Pro-Touring 101 are 3D Car Care Products, Pfaff Designs, Automotive Lift Institute, Auto Metal Direct, Ididit, Forgeline, Motorhead Digital , Painless Performance, and Pro Touring Store.

Click here for more information on the display.

Click here for more information on the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals.

10 Ways To Grow Your Shop or Online Store With Organic Marketing

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 14:08:35 GMT

Marketing your automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, race and restyling shop goes beyond showcasing your products and services – it's about building connections that fuel growth, customer loyalty, and industry recognition.

Organic marketing, in particular, takes center stage in propelling your automotive aftermarket business to new heights.

Unlike the traditional, pedal-to-the-metal marketing approach, a successful organic marketing strategy follows a smoother route. It generates consistent traffic and nurtures customer engagement over time, all without the costs of paid methods. While we were writing this article, we also learned that a surprising 86% of people ignore paid advertisements.

Here, we'll delve into the world of organic marketing, revealing the top ten ways to leverage organic campaigns for promoting your shop.

Let’s kick things off!

What is organic marketing?

Organic marketing revolves around crafting a strategic approach that continually drives valuable traffic to your business without solely relying on paid methods or no methods at all. 49% of marketers say that organic search has the best ROI.

It's about having real conversations and sharing genuinely helpful content and information. You're not just saying, "buy this" or "choose our business," you're showing why doing so would be a great investment through engaging stories and helpful information.

Rather than relying on immediate paid visibility, an organic marketing strategy focuses on creating a lasting impact, gradually establishing your brand as a trusted authority in your industry, unlike paid advertising that goes away if you stop funding it, organic marketing drives visibility and awareness for the long term.

10 steps of how to use organic marketing for business growth

Here are ten useful ways to leverage the power of organic marketing to boost your shop’s online presence:

1. Define your target audience

When you're in the automotive aftermarket industry and want to attract new customers, it's essential to know exactly who you're trying to reach.

Your ideal customers are those who have a passion for cars and want to enhance their vehicle's appearance, performance, or both.

These could be car enthusiasts who love to personalize their rides, collectors seeking to restore classic cars to their former glory, or individuals looking to boost their vehicle's power and performance.

By grasping their preferences and challenges, you can tailor your marketing strategies to resonate with them effectively.

Pro Tip: Comprehensive understanding of your target audience ensures your marketing efforts hit the mark, fostering genuine engagement and sustained loyalty.

2. Develop a quality website that converts

3. Prioritize content marketing

Content marketing is a powerful tool for connecting with your audience and is a great tool to help your site show up in search, as Google loves great content that’s informative and helps your clients and prospects.

Here's how to effectively engage your audience through educational or entertaining content:

Helpful blog posts: Share articles and guides about restoration, tuning, and restyling on your website. Brands with a dedicated blog have a 55% more traffic rate than those that don’t.
How-to guides: Empower enthusiasts with step-by-step guides for DIY tasks.
Behind-the-scenes: Showcase transformations and stories of expertise.
Visual Social Media platforms: Use Instagram and Facebook to write about and share photos of projects that you’re working on in the shop.
Informative articles: Address common questions and concerns with informative articles.

Pro Tip: By providing valuable insights via organic content, you'll engage with your audience and establish your shop as a reliable expert that they’re looking for. Helping increase your website’s search rank in the process.

4. Focus on search engine optimization (SEO)

By prioritizing search engine optimization, you'll amplify your shop's online presence. Pay attention to these critical aspects:

Keyword optimization: Sprinkle your website and content with relevant keywords that relate to your business. Use keyword phrases that your clients are using in their searches to boost your rankings in search engines like Google. If Google doesn’t know that you offer products or services, then you will not show up in search when your prospects are searching to find that product and service you offer.
Local SEO: Implement local SEO strategies to attract local customers in your targeted geographic area. Some examples include claiming and verifying your Google Business Profile listing, creating blog posts, articles, or landing pages that focus on local topics or events, and listing your business in local directories relevant to your industry.
Don’t forget about social media: When posting to social media, make sure to include important keyword phrases in your post copy and ALT tags, as social media posts, especially LinkedIn, will show up in search results.

Currently, organic traffic is responsible for 53% of traffic to all websites.

Pro Tip: Using the right keywords and optimizing for your local area can greatly increase how many people find your shop online. This helps you connect with customers exactly when they're looking for what you offer.

5. Use social media marketing

Social media channels are pivotal in modern marketing strategies, providing businesses with dynamic platforms to connect with their target audience.

Follow these useful tips to get the most out of social media marketing:

Choose the right platforms: Pick social media platforms that match your industry and audience.
Content strategy: Create diverse content that resonates with your audience's interests.
Consistent posting: Post regularly to help maintain your online presence.
Engage and Interact: Respond promptly to comments, messages, and mentions.
High-quality visuals: Invest in high-quality visual content like images and videos that align with your brand identity.
Hashtags and trends: Use relevant hashtags and trends to expand your reach beyond current followers.
Influencer collaborations: Partner with industry influencers to reach a wider audience and enhance your brand's credibility.
Optimize your profiles: Make sure that all of your social media channel profiles are aligned with your business and that they all correctly match your brand and messaging

Don’t forget about LinkedIn: If you don’t have a LinkedIn business page and your project and products are targeted at the high-income market, get one started today. Here are some stats that will convince you to get your business on LinkedIn.

10 million executives and 37% of US adults use LinkedIn
Over 50% of LinkedIn users earn $75,000 or more per year.
4 out of 5 people on LinkedIn “drive business decisions”
45% of content readers on LinkedIn fall under “upper management” in companies
40% of marketers surveyed indicate LinkedIn as the most effective channel for driving high-quality leads

Pro Tip: Make your social media strategy genuine and engaging, crafting a compelling narrative that builds a strong community around your brand.

6. Implement email marketing

Email marketing is a powerful tool that puts you in direct conversation with individuals who are genuinely interested in your products or services. 46% of customers prefer to be contacted by brands via email.

By personalizing your messages, you can communicate effectively and establish long-lasting connections with your subscribers.

With its cost-effective nature, email marketing aligns seamlessly with other marketing strategies, amplifying their impact. According to Demandsage.com, for every $1 spent on email marketing, email marketing generates $36 in sales.

Integrating it with social media posts, content marketing, and more creates a unified brand presence that reaches your audience across various touchpoints.

Add an email newsletter sign-up form to your website. Even if you’re not yet ready to start email marketing to your clients and prospects, you can start building that list now.

If you’re already using email marketing, don’t forget to review your stats. Look at your open, click, and unsubscribe rates to see what works and what doesn't. Don’t be afraid to adjust your content, subject lines, or the day and time you send emails. Mondays have the highest opening rate at 22%, while Sundays have the lowest with 20.3%.

Pro Tip: Maximize the impact of your email campaigns by using automated email personalization to deliver the perfect message to the right person at the ideal time.

7. Showcase customer reviews and testimonials

Harness the impact of customer reviews and testimonials to elevate your auto aftermarket shop or online store.

These authentic endorsements create a compelling narrative of customer satisfaction that resonates deeply with your current patrons and potential automotive enthusiasts.

These testimonials serve as powerful endorsements, turning content customers into advocates. They offer tangible proof of your shop's ability to deliver quality services and products while fostering trust within the automotive community.

Pro Tip: Visual testimonials provide a dynamic and relatable way to showcase customer satisfaction. By sharing images or videos of real customers with their enhanced vehicles, you create a stronger emotional connection with your audience.

8. Collaborate and network

Broaden your horizons by establishing collaborations and networking within the auto aftermarket industry.

Strategic partnerships: Team up with related businesses for mutual growth.
Sponsor grass roots race teams or events: Sponsoring a team or event is a great way to gain visibility for your brand and business.
Industry events: Attend or display your products and work at trade shows like the SEMA Show, Goodguys shows, and NSRA events and gatherings to connect with potential clients.
Networking: Build relationships, gain insights, and share expertise.
Volunteer: Volunteering with SEMA and other organizations is a great way to meet like-minded business owners and gain new connections and clients.
Online and local: Engage in online communities and local events.
Thought leadership: Showcase your expertise to enhance credibility and attract clients.

Pro Tip: Exploring collaborations beyond your industry can open new avenues for growth. Consider partnering with businesses that align with your values and offer complementary services, allowing you to tap into fresh markets and expand your reach.

9. Influencer relationships

10. Monitor your progress because the data matters

It's important to stay in the loop about the effectiveness of your organic marketing efforts.

Take advantage of tools that help you keep tabs on essential details, like how many people are checking out your website, how people are reacting on social media, and how your email campaigns are performing.

Make sure you have these key tools setup and monitored:

Google Analytics
Google Search Console
Social media insights
Other stats available to you.

Pro Tip: Regularly tracking progress lets you identify what's working and what needs tweaking. By analyzing the gathered data, you gain insights that guide your actions and enable you to fine-tune your approach for better results.

Key takeaway

In the competitive automotive aftermarket industry, effective marketing is your foundation for success. It's not just about showcasing products; it's about building connections that fuel growth, loyalty, and industry recognition.

Organic marketing takes center stage in propelling your business to new heights by impressing new and existing customers. Unlike traditional marketing methods, it offers a smoother, cost-effective route that nurtures ongoing traffic and customer engagement.

Each step plays a vital role in your journey, from understanding your audience and creating an engaging website to employing content marketing, SEO, and social media strategies.

Statistic Sources: Statista, Hubspot, Google, Demandsage, Neil Patel and Semrush

Searching for an organic marketing solution to promote your automotive restoration, performance, race, or restyling shop? the team at Motorhead Digital would love to assist you.

As seen in The Shop Magazine

How To Automate Your Shop’s Business Processes And Get Your Time Back

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 20:46:34 GMT

Are you feeling stressed about the rise of automation?

There's no need to worry. The reality is that automation is not something to be feared. It can actually make our lives much easier.

Imagine if you could finally say goodbye to those boring manual tasks, especially those back-office tasks that need to be done daily but you dread doing them. Well, with automation, you can!

By letting technology handle mundane business processes, you can focus on the more exciting and important aspects of running your automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, or race shop.

In this article, we'll explore the world of automation and how it can simplify your business processes and save you valuable time.

We'll also guide you through the integration process and recommend some of the best business process automation tools out there.

Get ready to discover the power of automation and take your business to the next level.

What is business process automation?

In the fast-paced world of the automotive aftermarket industry, time is precious. That's where business process automation can help.

Business process automation uses technology, tools, and programs to perform annoying repetitive tasks. This speeds up your business processes and gives you more time to focus on the work you love the most.

Typically, business process automation covers many areas, such as customer relations, marketing, analytics, sales processes, and employee management. Automating these areas of your company will improve efficiency, reduce errors, and save time and money.

The best thing is there are countless automation tools on the market that will help your business automate tasks and streamline processes. From customer relationship management (CRM) systems to marketing automation software, you will find the solutions you need.

Why should you use business process automation for your automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, or race shop?

Business process automation offers several benefits for your automotive aftermarket shop, such as requests being processed in real-time, reducing wait times, and improving the overall customer experience.

Also, automating processes will reduce errors caused by manual inputting or incorrect data entry. Errors are a common issue in paper-based systems or outdated technology solutions.

With the help of business process management software, your shop can also analyze vast amounts of data quickly and accurately, allowing you to make informed decisions about how best to serve your customers' needs.

Overall, automating business processes in your shop brings many advantages that help you stay ahead of the competition.

5 advantages to automating your shop's business processes

Explore five key advantages of implementing business process automation software.

1. Reduces time and money spent on projects

As a business owner, you understand that reducing the time and money spent on projects is always a priority.

By implementing a business process automation system, you can save time and focus on more important tasks. This improves productivity and ultimately leads to better outcomes and increased profitability.

Pro tip: When automating processes in your restoration shop, consider investing in an all-in-one software solution that can handle multiple tasks at once.

2. Improves productivity

Automating repetitive tasks can free up employees, allowing them to spend their time where needed most. This leads to increased employee productivity and engagement and significantly reduces the time it takes to complete a task.

At the same time, automating these tasks reduces burnout and increases job satisfaction, creating a more motivated workforce.

Pro tip: Consider involving your employees in the automation process by asking them where they feel automation would be most useful for improving their workflows and overall productivity.

3. Ensures consistent quality

Consistent quality is vital for building a solid reputation and maintaining customer satisfaction. Automating tasks removes human error and ensures the same high-quality results every time.

It also allows you to monitor and catch errors early, ensuring your work consistently meets customer expectations and industry standards.

Pro tip: Consider implementing quality control measures at each step of your automated business processes to catch any issues before they reach the customer.

4. Enhances communication

Providing excellent customer service is one of the most important aspects of running a successful business.

Automating your communication will help you achieve this goal by providing fast and efficient responses to your clients.

By setting up automated email responses, you can build trust with your customers and show them you’re a company they can depend on.

Pro tip: Consider using chatbots to provide immediate assistance to customers on your website or social media platforms.

5. Makes customers happy

What should you automate in your shop to make things more streamlined?

Here are the top three areas we recommend automating in your shop.

1. Customer service automation

Automation can be used in various ways to improve your customer service. This includes using automation to onboard new clients, communicate with them, and allow them to book a call with you through online calendars.

At the same time, email automation allows you to respond quickly to simple queries. Live chats and artificial intelligence (AI) chats can be implemented to further automate customer service.

Pro tip: Using automation to track customer interactions and feedback allows you to identify patterns and improve your service based on customer needs and preferences.

Task automation tools you can use for customer service:

These are just a few examples of the many customer service automation tools available. When choosing a tool, it's essential to consider your specific business needs and budget.

2. Marketing automation

You probably know all too well how time-consuming marketing can be. Thankfully, business automation tools can help speed up the process. With AI tools, your shop can manage leads and marketing strategies without having to take time away from more pressing tasks.

Automated emails can be sent to interested clients, providing all the necessary information about your shop's products and services. This lets you focus on your passion for auto restoration and performance.

Social media posts can also be automated, ensuring your business maintains an active online presence without the effort of having to think of a new post every day.

Pro tip: Use automation to track and analyze marketing data and gain valuable insights into your target audience's behaviors and preferences.

Tools you can use

There are many automation tools available for marketing tasks. Here are some popular options:

3. Automating in-house operations

Automation will help streamline in-house operations such as employee onboarding, project management, and event reporting.

One of the best things to automate when it comes to in-house operations is your project management. By automating how you manage your current projects, you’ll be able to enhance your capabilities and provide your clients with a more organized service.

Plus, if you let automation help you manage your projects, you’ll be able to focus on your clients and project deadlines without being distracted by administrative tasks.

The best way to manage projects is by using project management tools like ClickUp or Teamwork to stay on top of huge builds and restoration projects. These projects could take you years, which is why it’s so important to have everything organized with a project management tool.

Not only does this allow you to stay on top of the individual tasks and sections of a large-scale project, but it also helps you stay focused and discover how long each part of the project is taking you.

For example, your team can keep track of the time spent on specific project tasks using ClickUp or Teamwork’s built-in time-tracking tool. They can also track the status of parts needed for a project of on order. This allows you to record important data and create estimates from the time spent on specific aspects of a project, like reupholstering the interior of a classic car or replacing an engine of a hotrod.

For shops with a larger staff this is another great way to automate your in-house processes is using a Learning Management System (LMS). An LMS can help you deliver training and onboarding materials to new hires and existing employees, ensuring everyone is up-to-date with the latest policies and procedures.

Pro tip: In-house automation can also automate your invoicing and billing processes. Using software to handle invoicing can reduce errors and improve accuracy, saving time and headaches.

Tools you can use for in-house operations

Here are a few examples of automation tools you can use for in-house operations:

How to implement business process automation in your shop?

Follow these steps to successfully introduce business process automation into your automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, or race shop.

1. Identify what process needs to be automated

To implement automation in your business, it's essential to identify which processes to automate.

Look for repetitive, time-consuming tasks that don't require human input - for example, data management, initial prospect conversation scheduling, or email marketing. Ask your employees for feedback on which tasks they find repetitive, and use a process audit to analyze all tasks.

Once you've identified these tasks, evaluate automation tools and solutions to free up valuable time for you and your employees to focus on more critical tasks.

Pro tip: When implementing automation in your business, start small and test your automated processes thoroughly. Don't try to automate everything at once, as it can be overwhelming and lead to costly mistakes.

2. Choose the right tool for the job

3. Test and monitor your progress

Automation can be a game-changer for your business

Automation can help your shop thrive by allowing you to focus on growth rather than tedious tasks. With business process automation, you can use technology to handle repetitive tasks, saving time and money while reducing errors.

If you need help creating the ultimate digital marketing campaign and automating it to suit your shop’s needs - the team at Motorhead Digital would love to assist you.

As seen in The Shop Magazine

Take The Fast Lane To Online Visibility: How To Quickly Grow Your Online Presence

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 04:30:00 GMT

It goes without saying in today’s digital world that a strong online presence is key to the success of your auto business.

But whether you’re running an automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, or race shop, you’re already super busy tending to the day-to-day operations of your business.

So, how can you also be expected to create and maintain a stellar online presence that attracts and delights your ideal target audience?

In this blog, we’ve broken down the elements of building your company’s online presence into six easy steps.

But first, let’s look at why investing your time and resources into establishing a strong presence online is a must for any business in the automotive industry.

Why does your automotive business need a presence online?

If you think the online world is just for kids, we have bad news for you.

Almost 30% of all business in the US happens entirely online.

So, if you don’t already have an online business presence, you’re immediately already losing some of your competitive edge by not maintaining a competitive edge.

How can having a solid and consistent online presence benefit your business?

Builds brand awareness within your target market
Increases organic traffic to your website
Allows you to engage with your ideal audience
Establishes customer trust and legitimizes your brand
Builds customer relationships and loyalty
Drives customer sales up and your business forward

Not bad, right?

Now that you’re feeling ready to launch your business into the online world, let’s get right into how you can make that happen with these simple steps.

How to grow your business online by creating a strong online presence

1. Draw in potential customers with an attractive website

Your website is often the first impression many potential customers will have of your automotive business.

And with 75% of internet users judging the integrity of your business based on your website’s design, it’s super important that you impress them right off the starting line.

An outdated website will damage your business's reputation and decrease the possibility of reaching your target audience, let alone converting them into the loyal customers you're looking for.

Invest in a website that not only looks slick and professional but gives potential customers a seamless user experience with a super easy-to-use design.

2. Optimize your website for search engines and mobile devices

We all know that a shiny coat of paint won't make the car run smoothly – it's what's under the hood that counts. Likewise, making your website attractive and user-friendly are not the only contributing factors to its success.

Just as the cars you work on need to be regularly serviced, your website needs to be strategically updated to ensure it’s performing at the highest possible level.

Search engine optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) refers to optimizing the structure and content of your website so that it ranks well on Google and appears higher on search engine result pages.

Update the text on your website with the same keywords your target audience uses to search for your products or services online. These keywords, gathered in local SEO research, make your website easier to find online and direct more traffic to your business.

Sounds confusing? Don’t worry; we've designed our Marketing Maximizer program to help auto shops grow and expand their reach through powerful SEO services and strategies.

Mobile optimization

It’s also essential that your website is optimized for use across different devices and screen sizes.

73% of web designers believe that the main reason internet users abandon a website is because its design is not compatible with mobile devices.

If your website is not easy to navigate on phones and tablets, potential customers might take their business to your competitors.

3. Engage with your target audience on social media

Maintaining solid social media activity is a major part of establishing an online presence that gets results for your automotive business.

Create a profile with consistent branding across different social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), and TikTok.

Whether you're posting pics of your hottest new products, spreading the word about a new service you offer, or hosting an upcoming event, social media is the ideal way to get your audience's attention.

Plus, it's a two-way street. Staying active on online social platforms not only attracts your target audience but also encourages your followers to react to and engage with your content directly.

Wouldn't you rather do business with someone you feel like you know and trust? Sharing social media posts that offer insight into who you are as a business humanizes your brand, making your audience more likely to become customers.

4. Consistently deliver value with high-quality content

As well as posting on social media, it’s crucial that you update your website and other online channels with high-quality content.

Posting blogs on your website delivers even more value to your visitors. By offering pro tips, useful info, and industry wisdom, you position your business as the leading expert in your lane.

Take your content to the next level by creating videos to post on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram – another great way to attract and engage with your audience.

Helpful tutorials, shop tours, equipment promotions, and even race-day footage will keep your audience curious and coming back for more.

Also, posting fresh content to your website helps with SEO, allowing you to keep climbing the ranks on Google.

5. Connect with your audience with an email marketing campaign

Email marketing is a fantastic way to offer something specific to your audience at the perfect moment.

The more you know your audience's needs and interests, the better you can meet their needs. Create a strategic email campaign that gives them the information they want when they want it, reducing the likelihood of people unsubscribing from your mailing list.

Build brand awareness with a fun and informative company newsletter, or send segmented emails alerting existing customers when their favorite product is back in stock.

6. Curate a professional Google Business Profile

A Google Business Profile is essential for any online business as it makes access to vital information easy and quick for Google users.

Ensure your profile is updated with your current address, contact details, and opening hours so customers can easily get in touch.

Don't forget to put your best foot forward! Use only high-resolution, professional photos of your business and products, and ask your customers to leave positive reviews for other potential customers to read.

Connect with other local businesses and potential customers with a badass online strategy

Is managing your own online marketing slowing you down?

We help small business owners in the automotive industry with online presence management by creating tailored digital marketing strategies that deliver real results.

If you’d like to know more about how to attract more customers to your shop, get in touch and see how our Marketing Maximizer can help you.

Shift Up a Gear: What Type of Digital Marketing has the Best ROI?

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 04:15:00 GMT

Just like running a car, the surest way to get the most out of your business is by consistently investing in its maintenance and performance.

And what’s the most direct route to getting more customers for your automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, or race shop so you can compete with other leading companies in your niche?

Through expert digital marketing that’s as badass as you are.

With so many digital marketers claiming to be the best, knowing which one will benefit your business the most in the long run can be difficult.

Let’s explore the different types of digital marketing that will help you improve your online presence, help you reach your target audience, and drive your business forward.

What should a digital marketing strategy do for your automotive business?

If you invest your time, resources, and money into marketing, you want to be sure that it will give you results.

When it comes to ROI in an effective digital marketing strategy, there are many factors to consider other than just monetary gains.

Marketing strategies should help you:

Generate revenue
Increase brand awareness
Grow your customer base
Enhance customer experience
Improve customer engagement
Position your business as experts

So, let’s get right into the most important types of digital marketing for automotive businesses you should implement into your marketing efforts that will ensure a strong return on your investment and make achieving your business goals a lot easier.

Types of digital marketing that pull their weight for auto restoration and performance shops

1. Search engine optimization (SEO)

SEO involves optimizing your website's content and structure to improve its visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs).

In other words, it makes Google happy so your website can perform better and rank higher! What this ultimately means for your business is that your target audience can organically discover you when searching for your automotive services online.

90.63% of businesses don’t get organic traffic on search engines , and if you haven’t invested in professional SEO services yet, you can bet that your company falls into that majority, missing out on serious opportunities.

Your website will be strategically formatted and peppered with locally targeted keywords that not only speak to Google but are also easy to read and super specific to the needs of your dream clientele.

With the help of SEO experts who specialize in your niche, you can climb ahead of your competitors on search engines and generate more high-quality, high-converting leads in the fast lane, ensuring a fantastic return on your investment in the long run.

2. Content marketing

Content marketing is an often undervalued element of digital marketing.

However, the power of blogging, video marketing, and visual marketing messages should not be underestimated - especially in this industry.

A strong content marketing strategy can help your automotive business:

Rank higher on search engines
Engage your target audience
Establish customer trust online
Be positioned as the experts
Convert leads into sales

The consistent creation of high-quality content not only keeps your website fresh (which search engines love!), but you can connect with your audience by providing real value to them with content that attracts, informs, and entertains.

Blogs are fundamental to attracting organic traffic, and search engine marketing, yet according to our research, 87.8% of auto shop companies reportedly don’t have a functioning blog.

Incorporate a blog section into your website to boost your credibility, showcase your expertise in your niche, and ultimately show the real value you can offer your potential clients by providing solutions to their problems.

On top of this, companies that blog regularly get 55% more web visitors than those that don’t, offering an impressive ROI that you’ll be glad you opted for.

Top tip: You can repurpose parts of your blogs to use as engaging social media content and email newsletters!

3. Email marketing

A powerful tool for nurturing leads and fostering strong customer relationships, strategic email marketing can offer a whopping 4,200% ROI !.

By segmenting your email lists and creating personalized and targeted email campaigns, you can create valuable communication for your customers they want to engage with.

For example, if a customer has had a specific car part in their online basket for a long time, a product they regularly purchase has just come back in stock, or items from their favorite brand are on offer, you can send them an automated helpful reminder email to gently nudge them towards a purchase.

A successful email campaign will result in high open and click-through rates, increasing conversions, and customer satisfaction. A win-win for everyone!

Still, according to the research we conducted, less than 25% of auto shop businesses have a functioning email marketing campaign despite the compelling ROI and opportunities to generate new customers. Which means there’s a real gap in the industry’s marketing efforts - which you can fill.

4. Social media marketing

It’s no secret that having a strong presence across social media platforms is essential to the success of any business.

But as wild as it may seem, we discovered that 20% of auto shop businesses don’t have a social media presence.

Especially in the automotive industry, where the potential to showcase your attractive range of performance-enhancing parts and the impact of your expert services is hugely beneficial.

Not only is it a great space to visually attract your audience, but it also offers an invaluable space to connect with and engage your audience.

Potential customers can interact with your content, send you messages, and get to know your brand on a human level while sharing it with their network in an instant.

Social media also allows you to target your dream clients and build an online community with influencer marketing.

And with over 4.8 billion social media users globally, the potential market to tap into is vast and diverse.

With a little effort, regularly posting and maintaining a solid social media presence can deliver a high ROI in no time.

So, what should you adopt into your digital marketing strategy?

While many types of digital marketing channels deliver results, the best ROI depends on factors unique to your business.

Digital marketing strategies should be tailored to your company's goals and customers' needs for the best success.

If you’re interested in adopting a strategy that incorporates all of the types of digital marketing mentioned above that will result in a high ROI for your business, then you’ll love our Marketing Maximizer program .

It’s a monthly service done with you that helps you grow your online presence, target your dream customers, and convert them into sales through expert search engine optimization, professional content marketing, social media marketing, mobile marketing, and so much more.

Ready to fast-track your way to success in the automotive repairs and performance industry?

At Motorhead Digital, we’re just as car-obsessed as you are.

That’s why we want to help you get ahead.

Our team of dedicated, results-driven marketing professionals can help you take your business up a notch by merging our unique and exclusive knowledge of both the marketing and automotive industries to create truly effective solutions.

Book a free strategy call today to get started.

Unlocking Success: 5 Essential Content Types For Your Brand's Growth

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 04:00:00 GMT

Are you ready to take your automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, or race shop to the next level? Then creating engaging content is a must!

With engaging content, you can boost your brand's visibility, engage your target audience, and drive success.

But with so many content options available, choosing the right ones for your brand can be tricky. Don't worry, though, because we're here to help!

In this blog, we'll explore the five most powerful content types that are perfect for promoting your shop.

Get ready to discover the key to creating impactful digital content that resonates with your audience and propels your brand forward.

5 types of content for your marketing strategy

Here are five of the most effective types of content for your content marketing strategy:.

1. Blog posts

Blogs are a fantastic tool for sharing valuable information with your audience. They're highly effective because they allow you to dive deep into topics and provide in-depth insights to your readers.

Some great ideas for a blog post include how-to guides and tutorials where you can share step-by-step instructions for everyday car maintenance tasks, troubleshooting tips, and practical advice.

To write a great blog, consider the following tips:

Know your audience: Understand your target audience and what information they seek. Select topics that are relevant to your industry, products, or services.
Address common pain points: Identify your customers' challenges or concerns and focus on creating content that addresses those pain points.
Make it engaging: When writing long-form content like a blog post, it's essential to keep things entertaining by using conversational language, storytelling techniques, and visuals, such as images or videos.
Search engine optimization (SEO): Incorporate relevant keywords into your written content to ensure your blog is easy to find through search engines. Remember to use headers and subheadings within your content so it is easy to read and navigate.
Interact with readers: Encourage your audience to engage with your content by leaving comments, asking questions, or sharing their own experiences.
Be consistent: Establish a regular blogging schedule to keep your audience engaged and returning for more.

2. Social media posts

Whether it's LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook, social media platforms are perfect for showing off your fantastic services and building brand awareness.

Social media is so effective because it gives you direct communication with your customers. Tips for creating great social media posts include:

Define your objective: Start by clarifying the purpose of your post.
Engaging visuals: Incorporate eye-catching visuals such as high-quality images, videos, or graphics.
Clear call-to-action (CTA): Whether visiting your website, making a purchase, or leaving a comment, guide users on what to do next.
Use hashtags: Research relevant and popular hashtags related to your industry.
Brand voice : Maintain consistency with your brand's tone, voice, and personality.
Respond: Actively monitor comments, messages, and interactions on your posts. Respond promptly to engage with your audience.
Test and analyze : Experiment with different types of content, formats, and posting times to understand what resonates best with your audience.

3. Video content

Build a strong connection with your audience and elevate your automotive shop's online presence with the power of video content.

Visual appeal: Videos are engaging and visually captivating. They allow you to showcase the exciting aspects of your automotive products and services, whether it's a product demonstration, a virtual tour of your shop, or a glimpse behind the scenes.
Showcase expertise : Videos provide a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate your expertise in the automotive industry. You can create informative videos offering tips, tutorials, and expert advice.
Compelling storytelling: You can share inspiring stories about your shop, team, or customers.
Increased engagement: Videos tend to generate higher engagement levels than other types of content. This higher engagement boosts visibility and has the potential to drive more conversions.
Shareability: Videos have a remarkable potential to go viral and reach a broader audience. Creating engaging, informative, or entertaining videos can be easily shared across social media platforms.
User-generated content: Harness the power of user-generated videos to infuse authenticity and credibility into your brand. Reach out to encourage user-generated content from your customers. You can incorporate this visual content into your marketing campaigns or feature it on your website and social media channels.

4. Website content

Another important type of content for your shop is the content you share on your website. Whether on your home, services, about page, or another web page, website content plays a crucial role in shaping your online presence and establishing a sales funnel.

The benefits of creating great content for your website include:

Creates a positive first impression: Your website is often the first point of contact for potential customers. Well-crafted website content helps make a positive first impression.
Information hub: Your website is a central hub for providing essential information about your shop. Clear and concise content can effectively communicate your services, products, pricing, location, hours of operation, and any special promotions or offers.
Search engine visibility: Well-optimized website content improves your search engine visibility. By incorporating relevant keywords, meta tags, and high-quality content, you can increase the likelihood of your website appearing in search engine results.
Sets you apart: Unique and compelling website content in a competitive market helps differentiate your auto shop from competitors. Highlighting your shop's unique selling points, such as specialized services, exceptional customer care, or advanced technology, differentiates you from your competitors.
Customer engagement: Engaging website content encourages customer interaction. Features like contact forms, live chat support, or appointment scheduling options make it easy for customers to reach out and connect with your shop.

5. Marketing emails

Marketing emails are a powerful tool that allows personalized communication with your audience. They enable you to tailor content to your subscribers' preferences, fostering engagement and strengthening connections.

Some of the main benefits of email content marketing include:

Direct communication: Marketing emails enable direct contact with your audience, addressing them personally and tailoring content to their preferences. This personalization boosts engagement and strengthens connections.
Promote offers: Emails effectively promote exclusive deals, discounts, or limited-time offers to subscribers, creating excitement and driving traffic to your auto shop.
Build customer loyalty: Regularly sending valuable content fosters trust and loyalty. You establish your brand as a trusted automotive resource by providing valuable tips and expert advice.
Drive website traffic: Use marketing emails to direct recipients to specific landing pages on your website, such as blog posts, product pages, or services. Include compelling calls to action (CTAs) and links.

Creating suitable types of content for your automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, or race shop is crucial for boosting your brand's visibility, engaging your audience, and driving success.

Some of the best ways to connect with your audience, establish expertise, and build trust is through blog posts, social media pages, videos, website content, and email marketing.

Discover Motorhead Digital

Our dedicated digital marketing team at Motorhead Digital specializes in crafting compelling content.

We offer comprehensive services, including website and blog content creation, email marketing campaigns, and social media management. Our content marketing strategies are tailored to meet your specific needs and goals.

With our expertise, we can enhance your online visibility, improve search engine rankings, establish your brand as an authority in the industry, and effectively reach your target audience.

If you're ready to supercharge your content strategy and elevate your online presence, don't hesitate to get in touch with us today .

6 Ways To Improve Your Auto Shop’s Social Media Presence

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 09:00:00 GMT

Did you know that 43% of consumers follow brands on social media to stay informed about their products and services?

As an auto shop owner, having a strong social media presence is an excellent way to reach potential customers and tell them what your business has to offer.

But with countless other brands fighting for attention on various platforms, it can be challenging to make your mark.

The good news is that a solid social media strategy can help you stand out from the competition and effectively reach your target audience.

In this blog post, we're excited to share six tips that can help you enhance your auto shop's social media presence and take your online marketing efforts to new heights.

1. Define your brand

Your brand is the foundation of your social media presence. That’s why it’s important to establish a clear brand identity that aligns with your values and mission.

When you set up accounts on different social media platforms, you have the perfect chance to show off your brand story, company culture, and all the amazing things you've achieved on each profile.

But how exactly do you define your brand?

Know your mission: Think about why your business exists and what you hope to accomplish. This will help you stay focused and consistent in your messaging.
Understand your audience: Who are the people you're trying to reach? What are their needs, interests, and pain points? This information will help you create content that resonates with them.
Highlight your unique qualities: What sets your business apart from others? Make sure your brand messaging reflects your unique selling proposition (USP).
Find your voice and tone : Develop a brand voice that reflects your business's personality and aligns with your target audience's preferences. This will help you create a consistent brand experience across each social media platform.

Use visuals to communicate your message: Choose colors, fonts, and images that reflect your brand's personality. This will help your brand stand out and be more memorable to your audience.

2. Use high-quality visuals

As an auto shop, posting visual content can help showcase your services and products through social media campaigns.

Use only high-quality images and videos to show off your shop, team, and customers. Share images and videos of the repair process, before-and-after pictures of completed projects, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of your team in action.

Using visually engaging content on your social media networks will help capture your audience's attention and build brand awareness.

3. Post regularly

Consistency is key to developing a killer social media presence.

But as a business owner, you likely have a lot on your plate already. That makes it challenging to find the time to create and post content on social media every day.

Here are some tips that can help you manage a consistent posting schedule.

Create a content calendar: Having a social media calendar in place for your social media posts can help you stay organized and consistent.
Use automation tools: Social media automation tools can help you schedule your posts in advance, so you don't have to worry about manually posting daily.
Repurpose content: Don't be afraid to repurpose old content on social channels or update existing posts with new information. This can help save time and keep your social media channels fresh.
Track your analytics: Most social media platforms allow you to track your metrics to see what types of posts perform best and adjust your strategy accordingly. This can help you optimize your content for maximum engagement.

4. Engage with your audience

Social media is about building relationships. This is why it’s important to regularly interact with your audience by responding to comments, messages, and reviews.

When you respond to your customers, you show them you care about what they say and are dedicated to delivering outstanding service.

At the same time, if you handle negative customer complaints and reviews quickly, you can turn a bad situation into an opportunity to display your excellent customer service skills.

So keep the social media conversations flowing and cultivate a positive connection with your audience.

5. Share industry knowledge

Sharing industry knowledge and insights on your social media feeds is a great way to provide valuable content to your audience.

As a restoration shop, you have expertise in the automotive industry that your audience may not have.

By sharing your knowledge and providing educational content, you establish your business as a thought leader and build trust with your audience.

Some ways to share industry knowledge on social media include sharing videos, infographics, or links to blog posts that provide tips and tricks related to aftermarket restoration.

For example, you could create a video tutorial on removing scratches from a car's paint job or write a blog post about properly maintaining a classic car.

6. Stay up to date

Staying up-to-date is essential for maintaining a solid social media presence.

As social media continues to evolve, new trends and features emerge that can impact your marketing strategy. Here are some ways to stay informed and up-to-date:

Follow industry leaders: Follow the social media accounts of automotive industry leaders to get insights into the latest trends and best practices.
Attend classic car shows: Attending classic car shows and events can be an excellent way to network with industry professionals, showcase your brand and products, and gain insights into the latest trends and innovations in the classic car industry.
Monitor your competitors: Keep a close eye on your competitors' social media presence and engagement with their customers. This can help you identify areas where you can improve your own social media strategy.
Regularly update your strategy: Review your social media strategy regularly and update it as needed. Monitor your analytics, track engagement rates, and adjust your tactics to improve your performance.

Overall, a strong social media presence can be a powerful tool for helping your shop attract customers, showcase your services, and establish your company as a thought leader in aftermarket restoration.

By defining your brand, using engaging visuals, posting regularly, and following the other tips outlined in this blog, you can improve your social media presence and stand out in a crowded digital landscape.

Establish your social media presence with Motorhead Digital

Looking to boost your online presence and increase your reach on social media?

Let the experts at Motorhead Digital help you build and manage your shop's social media profiles.

With our social media creation and management services, you can stay consistent and engage with your audience while growing your business.

Plus, we offer a range of additional services to help you elevate your online presence, including SEO, content marketing, and more.

Collector Car Appreciation Day: Celebrating The Magic Of Classic Vehicles

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 19:12:54 GMT

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There are many ways to get involved in the festivities of CCAD, regardless of whether you are a seasoned collector or just a casual enthusiast. These include:

Show off your ride on social media: Take some shots of your classic car and share them on social media with the hashtag #CollectorCarAppreciationDay. Join the conversation and connect with fellow car lovers to show your passion for these epic machines.
Hit up a museum: Take a trip to a local automotive museum or exhibit to soak up the history of collector cars. Many museums even have special events and displays for CCAD.
Attend a car show: Experience the magic of classic vehicles up close by attending a car show. From vintage hot rods to sleek muscle cars, you'll witness the artistry and engineering of a bygone era.
Host your own car show: If there isn't a car show or event happening in your area, consider hosting your own. Invite friends, family, and other collectors to display their cars in your driveway or a nearby parking lot. You can even add a potluck or BBQ to make it a fun social event.
Support the industry: Even if you can't attend a car show or take a collector car for a spin, there are still plenty of ways to show your support for the automotive restoration industry. Why not visit a local restoration shop and see the magic of car restoration in action? You can also support local businesses by purchasing parts from a nearby supplier.

At Motorhead Digital , we're passionate about classic cars and take great pride in commemorating CCAD alongside our fellow enthusiasts. We believe that classic cars are not just vehicles but are a representation of history and culture.

If you're a classic car enthusiast, don't miss out on the upcoming Collector Car Appreciation Day.

There are many great ways to get involved and show how much the classic car industry means to you.

Why Website Maintenance And Security Is Vital For Your Online Success

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 19:31:08 GMT

Having a website is a must for every business, including yours.

But did you know that keeping your automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, or race shop’s website well-maintained and secure is just as essential?

Not only does your website’s maintenance and security help it run smoothly, but it also ensures that your online presence remains strong and secure against cyber threats.

In this blog, we'll dive into why website maintenance and security are crucial for the success of your aftermarket shop's website.

We'll also provide practical tips to help you keep your website design up-to-date and fully protected.

Get ready to rev up your online presence!

1. Protects against cyber attacks

Protecting your website against cyber-attacks has never been more important. Hacking attempts, malware infections, and phishing attacks are all too common.

These attacks can wreak havoc on your life and business if they succeed. That's why implementing security measures is absolutely crucial.

Examples of how you can protect your website against cyber attacks include:

SSL encryption: SSL encryption ensures any information exchanged between your website and your visitors is encrypted and secure, so hackers can't intercept it and steal your or your customers’ data.
Regular backups: Imagine if your website was hacked or infected with malware - all your hard work and data could be lost! By backing up your website regularly, you can quickly restore it to a previous version in case of an attack.
Malware scans: Malware is malicious software that can infect your website and cause many problems. Scanning your website regularly lets you detect and remove any malware before it does serious damage.

By taking these security measures, you can protect your shop's website, clients’ personal information, and your brand’s reputation.

2. Reduces long-term costs

If you don't keep your website maintained and secure, it could cost you a lot more in the long run.

Imagine what would happen if your website gets hacked or infected with malware. The cost of fixing these issues and restoring your website could be huge.

But by doing regular maintenance, you can prevent these problems from occurring in the first place. It's like taking your car in for regular tune-ups to avoid bigger and more expensive repairs down the road.

By staying on top of website maintenance and security, you can avoid unexpected expenses and keep your website in top condition.

3. Improves search engine visibility

Making sure potential buyers can find your automotive website is crucial for the success of your shop. That's why your automotive website design must be optimized for search engines like Google.

It all starts with having a well-maintained website. This means regularly updating your site with fresh content, such as blog posts, news updates, or product descriptions.

When you choose to do this, search engines will see that your website is active and relevant, which can help improve your ranking.

But that's not all! You also need to ensure your website is optimized for search engines. This means using keywords that people are searching for so that search engines can understand your ideas and what your website or page is about.

Doing these things makes you more likely to rank higher in search engine results, leading to more traffic and potential clients.

The best part? This traffic is often highly targeted, meaning that people who find your website through search engines are more likely to be interested in what you offer.

4. Builds customer trust

Trust is the foundation of any good relationship, and it's no different regarding your relationship with your clients.

A well-maintained and secure website can do wonders for your image and really start building customer trust.

When your website is up to date, easy to navigate, and secure, it shows buyers you're serious about your business and you care about their safety and security. This can instill confidence in potential customers and make them more likely to do business with you.

Protecting your customers’ data and personal information should be high on your priority list. If hackers are able to breach the backend of your website and get that information, all the trust you have worked so hard to earn will be gone in a minute because your website isn’t secure.

When you have a secure website, you're telling potential buyers you're a trustworthy brand and a reliable shop they can count on. Plus, that message can help drive your online success for years to come!

5. Improves accessibility

Making your website accessible means ensuring that everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, can navigate and use your website.

Regular website maintenance with the help of a web designer can help improve the accessibility of your website by ensuring that it meets the relevant accessibility standards and guidelines.

This includes ensuring that your website design is compatible with assistive technologies, such as screen readers or text-to-speech software, and is designed to help users with visual impairments navigate your website.

At the same time, regular maintenance can help you identify and fix any issues hindering accessibility.

For example, broken links, missing alt text on images, and other technical problems can make it difficult for people with disabilities to use your site.

Overall, your website design, maintenance, and security are vital for the success of your online business.

By ensuring your website is well-maintained, secure, and accessible, you can improve the user experience, protect against cyber attacks, reduce long-term costs, and access a world of other benefits for your business.

6. Provides a positive user experience

When it comes to your website, the way it performs can make or break your online success.

Think about it - if you land on a website and it's slow, glitchy, or unresponsive, it's not exactly an inviting experience.

Visitors who encounter these problems are more likely to leave your website out of frustration. They may even look for other options, meaning you lose out on potential customers.

On the other hand, regular maintenance ensures your website runs smoothly and all its features are working correctly.

A well-maintained and fast-loading website can encourage visitors to stick around and engage with your content.

They'll be more likely to explore your website, read your blog posts, or check out your products and services. This, in turn, can lead to more sales and conversions.

Automotive website design and maintenance services!

At Motorhead Digital, we understand that a strong online presence is essential in the automobile industry. That's why we're here to ensure our customers have fully functional and secure automotive websites.

Whether you need to create a brand-new website or just make some improvements to your existing site, our professional designers and developers have the expertise to make it happen.

7 Tips To Improve Your Website’s Rank On Google & Keep Your Audience Engaged

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Mon, 01 May 2023 13:00:02 GMT

If your shop isn't showing up on the first page of the search results, then you might not get many visits despite so many people using Google every day.

There are about 8.5 billion searches on Google every single day, but 75% of people scrolling through the search engine never go past the first page.

If your shop isn't showing up on the first page of the search results, then you might not get many visits despite so many people using Google every day.

So how do you get people to engage with your website, and how do you improve your rank on Google?

It's simple, really, with search engine optimization (SEO) and some helpful tips from the experts!

SEO is designed to get your website seen online by your target audience. By improving your SEO, you'll be able to push your website to the top of the search results, where it'll get noticed by potential clients.

Of course, Google is constantly updating and changing its algorithm. So even if your website was previously optimized for search engines, it might be time to refresh it.

Today we'll show you how to improve your auto restoration and performance shop's rank on Google and how you can keep your audience engaged longer with your website's content.

Dive into these 7 easy tips to improve your SEO and online presence.

1. Create high-quality content for your website

Publishing high-quality content on your website that has valuable information and provides your audience with the answers to their questions is one of the best ways to:

Attract clients
Keep your audience engaged
Get approval from Google
Get your website ranked at the top of the search results

Why?

Because every time a new blog is added to your website, there's a new page indexed on Google, and a new opportunity to rank for keywords and phrases pops up.

The more informative content you post to your website, the more you'll be seen as the expert, and the more Google will recognize you as an authority.

If you want to write content that ranks on Google, be sure to:

Choose relevant topics - always make sure the title and content are relevant to your niche and are something your clients want to read.
Do in-depth keyword research - make sure you know what keywords are ranking for your topics, and be sure to include them in your article.
Make it easy to read and digest - if your content is easy to read, more people will read it and stay on your website, making you look more trustworthy to Google.
Update your blog regularly - SEO is a long game, so you must keep your blog updated with new content.
Stay on top of trends - look at the trends in the auto performance industry, and what your competitors are writing about so you can take advantage of opportunities to attract new clients.

Don't forget your website copy!

It's essential to update your blog as regularly as possible but also update your website content.

If it's been a while since you gave your website copy some love, then now is the time to enhance it. Do in-depth keyword research and rewrite your content to include these new keywords in your headings, body text, meta titles, and descriptions.

2. Build links from reputable sources

Building links for your website is a fantastic way to get your website noticed by Google and get your site boosted to the top spot on the search results.

What is link building?

Getting backlinks is when your website is linked to from another trustworthy website in your industry.

When your website is linked to on another industry site, Google sees this as a recommendation. It notices that you're a trustworthy website and pushes your site to the top of the search results.

How do you build links for your shop's website?

One of the best ways to build links is to get in touch with other companies, shops, bloggers, publishers, event websites, and online magazines and enquire about getting linked on their sites.

You can request them to link to your website on their site or blog post, and they might happily do it for you. But, 9/10 times, they'll probably want a link in return, and some might even charge you a fee.

Links from reputable sites are like gold; they will improve your ranking because it shows Google you're a credible shop to work with.

3. Optimize your website’s performance

No matter how many strategies you try to improve your SEO, if your website isn't performing the way it should, then you won't keep your visitors engaged.

Your website might be hitting the top of Google for specific keywords, but if it fails to keep the attention of your clients, then you're in big trouble.

Before improving your SEO, ensure your website is optimized for usability and user-friendliness.

You can enhance your website's performance by:

Improving the loading speed
Having an easy-to-use navigation
Creating easy-to-read content
Making clear calls to action
Making it easy to contact you
Clearly outlining your products and service

4. Use images and videos

Your visitors are more likely to stay on your site for longer and engage with your content if you have images and videos mixed in with your written text.

Breaking up long walls of content with images, graphics, videos, and even statistics is a great way to make your content easier to read.

The longer your visitors stay on your website, the more Google will see you provide valuable content to its users. When Google sees this, it'll boost your website to the top of the search results page.

Top Tip: You should also optimize your images with alt tags and videos with a title and description. This helps your website rank and improves usability, especially for people using screen readers and assistive technology.

5. Take advantage of social media

Social media is incredibly beneficial to your shop's online presence. Not only will it drive traffic to your website, but it also helps position you as a trustworthy shop to work with.

The best way to get people to visit your website using social media is by linking and sharing your latest blog posts and articles. This provides your followers with valuable content, encouraging them to check out your blog.

You can also link to your shop's website in your bio or about section. Most social media platforms have a space dedicated to connecting a website.

Increasing traffic to your website with the help of social media will prove to Google you're a trustworthy company.

6. Make sure your website is mobile responsive

Most people these days surf the web using their phones or tablets. With this in mind, your website should be mobile-responsive, or you'll lose potential clients.

Think about it this way: if you're surfing the web on your phone and you open a website only to find it won't load or it's too hard to navigate, you'll most likely leave almost immediately. So will your customers.

This high bounce rate will affect your ranking on Google, so you’re losing potential clients and lowering your ranking on the search engine.

Make sure your website is easy to use on mobile devices; if not, contact your developer as soon as possible to make necessary updates!

7. Monitor your ranking

There's absolutely no point in trying to improve your ranking on Google if you're not keeping track of it. If you don't monitor your ranking, how will you know if you're achieving your goals?

Over time your ranking might fluctuate or drop. By staying on top of this, you'll be able to react quickly to keep your website ahead of your competitors.

Try using tools like SERPWatcher or Rank Tracker to keep on top of your ranking, or head over to Google Search Console to check on it manually.

We hope our blog has helped you learn how to improve your website's ranking on Google and keep your audience engaged with your content.

If your website is in need of an update or you want some help improving your ranking, then the team at Motorhead Digital is here to help.

We have years of experience helping automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, or race shops get the clients they deserve with custom digital marketing strategies and website design.

Improve your ranking with help from our team by getting in touch today.

9 Things That Are Missed When Shop Owners Develop Sites On The Cheap

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 00:57:09 GMT

If you've decided today that it's time to make a website, then it's essential to know what to include on your website so it works the way it should as your 24/7 salesperson.

Your shop deserves a website. Without a website, you won't be able to reach nearly as many clients as you would have with one.

Not only does a lack of a website prevent you from getting more leads, but it also makes your business look untrustworthy. Every business has a website these days; without one, your shop will look dodgy and unfriendly.

If you've decided today that it's time to make a website, then it's essential to know what to include on your website so it works the way it should as your 24/7 salesperson.

But, if you've already made a website on a budget, you might need to include some of the most important aspects of a good website.

Why?

Because a cheap website never works out as well as you'd hope.

That's why today we're going to go through all the essential elements your shop's website might be missing and what you should include when creating a new website.

Take a look to ensure your website is as professional as possible.

9 things you might be missing from your auto shop’s website

A lot of things go into creating a perfect website, and it takes effort and detail to make a website right for your shop.

So many things need to be implemented on a site to make it work the way it should, and if your shop is missing some of them, you could be in trouble.

Let's closely examine these six vital elements your shop's website should have.

1. A user-friendly navigation system

There’s no point in investing in a website if your navigation isn’t going to suit the needs and requirements of your audience. With clear and easy-to-understand navigation, your user will know what they're supposed to do, where they should go, and how to find your services.

With a clear, easy-to-use, and simple menu bar, you'll be able to give your website visitors a stress-free experience when visiting the website. But, if your navigation is difficult to understand or your potential client needs help finding what they're looking for, you'll only cause frustration.

Your visitor might even decide to leave before they've had a chance to check out what your auto restoration shop offers.

Remember, your navigation might work perfectly fine on your desktop but it also has to work well on mobile. Make sure you test your site on your mobile device, as a lot of small budget website tend to not work on mobile.

If your website was designed with a poor navigation system, now is the time to change it!

To make straightforward navigation, make sure to keep it basic. Have all the necessary pages on a navigation bar at the top of the screen. You should also make sure it's easy to find the contact page!

A proper footer and footer menu are also very important to proper website navigation. Having a clear, readable footer and footer menu is also great for usability. Make sure to include links on the footer to all the important sections of your website. You wouldn’t believe how many sites our team has found that didn’t have a proper footer!

Top Tip: Your navigation doesn't just have to be accessible on a desktop. It also has to be usable on mobile. Double-check to see if your navigation works on mobile devices too.

2. Interesting & engaging website copy

Without engaging website content, your website will lack everything it needs to convert potential clients. Your website won't be able to attract clients because anybody who visits your website won't understand what you're offering them.

If your website is currently missing a lot of informative copy, then now is the time to act and hire a content agency that can provide you with a high-quality, informative, exciting, and valuable copy for every one of your web pages.

How do you know if your website copy is good?

Good website copy should:

Tell your audience what you do
Show them the benefits of what you're offering
Explain to them how it'll help improve their lives
Demonstrate how they can work with you
Lead them to the next stage of the buyer journey

Your website copy is also crucial for SEO. Without it, your website won't get anywhere near the top of the search results. So make sure the copy on your website is optimized for search engines!

3. An attractive and user-friendly design

Nobody wants to work with a company with an unattractive or unfriendly-looking website design. It's unfortunate, but people judge a book by its cover or, in this case, a company by its website.

If someone loads up your shop's website and sees an untrustworthy-looking site that hasn't been updated in a few years - they're going to guess you're out of business.

Having an unattractive or outdated-looking website will drive clients away. It only takes 7 seconds for a visitor to form an opinion about you, and most of their opinion is based on the design of your website alone.

Some cheaper websites tend to be simple templates made to fit your brand's colors. Even though they're affordable, they won't do your company any favors. To ensure you're attracting and retaining as many leads as possible, make sure your website is:

Nice to look at
Easy to use
Loads quickly - the average load speed is 3 seconds
Interesting to read
Safe to use

Remember! Your website doesn't just have to look nice. It has to work too. So make sure your website is secure, working the way it should, and all your links go to where they should and not to a 404 page.

4. Engaging calls to action

Another critical element of your website that might need to be added is an engaging call to action.

CTAs are crucial for the success of your website, and without them, your user isn't going to know what to do next.

You should have a clear call to action on every page that tells your potential client about their next step. Whether this is to get in touch with you, book a consultation, or sign up for your newsletter - your CTA must be clear.

5. Social proof

Social proof is another part of a website that should always be included. Without it, you won't be able to prove you're a legitimate business providing high-quality service.

These days people are suspicious of working with companies online. By giving them social proof, you'll be able to offer them a sense of security. 88% of people trust user reviews as much as personal recommendations.

Social proof includes:

Testimonials
Case studies
Awards
Certificates
Publications

Social proof is also great for highlighting your fantastic auto restoration and performance projects!

6. Resources for your audience

Many companies see this section as unnecessary sometimes. But we promise you're missing out if you don't have a resources section or blog on your website.

This section allows you to publish blogs, upload articles and give your audience access to free resources they'll find useful. Offering expert advice and tips to car enthusiasts will position you as a reliable and trustworthy business. It might even be the selling point that makes them work with you.

Writing keyword-rich blogs also helps you improve your SEO, so we'd recommend having free resources for your audience on your website.

7. SSL certificate

A lot of budget websites are often missing an SSL certificate which is bad news for your shop. An SSL certificate is what secures your site and shows your visitors that you’re a safe and reliable shop to work with.

What is an SSL certificate?

An SSL certificate is what keeps your website’s data secure and out of harm's way. It helps stop malicious hackers from infiltrating your website and downloading your data and your client’s data.

Your website needs an SSL certificate to keep user data secure at all times. It also verifies ownership of your website and prevents fake versions of your website from being used.

If your website was built on the cheap side or by a developer who didn’t know what they were doing, you probably won’t have an SSL certificate. Double-check to see if you have one on your site, and if not, you should work on securing one for your shop’s website.

8. ADA compliance

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with disabilities from discrimination, and as a website owner, your website must be compliant with ADA by law.

The ADA isn’t just for the visually impaired, despite what some shop owners think, it also includes people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities like deafness and mobility issues, and disabilities like Down Syndrome and Autism.

All these disabilities must be catered for on your website, or you could end up facing heavy fines and even a lawsuit.

To ensure your website is always ADA-compliant, familiarize yourself with the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) .

Here are some of the basic guidelines for making your website accessible to people with disabilities:

Make sure your images have alt text - for users with screen readers
Don’t have your videos or audio on autoplay
Ensure your site is usable with assistive technology like screen readers
Make sure your buttons are clear and easy to press - small buttons can be difficult to press for people with motor disabilities
Put captions on your videos for deaf or hard-of-hearing users

9. Privacy policies and terms of service

Why do you need a correct and up-to-date privacy policy and terms of service?

A privacy policy is necessary to protect your users’ data and adhere to data privacy laws. Your privacy policy enhances the trust between you and your visitor and ensures their information is protected even if you sell your business. It also makes them aware of their rights under GDPR and many privacy laws being adopted in many States.

Several data policy laws require you to have a privacy policy on your website. If you don’t and fail to inform users how your company processes their personal data, you can face fines and other penalties.

A lot of small websites or budget-friendly websites fail to put in a privacy policy which can get your company in serious trouble!

The terms of service, on the other hand, are designed to protect your website and your company. It’s not mandatory by law, but it’s recommended that you have one for your website to protect yourself.

Terms of service allow you to limit your liability and include your own terms for users on your website. For example, you can include rules related to payment to keep your business safe when users are making purchases from your store.

So, ensure your shop’s website has both a privacy policy and terms of service so you know you’re covered.

Why should you invest in a professional website?

Investing in a cheap and cheerful website might save you a bit of cash at the beginning, but as time goes on, you'll notice that a lot of your website has flaws or is missing a lot of the elements we mentioned in today's blog post.

Cheap websites tend to only have the basics, and some might even be a one-pager that doesn't look very impressive to your potential clients.

This means you'll have to spend more money and time working with somebody to fix your website and ensure it's working to the best of its abilities.

Instead of going for the cheap option, invest in a professional website by working with a team that always includes the necessary elements of a website in your design.

The team at Motorhead Digital is here for you whenever you'd like to get started on bringing the perfect website for your shop to life.

We hope our blog has helped you realize what's important and necessary to include in a website. If you'd like a professionally designed website for your auto restoration and performance shop, get in touch with our team today .

What’s More Important For Your Company - Marketing Or Branding?

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 21:33:06 GMT

Most people believe that marketing is what they should be pumping their money into. The more marketing you have, the better off your auto performance and restoration shop is. But what if we told you that this isn't the case?

If we asked you what was better, marketing or branding - what would you say?

Probably marketing, right?

Most people believe that marketing is what they should be pumping their money into. The more marketing you have, the better off your auto performance and restoration shop is.

But what if we told you that this isn't the case?

Without solid branding, your marketing isn't going to do as well as you hoped.

We get asked ‘which is better: branding or marketing?’ a lot. So many shops are interested in knowing which is more important and which will bring in more leads to their business. But we can't give you a definitive answer, not exactly anyway.

If you want your marketing to work, you have to have a clear brand image for your business, and if you want your branding to be of any use, you have to set up a fantastic marketing campaign.

But, for argument's sake, if we had to pick one to focus on first - which is more important?

Today we'll talk about that and show you what to prioritize when putting your budget together for the year.

What’s the difference between marketing and branding?

Okay, before we discuss which is more important for your auto performance and restoration shop, we should talk about what marketing and branding are.

If you already know the differences, skip to marketing vs. branding to get into all the juicy details.

But for those who want a clear understanding, take a look at what marketing and branding are and how they're different.

What is marketing?

Marketing is everything you do to promote your products or advertise your services. It's the strategy you create to ensure your company gets noticed online by your target audience.

You use marketing to push your message, create demand for your shops products and services, and get more people interested in what you're selling.

By using well-thought-out advertising campaigns, your marketing gets you the attention your automotive aftermarket restoration and performance shop deserves. But marketing isn’t just advertisements. It involves everything you need to attract and retain customers for your auto performance and restoration shop.

Great marketing isn’t just throwing money into Facebook or Google Ads. It’s creating a strategy that specifically targets your audience so you can get as many interested clients as possible.

What is branding?

Branding is the heart and soul of your company. When you take your company's personality and apply it to your website, marketing, social media, advertising, blog posts, and anywhere else your audience interacts with your business.

When you create a recognizable brand, you create an image for your company online. You're showing your audience what you're like, what you stand for, and ultimately attract the right customers to you.

This shapes how your potential clients see you and how they view your company and the products and services you sell.

Marketing is ideal for attracting leads, but your branding turns your leads into clients. It's a strategy that shows your audience that you are a trustworthy and authentic company.

For example, our branding consists of our two logos and our corvette mascot Stinger. The colors and fonts we use are also important to our branding but not as important as our voice and our niche.

We help shops in the auto restoration and performance industry improve their online presence and get the attention they deserve to expand and enhance their business online.

Our branding is familiar to our audience and helps them realize that we’re a company that’s dedicated to helping shops like them grow online.

So, now you know what marketing and branding are, it's time to get to the big question.

Which is better?

Marketing vs branding: which is more important?

You can’t market your business online without having a solid brand.

You simply can't.

Why?

Because without branding in your corner, all your marketing will come across as uninteresting, boring, and potentially untrustworthy!

Marketing without a solid brand is almost the same as buying a car from a dodgy dealer. You don't know anything about the seller, and without branding, your audience won't know a thing about you. They won't know what you're great at, what you can offer them, and why they should trust you.

So, when it comes to the question of which is 'better,' we'd lean towards branding first if you don’t have your branding and messaging nailed down. Branding will always be more important than your marketing because branding is what makes your marketing unique. It's what makes you a trustworthy and authentic company. Plus, 81% of consumers need to trust a brand before buying from one.

However, your company can't live on just branding.

Without marketing, your branding is just who you are. It might be the heart of your auto restoration business, but marketing is necessary to help you sell your products.

So with this in mind - where do you start?

Follow these three steps to learn where to put your money first in branding and marketing.

1. Build your branding

Before you do anything else, you should figure out your branding and build a good brand foundation.

Nothing will go right for your business in terms of marketing if you don't know the following:

Who you are
What you stand for
How you sound online

By building a clear brand foundation for your company, you'll be able to make a solid marketing campaign that secures high-quality clients.

But what do you need to start building a brand?

We'd suggest starting by learning:

What your company stands for - your messaging, goals and values
Why should people work with you - what's your USP (unique selling proposition)?
How do you talk online - are you formal or informal?
Who your audience is - build a customer persona
What your brand looks like - colors, typography, photos, logo

Once you've figured out all this, you can create a brand guideline document to help you stay consistent across all your touchpoints.

The key to a successful brand is consistency, and having a consistent brand can increase revenue by 10-20% .

2. Create your website

Now that your branding is sorted, it's time to move on to your marketing! Right?

Not quite.

You've got your branding figured out, but you have to put it somewhere. You have to show your audience your whole new look and personality. To do this, you need a website.

Your website is critical to showing your branding to your audience. It's your number one sales guy who's there 24/7. By putting your brand's personality all over your site, you'll appear as a more authentic and trustworthy business.

But you need a website that matches your branding to capture any leads.

This is because when somebody finds your products and visits your website, they expect to see a high-quality site. If they load up your home page only to find an unusable, unfriendly webpage, they might leave before checking out what you have to offer!

If you already have a website, consider giving it a refresh with the following:

New website copy written in your brand voice
New images
Your new logo or colors

If you don't have a website or you're thinking of upgrading, reach out to a website expert like the team at Motorhead Digital to give your auto restoration and performance shop the website it deserves.

3. Start your marketing

Okay, now you can start your marketing.

Your marketing is everything you need to attract more people to your website, so it's essential to build your website beforehand.

To start your marketing, you'll have to first figure out who you're selling to and where you're advertising.

Discover your target audience, discover where to post your ads, and craft the ultimate strategy to secure high-quality leads! It takes well-crafted ad copy, beautiful images, and an irresistible CTA (call to action) to connect those clients.

There is a lot you can do in your marketing campaign, including:

Content marketing - blogs and guest posts
Social media marketing
Email marketing
PPC (pay-per-click) advertising on Google or social media
Get Local Listings like Google Business Profile, Bing and others

We hope this blog has helped you figure out the differences between branding and marketing and why you should always brand before creating your marketing and website.

Want some help building a brand for your shop? Need a hand creating a website or a marketing campaign?

The team at Motorhead Digital has years of experience helping automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, or race shops improve their online presence.

Get in touch with our team today to start branding or marketing your website online .

Predictions & Industry Insights from the 2022 SEMA Show

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 00:54:39 GMT

Our crew was at the SEMA Show recently & from it, we’ve come up with a few predictions for 2023. We also have some hot industry insights for you to look at.

Overlanding Portfolio Expansion

MHD predicts that Overlanding Manufacturers like Overland Vehicle Systems (OVS) will begin to offer "non-Overlanding" equivalents of their popular products specifically designed for racing (all types), race fans and outdoor sporting and events spectators.

Adding these products to their portfolio will dramatically expand their total addressable market (TAM) and help them tap into new buyers with large amounts of disposable income willing to pay for convenience and comfort.

At Motorhead Digital, we have experienced this first hand with our Orange Raptor outfitted with a 270° Awning from OVS.

We replaced our 10’x10’ EZ-UP canopies with the OVS Awning attached to our Raptor's bedrack. Because it's self-contained, 1 person can set it up in less than 5 minutes. It doesn't need to be "secured" to the ground like pop-up canopies. It has zip-in walls for additional protection and is an awesome addition to our vehicle.

Every time we used it at Watkins Glen International for our GRID Marshall Basecamp or at car shows and events, we had dozens of inquiries about it.

Awnings are just the beginning, too, as we see a need for "viewing platforms" - think rooftop tent without the tent, convenience items like storage, tables, workspaces, lighting, cooking, and protection from the elements.

Manufacturers that move quickly into these new markets (mid-2023) will enjoy a distinct "thought-leadership" advantage in 2023, with more companies joining in 2024.

Car Show And Racing

Watkins Glen International - GRID Marshall Basecamp

Bro-Dozers Become “Tonka Donks”

MHD predicts the wildly popular lifted trucks with massive wheels, tires, and obligatory train horns often referred to as bro-dozers will get a new name – “Tonka Donks.” This name change will align them with their smaller siblings - Donks and Hoonidonks.

This will lend more credibility to this class of vehicles while softening the often sarcastic or derogatory reference associated with bro-dozer.

We don’t predict the elimination of “Bluetooth Driveshafts” in Tonka Donks for the foreseeable future though.

HOONIDONK

TONKA DONKS

Consumers Are Getting Tired Of The EV-Push

We spoke to dozens of attendees, SEMA Education presenters, and TV Personalities about Electric Vehicles, and 100% of them said stop jamming Electric Vehicles down everyone’s throats and let consumers choose what they want to drive.

Most of them also stated that “they wouldn’t even consider an EV because of misleading marketing and news coverage.” They simply don’t buy into the narrative - the “EV-Push”.

Some of them said that given equal marketing attention, they would consider an EV for specific use cases - but not necessarily as their daily driver or work vehicle.

They want the option to choose between different platforms, including ICE, ICE-hybrid, Hydrogen ICE, Hydrogen-hybrid, and EV.

Hopefully - the government, manufacturers, and media will listen.

Get in touch today .

SEMA SHOW 2022: Trends And Discoveries At Future’s Edge

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 12:48:13 GMT

SEMA, the biggest car event of the year, was even bigger in 2022 attendance-wise than in 2021. It felt like there was twice the number of people there this year, and it was an incredible sensation!

The heavy hitters like Ford, Chevy, Honda, etc., not showing up disappointed many people, but Toyota and Dodge were more than happy to take control of the space and deliver a great show.

The multiple building display Ma Mopar put on were very impressive. Their full-court press on the “Last Call’ editions of the Hemi Challenger and Chargers packed their spaces the whole week.

Without question, one of the most impressive cars in the Dodge booth was the fully licensed 1970 full carbon fiber Dodge Charger manufactured by Finale Speed out of Yukon, Oklahoma. Fully licensed meaning you can now open Dodge’s Direct Connection catalog and order yourself one of these works of art. Want to save 1000 lbs of weight building your Charger, make all your friends jealous and have $200k to burn? This is the car for you!

Even though some of the other big guns weren’t there, you wouldn’t have realized with all the awesome things going on. The room was always full of excitement, and the mood was upbeat and positive for the whole event.

What were the trends at the SEMA Show?

The hot iron this year was, for the most part, similar to last year, with a few exceptions.

Of course, ultra-clean high, dollar builds were the norm. The overlanders were gaining popularity, and interesting guest builds were found on the show floor. The ever-present classic car iron with modern power plants and retro mods are always a favorite.

There were a lot of ‘Donks’

There were more truck donks, or “Tonka Donks” as we call them (patent pending), than we have ever seen. Almost more Tonka Donks than any other category of iron!

We also learned that if you have Tonka Donks, you must have a train horn to go with it!

No paint builds

Another popular trend we saw was the “no paint” deal. A paint job is typically graded, critiqued, and judged by how good the metalwork is underneath.

What better way to show just how good your metalwork is than having no paint?

Everything is laid bare for all to see. No hiding. Only your skill and mastery of metal shows. It’s especially impressive to see the beauty of the pure metal bodies and the incredible craftsmanship.

Preserving the right to modify and race our cars and trucks

Compared to modern cars, the ’60s and 70’s cars have finally lost their “fast” status. They were fast for a long time. Especially through the malaise era of the 80s when the new cars were turds.

Current cars are faster than anything before them. Owning an old car now is about cruising and style instead of ruling the road.

Old and new cars are great but do different things and give different experiences. We wonder just how long these inflated muscle car prices will hang on considering aging baby boomers will soon be trying to sell their beloved muscle cars they’re no longer able to drive to a market of car hating millennials.

We were glad to see the SEMA Political Action Committee is active in preserving our right to modify and race our cars and trucks. There are ongoing attempts to ban gasoline, ban access to land, and ban your right to modify your car. The RPM Act (Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports) was a huge initiative by SEMA to save these rights and was the most bipartisan supported bill last year. Although it did not pass, they have built momentum and are charting a new path forward for 2023. SEMA PAC supports these congressional efforts and is a very worthwhile organization to donate to preserve our car culture for years to come.

SAVE OUR RACE CARS

Hoonigan Audi S1 Hoonitron and EV’s

Along those lines, the ever-present push to go all-electric persists. We attended the Ken Block & Brian Scio presentation. Ken and Brian attempted to push the limits of performance of what’s available in electric power by unveiling the Hoonigan Hoonitron and the electric khana video.

We’re die-hard ICE fans, but we witnessed what the all-wheel-drive Hoonitron did on Vegas's streets and agreed it was undeniably cool! What they did in cooperation with Audi development and their engineers was the birth of something new.

Definitely pushing EVs to the limit.

The loss of Ken Block was felt by all of us here, and as an industry, we are diminished. #kenblock43 #kb43ver

Mike Copland and the rise of hydrogen

We don’t feel that quiet EVs are the only band-aid to a clean future for the planet.

Arrington Performance CEO Mike Copland and his visionary 1964 Ford Falcon, which was revealed at the Redline booth, could be the answer we’re looking for.

His creation is cleaner than the cleanest EV.

Why?

Green hydrogen, that’s why!

It runs on hydrogen, and the only emission is water. We’re talking about a zero-carbon footprint! The creation of hydrogen is zero carbon and utilizes wind and hydroelectric power.

We reported on his groundbreaking hydrogen-powered truck last year, and he’s back with even new promising developments.

What he’s doing now is nothing short of amazing.

Copeland has continued to develop the tech since its introduction at SEMA last year. Hydrogen itself explodes fast, three times as fast as gasoline. It has the potential for powerful, more efficient engines with zero emissions.

He’s not the only one who has made this realization.

Google has made big commitments to hydrogen and other places like Walmart and Amazon, which already have fleets of hydrogen-powered vehicles in their distribution centers while producing hydrogen on-site.

The new hydrogen infrastructure is coming, and new refineries owned by companies like Philips 66 are coming online.

Las Vegas currently has the largest hydrogen production with a plant that could support 40,000 vehicles. Last year there were hardly any! Not to mention 3M has developed a powder that creates large amounts of hydrogen.

Another breakthrough is one that was stumbled upon when the power went out during the hydrogen production process. When they returned, they found ten times more hydrogen was produced in the darkness than in the light! Who’d have thought? The tech is evolving more rapidly than anyone predicted.

A key to the development of hydrogen in cars is overcoming its extreme volatility. Copeland’s team made the breakthrough of using port injection of water (while the hydrogen is direct injected).

The water slows the explosion enough to make the combustion much more controllable and efficient.

The exciting news is that Copeland is developing a system allowing you to retrofit your ICE car to run on hydrogen.

Think of the possibilities!

An affordable easy bolt-on hydrogen kit for your car.

There are over 190 million cars already on the road, all being able to convert to hydrogen. Electric can’t say that. A solution like this is so much more cost-effective than everyone selling their ICE cars and buying brand-new expensive electric cars.

The bonus for us car guys is a hydrogen car sounds like an ICE car. Not quiet and soulless like an EV, but raucous and loud like a supercharged V8!

The hydrogen retrofit kit being developed is so far along that they predict it will get CARB zero emissions certification by the end of the year. Predictions are the hydrogen conversion kits should be available in late 2024 or early 2025.

Let’s hope so!

Get in touch today.

How To Make The Most Out Of An Industry Event For Your Brand

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 15:20:58 GMT

Attending an industry event in the automotive aftermarket restoration and performance industry is one of the best ways to get your name out there and to meet people in the industry who will help you on your journey. 95% of people agree that business relationships built through face-to-face meetings are always more successful.

Several conferences, trade shows, seminars, and other events happen throughout the year. These events are designed to meet the industry's needs by showing off new products and highlighting new techniques.

Auto aftermarket industry events and car shows are the perfect places to promote awareness for your business, attract new clients and drive business growth. They also offer a chance to talk to industry leaders and enhance your skills. But, these events take a lot of time, commitment, and careful planning - especially if you want to make the most out of it.

As an auto restoration, performance or race shop, you must choose the events that best benefit your business. You can't attend all of them - that would be nearly impossible! But you can figure out which ones will help you the most.

As soon as you've decided what events you want to attend, it's time to figure out how to ensure you get the best results out of your day or weekend. Today we're going to show you how your auto shop can make the most out of the events you attend this year.

5 tips for making the most out of an event in the auto aftermarket restoration and performance industry

Over the years, the Motorhead Digital team has attended many events across the country. Car shows, seminars, trade shows, and so much more, and at every single one, we've made sure to utilize our time properly.

We know how to handle a busy event, so today, we're letting you in on five tips you can use for your next event.

1. Always make a plan of action

When attending an industry event, whether as a regular attendee, speaker, or sponsor, you should always plan your day to make the most out of it. When you have everything for the day planned out, you'll reduce the stress of having to juggle too many things on the day, and you'll be able to fit in everything you want to do.

You can meet with who you need to meet and see the panels and talks you want.

When creating your schedule, put everything you're doing for each day in the calendar, so you can access your plan when needed. Remember to leave space around the talks or panels you're running, and if you have a booth at the show, be sure to organize it into your schedule and consider delays.

Big auto restoration and performance events are busy, and sometimes the day becomes much more hectic than you realize. Your schedule might change a bit on the day if meetings are rescheduled, or talks are pushed back, but by having a plan ready, you'll be prepared to make adjustments.

The more you plan, the more comfortable you'll be on the day!

2. Pick one place to meet with clients

If you've attended an auto restoration event before, you'll know that these events can be enormous. So big that you could spend an hour trying to find the room you're supposed to be in. There’s a lot of space and too many stairs to climb - especially when you need to make a meeting.

One of the most challenging parts of any event is organizing where to have all your meetings, and it's not easy figuring out all the locations in advance. But, one of the best ways to tackle this meeting spot problem is to arrive a bit earlier, find the perfect spot and tell your clients where the meeting is happening.

This way, you've chosen the space and can stay there as long as possible without running around.

You can meet them at:

Coffee shops
Bars
Open seating areas
Free conference rooms

Choose a place and let your clients know. This won't just make it less tiring for you, but you can rest assured knowing you'll be on time for all of your meetings.

In-person meetings are vital for the success of your company. In fact, 84% of people say they prefer in-person meetings over virtual ones. So don’t go to an event without scheduling in a few meetings with potential clients or vendors!

3. Look for speaking opportunities

Public speaking is often something that a lot of people hate doing. A select few people excel at speaking in front of large crowds, but if you're not one of these people, we understand your fears!

However, in saying that, speaking at an event is a fantastic way to show off how unique your brand is. By organizing to talk about your auto restoration shop or business, you'll have an excellent opportunity to show how your brand will help your potential clients. You might be a little nervous, but embracing this discomfort will provide you with great benefits!

Presenting at an industry event and talking about your expertise will:

Introduce your business to your audience
Position you as an expert in your niche
Reinforce your position as a leader in your area
Bring your business to the front of your audience's minds - meaning they'll pick you over your competitors
It allows you to make a lasting impression
It helps expand your network

If you use slides for your talk, be sure to offer to email them to your audience if they'd like them. This will allow you to get their email for post-event marketing campaigns!

Top tip: If you can get one of your team members to record your talk, you can use it later on your website or social media or create a lead magnet for your brand!

4. Update your social media before, during and after the event

By utilizing your social media presence before, during, and after the event, you'll be able to keep your audience updated and keep them engaged.

Updating social media before the event

People in the auto restoration industry will be checking social media a lot coming up to the event to see who's attending and what's going on. Like you, they want to start planning their day, too, so they will keep an eye on social media.

By posting on social, tagging the event, and utilizing relevant hashtags, you'll come up in their searches, and they'll be interested in what you have to say.

Here are a few things to post before the event:

General post about attending
Something you're going to
Openings for meetings - that they should book them asap
Talks or demos you're giving at the event
Where people can meet you - if you have a booth

Updating social media during the event

During the event, the same people will check social media to see what's happening throughout the day. Plus, anybody interested in your company will be looking to see if you post.

You can upload pictures to your stories on Instagram and Facebook and show people where you're hanging out at the event. This will help keep your clients interested and help them find you.

You could also hold a social media contest during the event. If you have a booth, tell people to take a photo of it and tag you on social media to win a goodie bag or a discount on your shop.

Updating social media after the event

When the event is over and done, remember to post on social media to talk about the time you had. You can post photos of your favorite talks and panels and highlight the best moments of the convention.

If you did a talk and recorded it, remember to tell your audience that you'll be uploading it soon for them to watch, just in case they missed it.

5. Follow up with everybody you meet

After the event, you may be overwhelmed by the number of people you met over the weekend, which is entirely understandable. But once you've gotten back to the office, it's time to follow up with everybody you met.

Send them an email, ask how they are, and ask if they're interested in scheduling a meeting or if they have any questions for you.

If you promised to send out your slides or a recording of your talk, now is the time to do that. Send it to everybody whose email you got, and include a CTA telling them what to do next.

Top Tip: If you have a booth at your next event, get people to sign up for your email campaign by offering them a discount on their first project with you. This will help you get more emails and more sales after the event. You can also offer discounts if they sign up for a project with you on the day.

We hope you feel more prepared for your next auto restoration and performance event, but is your website prepared?

A lot of people at the event will be going straight for your site - before, during, and after the event. If you want them to stick around and check out your services, you have to ensure your website is up to standard.

Want some help polishing your branding and updating your website?

We're here to help!

The team at Motorhead Digital has years of experience working with brands to build badass websites and improve their online presence.

Get in touch and work with our team today.

2023 Digital Marketing Tips For Auto Restoration And Performance Shops

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 14:40:59 GMT

Happy New Year!

We hope you had an awesome holiday and are looking forward to the next year of business ahead. We know we are!

Our team was already getting deep into projects, but then we thought, what if we did a quick blog showing you what digital marketing tips you should focus on for 2023?

Which is precisely what we’re doing today!

The team at Motorhead Digital has years of experience assisting auto restoration and performance shops in enhancing their presence online with user-friendly websites and stunning marketing strategies.

If you’re getting back into the swing of things, now is the perfect time to put improving your digital marketing strategy on your list of things to do, and we’re here to help.

We have five tips to help you craft the perfect digital marketing strategy for 2023.

Before we get into the exciting digital marketing tips for 2023, we want to remind you why digital marketing is essential for your shop.

In the auto restoration and performance industry, there are a lot of shops out there, and most of them have gotten online to reach more people around the country.

The race is on to get the attention of potential clients and attract them to your website before your competitors can get their hands on them.

Without digital marketing on your side this year, you might find yourself falling back while somebody else takes first place. Nobody wants to lose the project of a lifetime, but without a solid digital marketing strategy behind you, the finish line could be further than you think.

So, to avoid being left behind, use these five tips to enhance your digital marketing strategy today.

Why is digital marketing important for auto restoration and performance shops?

Before we get into the exciting digital marketing tips for 2023, we want to remind you why digital marketing is essential for your shop.

In the auto restoration and performance industry, there are a lot of shops out there, and most of them have gotten online to reach more people around the country.

The race is on to get the attention of potential clients and attract them to your website before your competitors can get their hands on them.

So, to avoid being left behind, use these five tips to enhance your digital marketing strategy today.

5 ways you can improve your digital marketing in 2023

1. Venture into video marketing

Video is the way forward - especially in 2023. People don’t have the same attention span as they used to, and video marketing is a fantastic way to ensure your potential clients engage with your content.

People are much more likely to watch a five-minute video explaining the inner workings of a project or service than to read a two-thousand-word synopsis of the work you just did.

Plus, 88% of people are more likely to invest in your services or products if they’ve seen a video about them.

By having video on your website, social media, or even on a dedicated YouTube channel, you’ll be able to attract many interested clients.

Another great thing about video marketing is it also helps you build trust with your potential clients. With video, your audience gets to know you and your products or services, making it easier for them to see you as the person behind the branding.

For example, by creating a video detailing how you restored the latest car in your shop, you’ll be able to show them how they could get their vehicle restored to the exact factory condition.

You can also do videos that offer them helpful information to assist them with their cars. This positions you as a knowledgeable and brilliant business and helps you build more trust with your clients.

2. Build a modern website

Your website is the core of your company. Without a modern website by your side, you won’t be able to reach as many clients as you deserve. However, just having a website isn’t enough. It has to be a modern and professional website.

From our research in 2022, we discovered that only 45% of auto restoration and performance industry businesses had a professional website.

If your website is old and looks like it was made in 2003 instead of 2023, you’re going to run into issues.

You should make sure your website has the following:

An attractive design
An easy-to-navigate design
User-friendly content
Clear contact information
All the details your clients need to know about your services
Fast load times
Privacy/cookie policies
HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure)
Images and videos
An accessible design

Do I need a website?

If you don’t have a website, then 2023 is the year to get you and your shop online to help you expand your presence in the digital space.

But I have a social media presence - isn’t that enough?

Having a social media presence is fantastic, but it isn’t enough on its own.

Having a modern website that works for your shop will help you get much further with your digital marketing efforts this year.

Find out more about why you shouldn’t rely only on social media .

3. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

You’ve got your website up and running, but it’s not just about the design and the content. Your website needs a lot more to get noticed by your target audience. If you want to get your website to the first page of Google search results this year and onto your clients’ radar, then you must start improving your SEO.

With a fantastic SEO strategy by your side, you’ll be able to boost your website and help it get to the top this year.

You can start enhancing your SEO by:

Improving your content marketing by writing blog posts
Optimizing your Google Business Profile
Gathering high-quality backlinks from reputable websites
Including relevant keywords in your copy
Including meta titles and descriptions for every website page and blog post
Guest posting for industry leaders

You can do a lot to improve your SEO, but it can be a bit overwhelming if you’re not familiar with what to do. Our team is here for you. We’re experts when it comes to SEO and can help you get your site to the top in no time at all.

4. Social media marketing

We did say earlier on that you shouldn’t run your shop on social media alone - but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use social media.

Social media marketing is a massive part of your digital marketing strategy, and without a solid social media presence, you could miss out on many high-quality leads.

How does social media marketing help auto restoration and performance shops?

Social media helps shops in a lot of ways. It puts you in a space where potential clients hang out and connects you with industry leaders.

When you’re on social media, you can also start positioning yourself as the go-to company for your niche by showing your potential clients why you’re the right choice for their restoration project.

How?

Simply by:

Posting regularly and engaging with your followers
Uploading helpful and informative content
Sharing pieces of content from other shops, manufacturers, and businesses

Social media will also help you improve trust with your potential clients, and the more you post and engage with them, the more they’ll think of you the next time they’re looking to start an auto restoration project.

5. Invest in PPC ad campaigns for auto restoration shops

Our last tip for you today is to consider investing in PPC (Pay Per Click) advertising.

PPC advertisements are designed to help your shop get straight to the top of the search results for your chosen keywords. Your shop will be displayed at the top as a beautiful advert, but there’s a catch.

Unlike some of the other tips on this list, PPC can get a little bit expensive if you’re not in the right position for it.

For example, you could pay for months of PPC and get a lot of people visiting your site. But they might not stick around if you don’t have an updated and professional website.

So, before putting a heap of money into paid advertising on Google, Facebook, or other social media platforms, ensure your digital marketing is in order.

You can do a lot this year to enhance your digital marketing and attract more clients to your website.

We hope this blog has given you an idea of where to start, and if you need some help with your digital marketing strategy, we’d be happy to be there for your shop.

Our team has years of experience helping automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, or race shops get noticed online by their target audience.

Get in touch today.

What Marketing Should You Prioritize If You Have Limited Time And Money

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 18:26:29 GMT

If you've only got a limited amount of time and money, then investing it in the right place is vital for the success of your aftermarket auto restoration, performance, race, or restyling shop!

To ensure your marketing investments hit the nail on the head, you have to prioritize the most important places to invest.

From blogging and social media to video and email marketing, they're all essential for your company's online success.

But where should you put all your time and effort first? What should you prioritize to make the most of your marketing and get the best ROI?

Today we'll guide you through each type of marketing you can use to get your name out there. We'll show you what they're used for, how to use them, and what the best option for your shop is.

What type of marketing should you invest in for your automotive aftermarket shop?

There are a lot of marketing strategies out there that you can invest in to make your shop stand out online. But what is the best one to invest in first?

Video, blogging, social media, email, PPC (pay per click)?

With so many options, it can be pretty overwhelming when you're starting off.

Let's take a closer look at the top five marketing strategies for the aftermarket auto restoration and performance industry to help you get a better idea of what you're dealing with.

NOTE: For each section, we used $ dollar signs to indicate the possible cost range in time and money.

1. Social media marketing - $$$ - $$$$$

Be sure to update your social media with a variety of content too, so your audience doesn't get bored. You can post videos, images, and even audio. It's important to post promotional posts and valuable, educational content to help your audience.

Valuable content can include:

Tips
How-tos
Statistics
Entertainment
Behind-the-scenes videos

Promotional posts are important, but if you post too many, they might appear spammy to your followers.

Keep in mind that you first need to know where your audience lives online. For example, if they’re a CEO and they’re on LinkedIn and not on Facebook, spend your time focusing on LinkedIn rather than Facebook.

Also, remember to keep all your social media platforms up to date, even if you post once a week. We can’t tell you how many aftermarket shops have pages that haven’t been updated in months or even years. If someone hits those pages in search, they might think you’re no longer in business, so be consistent. Even if it’s once a week or once a month - post on your social media!

Social media marketing doesn't have to be very expensive either; you can do it yourself if you want to or have someone on your team do this task. If you don't have the time, skill or a team member to do it but still want to reap the rewards of active social media, then hire a 3rd party team that specializes in online digital marketing to take care of your social media for you.

Social media advertisements

Facebook and Instagram ads can be a fantastic way to gain more followers on your social media page if done correctly. They can get you traction quickly and help you gain the audience you’re looking for.

However, social media advertising takes a long time, can be expensive over time, and takes a bit of time to build up a good ROI. Plus, it only works as long as you keep paying for them.

Social media advertising can be great, but building up your online presence on social media will benefit you more in the long run.

We’d recommend investing in social media marketing, and when you’ve built up a following, invest in Facebook and Instagram ads if you have the budget for it.

Pro Tip: See if any of your employees are good at social media and give them the task of updating your social. They could even post live updates of projects they're working on. This will save you both money and time!

2. Content marketing - $$ - $$$

3. Video marketing - $$$ - $$$$$

Video marketing is a brilliant strategy to educate, generate leads, and convert customers. 86% of businesses use video marketing as part of their digital marketing strategy, and thanks to all the technology out there these days, video marketing is relatively easy to do. Even a modern smartphone can record high-quality video!

Video marketing is a lot easier for people to consume too. People tend to interact more with videos online than any written content. With video, your audience will be more likely to like, comment, and share with their followers.

A good video marketing strategy will improve your SEO and encourage people to convert. If you have videos on your website, people will stop to watch them, spending more time on your website and showing Google that you're a reliable and exciting company to push to the top of the search results.

Video also appeals to mobile users and helps build trust with your audience by providing them with educational content. Plus, video marketing enables you to improve the like, know and trust factors between you and your audience. When they see you and your team in the videos and listen to what you have to say, they'll see you're an expert team and will trust your capabilities more.

Here's how to get started with video marketing:

Find the best place to post videos
Set a timeline and budget for your videos
Are you hiring somebody or doing it yourself
Figure out what you want to showcase - behind the scenes or tutorials
Don't forget to track your progress and set goals for yourself
Interact with comments
Mention your audience in your videos to help them feel involved
Include you and your team in videos - this optimizes the like, know and trust factor

If you’re posting videos to social media, why not post them to YouTube too?

YouTube is the second most visited site on the planet, and all those videos you post on social media can easily be uploaded to YouTube. Along with a great keyword-rich title and description, you’ll be able to improve your SEO and chances of appearing in search results.

Pro Tip: If you're uploading videos to YouTube or another video platform, create custom thumbnails and descriptions for your video to make them look even more professional, and make sure your intro is interesting so people keep watching.

4. Email marketing - $$ - $$$

How do you create an email marketing campaign?

The first thing we recommend that you do is to get an account with one of the top email marketing providers: ActiveCampaign, Constant Contact, and Mailchimp. We’re a huge fan of ActiveCampaign and a partner - so you can guess which platform we’d recommend.

Next, you have to start building a list of emails. You can easily build a list of emails by creating an irresistible lead magnet. You can offer your clients complete how-to guides or videos in exchange for their email. Even product discount codes can work - as long as it's valuable to your audience, they'll bite!

And don’t forget all your current clients. They can be included in your list too. So without even doing any of the above, we bet you already have a great list!

Start sending emails, develop a strategy, determine the type of content you want to put into your email, and send it out regularly. You can include your latest blog post with a link to the post, giveaways, discounts, tips and trick and deals in your emails to keep your audience engaged.

Remember, you must send regular emails for your campaign to work properly. Weekly or monthly emails are a great choice but don't spam your audience with daily or worse, hourly emails. We've seen it happen, and it can be extremely annoying.

Email statistics say:

Email is the 3rd most used marketing channel in 2021
Email marketing can yield as much as $36 for every $1 spent
64% of small businesses currently use email marketing as part of their marketing strategy
When it comes to customer acquisition, email is 40x more effective than social media
¾ of marketers say personalization increases engagement
This one surprised us: Birthday emails generate over 3x more revenue than regular marketing emails
A/B testing can improve email conversion by as much as 49%
Over 60% of people will delete or ignore emails that don’t work well on mobile

Source: Blogging Wizard

Also according to the statistics Saturday is the worst day to send emails and Friday is the best!

Email marketing is an affordable way to get more people interested in what you have to offer - much more affordable than PPC (Pay Per Click) advertisement!

Pro Tip: Highlight important events that have happened in your shop to get people invested in your business more. Don’t forget to showcase any new products and projects you’re working on too!

5. Search engine marketing - $$$ - $$$$$

Search engine marketing, also called SEM, is a marketing strategy you should invest in if you want to make the most out of your money.

SEM uses Google and other search engines to advertise and promote your shop, aiming to make your shop appear high on the SERP (search engine results page).

How does SEM work?

The best strategy for search engine marketing involves improving your SEO (search engine optimization). 70% of marketers agree that SEO is better than PPC (pay-per-click) when it comes to generating sales and traffic.

Social media, content marketing, and even video help to improve your SEO. But there are other ways you can enhance it too. For example, Google Business Profile is a key area to target when trying to improve your SEO.

If you don't have a Google Business Profile, then be sure to set one up to enhance your SEO. Google Business Profile is a great tool that doesn't just enhance your SEO it also improves credibility and trustworthiness. It's a fantastic marketing tool to invest your time into, and it's free - why wouldn't you set one up?

Some people also use PPC advertising for SEM, but this method isn't as kind to your wallet as other SEO improvements.

Pro Tip: Optimizing your digital footprint (see our article in the December 2019 THE SHOP Mag) for your website will also improve your SEO. Getting backlinks from trusted websites will show Google or other search engines that you're a reliable company, and they'll push your site to the top of the search results.

Now that you’ve read this article, we hope you have a better idea of what you should focus on regarding your marketing strategy.

There's a lot to think about, and choosing the perfect marketing investment for your aftermarket auto restoration, restyling, race, and performance shop is difficult. But getting the help you need to create the ideal strategy for your shop's marketing is the right step forward.

By investing in an in-house or 3rd party team that knows what they're doing, you can rest assured knowing you'll get a great ROI and improve your company's conversions and sales.

As Seen on The Shop Magazine

Content Is KING And Why You Should Care

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 16:44:50 GMT

Content has always been king amongst marketers - or at least since 1996 when the term was first used in an article by Bill Gates.

He stated that content was where the real money was, and 26 years later, content is still firmly in the 'king' position on the throne.

But, what does ‘content is king’ mean?

Well, without content, there'd be nothing to connect you to your customers. There'd be no lifeline attracting interested parties to your aftermarket shop’s website.

Content or content marketing focuses on the client, and it always has. It highlights how businesses will help their audience and nurtures relationships with prospects.

Today, we're going to show you exactly why content marketing is successful and why it really is the 'king.' We'll also let you in on a few tips about using content to your advantage as an aftermarket automotive restyling, restoration, race, and performance shop.

Why is content king?

Many people will argue what the most crucial aspect of your website and online presence is, but without content, you'd be a bit lost online.

Content helps you connect with your audience, builds awareness of your company and brand, and it encourages people to check out your products and services.

90% of consumers who engage with your business expect brands to provide quality content to their audience that answers a question or addresses an objection - don’t let them down! If done correctly great content will help with customer acquisition as well as retention.

Here are four reasons why content is truly the king of the marketing world.

1. Content builds relationships with prospects and customers

Great content builds strong relationships with your prospects and customers; the stronger the relationship, the more likely your audience will want to work with you and come back again and again. People like to work with those they trust. So, if they already have a relationship with your brand and associate you with positive emotions, they will convert.

High-quality, valuable, and informative content will also improve your brand's reputation and enhance your online credibility. This will also help people see you as an expert in your field.

For example, if you post image and video content and put a face with a name, you'll easily connect with your audience by showing them there's real people behind your brand.

One of our clients that does an exceptional job at this is Level 7 Motorsports from Marion, IL. Owner Jesse Vaughn records and consistently posts videos on YouTube and Instagram showing what’s happening in their performance build shop. He shows how they perform specific tasks, discusses new product updates, reviews the projects they’re working on in the shop as well as what’s happening with their very popular C10 autocross race truck.

Jesse shoots the videos free hand with a GoPro and includes members of his staff in the videos from time to time helping to put a face to the name making a personal connection. This has resulted in Level 7 building trust, Jesse being seen as an expert in his field and building a strong following; best of all loyal repeat customers.

Improving your reputation and keeping your previous customers happy with a continuous supply of quality helpful content will also improve the chances of repeat customers.

What kind of content improves your customer relationships?

There is a lot of content you can create that will improve your relationship, but some of the best types of content include:

Step-by-step
How-to guides
Shop tours and project updates
Up to date project photo galleries
Visual content like informative videos
Personal content, including behind-the-scenes and progress pictures
Entertaining blogs with educational value
Content that is authentically you
Content that includes your clients and staff

Pro Tip: Always post relevant content to your website and social media. Content that doesn't have anything to do with your company could turn off your business prospects instead of helping you get them on board. Adding a bit of personal content like a vacation trip to decompress or team none work event now and then will help people know you at a more personal level but keep it to a minimum.

2. Content improves brand recognition

By creating good content, you can easily establish your business as a trusted and reliable brand online.

The more you post online and engage with your audience, the more people will recognize you, your company and your team. Word will spread about the badass auto restoration, race, restyling, and performance products and services you offer.

But how do you use content to boost your brand recognition?

By being consistent!

If you post regularly and consistently, you will start spreading more and more awareness about your brand. If all the content you're uploading is high-quality, educational, and entertaining, you'll quickly improve your brand recognition.

NOTE: Keep in mind that when we say high-quality we don’t mean that you have to go out and hire a production company and edit each piece. For social media, off the cuff informative content shot with a good quality camera or smartphone will work and is what people are used to seeing on social media.

Pro Tip: Having an easy-to-read and recognizable logo also helps improve brand recognition as well as company colors. So be sure to use them consistently across all your content.

3. Content improves your SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is necessary for getting your company's website high on the search results page. By uploading new content regularly to your website and other social media platform and providing your audience with high-quality, relevant content, you'll easily enhance your SEO!

Without good content, your website has no opportunity to rank high on the search results and if you don't rank for relevant keywords, your prospects won't be able to find you online.

Improve your SEO by posting valuable, keyword-rich content will help enhance your local and search organic traffic. The more you improve your SEO, the more you'll attract interested leads.

Don’t forget that YouTube is the second most visited site on the planet and all those videos that you’re posting so social media can be uploaded to YouTube. Along with a great keywords rich title and description you up your SEO game tremendously as well as your chances of showing up in search. YouTube is a very important search engine no one if talking about.

Pro Tip: If you have a Google Business Profile, don't forget to upload content there. It's the perfect place to improve your SEO! If you don't have a Google Business Profile, you're missing out on a great, free marketing tool.

4. Content influences conversions

When you have a lot of premium content on your website you'll easily attract prospects. Plus, with a good CTA (Call To Action), you'll be able to convert those leads into paying clients. 96% of marketers say that content marketing has been effective for their brand and the more effective it is the more leads you generate. Great copy and clarity convert!

You can improve conversions in your content by:

Customer testimonials (Video testimonials are the best)
Highlighting what you're an expert in
Using irresistible CTAs
Posting about the projects you're working on (What’s happening in the shop)
Uploading photos and videos of your work
Being very clear on all your content with clear titles and descriptive copy

Pro Tip: If you engage with comments and shares on your content, you'll be able to improve conversions too.

How should aftermarket restyling, restoration, race, and performance shops use content to boost business?

Now that you know why content is king, it's time to figure out how to use content to boost the business of your automotive aftermarket shop.

By following these seven tips on how to write and create meaningful content for your business, you'll be able to spark sales and boost your business in no time.

1. Develop a strategy and stick to a plan

By developing and utilizing a strategy, you'll be able to create and organize the correct content to ensure everything gets posted when and where you'd like.

Having a plan and content calendar in place will keep you on track and consistent. As we've already discussed, consistency is key to improving conversions when it comes to content. Without consistency, people that follow you on social media might lose interest and stop paying attention to your posts. Social media platforms may not show your content as often either, making it difficult for your posts to be seen by your audience.

A plan will also help you write, develop and create structured pieces of content instead of letting your mind wander. You'll also be able to distribute the kinds of content and post evenly. For example, posting too many written pieces might get boring for your audience, so be sure to schedule a video or two now and then or even a podcast!

Pro Tip: Don't forget to set goals for your strategy. Without goals, you won't have anything to aim for, and your plan might fall apart! For example, how many clients do you want to reach with your content? How many views do you want your videos or blogs to get each month, was it what you planned for and if not how do you increase traffic to your content?

2. Come up with quality headlines or video intros

A good headline is key to getting your users to interact with your article, video, or podcast episode. No matter what type of content you're posting, you should ensure that the title is impossible to resist.

By writing an irresistible headline, or developing a cool video intro, your followers will immediately click on your content and learn more about what you have to say, what’s happening in your shop, or how you can help them with their project.

Your headline or intro does the heavy lifting for your content; without it, nobody will read your article, watch your video or listen to your podcast. So if you want some sweet interaction from your audience, your headline has got to be good.

Pro Tip: People want to consume content that teaches them something, excites them or makes them smile so be sure to demonstrate this in your headline or intro.

3. Write in your brand’s voice

Writing in your brand's voice is key to improving your brand recognition and making it easier for clients and prospects to engage with your content.

They're your target audience, so speaking in your brand voice and using words and phrases they'd be familiar with will make them feel more comfortable about working with you.

If you're worried about not writing in your brand's voice, create a document detailing everything about your brand voice that makes it unique.

This can include:

Values and mission statement
How your audience speaks
Customer persona
The relationship you have with your audience - casual or formal
Words and phrases you do use and ones you avoid

Pro Tip: Avoid using industry jargon, industry acronyms that only you understand or words your audience typically wouldn't understand. You're there to help them, not confuse them, so stick to words they'd know. We like to use the “KISS” method. K eep I t S imple S tupid.

4. Always provide value to your audience

Nobody wants to read an article or watch a video that won't benefit them in some way - that's why they clicked on it, after all!

When writing or developing copy or video content, make sure you're providing the people consuming your content with value. They want to be able to walk away from what they just read, satisfied that they've learned something from it or in some cases just had a good laugh. Otherwise, it'd be a waste of time, and if they feel like they just wasted twenty minutes or so of their time consuming your content - they won't be back.

As much as we’ve noted in past articles that a great website design is important, findability is more important. You may be wondering what does that mean? Well most people use a search engine, YouTube or other platforms to search with intent. They’re looking for an answer to a question or to address an objection.

You can have the best looking website in the world or hundreds of videos on YouTube or social media but if your content doesn’t answer a question or address an objection, Google and other search engines may not list your content in search and people will not find you.

Remember Google is not there to help you, they are there to help their users (I.E. Customers) find exactly what they’re looking for as quickly and accurately as possible.

More importantly if they do find you and you’re not answing a question or address an objection, they most likely will leave.

Ensure that your articles, podcasts, images or videos contain information your audience can benefit from. Based on current statistics you have about three seconds to grab someone's attention.

If they see that you can provide them with valuable information, they'll see you as an expert in the industry and feel better about possibly working with you in the future.

Pro Tip: If you're unsure what you should talk about in your next video or blog post, head to social media and ask your audience if there's anything they want or need help with. You can also use info from the inquires you get from your customer. What do they keep inquiring the most about? Then develop content around those questions.

5. Make your content easy to understand

When writing content or developing any content regardless of its format, make it easy for your reader to consume and understand.

Nobody wants to scan through walls and walls of text or watch a long video and get nothing out of it after all!

In the case of the written word, break up your text with:

Images
Graphs
Bulleted lists
Highlighted or bold important info
Statistics
Related facts or tips
Videos

Give your readers a break from all the text by putting in relevant images and other media - they'll be more likely to read to the end then!

If you’re creating videos, keep them short if you’re developing long form videos break them up into segments.

Pro Tip: Don't forget to make your CTA easy to read. If your CTA is too difficult to understand, nobody will click on it.

6. Use other forms of media

If you're posting blog after blog or uploading simple text posts to your social media, your audience will get bored.

Don't forget to take advantage of other forms of media!

Use video to your advantage by uploading videos of custom builds and behind-the-scenes videos of events you've attended. People love to watch videos and are more likely to interact and comment on a video than a blog post. Even 88% of video marketers say that video always gives positive ROI.

Most aftermarket shops take hundreds if not thousands of photos of their projects to document a build, post these in image galleries for each build on your site and share the projects’ process online.

You can also use audio to your advantage by uploading audio tips to your social media or email marketing - many people find it easier to listen to audio than read guides.

If you love creating audio content, then consider starting a podcast or look to get on an episode of a podcast in the industry.

Pro Tip: Pictures speak a thousand words, so use this to your advantage when creating written content. Use graphs, pictures, diagrams, and other visual aids to help your reader interact with your blogs, articles, and social media posts!

7. Remember ‘Who Not How’

You're probably reading through this thinking about how you'll get time to do all of this. It's important to remember it's not about 'how' you do it but about 'who' you can get to help you achieve it.

Content is king, but if you're too busy running the important aspects of your aftermarket auto restoration, performance, race, and restyling shop, then delegate the task of content creation to one of your employees - or hire a new face or 3rd party expert to take care of it for you.

Content is vital for the success of your shop online, but this doesn't mean you should feel stressed by all these new tasks or under pressure while trying to take care of your business.

Don't take time away from those important client projects, selling and engaging with your clients. Find the perfect person or the 'who' to take care of your content creation and content marketing for you.

NOTE: For more on the Who Not How concept, check out “Think Who Not How’ in the August Issue of THE SHOP Magazine.

Pro Tip: There are a lot of small tasks in every business that can be given to your employees. If you think something is taking up too much of your time, find out if somebody on your team or a 3rd party expert can take care of it for you.

So, now do you believe content is king?

There's a lot to take away when it comes to developing, writing, filming, and editing content for your business, but it's all worth it. The more content you provide your audience, the more they'll come to see you as the go-to expert in your aftermarket auto restoration, performance, race, or restyling shop.

Start getting the help you need when creating the best content possible for your shop.

As seen in The Shop Magazine

Why Shops Should Attend The SEMA Show

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sat, 01 Oct 2022 19:36:04 GMT

The SEMA Show is a must-visit industry event for the automotive aftermarket and specialty-equipment aftermarket.

If you’ve never visited The SEMA Show before, you might be under the impression that it's just a big car show, but I'm here to tell you today that it's not! The SEMA Show is a trade-only industry event that just happens to include an amazing custom car show.

Don't worry, lots of people think it's only a big car show, and while there are a lot of impressive cars on display, there's way more to the show than that.

The SEMA Show is in the Las Vegas Convention Center, and it's enormous! The convention center includes 4.6 million square feet of convention space and an additional 2.2 million square feet of outdoor space: in 2021 alone, there were approximately 114,000 attendees, exhibitors, and media who participated.

You could easily walk over 40-60 miles during show week, and this year it's the biggest automotive show in North America. There were over 1,300 exhibitors present (As of this writing there are already 1,700 registered for the 2022 show) at the event and over 100 educational sessions.

If you're an automotive aftermarket restoration and performance shop, a restyling shop, or a shop that focuses on custom builds, then the SEMA Show is the place to be.

Even if you're just looking for new innovations to include in your builds or new tools to help you be more productive in your shop, you can learn so much by checking out SEMA. Besides the people, cool builds and tools the SEMA show also offers over 100 expert speakers via the SEMA Education series of talks that you can attend all week. From digital marketing to the HRIA builders panel you’ll come away with more knowledge than you came with.

Pro Tip: If you attend the SEMA Show, which you should, don’t skimp out! Attend the show in its entirety because if you don’t you won’t have time to see everything and you’ll end up missing out on something badass.

What Are The Benefits Of Attending The SEMA Show?

There are loads of benefits to attending the SEMA Show, but here are the top five reasons to attend we think you should take into consideration.

1. Learn About The Latest Industry Trends

At the SEMA Show, you'll be able to see all the latest trends and innovations, in person. There are so many new products and techniques showcased at the show. You can talk to all the great people who built the fantastic cars and applied those new trends and products to their rides.

The most popular customized vehicle in 2021 was the new Ford Bronco.

Broncos were everywhere at the show this year, all customized in different ways. Like the amazing Bronco built by Tucci Hot Rods with snow tracks replacing the wheels! We also saw built-in lift kits, bigger tires, new lights, customized interiors, and all kinds of different aspects that you wouldn’t believe if you didn’t see them right there at the show.

The Jeep Wrangler certainly has some real competition now in regards to customization and build options.

The best part about it is that you could just go right up and meet the person or team who built it and ask them any questions you might have about their build.

2. View All The New Products

One of the biggest things about events like SEMA is getting to the part where you're seeing so many builds that you're starting to notice all these new unique products people have. This will get you thinking, 'hey, I want that in my shop,' and you know what, these shows are the perfect place to get those parts and sometimes you can get some great show deals direct from the manufacturers.

You'll learn so much just by talking to other attendees. Plus, while you're at it, you can talk to some of the manufacturers that provide some of the parts people use to help build their cars during the event.

Pro Tip: If you’ve got something specific you want to ask a certain manufacturer or builder then write it down so you don’t forget! Lots of people want to talk to these amazing industry leaders so if you forget your question you might not get a chance to ask it again.

3. Meet Industry Leaders

The SEMA Show has sub councils and networks like ARMO, HRIA, TORA, the PRO Counsel, and other SEMA councils at the show. They have a breakfast or reception that anybody can go to which lets you meet these sub council members and get to know the amazing volunteers that support them.

So if you're a restoration shop and you want to get involved with ARMO, or you're a hot rod builder and you want to check out and get involved with HRIA, now's your chance! The SEMA Show is the place to be and not an event to be missed.

4. Get Involved At The Event

At the event, there are a lot of SEMA members, and you can talk with them and learn how to get more involved with the events and promote your business.

You can learn how to become a speaker or get a booth at the show to promote your business. This is an excellent opportunity to help you or your business get noticed more in the industry.

5. Check Out New Tools

The SEMA Show also has a vast selection of tools and equipment - most of them brand new to the industry. These tools are the perfect additions to any shop and can help support your team and the projects you're working on.

At the show, you can test out these tools to see if they'll work for you, plus all the vendors are there to talk to you and answer all the questions you might have.

Pro Tip: Before you go to the SEMA Show make a detailed plan for which events you’re interested in attending and which vendors you'd like to visit. Having a plan will make it a whole lot easier for you to navigate through the busy convention center.

Big Events During the Show

There are a lot of awesome things to look out for if you’re attending the SEMA Show like the Monday Night Reveal, Battle of The Builders, New Product Showcase, and other events like the Optima Battery Ultimate Street Car Challenge, which is where they race and do a speed stop the challenge out in the huge lot behind the main event building.

Monday Night Reveal

On Monday night the SEMA show hosts the Monday reveal. This is the event to go to if you’re looking to discover some of the latest vehicles from manufacturers and builders

This year Chevrolet introduced the new 2023 Z06 Corvette’s hardtops and convertibles. They showed off the new EV Hammer and they introduced a 57 Chevy that had been converted to electric. This 57 Chevy had been the test car for Hot Rod Magazine for years - crazy how they converted it perfectly to electric.

Dave Kindig and Kev Dog also unveiled two of his new custom hand-built 53 Corvettes, he also made the announcement that not only will these cars come with ICE motors, but they will be releasing an all-electric version for next year.

Don’t Miss Out On The Battle Of The Builders

The Battle of the Builders starts with a whole load of vehicles but they whittle it down to the top 40 during the show, then the top twelve, the top four, and finally the overall winner.

This year’s top 4 builds were:

Robert Matranga with his ‘55 Chevrolet Bel Air (Hot Rod)
Eddie Pettus with his ’61 Austin Healey Sprite (Sport Compact)
Bryan Thompson with his ’34 Ford Pickup (Truck/Off-Road)
Young Gun Dayton Jacobson with his ’00 Chevrolet S10.

And this year the winner was the beautiful 55 Chevy built by Robert Matranga that cost a million dollars to build!

Pro Tip: Look out for any builders that are hanging out in their booths with their builds. This is the perfect opportunity for you to talk with them about what they worked on.

The SEMA Cruise Out Has To Be Seen!

At the SEMA Show, they host a Cruise Out, which is where they have all the stands set up. Every car on the property drives through those stands and they announce the features and alterations made to each of the vehicles.

Occasionally they chat to some of the builders and honestly, it's just really cool, a big parade of awesomeness.

The Cruise Out goes up the street, past the new West Hall (which is impressive in itself). They gather all the cars in the massive parking lot behind West Hall which is pretty badass to witness.

After the cruise is done, you can go over to the parking lot and participate in an event they call SEMA Ignited. This is just a fun event where they announce the winners of their competition, Battle of the Builders. They also have drifting, concessions, and other smaller events going on.

Pro Tip: Be prepared to walk A LOT while you’re at the SEMA Show so make sure to bring comfortable shoes with plenty of support with you otherwise you’ll end up with sore, tired feet at the end of day one!

See Changes In The Industry, In Person

These days there is so much change in the industry. Every year that passes brings more and more amazing inventions to the world of auto performance and restoration, and at the SEMA Show, you'll be able to see it all.

You'll see things like EV or electric-powered vehicles as well as classic cars that are restored perfectly with electric power. At the show this year, there was even a 57 Chevy, and a Plymouth Satellite restored as electric cars.

One of the highlights for industry change this year was this one truck at the redline oil booth called the Zero Truck.

This 47 Chevy pickup was powered by a hydrogen-powered LS motor. The only thing that came out of the exhaust was water vapor. It was entirely carbon neutral but sounded exactly like a regular V-8 engine. Absolutely fantastic. Watch out EVs.

Pro Tip: If you want to stay on top of everything happening at the SEMA Show then download the SEMA Show app to stay up to date with the latest news about the event including what guests are appearing, what events are happening, and when tickets go on sale.

So, Should You Go To The SEMA Show?

There are so many people I've talked to that say they don't need to go to the SEMA Show that it's just a big car show, and they won't learn anything. If you think it's a waste of time, then I'm here to tell you now, it isn't at all.

The SEMA Show isn't an every year event for most shops. I firmly believe that it's one of those events you have to go to at least once to understand how getting to know the brilliant people in our industry is an excellent experience for your shop.

By visiting the SEMA Show, you'll be able to meet these fantastic builders, learn how they work, and get some major contacts just by walking the floor and chatting with people.

If you haven't taken a look at the SEMA Show yet, I highly recommend marking it in your calendar for next year.

As seen in The Shop Magazine

How To Get Your Time Back By Automating Your Business Processes

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 12:16:10 GMT

When you hear someone talking about automation, you probably think of robots taking over human jobs - like self-driving cars or automated assembly lines - but don't worry, this isn't the type of automation we're talking about.

The automated business processes we’re going to explore help to make pointless, repetitive tasks easier to manage. Automation allows your automotive aftermarket performance, restyling, race, and restoration shop to get more time back to focus on what matters - growing your business.

If you want to start focusing more on building your business instead of wasting hours on pointless tasks, then integrating automatic business processes is the way to go.

Today we'll explain precisely how automation works and how you can use it in your aftermarket auto shop.

What is business process automation?

Did you know that 97% of companies believe automating their processes is necessary for their online growth?

That's fantastic, but what is business process automation, and why is it so important?

Business process automation is where you use technology, tools, and programs to perform annoying repetitive tasks for you. This makes your processes more efficient and frees up your time to do more important things.

There's a lot of technology and software out there that will help you automate your auto performance, restoration, and restyling shop.

Automating business processes usually involves creating an automatic process for:

Customer relations
Marketing
Analytics
Sales processes
Employee management

By getting on top of automation for your business, you'll be able to manage your business a whole lot easier. With automation on your side, you can focus more time on building your shop up as an industry leader and the go-to place for auto restoration.

What are the benefits of automating processes for aftermarket auto shops?

1. Reduce time wastage and cost

You'll have more time to spend on your business by automating your processes. You'll spend less time on boring tasks, there won't be any room for human error, and you'll save money and time getting a tool to automate it.

When you automate your tasks, you're making them cheaper for your business

2. Improve productivity

Handing off mindless tasks and freeing up your employee's workload will enhance productivity because they can focus on what matters. They'll be able to do more work on projects and concentrate on the clients they're working with.

With automated processes, you'll be able to build a team that works better together. 70% of companies believe automation is necessary to create more effective teams for their business.

Some of your team members might have even hated a particular task. By introducing automation to your business, they won't have to do the chore they hate so much. They'll be happier and can focus on other tasks in your shop. 90% of employees feel annoyed when they have to do repetitive and boring tasks that can be easily automated.

3. Quality is assured

When you add automation to your company, you can offer your clients consistent quality. When your client decides to get in contact with you, they'll always receive an instant response.

Consistency constantly fluctuates when humans are involved, but with automated processes, you'll be able to give your audience consistent results.

4. Enhanced communication

Communication is key to any great business. With automation, you can ensure your communication is always in top form.

Automation ensures that every message reaches your clients without fail and that nothing gets lost between tasks. Thanks to automation, you'll be able to avoid situations where a person wasn't notified about a task being completed or a customer being contacted.

This will keep you and your team on top of everything your clients are looking for without spending hours responding to emails and queries.

5. Keep customers happy

The ultimate benefit of automation is client satisfaction. Your goal as a company is to ensure all your clients are happy with your services, and with automation, your customers will get what they need much faster.

If your customer is happy with your service, they will keep coming back and working with you. They might even recommend you to family or friends just because of how efficient you were on their project. So not only is automation key to improving repeat business, but it’s also great for increasing referrals too.

What can you automate in your aftermarket shop?

There are a lot of automation tools out there, and a lot of your business can be automated. Today we're going to look at the three areas we think you should focus on when it comes to automating your shop.

1. Customer service

The first place you should automate is your customer service. You can automate how you onboard clients, interact with them and communicate with them.

An online calendar for scheduling is a great way to automate your booking system. Your clients sign up online, book in for a meeting, and it appears on your in-house calendar, making sure you never miss an appointment.

Not only does this make it easier for you to onboard new clients, but it also makes it easier for your clients to book with you.

Your customers also want their issues solved quickly. By adding email automation, they can instantly get replies to their queries. Email automation reduces the time you have to put into customer care and allows your clients to get what they need right away.

Email automation means you don't have to respond to every email. Instead, you set up an automatic response. You can even set up replies to specific questions, which allows you to spend more time focusing on essential inquiries and other work around your shop.

You can also use self-service portals, allowing clients to get all the necessary information themselves. Live chats that use AI or preloaded responses to frequently asked questions are also a great tool for automation.

2. Marketing

Do you hate spending hours trying to sort out your marketing?

Then marketing automation tools are the answer!

They let you manage your leads and marketing strategies without taking time away from the rest of your business.

For example, you can use auto-response emails to nurture leads and secure new clients for your company, and you won't even have to reply.

When potential clients sign up for your email marketing, they get sent an automatic email detailing everything they need to know about what your shop offers. It'll also show them how and why they should start working with you on their next auto restoration project.

With automation, you won't have to partake in the lead nurturing process. All you have to do is focus on restoring and upgrading the cars that come into your shop.

Another great automation tool for marketing is social media post scheduling.

Nobody wants to spend hours out of their day posting social media posts. Instead, you can get a month's load of social media updates ready and schedule them out in advance, so you don't have to worry about it.

While you're working, your social media can look after itself!

3. In-house operations

The last area you should look at when it comes to automation is your in-house operations. By streamlining your in-house operations with automated processes, you'll be able to save so much time and money.

You can streamline:

Employee onboarding
Project management
Event reporting

But how do you automate in-house processes?

One of the ways you can automate them is by using an LMS (learning management system). An LMS will help you onboard new employees quickly without wasting time going through every inch of your company with them.

Plus, by automating your employee onboarding, you will be able to improve employee retention by 82% and productivity by 70% .

But employee onboarding isn't all automation can do. You can easily enhance your project management by using automation to keep essential data and information in one place.

Using tools like ClickUp , Teamwork , or Asana to stay organized and on top of tasks, you'll never fall behind on a project again!

These tools will send notifications about tasks and update you when tasks are completed allowing you to always stay on top of your workload.

We hope our blog post has helped you discover how to automate your business correctly to improve productivity, efficiency, and quality.

If you're not sure how to automate your business or want some help setting up the right tools, our team is here for you.

At Motorhead Digital, we've been helping aftermarket auto performance, restoration, and restyling shops reach their full potential online.

Get in touch with us today to start improving your processes so you can pull ahead of the competition.

Help New Auto Aftermarket Shop Employees Learn Faster With A Learning Management System

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 17:25:17 GMT

In a busy automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, race or restyling shop, new employee training is probably the last thing on your to-do list. But spending the time to train your employees is good for your staff and good for business.

Properly trained employees stay with your business longer and are more valuable to you and your customers. They feel more confident in their roles, so they are better at customer-facing roles like customer service, and are more productive in their daily tasks.

So even though employee training is probably the last thing on your list, you should consider moving it up a place or two by making room for it in your schedule.

You can train your new employees and let your current staff carry on with their usual duties all at the same time by using a learning management system (LMS). Here’s how:

What’s a learning management system?

An LMS software allows you to create learning materials and deliver them to your employees. You can also track learner progress, run reports on their outcomes, and let learners chat together in a virtual classroom or community setting.

You can create training material out of anything:

Blogs or podcasts you’ve published.
PowerPoint presentations.
Your old paper training manuals.

You can make new content, too, by creating training videos: a powerful tool in a hands-on industry like aftermarket auto restoration, performance, and restyling.

But a good LMS doesn’t stop there. You can use an LMS to communicate with your employees and allow them to communicate with each other: a handy feature to promote genuine learning outcomes, as social learning fuels knowledge retention and creativity.

And the courses, modules, and info you add to y our LMS stay there for future learners and new employees, so once you create training material, you can use it to train staff again and again.

How can an LMS benefit my aftermarket auto shop?

You expect quality craftsmanship and expert knowledge in your aftermarket auto performance, restoration, restyling, and race shop. But your new staff won’t become experts overnight: they need intense and continued training.

Once you’ve walked new employees through techniques in person, your shop could load training videos for specialist techniques and processes that are available to your new employees whenever they need a tutorial.

Instead of interrupting your current staff with simple questions, they could consult the LMS and find their answer independently. When new employees learn independently by consulting the LMS, the knowledge tends to stick around. Learners lose about 50% of the information they’re taught within the first hour unless they have the chance to review it. An LMS offers infinite opportunities to review.

And in every business, there are repetitive tasks that are boring to teach over and over again, as well as required administrative training like the daily documentation of work on projects, time tracking, required sexual harassment, inclusion training, etc. The training is valuable for new employees, but teaching these modules is not a valuable use of your current staff’s time.

With an LMS, your new employees can complete the required training without borrowing time from your current staff’s workload.

Which LMS is right for my business?

There are many excellent learning management systems, but these three would be well suited to an aftermarket auto performance, restoration, restyling, or race shop.

Let’s get started!

We like all three learning management systems described above, but LearnRight is particularly useful because it combines easy course creation and video editing with community-building features and intuitive administrative tools. If you’d like to request a demo, contact LearnRight today .

Here at Motorhead Digital, we specialize in helping automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, race or restyling shops succeed online through digital marketing, website design, SEO services, and online awareness campaigns.

If you’d like to talk about how to improve your business and develop a badass digital marketing strategy, then get in touch with our team today .

Think WHO NOT HOW And Get Your Time Back

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 23:20:34 GMT

Grow your business and get the FREEDOM of Time, Money, Relationship and Purpose

It's hard work running and growing a business with a limited team, and if you’re trying to do most everything yourself it’s even more challenging.

Spreading yourself too thin by attempting to do almost everything yourself in your aftermarket shop is just not sustainable and will hinder growth. With all the ongoing customer requests, projects, invoicing, staff needs, parts searches, etc. as well as keeping the work coming by growing and optimizing your online presence, marketing, and networking will eventually wear you out if it hasn't already.

If you're trying to do everything yourself all the time or with a limited team, you won't be able to grow your business as fast as your competition or others in the industry who have a solid team behind them. In the end you’ll just burn yourself out.

When you first started your shop, you probably had to do everything by yourself because that's all you had. But as you slowly grew, got more customers, generate more profit, and start becoming a well-known shop, you don't have to do everything yourself.

You’ll find over time that trying to do it all yourself becomes very inefficient and unproductive, especially if it’s those tasks you know you need to do to be successful but either hate to do or aren't your specialty.

So, if you're sitting down, staring at all the projects you have going on, the marketing and back office work that’s possibly piling up and wondering how the hell you’re going to take care of all the work while also trying to grow your business - STOP!

Don't think about the HOW ; think about the WHO . Who can you get to help you with this work?

Pro Tip: Write out all the tasks you do that are unrelated to what you love to do in your business. As you delegate tasks to different staff members or 3rd party specialized vendors, cross the tasks off your list and free up more time for you and your business.

Make a list of everything you do in your business, from our marketing to sending invoices to work on project cars.
Rate each of those tasks on how much you enjoy doing them on a scale of 1-5, where 5 is you absolutely love doing that task.
Rate each task again on how good you are at doing the tasks.
Review the list and find those tasks that are ranked low (1-3) in both enjoyment and proficiency. Those are the tasks you need to delegate.

You can also rank tasks based on items that must be done in-house and those that like your marketing, website, social media, bookkeeping, accounting and other tasks that could be handed over to a trusted 3rd party partner.

Let the ‘WHO’ do the ‘HOW’ - stop micromanaging and multitasking!

If you want to take advantage of the Who Not How method, you will have to let the WHO do the HOW.

By this, we mean - stop micromanaging and trust your team! And stop trying to multitask as it’s been proven that Multitasking can actually hinder your performance .

Your internal and external team is there to help you. They've all got their specific roles, and they all excel at what they do best. For this method to work, you have to let them do the job they were meant to do. Get out of their way and give them the go-ahead to do what it is they do best.

FROM THE BOOK:

“The first key to engaging in high-quality teamwork is to not think you know exactly what you’re doing. You’ve got to be open to other people’s ideas. You’ve got to realize that other people’s ideas, solutions, or strategies can be far superior to your own. And that’s a good thing!"

For this to work, your role in this relationship as the shop owner is to bring your A-Game and to start by educating team members and 3rd party vendors about your company's goals, mission, vision, and values and provide them with the assets and approvals so they can effectively do their job in support of your business. After that, they should do most of the work for you while you concentrate on the tasks you love. Remember, time creates money.

Pro Tip: We know it’s hard to let go sometimes so for some tasks writing down the process you’d like them to follow when completing their tasks will ensure the tasks are completed the same way every time. It will also help you give them the space they need to do their job properly.

How do you get the right ‘who’ for the job?

Finding the right person or partner company for each job can be difficult, but it doesn't have to be.

Take a look at your goals for the next 30, 60, 90 days and run a 'who audit' over them. Carefully analyze who you think can help achieve these goals. If you can find somebody who already works for you, great! Giving an already loyal employee more responsibility will remove the hassle of interviewing and vetting potential new hires or third party vendors.

If you don't have someone in your shop who can take over social media, website updates, digital marketing, bookkeeping or any other tasks that are vital to your shop, then you'll have to go on the hunt for somebody new. We all know this but so often we say it’s hard to find that Who these days so we try to do it all ourselves. I know I’ve been there and in the past have said it’s a pain to find and pay someone so I’ll just do it myself. Hours later and with much struggle I finally relent, so now I think WHO NOT HOW first.

The key here is that you want to be looking for partners to complement what you're currently doing and amplify your message without taking anymore of your time. OK maybe a little bit of your time as you'll still need to communicate with them, providing assets and approvals. But in the end a competent third party service provider can help, not hinder your business and reduce your stress.

This is where your ‘who’ audit comes in handy. By constantly updating your ‘who’ audit with the necessary skills, talents, or even personality traits you're looking for in an employee or a 3rd party team to hire for each task, you'll be able to narrow down who you're looking for.

Pro Tip: Some people love doing certain tasks or want to learn new things. Another great way to find the perfect person for the job is to ask your current employees if anybody would like to work in a specific area or learn a new skill! You may find that they have a skill that you didn't know about that could help you in your business.

FROM THE BOOK:

“Rather than viewing people or services as a “cost,” as in the transactional mind-set, everything is viewed as an investment, with the possibility of 10X (10 times), 100X, or even bigger returns and change.”

How do you get the right ‘who’ for the job?

FROM THE BOOK:

Why should you find your ‘WHO’?

Finding a new staff member or 3rd party vendor who will help your business will give you access to four incredible freedoms. These freedoms will help you grow your business and help you get back to doing what you love.

These freedoms are:

1. FREEDOM OF TIME

Finding the ‘who’ for your business will give you more time to do more important things that maybe only you can do or that will help your business grow, that might be “working on your business” rather than “in your business.” You'll have more time to network and find new clients, more time to do what you love, and more time for yourself and your family. Doing everything yourself limits your time, potential, and income. There are only so many hours in a day!

TAKEAWAYS FROM THE BOOK:

You can’t have money freedom until you achieve time freedom.
By freeing up your time, you get the invaluable benefit of freeing up your mind.
By freeing up your time, you can focus on higher impact activities—such as strategizing or creating—which will automatically increase your income.
Improving how you spend your time automatically improves your ability to make money.
Making the single decision to add a Who to a specific area of your life eliminates decision fatigue in that area.
Eliminating decision fatigue from your life should be one of your primary goals if you want to be a high performer and increase your income.

2. FREEDOM OF MONEY

Getting the perfect someone to do specific jobs, like updating your website or managing your social media might cost you money, but by freeing up your time, you'll be able to make more money and focus on more high-value work and clients. Adding a Who to complete tasks you don’t like or aren’t good at eliminates decision fatigue and allows you to be more strategic, which improves your ability to make more money.

TAKEAWAYS FROM THE BOOK:

Focusing on How will greatly limit your ability to make money.
When you focus on How, it’s often based on a scarcity mind-set and cost avoidance.
By seeing Whos as an investment, rather than a cost, you can quickly 10X or more your income and revenue.
By seeing Whos as an investment, rather than a cost, you can create transformational relationships, in which all parties give more than they take, rather than transactional ones.

3. FREEDOM OF RELATIONSHIP

Being the Who for others gives you the freedom to build relationships that goes a long way toward growing your business as they will tell their friends about you. Foster relationships with people who need your valuable skills to do the work they can't. You'll only have time for this once you've found the perfect Who for the tasks that are preventing you from expanding your business, such as digital marketing.

TAKEAWAYS FROM THE BOOK:

Never enter a relationship without having first created value in that relationship.
Never stop creating value and nurturing your relationships.
Always ask “What’s in it for them?” rather than “What’s in it for me?”
If you want to develop transformational relationships, then approach relationships in a transformational, rather than transactional, way.

4. FREEDOM OF PURPOSE

Finding your ‘who’ allows you to achieve bigger goals and work towards becoming even better than you already are. Once you have the help you need to focus your time and resources on doing the things your great at and love doing you’ll be able to set bigger and better goals, collaborate with and help others while ultimately growing your shop, and expand your vision for your business and your life.

TAKEAWAYS FROM THE BOOK:

Collaboration immediately expands your Freedom of Purpose and vision, because what you can do with others is exponentially more than what you can do by yourself.
Collaboration allows you to focus on what you want to focus on and not feel guilty about getting help.
Collaboration transforms the initial intent of the project into something surprisingly better and more impactful than you would have planned on your own. By expanding your vision, your Freedom of Purpose also expands.

Thinking Who Not How can be invaluable to your and your shop and personal life. With Who’s completing tasks and projects you don’t like, you will obtain many freedoms (time, money, relationships and purpose) that will directly impact you, your business, and your family in a positive way.

We hope our article about the Who not the How, has helped you figure out what you need to do to create more time for your business and yourself. Don’t do everything yourself; hire the perfect team to make your life and business easier and more productive.

Looking to add that WHO in-house and your struggling to find new employees? Check out “Now Hiring Digitally” in the December 2021 issue of THE SHOP and learn more about hiring staff online.

If you know you don’t enjoy marketing your business, posting on social media, updating your website, or trying to get more online traffic to your store, let the Motorhead Digital team be your Who.

Get in contact with our team of experts today to start attracting high-value clients to your shop.

Spend Money That Produces Real Marketing Results

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 17:17:46 GMT

It's annoying to invest time and money into your marketing only to get little to no results.

Spending your days on digital marketing that doesn't produce results is heartbreaking!

But how can you improve your marketing to produce real marketing results?

Pay-per-click and Google ads work, but they run out of juice as soon as you stop spending cash on them. So, they're not really worth it unless you already have a decent marketing strategy in place.

There aren't any long-term benefits of paid advertising either, so where should you invest your money in digital marketing?

Today we're going to talk about five marketing techniques you can invest in that will produce great results!

Check out these go-to marketing strategies if you want to feel good about your marketing investment.

How to get the most out of your marketing investment in five steps

1. Invest in SEO

SEO (search engine optimization) is a necessity for marketing investments. The best thing about SEO is that it doesn't cost as much as paid advertising, and it's a long-term solution.

SEO will continue to pay off after you've finished optimizing your website, meaning you can reap the rewards of SEO years after investing in it. 70% of marketers agree that SEO is better than PPC (pay-per-click) for generating more sales.

Search engine optimization is also necessary for improving your ranking on Google. The better your SEO is, the higher up the search engine results you go.

How do you improve your SEO?

Updating your Google Business Profile
Writing keyword-rich meta titles and descriptions
Using relevant keywords in your content and your headings
Adding alt-text to any images on your website
Building backlinks
Increasing the number of citations your business has

What are backlinks?

Backlinks or inbound links are links on different websites that link to your website. Google and a lot of other search engines see backlinks as proof that your website is a reliable website to suggest to their users.

If you have a high number of backlinks, you'll have a higher chance of ranking at the top of the search results.

However, these backlinks must be high-quality, meaning they must come from reputable and trustworthy websites; otherwise, they're entirely useless. In fact, Google often penalizes companies for having links from shady places.

What are citations?

Citations are when your business is mentioned on other websites. For example, if your business is mentioned on YellowPages.com or SEMA.org for example, that would be a citation. The same goes for any blog posts or articles that mention your shop's name. The more relevant to your business the citation is like getting a mention or article on MotorTrend.com the better.

Like backlinks, citations show the search engines that your business can be trusted. Building citations involves sending out accurate and relevant information to your audience, letting them know where to find your business.

Citations that contain your NAP (name, address, and phone number) have to be consistent. If you have a few citations and they all have different info because your shop moved a couple of times or your phone number changed then this will affect your ranking.

It affects your ranking on Google because you’re simply confusing the search engine and in turn, your customers. If you have different information on each citation then nobody will know your correct contact info and location and Google hates this.

So when web crawlers find your business listed on important listing directories, they'll know that you are a genuine, trustworthy business.

You can do a lot more to improve your SEO, and hiring a specialized team to take care of it for you is key to creating the best SEO strategy possible!

2. Update your website

Having an updated, modern-looking website full of all the information your client could need is necessary for a good digital marketing strategy.

Without a working website, your marketing will fall flat. Even if you get clients to your website if they're faced with a dull, untrustworthy-looking site, they won't convert - rendering your marketing useless.

A good website is the only way to get your clients to stick around. We recently conducted some research and discovered that only 45% of shop websites were professional. This meant that a whole 55% of auto restoration, restyling, and performance shop websites looked unprofessional.

To ensure that your clients stick around, start improving your website's appearance and trustworthiness today.

By hiring a team of professional website developers and designers, you can make sure your marketing won't go to waste.

Make sure your website is:

Easy to read
Easy to navigate and understand
Nice to look at from a design aspect
Professional and up to date
Full of all the information your clients need to know
Loads fast
Includes an SSL Certificate

Don't forget to add regular content to your blog too! Having high-quality blogs and articles on your website proves that you're an expert in your industry.

3. Improve your presence on social media

Updating your social media is also important for your digital marketing. By having an up to date social media full of exciting and relevant content, you can attract people to your website.

20% of auto shop businesses still don't have a social media presence which is crazy considering social media has many advantages to marketing strategies.

So many people are on social media, over 4.6 billion to be more exact, and all these people are using and checking social media daily.

The more you post on social media, the more you'll attract people to check out the fantastic work you do in the aftermarket auto restoration, performance, race, and restyling industry.

Make sure you're posting relevant things to your social media too. If it's irrelevant, your audience won't want to interact with you, and they'll skip subscribing or following you.

If you don't have a good social media presence, you're also missing out on the opportunity to foster a relationship with your audience and get real marketing results for your company.

Don't forget to post more than just text and images too! Upload videos of your work or some behind-the-scenes footage of your shop to show your audience what it's like in your business.

4. Enhance your email marketing

If you want to make the most out of your marketing, we suggest focusing on email marketing. You should never underestimate the power it has!

Email marketing has the best return on investment of any digital marketing technique, and less than 25% of auto shop businesses have a functioning email marketing campaign.

Sending regular emails to your audience will encourage them to check out what you have to offer, and it'll keep you top of mind when they're looking for the services you offer.

How do you even create an email marketing campaign?

First, you must create an email list full of interested prospects. The easiest way to gather emails is with the help of an irresistible lead magnet.

Lead magnets can be anything from exclusive content and free downloadables to a discount on their first project with you.

Now that you have a stack of emails ready, it's time to build a relevant, engaging, and valuable email marketing campaign.

Remember, it's important not to spam your audience with countless emails as that might end up driving them away instead.

Try to write a weekly or monthly newsletter to get your readers into a routine of opening your email.

5. Concentrate on your branding

Do you ever wonder how many companies become a go-to for almost every consumer?

How did Starbucks become one of the most popular coffee shops despite fantastic small, local coffee places?

The answer is simple - with branding and brand equity.

Brand equity is the value a brand adds to its products or services simply by being itself. So many people choose to get a coffee from Starbucks rather than a small, local coffee shop!

How do you develop brand equity?

Build greater brand awareness
Communicate what your brand stands for
Engage with your audience
Improve customer loyalty

Brand equity takes time to develop, but the more you work on your marketing strategy, the more you'll be able to position your brand as the go-to aftermarket auto performance, restoration, and restyling shop.

Marketing can be challenging to wrap your head around, especially if you're unfamiliar with what you should be focusing on and when you should be focusing on it.

But, with the right help, you'll be able to quickly develop a digital marketing strategy that works perfectly for your shop.

The team at Motorhead Digital has been working with performance and restoration shops for years, and we know how to help you build the perfect strategy for your digital marketing campaign.

Get in touch with our team today to get noticed online and bring in the high-value projects your shop deserves.

Why Ignoring Strategy Is Costing Your Aftermarket Shop Money

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 19:18:01 GMT

Are you putting a ton of time and money into your digital marketing for your shop but are failing to get any kind of return on your investment?

If you've spent hours posting on social media, buying ads and doing email marketing only to produce zero conversions, you might be in trouble. Without a solid well-defined strategy, the hard work of promoting your shop online will go to waste. You'll lose out on converting new customers and it'll cost your shop a whole lot of time and money.

There's no point in spending all that time and effort promoting your shop online if you don't have a great marketing strategy to back up your work.

When it comes to promoting, talking about, and marketing your shop, you should have an in-depth strategy to ensure that all your efforts are effective and you reach all your goals.

Today we'll show you exactly why a strategy is necessary for your shop's success and how you can formulate the best strategy possible.

Take a look at our expert advice on building the perfect strategy for your shop's online success.

Do shops need an online marketing strategy?

Whether you're writing a blog post, updating your website, posting on social media, buying Facebook or Google ads or even onboarding a brand new client, you must have a strategy and a process.

Without a dedicated strategy, your marketing efforts will fall apart at the seams! Leaving you with an empty shop and bank account.

For example, let's say you decided to invest in some Google ads. Advertising your services on Google is a great idea, and it can help you gain more traction online and get more clients through the door. But, if you don't have a strategy ready or you're not sure what you want your ads to accomplish, you won't get the results you're hoping for.

Beware that $150 Google Ads credit you got in the mail, it could end up costing you thousands of dollars if you start running ads without a solid strategy and plan.

Getting ahead of yourself and rushing into marketing your business online with no plan will only cost your shop more money. You'll also lose out on a lot of time - time that could have been used to develop a marketing strategy that works for your shop.

Imagine spending thousands of dollars on Google Ads only to get zero clients?

Without a strategy in place, you will never be able to get the results you want for your shop's online success.

But how do you even go about building a marketing strategy? How can you ensure that your efforts don't go to waste?

How can you build the perfect digital strategy for your shop?

Shockingly enough 45% of businesses don't have a digital marketing strategy in place - don’t be one of these businesses! If you don't have a strategy set up for your marketing, you won't be able to improve your business online.

Building the perfect strategy for your shop takes a lot of time and effort, and it's not something you can just throw together quickly without a second thought. A strategy must be well planned and thought out to succeed for your business.

Google ads, Email marketing, Social media and so many other marketing tools are really just Tactics. Before you implement any tactics you need to Get Clarity first and then create your strategy before you can utilize any tactics effectively.

To help you make the right choices when building your strategy, we've put together these five easy steps. Build a full-proof marketing strategy for your shop with a little bit of help from the experts.

1. Set SMART goals

Step one is an easy step to take, but it's also vital to the success of your marketing campaign.

For any strategy to work, you must have goals; the best goals to set up are SMART goals!

What are SMART goals?

They're specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-sensitive goals. They're goals that will help you achieve everything you need to become a successful online business.

But why should you use SMART goals? What makes them so unique compared to regular goals.

Well, SMART goals will allow you to stay focused on your work. They'll help make sure that your strategy is implemented correctly. When you've completed your SMART goals, you'll feel inspired to focus on more goals and improve your marketing strategies even more.

With SMART goals on your side, you'll also be able to focus clearly on your strategy and get more people interested in your shop and your work.

Here's an example of a SMART goal;

Secure three new clients with your email marketing strategy in a month.

This is a specific goal; it's measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-sensitive too!

2. Research your market & competitors

To create the best strategy possible for your company, you must research your market carefully to see what's new, outdated, and currently trending in your niche.

By knowing what your potential clients are looking for, you'll be able to adjust your marketing strategy to meet their needs.

Don't forget to keep an eye on what your competitors are doing too. If you don't stay on top of what they're searching for or posting, you could quickly fall behind and become forgotten.

It's essential to keep an eye on your market changes so your strategy will always be relevant and targeted. Nobody will pay attention to what you're offering if you're not relevant.

3. Create buyer personas

You won't be able to create a targeted marketing strategy for your company if you don't have a customer or buyer persona set up.

But what’s a buyer persona anyways you may ask, and why are they so crucial to your marketing strategy?

A buyer persona is a document that details everything about your target client.

It tells you their:

Age
Occupation
Income level
Location
Gender
Family make up
Likes and dislikes
Where they spend their time online
Why do they want to work with you
What stops them from working with you

It also lets you know their pain points and allows you to figure out exactly how to target your advertising towards them.

Having buyer personas at the ready before you create the perfect marketing strategy will help you ensure your strategy is successful. It also enables you to stay consistent across media regarding your marketing efforts.

Did you know that 82% of companies that use personas improve their value proposition.

4. Make sure everything is relevant & consistent

If your message is not relevant or consistent when it comes to your marketing, then you're going to miss the mark and possibly lose out on gaining those new clients you need to keep your shop full. If your marketing is all over the place and doesn't make sense to your target audience, they will simply ignore it.

Why do consistency and relevance matter when it comes to marketing? Have you ever heard of The Rule of Seven ? It’s an old marketing adage that says a prospect needs to see or hear your marketing message at least seven times before they take action and buy from you. This is one of many reasons being consistent and relevant matters.

Simple. It might take your clients a few interactions before they consider working with you, and one small irrelevant or inconsistent post or link will push them away again.

Potential clients need frequent, consistent, relevant interactions with your company to encourage them to convert and become paying clients.

For example, we've seen so many people purchase Google or Facebook ads and send their clients straight to their home page - rather than a focused landing page that’s related to the ad. Yes your homepage is important but in the case of an ad it may be irrelevant to what your client was looking for,

Not only does this delay conversions, but it could also potentially cost you a client! Imagine spending all that time getting your potential clients to notice you, only to lose them at the last step. Your time could be totally wasted if you finally got them to your site but they were confused and just left.

So, if you're creating and buying Google or social ads, link your clients directly to the corresponding page and if possible to a focused landing page.

Social media posts should also always be relevant to keep your potential clients engaged with your company. Don't post things on your social media that have nothing to do with your business or the services you offer - you may just turn off any prospects that were looking at doing business with you.

73% of consumers are impacted by social media posts so make sure you’re being specific and posting relevant content that attracts your audience's attention so you can reel in even more high-value projects.

For your strategy to work, you must continuously post relevant, valuable, and exciting content for your clients. Doing this will secure high-value clients for your automotive aftermarket shop.

5. Put everything together

After setting your goals, researching, and planning your marketing strategy, you should have everything in place to build an irresistible strategy.

Now, you have to sit down and implement it into your shop.

To make it easier on yourself and your team, create a document that maps out every part of your strategy. This is a critical step toward a successful digital strategy.

If you're a bit lost when it comes to implementing a digital marketing strategy for your shop, consider bringing in the big guns and hiring a digital marketing expert who knows exactly what they're doing.

The team at Motorhead Digital has been working with performance and restoration shops for years, and we know how to help you build the perfect strategy for your digital marketing campaign.

Get in touch with our team today to get noticed online and get the high-value projects your shop deserves.

Why Ignoring Your Prospects and Clients is Costing You Money

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 27 May 2022 17:30:52 GMT

Welcome to article 4 in our Why Ignoring Series…

On the surface, you might think that you're giving prospects all the attention they need to make a purchase, enquire about your products and services, and contact you in relation to a project or purchase of a product.

But a lot of things go into a customer journey, and if you ignore or neglect any step of it, your prospects can fall off the tracks and end up not doing business with you. Not paying enough attention to your user journey can even cause you to inadvertently neglect current clients, which will cost you money.

Losing out on a sale or a customer having a bad experience because your customer journey wasn't up to snuff can be incredibly frustrating.

So, before you continue your day, take a look at our guide on how you can stop losing money by accidentally ignoring your current and potential clients.

What is the customer journey?

The customer journey or the “Customer Engagement Lifecycle” as some would call it, is the journey your prospect, then ultimately your client, takes when interacting with your company. It can be browsing your social media, checking out your website, even as simple as interacting with your email series or with you on a phone call.

The customer journey starts the moment your potential client makes contact with your brand. If you want to make sure they keep interacting with you and ultimately make a purchase, you're going to have to make sure there are no holes in the journey ahead.

This journey tells the story of your customer's experiences with your brand. Everything they do to interact with your company contributes to their journey. Whether they're interacting with you on social media, via email, over the phone, in person, or even just on your website. Even after they've made a purchase, they're still on the journey with you.

Now we’re not saying you're doing this on purpose but hey we all get busy and tend to let things fall off the radar. That call that was not returned, an email that was missed or a review that was not responded to. We don’t mean to but when we’re trying to run a successful business things happen.

Mapping out the customer journey for your particular business will help you make sure you're not ignoring any of your prospects. It'll ensure that no prospect or customer slips through the cracks.

What is customer journey mapping?

Customer journey mapping is a strategy that helps businesses gain insight into their customers' pain points. It helps you learn how to optimize and personalize your customer experience.

By mapping out their journey, you'll be able to create a visual story of your customer's interactions with your brand.

This lets you see your business from the eyes of your potential clients. It helps you improve the customer journey so you don't lose out on any possible leads.

Mapping your customer's journey has a lot of advantages, including:

Optimizing your customer onboarding process
Staying in contact with every client and being there when they need you
Understanding the differences in buyer personas
Filling in gaps in your buyer journey
Ensuring that no prospect gets missed or overlooked

How can the customer journey help you stop ignoring clients?

Let's say you send out an email series to all your newsletter subscribers. They'll receive that email, open it up and read what you have to say. They're incredibly interested in what you've written and the advice you're giving in your email from start to finish.

They're sold on your services by the end of the email and want to work with you. So far, the customer journey has been perfect, and you've hit every mark, but when they get to the very bottom of the email, there's no CTA (call to action).

The lack of a call to action at the bottom of the email will create a standstill for your prospect. They don't know what to do next, so they'll close the email. If you for example, in this scenario had added a call to action that read 'contact us today' or 'call us for a quote,' then the prospect might actually contact you rather than doing nothing. Sometimes we have to lead them a bit.

Analyzing the customer journey and pinpointing any major holes or cracks in your marketing strategy process will help you fine-tune your efforts. It'll help ensure that not a single potential client slips through the cracks in your customer journey.

So the next time you compose an email, update your website copy, or post an ad, remember to view it through the eyes of your potential client. Take a look and see if there's anything that would stop your client from leaving the path they're on without converting.

This is just one example of how to look at just one aspect of any business process.

How do you map out a customer journey?

Mapping out a customer journey is an easy and effective strategy to use for your business.

Here are four simple steps to follow to help you understand how to effectively map out and understand your customer journey.

1. Always focus on the customer intent

Remember to put yourself in your customer's shoes when planning out the customer journey. Your clients are why your brand exists, so you have to consider their needs before anybody else.

Many people forget this detail and focus on their marketing, SEO, social media, and branding strategies without taking into account how your prospects and clients are interacting with your brand.

Start by asking yourself:

Are your clients satisfied with their experience?
Is your website easy to navigate?
Can they get all the information they need?

These are all questions you should be asking yourself! If the answer to any of these is no, you have some work to do!

During our research of auto restoration, performance, race, and restyling aftermarket shops, we noticed that 55% of shop websites looked unprofessional . These days 94% of your visitor’s first impressions come from your website design alone! From the start this may ruin the customer journey and makes people feel uneasy about working with you.

If your website isn't up to date and easy to use, you're going to lose out on money by not paying attention to the needs of your prospects.

Remember that if your brick-and-mortar store looks bad on the outside, clients are just going to drive on by. The same can be said about your website. So, make sure your website looks attractive to your potential clients.

This is just one example but there are so many other customer touchpoints besides your website that you’ll want to look at.

2. Pay close attention to customer touchpoints

Every single time your potential clients come in contact with your brand - whether it's before, during, or after they've converted - you have an opportunity to improve your profits.

All these interactions are known as touchpoints.

Examples of touchpoints are:

When your user interacts with an ad on social media
Comments on social media
Visits your website
Fills our a contact us form on your website
Has a phone conversation with you, or
Leaves a review on your Google Business Profile

By paying close attention to these different touchpoints, you'll be able to identify the cracks within your customer's journey and fix them.

Suppose there are no obstacles for your customer to face. Then they'll have an easy and pleasant time interacting with your brand.

This will improve the chances of you getting and keeping them as a returning customer, which is a lot more profitable for your business.

3. Create a graphic to guide you

Creating an easy-to-understand graphic for your customer journey map will help highlight when your customers stop interacting (The cracks) with your brand or get frustrated.

This is where your team can move in, adjust your strategy eliminating the cracks, and create a seamless customer journey for your prospects.

It's impossible to anticipate every possible scenario that's going to happen between your touchpoints and your potential clients. But finding the pain points of the journey and making them more straightforward is a crucial step forward.

Having a graph full of valuable customer data is key to understanding your client's behavior. It'll allow you to fix the problems and identify where you're succeeding too.

4. Engage with your clients

Customer engagement is key to securing as many quality clients as you can effectively support and service. But getting those new customers is only the start. When you’re working on a project for a client the worst thing you could do is ignore them while your working on their project by not keeping them updated on the progress as well as the ongoing costs.

How to engage with your client throughout the project

When you first start your project talk to your client and bring them in to see your shop. Show them where the magic happens and where you’ll be transforming their ride into something spectacular.

Give them a tour of your shop, spray booth, dyno, engine build area, and even your office! Don’t forget to show them all the materials and equipment you’ll be using and explain what everything does to give them a uniquely immersive experience. They’ll end up appreciating the work you do a lot more if you get them involved from the start!

You’ll also want to introduce your client to your entire team so they can get to know the crew that’ll be working on the project. This will create a more personal service which will increase the chance of word-of-mouth referrals and repeat business.

To make things extra special for your client consider documenting everything from start to finish and build a project book that contains everything that went into the project. This is an excellent gift to give your clients as it’ll have a detailed history of the project and all the work you put in to make their ride look as awesome as possible.

Customer engagement isn’t something that only happens over social media. You can and should engage with your customers over:

Email
Private message
Zoom
Website chat
Telephone
Face-to-face

Don’t be that shop that leaves them in the dark while you work. Instead, ask for their cell number or email so you can continuously update them throughout the entire project. Send them text messages or email them images of what you’re working on. Live updates allow your client to feel more involved with the project - it is their car you’re working on after all.

You can continually keep your clients updated with all kinds of things to get them excited about the completion of their project.

They’ll love to see:

Parts and component fitment tests
Parts you’re selecting to use on their car
New parts being installed and tested
Their car on the Dyno and the results
Paint color, fabric, and other styling choices
Realtime progress photos
Paint tests spray out cards for color matching
Engine build and test runs
Before and after shots - also perfect for uploading to your social media!

Even if you’re only updating your client with a few small things now and then they’ll be delighted to get your message. People love to see every little detail that goes into their project because it makes them feel more involved with the experience. Plus, they might share the pictures on social media and tag your shop - giving you some excellent exposure online.

Make time for your clients they’re what keeps your business going and the more you share with them the more respect and confidence they’ll have for you and your abilities.

Remember to pay attention to your current clients as well as your prospects!

Paying attention to your prospects is excellent - you're not going to lose out on any money this way!

But, you should also pay close attention to your current clients as well.

Did you know that it can cost up to 6 to 7 times more to capture a new customer than to retain a current one? Increasing your customer retention by just 5% can also boost your profits by 25% to 95% !

Retaining your customers can be expensive, but it's a lot cheaper than the amount of work you have to put in to make a successful sale again.

Plus, this client will already know how you work. You'll already know what they like and it might be fun to work on another project with a client you've worked with before.

If you want help mapping out your customer journey or need a hand retaining those important, high-profile clients, then give Motorhead Digital a call to make sure you're not losing out on money by ignoring your clients.

Get in contact with our experts today to stop losing out on money by ignoring your prospects and clients. Let us handle everything for you and get your shop the conversions it deserves.

Motorhead Digital Proudly Announces Partnership With Level 7 Motorsports

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 17 May 2022 03:32:09 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 2022, Palmyra, NY - Motorhead Digital, a digital marketing agency that specializes in helping automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, race, and restyling shops get seen online, optimizing their entire online presence to attract better high-value leads, announced recently that they are proudly sponsoring Level 7 Motorsports, a family-owned hot rod shop and custom truck parts manufacturer that also competes in the Ultimate Street Car Association (USCA) and other race series.

“It’s an honor to help Level 7 Motorsports get their name out there improving their overall digital footprint and online presence in the digital space and to support them in their hot rod shop working to increase custom truck part sales. Our goal is to help this amazing small performance business grow and prosper in the automotive aftermarket community,” says Barry Alt, owner of Motorhead Digital.

By partnering with Motorhead Digital, Level 7 Motorsport gets access to a dedicated team of digital marketing specialists that will make their online presence shine. In turn, Motorhead Digital broadens their reach and visibility in the race and truck-build community.

Level 7 Motorsports’ owner, Jesse Vaughn, has become known as the go-to guy for knowledge and custom parts for the Chevy C10 restoration and C10 race truck space. Jesse recently showed his expertise by winning the USCA GTT Truck Class at the Charlotte Motor Speedway with their race-prepared 1978 Chevy C10 pick up. This win also secured a spot at the 2022 SEMA Show and the opportunity to compete in the (OUSCI) invitational. They also recently won the MC Class and Ultimate Truck awards at the Pro Touring Truck Shootout East event in Bowling Green, KY. Upcoming events and races include the C10 Nationals , Road America, LS Fest and SEMA / OUSCI among others. You can watch the Level 7 Motorsports team and other amazing teams compete by tuning into t he OPTIMA Search for the Ultimate Street Car series on MAVTV.

“We are looking forward to working with Motorhead Digital to optimize our online shop, digital footprint and create a marketing strategy to increase our product sales. And we are very pleased and excited to be chosen as the one team Motorhead will sponsor for the 2022 race season. We’re very excited to see where this partnership goes,” says Jesse Vaughn, owner of Level 7 Motorsports.

ABOUT MOTORHEAD DIGITAL

The Motorhead Digital team are digital marketing experts with over 25 years of experience who are focused on supporting automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, race, and restyling shops. Their signature Marketing Maximizer™, Location Maximizer™, and Site Maximizer™ programs will supercharge your digital marketing including website design, social media, SEO search engine rank, content marketing, and your entire online presence so you attract better leads who want to spend more money with you.

ABOUT LEVEL 7 MOTORSPORTS

Level 7 Motorsports is a family-owned automotive performance shop that specializes in turnkey builds, advanced wiring services, plumbing, fabrication, and performance parts sales. Established in 2001, we have over 20 years of experience in building top tier vehicles. We specialize in motorsport-based trucks but can build anything you dream of. Our attention to detail and focus on quality has allowed us to curate a collection of the best parts available in our web store. Please feel free to browse our vehicle build galleries or shop through our large selection of parts available.

For more information about the services provided by Motorhead Digital, visit their website at www.motorheaddigital.com . To learn more about Level 7 Motorsports, their website is www.levelsevenmotorsports.co m .

Why Ignoring LinkedIn is Costing You Money

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Mon, 09 May 2022 21:35:49 GMT

Do you want to target high-value prospects? Do you want to get big projects from higher-value clients into your shop and put your business on the map? If you do then you really need to stop ignoring LinkedIn!

This is a continuation of our 5 part series and discussion about Why Ignoring Your Shop’s Online Presence Is Costing You Money , where we talk about how to get people to your site for FREE.

LinkedIn is another place where you can make your audience aware of who you are. It can be a big part of your Customer Engagement Lifecycle that we discussed in the same article.

Do you want to target high-value prospects? Do you want to get big projects from higher-value clients into your shop and put your business on the map? If you do then you really need to stop ignoring LinkedIn!

Did you know that over 10 million C-Level executives and 37% of US adults use LinkedIn?

Professionals live here and they have money to spend!

It’s not just a job search site anymore! If you're not using LinkedIn or have been neglecting LinkedIn for years, then you're possibly losing out on a whole lot of potential high-value clients.

Don't neglect this platform if you're looking to specialize in high-value projects or if you want to target executives with money to spend. This is where they hang out, and it's where you'll be able to show them your services and convince them to work with you.

LinkedIn is a very powerful social media business tool for automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, race, and restyling businesses because it allows you to connect with industry leaders and high-profile clients and you can even get them to endorse your skills. Our research found that 20% of auto shop businesses don't have a social media presence. We don’t have the numbers but based on what we’ve seen we’re guessing that it’s more like 50% or more for LinkedIn.

If you're one of these shops, then it's time to get on LinkedIn and get in front of more C-Suite executives to show them why you're the right choice for all their car project needs.

As part of your Social Media plan it's essential to be active and engaged on LinkedIn so you can stay connected with your audience and encourage them to work with you.

People spend an average of 3 hours a day on various social media platforms, one of them being LinkedIn.

By having a solid presence on LinkedIn, you can market your shop toward high-profile projects and get the work your shop deserves. Wouldn't you rather have a lower number of high-value projects in the shop than a larger number of low-value works with picky clients?

If you're ignoring your LinkedIn, then there’s a good chance you're going to lose out on the opportunity to get in front of high-value prospects for big wins.

If you're not hungry for professional growth within the industry, then forget about LinkedIn and stop reading now and go back to what you’ve been doing - who needs big profitable projects anyway?

But, if you want to be the top shop to go to and get noticed by higher-value prospects, then take a look at the seven reasons why ignoring your LinkedIn could be costing you money.

7 reasons why ignoring LinkedIn is a huge mistake

1. Someone is always watching on LinkedIn

If you have a LinkedIn personal profile account set up, but you don't use it, don't think for a second that people aren't checking your profile out. More often than not, someone will always be looking at your profile, including potential, high-value clients looking for expert car restoration or performance services.

Suppose your profile is barren and absent of valuable content or information about your services. In that case, these potential big-shot clients are going to swiftly leave your page and find somebody else to take on their project.

Think of it this way. If your brick-and-mortar store doesn’t look the best then people driving by aren’t going to want to work with you. The same goes for your LinkedIn. If your LinkedIn profile is barren then nobody is going to want to do business with you.

By updating your profile on LinkedIn and actively posting, you'll be able to keep your brand fresh. Show your audience that you're a professional shop that knows what it's doing!

On LinkedIn, you're selling you, after all, so make sure everything looks excellent 100% of the time because people are always watching.

2. Highlight your expertise and experience

LinkedIn is the go-to social media platform for business owners which is why having a LinkedIn business page is so important.

If you don’t have a business page for your company then you could be losing out on a lot of high-profile clients. There are a lot of big clients to score on LinkedIn and plenty of executives with money to spend on their next auto performance project.

But, they’re not going to be too interested in working with you if all you’ve got on LinkedIn is a personal page.

People are always looking for great companies to work with on LinkedIn and if you’ve got a personal profile set up that links to a perfectly optimized business profile then you’re assured to capture some high-quality leads.

Having a regularly updated LinkedIn business profile with contact details, high-quality content, and links to your employees will reassure your prospects that you’re the real deal.

3. Connect with your audience and potential customers

Having an optimized LinkedIn business profile is a great way to show off your brand, exhibit your expertise, and highlight the awesome work you’ve been doing throughout the year.

By posting regularly you’ll be able to reassure your prospects that the work you do is the real deal. If you don’t stay on top of your LinkedIn posts then you could be missing out on the opportunity to secure those high-profile clients.

When highlighting your expertise on LinkedIn and posting about the work you do remember to:

Post regularly but don’t overdo it - excessive posting could get annoying to some of your prospects.
Vary the type of posts you upload - if you’re just posting images of your projects consider uploading a short video or linking to an article you wrote to change things up a bit. Keep in mind that if you’re posting to Facebook you can past some of the same info on LinkedIn killing two birds with one stone as they would say.
Share content - by sharing content from others in your industry, especially companies you work with, you’ll show your audience that you’re an active member of the community.
Engage with interested prospects - don’t forget to reply to any questions or comments on your posts. This will show your audience that you’re a friendly company to interact with and encourage them to contact you for their next auto performance project.

4. Get access to important industry news

Your connections will constantly be sharing information on LinkedIn. It's the top place to get the latest industry news, stories, launch announcements, event dates, and so much more.

This is vital to staying on top of the leading processes, equipment, and parts available within the industry. With this knowledge at your fingertips, you'll be able to offer your high-profile clients the best of the best when it comes to auto restoration services.

If you're not on LinkedIn or you haven't bothered to connect with any industry leaders, you're going to lose out on all this great information and insight about things happening within your industry.

LinkedIn can also be used for researching organizations and people who work at them. This means you can target suppliers and potential clients you want to work with.

By joining groups, you'll be able to meet people with similar interests and expertise allowing you to expand your network. Groups also allow you to participate in industry-specific discussions, which is a great place to exhibit your knowledge.

Here are some sample posts from automotive aftermarket experts using LinkedIn to showcase their work and businesses via their profile or business pages:

5. Networking, endorsement and you’re next employee

LinkedIn was built for networking. It lets you get to know industry leaders and talk with like-minded people within the auto restoration and performance industry.

Posting content on your LinkedIn account isn't enough to keep you from missing out on clients. You have to engage and interact with people and connect with them on a more personal level.

By connecting with people in your industry, talking with them, and exchanging knowledge, you'll be able to build relationships that will position you as an expert in your niche.

These links will also recommend and endorse you for your skills and past work. This will encourage future high-profile clients to consider hiring you for their projects.

Making connections on LinkedIn is a very powerful tool. By building your credibility through endorsements and testimonials, you'll become the go-to shop for high-profile projects.

As we noted, LinkedIn is not just a jobs site anymore. But we want to note that businesses posting and people finding jobs here is still a big part of LinkedIn and you may find your next employee here so by having an awesome business page our next employee may just find you here.

6. Improve your SEO

If your LinkedIn account is updated regularly, is full of valuable and relevant information, and positions your shop as an expert in the industry, Google is going to notice you.

LinkedIn matters to SEO because if somebody is aware of your services and wants to learn a little bit more about you, they're going to Google your company. They'll check out your website, your social media, and of course, your LinkedIn profile. Plus, if your company is showing up in various reputable places online, then Google is going to see that you’re an important company and boost you to the top of the search results.

High-profile clients will want to see what kind of person you are and if others have endorsed your skills and provided any testimonials.

As you know their cars are their babies, and they're not just going to hand them over to you without doing an appropriate background check and research!

So, make sure your LinkedIn account is updated so Google knows to push it to the top of the search results when any potential client is looking for your services.

7. Build trust and brand authority

If you're not updating your LinkedIn profile and business pages, or you've left them to gather dust over the years, you're missing out on a fantastic opportunity to enhance your brand's authority and build trust with your potential clients.

You can build trust on LinkedIn by:

Joining groups
Getting endorsements
Engaging with potential clients
Answering questions
Participating in talks
Uploading valuable content
Starting discussions in groups
Posting articles

By offering insightful information to your audience on LinkedIn and in groups, you'll get more people interested in what you have to offer them.

Promoting your brand as an authority within the industry is easy if you're sharing great content on your profile.

If you have an article or guide you wrote and it contains valuable information, you'll be able to enhance your authority. Valuable content shows your audience that you're a knowledgeable company to work with.

Sharing videos on LinkedIn of behind-the-scenes footage of you working on projects will also build trust and credibility. It shows the human side of your company, and people love to engage with video content.

If you want help improving your LinkedIn account, then give Motorhead Digital a call to start enhancing your online presence today.

Get in contact with our team of experts today to stop losing out on money by leaving your LinkedIn to sit and gather dust. Let us han dle everything for you and get your shop seen by all the people that matter.

Check out our last article in the series Why Ignoring Your Shop’s Online Presence Is Cos ting You Money

Why Ignoring Your Shop’s Online Presence Is Costing You Money

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sat, 02 Apr 2022 01:01:46 GMT

Is your website struggling to bring in fresh leads? Are people finding it difficult to locate your automotive aftermarket shop online? This might be because your online presence is lacking.

Get People To Your Site For FREE

In our last article we talked about Why Ignoring Your Website Is Costing You Money . This month we’ll be discussing what you’ll need to do next once you have that shiny new badass website for your shop.

Let’s start by going over short review of some key posts to remember for that badass website.

Is your website struggling to bring in fresh leads? Are people finding it difficult to locate your automotive aftermarket shop online? This might be because your online presence is lacking.

If your online presence is failing you, then now is the time to ramp up your strategies before it starts to cost you even more money than it already has.

Your online reputation is essential for your growth as a business because your audience relies on online research to make informed decisions about purchasing goods and services. If your reputation is poor or you don't have a positive or a very limited online presence you could lose out on clients.

Now, you might think that you don't really have an online reputation so what does it matter? But if you're online, your website is online, and you advertise your services online, you already have an online presence. You're just not aware of it, which is a big problem.

To help improve your online presence, you need to start with your website and your site should:

Represent your work
Give an excellent first impression
Have up-to-date content
Be accessible
Be professional looking
Be easy to navigate on all devices
Have updated security
Be user friendly

Today, we're going to show you what you can do to improve your shop's online presence. Stop wasting money on a website that doesn't get you the leads you're after and start attracting more qualified leads!

Make your audience aware of who you are

This is the first part of the Customer Engagement Lifecycle . When somebody's looking for information on a service, they're going to search online. If you don't have an excellent online presence - then they won't be able to find your business or the information they're looking for on your site. Instead, they'll head over to your competition to check out their services.

If you want to rank at the top of the search results and become a prominent presence online, you have to start making changes. You’ll need to start the next step by getting in front of eyeballs. Otherwise, your well-crafted website will just sit there gathering dust.

Without a solid online presence, your audience won't know who you are or where to find you. It doesn't matter how fantastic your website is. If your audience doesn't know who you are, how do you expect them to find your website?

Visibility and awareness is key to improving your digital footprint, and the best way to enhance your digital footprint is by:

Enhancing your Google Business Profile (previously Google My Business)
Updating your online citations (listings)
Setting up social media accounts that your customers follow
Using email marketing
Getting high-quality backlinks from trustworthy sites*
Engaging with people in the industry

*A backlink is an incoming hyperlink from one web page to another website. The more quality backlinks you have pointing back to your site, the more popular it will be in Google's eyes.

Google Business Profile and your online presence

Local citations are any mentions of your business's name, address, or phone number online. Citations usually include listings on local business directories, comments on industry websites, or mentions on social media platforms.

DEFINITION | Citations = Listing

A local citation is any online mention of the Name, Address, and Phone number of a local business . They include local business directories, websites and apps, and social platforms.

Citations help internet users discover local businesses and can also impact your local search engine rankings and it also helps build trust.

Let's take a look at a few of the improvements you can make in closer detail so you can figure out exactly how to enhance your online presence and get more high-quality leads through the door.

Citations are a great way to boost your SEO Search Rank, and help get discovered by prospects, and improve your online presence so you can demonstrate how badass your services are.

The most popular and important citation to get a hold of is your Google Business Profile or, as it was previously known, Google My Business.

Google Business Profile examples

When we conducted our research into automotive aftermarket performance, restoration, restyling and race shop websites, we learned that only 60% of shops had actually claimed their Google Business Profile!

This was unbelievable! It meant that almost 40% of shops still hadn't availed themselves of this free marketing tool that would help improve their SEO ranking and enhance their online presence.

Google Business Profiles are an awesome way to get noticed online by your audience because it pushes your shop to come up in related search results. 96% of local businesses are viewed 25+ times per month when they have a Google Business Profile set up.

Start getting more high-quality leads to your business by setting up or updating your Google Business Profile today!

The importance of social media to your online presence

I'm not sure if you've noticed or not, but there are a lot of people on social media these days - 3.6 billion people , to be exact. With that many people scrolling on Twitter, interacting with Instagram, and checking out the latest post on Facebook, you'd be mad to miss out on this marketing opportunity.

Social media is an essential tool for improving your online presence and getting noticed online by your target market.

We found that 88% of auto performance, restoration, restyling and race shops did have a social media presence, which was fantastic. However, our research still noticed that 12% of the shops we surveyed didn't have any social media presence at all.

Social media is vital to your online presence, so if you haven't set up your social media, now is the time to do it.

Find out which social media platform your audience favors and set up an account on it. Update it, optimize it and start posting regularly so you can get noticed by interested potential clients. But keep in mind that if you're going to use social media, it’s very important that you post on a consistent basis. When was the last time you visited a business Facebook or Instagram page and the last post was years ago? I know when we see that we wonder if the business is still actually in business.

Social media is another free marketing tool that you can use to reach so many people online. Plus, by int eracting and engaging with your audience and the industry, you'll be able to boost your online presence and get more people interested in what you do.

Why do blogs help you improve your online presence?

Did you know that blogs can help you get 67% more leads every month? That's a whole lot of leads to be missing out on if you're not writing regular blog posts for your shop.

Blogs are terrific for educating your audience and positioning you as a knowledgeable company within the auto restoration industry.

12% of shop websites didn't have an updated blog but if th ey did have a blog and were updating it regularly with valuable and relevant content, their website would rank higher on the search results.

The higher on the search results you rank, the more likely people will see you, open your blog, and consider hiring you to upgrade their vehicles.

People like to feel comfortable with the shops they work with, and by showing them you know what you're doing, they'll be happy to work with you on their next restoration project.

If you want help implementing any of the campaigns and strategies we've talked about today, then give Motorhead Digital a call to start enhancing your online presence today.

Get in contact with our team of experts today to stop wasting money on a fantastic site that doesn’t get noticed online. Let us handle everything for you and get your shop seen by all the people that matter.

Check out our last article in the series Why Ignoring Your Website Is Cos ting You Money

Why Ignoring Your Website Is Costing You Money

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 00:20:09 GMT

Your website is your 24/7 sales representative, and if you put a poor amount of effort or money into developing and designing, it's going to perform as poorly as an untrained employee.

There's nothing better than getting a new website at an affordable price and saving money. Who needs an expensive website anyway? It's just a place to list your services, right? It doesn't need to be anything fancy.

Well, as much as we love a good deal when it comes to your website, we'd argue that bargains are the last thing you should be looking for.

Imagine if your brick-and-mortar location looked like a crappy junk yard on the outside and you got an awesome referral from a past customer, what’s the possibility of that referral driving by instead of coming in to see what you have to offer?

The same goes for your website. If your website design and content doesn't align with the amazing high quality badass work that you do then your potential clients aren’t going to stick around very long to see what you have to offer. Remember that your website is your online headquarters.

Never settle for less than perfection when it comes to your website as you wouldn't for your shop and your clients definitely will not when deciding to bring you their baby and spending money with you. A cheap low-budget website made by an untrained developer or an old outdated website will do your company more harm than good. It could even end up costing you more money in the long run.

With your website, you have to put in the time, money and effort. You have to build it so it speaks to your audience and captures leads regularly. Your website is your 24/7 sales representative, and if you put a poor amount of effort or money into developing and designing, it's going to perform as poorly as an untrained employee.

You wouldn't let a random person restore a classic car just because he has a tool box full of expensive tools, so don't leave a poorly-created website to sell your products and services.

Having an old, outdated or low-budget website could also be ruining your company's reputation and costing you money. Today, we'll show you how a bad website can hurt your business and why you should start by build an amazing website.

6 Ways an old, outdated or low-budget website can damage your company

Cheap websites are as bad as we say they are. Sometimes on the surface they look great but over the years we’ve found that short cuts have been taken that can affect the user experience or even how you show up in search. They also make you look like a company that cuts corners and doesn't care about their own business or the work they do for their clients.

Putting yourself out there as a company that doesn't put the time and effort into their business will ultimately scare away any potential clients, which will result in no leads and no conve rsions.

However, having an updated, modern website that’s always kept up to date with the latest about your company and your work is an assured way to attract clients to your business and encourage them to invest in your automotive aftermarket restoration, performance, race or restyling services.

Don't believe us? Here are six ways having an old, out of date, poorly designed or hard-to-navigate website damages your company.

1. They create bad first impressions

When your visitors land on your website, data shows that it only takes them 2.6 second s to make up their minds about your company based on what they see on your home page.

First impressions are vital to the success of your automotive aftermarket shop. To increase your conversions, you have to create a positive first impression on every visitor that lands on your website. And we’re not just talking about having a great home page, every page needs to be amazing as with the search people don’t always land on your homepage first when visiting your website.

94% of users' first impressions are purely based on the looks of your website. So if you have an unattractive or user unfriendly website design, your visitors aren't going to stick around for long. Plus, 38% of website visitors don't engage with an ugly website at all and 75% of your website credibility comes from the design alone. If your website looks unprofessional, tired or missing what they’re looking for, they'll leave and head straight to your competitors.

Having a low-budget or old outdated website usually means:

Slow load time
Poor navigation
It may not work properly on a mobile device
Bad or uninteresting content
Confusing layouts
Missing information

Don't lose out on sales and give your visitors what they want - a well-designed, easy to navigate, fast-loading website full of relevant and valuable information.

2. They reduce your traffic

If users leave your website as soon as they land on your home page, Google will see this as a huge red flag. Having a high bounce rate will push your website further down the search results and away from the top of search results - and nobody ever goes as far as page two.

88% of website consumers never return to a page they've had a bad experience on and 57% of consumers won't recommend poorly designed websites at all. So, not only will you end up with a ridiculously high bounce rate, but you'll also find it hard to get any referrals or repeat customers.

It's time to stop losing out on potential new customers by updating your website which will lead to improved traffic, longer page view times and more leads.

3. They make you invisible to your audience

You're on the internet to reach out to people and encourage them to check out your extraordinary auto restoration, performance, race or restyling product and services. If you have a poorly built website, your audience won't notice you. You'll be invisible!

Google won't list you so your audience won't be able to find you as they search for your products and services potential clients just won't even know you even exist. If your audience can’t find you, then they can’t hire you!

A poorly designed or old outdated website usually has very little or no SEO improvement work done, which is precisely what your company's website needs to become visible on Google. Without a decent SEO strategy in place, you're not going to get noticed by Google, which means your audience won't see you.

We can’t tell you how many times that we’ve taken in a new customer and learned that Google Analytics and Google Search Console was never set up. Search Console is one of the key ways you can tell Google that you exist and keep Google automatically updated as to the pages on your website and any updates you make.

If you want to reach more of your potential customers, you'll have to update your website and optimize the heck out of it for the search engines. The more SEO work you get done for your shop's site, the more likely you'll show up on the first page of Google for relevant keywords.

There are key things regarding on-site SEO that have to be done when a new site is built as well as maintained as long as the site is live.

4. They waste time & money

In this day and age having a website for your shop is a must, but if you're thinking of going for the affordable option to save a bit of money, then you could be setting yourself up for disaster and added expense and stress.

Going with the affordable option for your company might save you a couple of thousand dollars at the moment, but down the line, that budget site is going to start costing you more.

Let's say you were presented with an excellent, simple site for under $1,500. It'll probably look and perform alright for a couple of months or so, but eventually, you're going to notice it's not bringing in any new sales, it’s missing key elements about your business, it's not loading or working correctly, and you may be constantly getting hacked.

This budget website will need to be fixed or possibly even rebuilt by a professional developer, or you run the risk of turning your company into a business that’s untrustworthy or doesn't pay attention to detail.

So that site that was $1,200 will possibly end up costing you more money to get fixed! Plus, your bargain basement website probably doesn't even represent your company well. If a novice designer/developer made it, they more than likely built it using a template with little changes from the original templates design. This means it'll possibly look like every other website built on that template instead of a site customized for your company.

Please note we’re not saying templates are bad, as some quality templates offer a ton of features, we’re just saying that if a template is used the end result should not look the same as the core template once the site is built. Grabbing a template and just dropping in images and content is not a great solution. This is one of the things you’ll get with a low budget site build.

Think of it this way. You wouldn't buy a low-budget, second-hand or no name part for a build project just because it was a few bucks cheaper. It'll just break quicker, might not fit properly or even damage your reputation as the customer may come back for further repairs that could have been avoided. Instead, you'd get the best quality part that would last.

Here’s a simple website investment guide that you can use for the cost of a net new website build:

$4,495 - $5,495 is the average baseline range if you have a great 8-12 page site with great images and content that just needs a new look and feel.

Need a larger site that's above the b aseline? These are some numbers you can use:

Not only will going with a bargain website cost you more in the long run, but you'll also be wasting a lot of precious time trying to get it fixed.

It takes time to get traffic to your site, and if you've been using a poorly designed site for years, then you've lost time where you could be attracting new clients.

Avoid going for cheap websites - you'll only have to spend more time and money fixing it later.

5. They’re not mobile-friendly

Smartphones alone generate 54.4% of global website traffic . That's over half of the world's online traffic! And 83% of the U.S. population access the web through their phones, tables, or other mobile devices. Are you missing out?

Another key data point to keep in mind is that as time goes by more and more people are using mobile devices in their everyday lives, especially 95% of younger people as you can see in the chart below. If your core target audience is utlizing mobile devices you better make your website mobile ready.

From our research, we’ve discovered that 40% of aftermarket auto shop websites aren’t mobile-ready. If your website isn't optimized for mobile devices, you might run into a few issues. Most old or cheaply made websites aren't mobile responsive, or may not work correctly meaning they're unreadable on phones or tablets.

Being mobile-ready is so important for shops because if somebody’s at a car event and they see your builds they’re not going to wait till they get home to Google your business. They’re going to take out their phone at that second and put your business into the search engine. If they don’t get the results they’re hoping for or struggle to even find or use your site then they’re probably going to forget about you.

Your audience expects to scroll through any website, view your info and project galleries on their phones without any issues. Not only does this stop interested parties from viewing your website but it also drives away any potential clients.

Your old, outdated, and mobile-unfriendly website will only create frustration for your users because it'll

Load slowly
Be unreadable thanks to small text
Have blurred images or images that are too big
Be hard to navigate
Have buggy functionality
Will not rank well in search engines

It's time to update your old outdated or 'affordable' website for something new and more mobile-friendly, so your users can learn more about what you have to offer.

As noted above when researching sites in the automotive aftermarket industry, we discovered that 40% of websites weren't mobile-ready. Is your site one of the 40%?

6. They have poor security

The internet is a fantastic place, but it's also a dangerous place full of malicious hackers. Hackers work around the clock to gain access to websites and mine data to sell online. If your website hasn't been updated in a few years or it's a budget site, your security probably isn't the best.

Over 40% of websites in the industry don’t have an SSL certificate which is incredibly dangerous for your website.

Google wants people to feel comf ortable on your website and if you don’t have an SSL certificate your website isn’t going to be anywhere near the top of the first page of search.

Having high-quality security protocols in place is vital for your safety and the safety of your clients - especially if you keep their data stored on your site.

If you're responsible for any personal customer or sensitive data and your security isn't the best, you might as well just hand the data straight to the hackers.

Plus, losing customer or employee data could put you in serious trouble and might even get you stuck in the middle of a lawsuit.

Some shops think they're safe because they're small, and no hacker will go through the hassle of hacking their site. But getting hacked is a huge deal and can seriously damage your reputation.

Why should you keep your website’s content updated?

As an auto restoration, performance, race or restyling shop you should always keep your website updated with your latest projects and any awards you’ve won. You should also be on top of any new trend that’s happening in the industry including new equipment, products, techniques, events, and industry news.

If you’re not keeping your website up to date with the latest and greatest from your shop then you’re going to fall behind.

A lack of new projects, project galleries and products on your website might make your audience think you’re inactive. So, post every update you can to show your potential clients that you’re constantly creating amazing work and building fantastic restorations.

Posting your awards will give you awesome proof points that you can use to demonstrate you’re a reliable Badass shop to work with. Not showing off your achievements or that SEMA Show award from 15 years ago is just a lost opportunity.

It’s vital that, as a member of the automotive aftermarket industry, you also keep up to date with the latest news and trends in the industry. If you don’t you’re going to fall behind your competitors and possibly lose out on the perfect clients for your business.

We hope our blog post has helped you understand why going for a budget website can damage your reputation and end up costing you more money.

Avoid going for the bargain basement opt ion as much as possible and get your website built by a website design and development professional.

If you're looking for the ideal team to build you the perfect website for your shop or need help with your online marketing, then the team at Motorhead Digital is here to help.

Get in contact with our team of experts today to start improving your online reputation by developing a website that genuinely suits your company.

Check out for our next article in the series Why Ignoring Your Shop’s O nline Presence Is Costing You Money .

Stories Sell. How To Tell Stories From Your Shop To Improve Conversions

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sat, 12 Feb 2022 23:06:47 GMT

People love to connect to good stories. They become invested in a tale of nostalgia, wonder, and amazement. You can connect to your audience by showing them all the fascinating stories you've unraveled over the years.

When you work in the auto performance and restoration industry, you get to meet a lot of interesting people and work on a lot of projects. The stories those people tell you and the history attached to the projects you work on can help fuel your company’s success. The stories live on through your work, so why shouldn't your business live on through those stories, too?

People love to connect to good stories. They become invested in a tale of nostalgia, wonder, and amazement. You can connect to your audience by showing them all the fascinating stories you've unraveled over the years.

Every project you work on will have some sort of story or tale attached to it. It's actually quite unusual to work on a car and not get some kind of dramatic retelling of where the vehicle came from, why it’s being modified, or who owned it before your client. For many, their cars are one-of-a-kind, usually wrapped up in family history and special memories of years ago. Their car is so much more than just a car, it’s a connection to their past.

So, how can a shop tell stories about their customers and projects to help improve conversions and get more visitors?

Today we're going to show you exactly how and why it's a good idea to tell your customer's stories.

Why should you tell your customer’s stories?

In the restoration space, there's almost always a story about how your client found their car and what it means to them.

It's the story of their first car or stories of the history of the car, its past owners, and why it's so important to restore it.

Whatever the story is, it's powerful and can be used to help your shop thrive.

Why are these authentic customer stories so powerful?

People often think that referrals and social shares are the most important things you can ask of your customers. But there's one overlooked gem that could really help your shop soar, and that is customer stories.

Let your customers share their stories with the world so your audience can see how valuable your services are to them.

Here are three reasons you should tell your customers’ stories and display them proudly on your website and social media profiles.

1. Customer stories create a connection for buyers

Your audience wants a reason to work with you. If your customers let you display the story behind their restoration or performance build, then it's going to fill your audience full of excitement and keep them coming back for updates.

If you put up a heartwarming tale about a client's car, then people are going to connect to it. They're going to read it, and if they have a ride they need restoring or modifying, they're going to think about its story and how they're connected to their ride emotionally.

Then they’ll think about getting in touch with you because of how much the story they read touched them and made them feel connected to you and your work.

Adding your clients’ projects to your website or highlighting them on social media is also a huge benefit for the client. It’s exciting for them to see their baby on your website and they’ll be thrilled to be able to share official posts of their project with friends and family.

Posting their project online allows your client to feel that thrill and excitement of working on a project that’s so close to their heart. Plus, the more they share it with their friends and family the more likely it is they’ll recommend you and you’ll get a few more clients through the door.

2. Posting customer stories help build brand advocates

Featuring your customers on your website and telling the world the stories behind their prized possessions will help you develop and improve their impression of your business.

Sure they might have loved the work you've done and are eager to recommend you, but by showing them how much you cared for the stories they told you, you'll be able to unlock even more trust and respect with them.

This will:

Encourage them to educate their peers
Share their thoughts on your work and how amazing your business is
Make them consider working with you again in the future

3. It shows you care

A lot of companies will just take on the clients, do the work, and send them on their merry way. But, by actually listening to the beautiful stories that come with each restoration or performance build project, you'll be able to show not only your current customers but also your future clients that you genuinely care.

By displaying the stories attached to every single project you work on, you'll become more than just another auto restoration shop. You'll be somebody who truly cares about the work they're doing.

You're not just restoring or modifying cars for performance, you're restoring the life inside them too, and this means more than the world to your customers.

How do you get customer stories for your website?

Every project has a story, which means you actually have a lot of content to share with your audience with all the projects you've done.

Most clients will tell you the story behind their ride, either how they got it, who owned it before them or why it means so much to them.

But if you have customers who haven't shared their story with you, how can you get them to tell you their tale? How can you convince them to tell you about their ride's history?

Make it a positive experience

Don't beg them. Just ask nicely and explain to them that by telling you the story behind their badass car, you'll be able to immortalize their story on your website next to the glorious pictures of the finished restoration project.

This will be an excellent piece for them to display at car shows or even to show off to friends and family. What's better than a collection of stunning images of their car? A great backstory to go with it!

By making it a positive experience for your client, they'll be genuinely grateful for the opportunity and happy to promote your company in the future.

Isn’t it time-consuming to get client stories?

Yes, gathering and writing up client stories can take time and effort from you and your team, especially if you don't have a content writer on your roster. Coordinating interviews with each customer, and getting the approval of each client can be time-consuming, but it is worth it.

Outsourcing your customer stories to an experienced content writer with knowledge of the industry will help make the process a lot quicker. They'll be able to create first drafts, contact your clients and work with them to tell the story that best represents their vehicle.

A great way to make sure that everything runs smoothly is to:

Set up a specific and reasonable timeline
Minimize friction by outlining expectations
Organize shared Google Sheets or Google Doc to keep everybody in the loop
Always communicate efficiently

How to start putting your customer stories together

Here's how we think you should organize your customer stories to ensure everything runs smoothly and efficiently.

Message your client to ask them if you can include their story on your website
Get in touch with your writer and connect them with your client
After the first draft is written, review it internally before sending it on to your client
Collect any feedback your client has to ensure that it's authentic and true to their story before writing the second or final draft
Get final approval for the final draft
Publish and promote

If you’re not sure how to start putting your client stories together, then the team at Motorhead Digital is here to help.

Get in contact with our team of experts today to start attracting more potential customers to your shop by telling your customers’ stories online.

Get Higher-Value Clients Into Your Restoration or Performance Shop

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 01:28:43 GMT

6 things you can do right no w! From your website to social media - here’s how to get noticed by prospects with money to spend on higher-value work.

Over the years we’ve spoken to automotive aftermarket shops in the restoration and performance space and many of them tell us they’d rather have fewer, more focused concurrent ongoing projects in their shops that are more profitable than a larger number of projects that are less profitable.

For example, one restoration and custom car builder told us they had 18 projects in their shop ranging anywhere from $80,000 to $200,000 but would much rather have 8 projects that were valued at $200,000 to $450,000. I’m sure you’re thinking, wouldn’t we all … Be it a 250k restoration project or a 50k high performance engine and transmission upgrade there are many ways you can increase the average value of the work that comes into your shop.

What we’ve found is that although the shops we spoke to were great at what they do they never seemed to find the time or put in the effort to keep their websites and online presence up to date, possibly losing out on getting higher value projects through the door.

In this article, we’re going to go through some key steps that can help get your shop noticed by new prospects that have money to burn and want to spend it with you, in turn leading to fewer ongoing projects that are invoiced out at a higher cost and profitability.

1. Develop a professional-looking easy-to-navigate website

Do you want to be seen as a professional shop or as somebody who just tinkers with cars as a hobby on the weekend?

The majority of people just aren't going to pay or trust a hobbyist to turn their vehicle into a high-performance badass masterpiece. If your website and online presence are unprofessional, hard to navigate, or just out of date then you’re probably not going to get as many of those high-value clients as you could be getting.

Now you’re thinking, wait a minute! I get clients from word of mouth and referrals all the time! Word of mouth and referrals are great but there’s a ton of money being left on the table because some people are only searching for your products and services online.

To become that go-to shop for high-value projects you need to walk the walk, talk the talk, and have a website that makes you look like the badass shop you are; conveying with it that you can handle those big performance builds or restoration projects.

Here are two ways you can make your website look professional and start attracting more high-value clients to your shop.

Make sure your website is mobile-friendly

If your website isn’t mobile-friendly or mobile-ready, people will get annoyed and frustrated not being able to click on buttons or navigate to different areas of your site. How many websites have you visited where you’ve had to zoom in on your phone just to read the tiny copy or view an image that won’t enlarge, or clicked on a phone number that does not automatically dial the business?

A website that isn’t built for mobile users won’t do your shop any favors because if a user can’t use your website, they’ll leave and go to your competitors for their next big project or upgrade.

From our research , we found that 40% of auto restoration and performance shop websites aren’t mobile-ready. With 83% of the U.S. population using mobile devices to search for services online you’re going to end up losing a lot of potential customers if your website isn’t mobile-responsive.

Make sure your website is professional

2. Share your high-value projects on social media

3. Engage with your customers. Know your customer journey from the first contact or interaction to delivery

Engaging with your customers doesn’t happen just over social media. You can also engage with them one-on-one through email, private messages, Zoom, website chat, and of course that thing called a telephone, as well as face-to-face when they visit your shop.

When you’re working on a project, ask for your client’s cell number and email address so you can keep them updated throughout the entire project by sending them text messages and email updates with images, and updates of your progress as well as anything cool you’re doing with their car.

Your customers will love to see things like:

Progression pictures of their project
New parts being installed and tested
Their car on the Dyno and the results
Paint tests spray out cards for color matching
Each phase of the paint process
Engine build and test runs
Before and after shots
Parts and component fitment tests
Parts you’re selecting to use on their car
Paint color, fabric, and other styling choices
Pretty much everything and anything you can think of to show progress
And so much more...

Even if they’re only small things your client will be so happy when you message them with updates. You’d be surprised how much people love to see even the little details that go into their project. Plus it’ll make them feel more involved in the experience and they may also share the progress online tagging your shop in the process! Leaving them in the dark for long periods of time because you don’t want to take the time or you're too busy is the worst thing you can do.

In the beginning when you first talk to your customer, bring them into your shop and show them around. Let them see the entire shop, spray booth, dyno, engine build area, offices, and other areas of your shop and all the materials and equipment you’ll be using. By giving them an immersive experience, they’ll be able to appreciate your work more and feel more connected to what you’re doing for them and your brand.

Introduce your client to your entire team as well so they can get to know the actual people working on their project. This makes your service more personal, and a personal service increases the likelihood of word-of-mouth referrals (and repeat customers).

Through our discussions with shops, we’ve learned that many shops document everything from start to finish and build a project book that contains everything that went into a project (big or small) as well as before and after photos for their customers. In the case of full-on restorations, some shops also include a thumb drive with thousands of photos documenting every step of the process and project.

They take the time to do this so their customers can have a detailed history of the project and what went into it so they can look it over when their car is finished as well as have a reference if they need to know what parts were used for future work or upgrades. They’ll also have something that they can share with their friends and family and something that will add value for them if and when they go to sell their vehicle..

Pro Tip: When you work on any high-cost restoration or performance upgrade for a client you’re becoming a part of their lives for a short time. Showing that you care by interacting with them and bringing them on the build journey with you will reinforce their faith in your skills and encourage them to recommend you to others.

4. Educate your customers and demonstrate your skills

Educating your customers about the work you’re doing can help you connect with them more easily and help them enjoy their vehicle even more.

Time and time again, people may come into your shop looking to get cool work done on their cars, but they don’t know anything about the process. They don’t know what goes into the vehicle to make it perform better and look cooler. They may know virtually nothing about their vehicle, they just know they want it to look great, sound good and go fast!.

They may take their cars to car shows or cruise nights to have fun and show off their awesome ride but as soon as somebody asks them a question they may not have the answer and this can be embarrassing. They just spent a ton of cash on a restoration or performance upgrade but they may not have a clue what went into their car. They just know they spent a good chunk of their hard-earned money.

By helping to educate your clients about the work and parts that went into the restoration or performance upgrade they’ll be able to talk more intelligently about their car and feel more invested in the work and aftermarket parts they may have purchased from you. They’ll feel more involved with the community and happier about the work you did to their vehicle.

Instead of just leaving your customers with a one-of-a-kind ride, leave them with the full experience that went into creating their upgraded vehicle.

To get more high-value projects you’ve also got to educate your potential clients and show them why you’re the best. If they can properly convey the work you performed for them to others you will most likely get more referral work.

Don’t forget to educate your online audience too

When educating your customers don’t forget to post on social media and your website about all the work and upgrades you’re making to their car. This will show your audience that working with you isn’t just a buy-it-and-wait situation. It’s a whole journey from start to finish.

Another thing that we’ve found helpful is to demonstrate your skills by posting helpful tips online and videos of the work you’re doing. By showcasing your skills and being seen as an authority on the subject to your audience you’ll be able to attract more customers to your shop and people will perceive you as an expert in the auto restoration and performance industry..

Pro Tip: If you educate your customers and your audience, they’ll be able to tell you exactly what they want for their project easier. They’ll also understand the reality of the cost of such a project and they’ll feel more confident talking shop when asked about all the upgrades and features they might want to be included in restoration or performance build.

5. Always display up-to-date proof of the work you do

Your prospects want to see your latest awards, current, and past projects as well as projects that have been featured in magazines, news articles, and big shows like the SEMA Show and others.

Posting this information to your website consistently can be very informative to prospects that know nothing about you. Post those magazine cover shots, articles, awards, and past and present project image galleries are huge when it comes to prospects deciding if they want to engage with you to work on their project.

We see so many shops in our industry that either don’t have much on their site featuring the work they’ve done or the accolades they’ve received. If they do, what they have is limited or very old. Prospects don’t want to see awards and projects from ten years ago. They want to see all the awards you’ve won as well as the projects you’ve accomplished in the last couple of years or even last month. They want to see the quality of work you do and that you’re an authority in your field and that you are up to date and using the latest aftermarket trends and processes.

You should also display testimonials and show prospects what your previous clients have said about your work. If you can post video testimonials, nothing sells high-value work like a testimonial from a happy customer!

Anything that you can do to keep your site fresh and up to date will help you become known as a trustworthy shop and encourage people to reach out and work with you.

Pro Tip: Proof points don’t just belong on your website. Think about adding any key awards or publication logos to the bottom of your email signature to add to your image as a trustworthy professional when emailing current and future clients.

6. Always continue to tweak your processes to improve the customer journey

Developing a process for every step in your client project workflow process from the time a prospect contacts you to the day they pick up their finished vehicle, no matter the size of the project or work being performed, is critical to success.

We all know that the time it takes to complete a project or set task is the time it takes to complete the specific task, most of the time there’s no changing that. Then there’s always staff and parts availability that comes into play possibly slowing things down and sometimes you just can’t control that.

Some clients will always want their projects done faster and sometimes cheaper, unfortunately most really don’t understand what goes into the work you do so you should always have processes and tweak them as needed to add value to the experience as this will counter the “Amazon effect” of faster, cheaper or ‘can’t you just…

We have clients that use software-based project management tools like Basecamp , Teamwork , and Klokwork to track all details of a project including time and parts. For larger builds and restorations, shops will also use photography to document and keep track of all aspects of the work they do. They’ve also developed templated documents that their team members can work with that detail every aspect of a specific project task so that the task is completed the same way every time in the end saving time and money.

We know that in some cases every project is unique and you just have to run with it but the more things you can build a process around the more efficient your team can be resulting in clients that get their vehicle back sometimes sooner than expected, meaning they’ll be even happier with your work, hopefully tell all their friends, and come back for years to come.

Pro Tip: If you’re stuck for ways to improve your processes remember you can always ask your clients. Get their feedback on how you can make your work more efficient and improve the overall experience.

Creating excellent customer service by developing an amazing customer journey is a great way to improve your chances of getting more high-value projects into your shop as well as repeat work.

We’ve just touched on six things you can do right now to bring in more high-value clients but there are many more things you can do to help improve your chances of bringing more high-value work into your restoration, performance, and restyling shop so we hope these six tips have given you some insight on how you can do just that and where to start.

As seen in The Shop Magazine

How To Attract Talented Employees Using Your Website, Email, And Social Media

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 21:54:06 GMT

Finding the right fabricator, paint or electrical tech is hard, we'll show you how to up your game and get their attention.

1. Know who your target employee is

There is no point in advertising your vacant positions if you’re promoting them to the wrong types of employees. If you spend a whole lot of money on advertising to showcase your open positions, but they’re targeted at people who won’t have any interest in them, then you’re going to end up wasting a lot of time and cash. Or worse, you’ll attract bad-fit team members who’ll leave as quickly as they started.

Instead, try to narrow down who it is you want to target.

The easiest way to do this is to look at your current employees and find one you wish you could duplicate. Choose an employee that works to high standards, is reliable, and always gives their best.

By writing your job listing with this employee’s traits and interests in mind, you can find more people who are like them. Focus on their ambitions, what they enjoy about the job, and highlight these in your job description.

Pro Tip: Avoid attracting bad fit employees by writing clear, in-depth job descriptions to ensure that those who are applying know what to expect for the position.

2. Figure out where you can reach your dream employees

3. Find your advocates

What better way to attract the right kinds of employees than by getting your current employees to post about how brilliant you are to work for.

If your employees are promoting your business online, it’ll reflect how positive your working environment is. Ask your current employees to post about you online, and then you can share their posts on your company’s social media or even post employee stories on your website. Video testimonials from staff are a great addition to your careers page on your website.

Pro Tip: It’s a great idea to include some quotes from your employees in your job listing to make your shop sound more appealing to work for.

4. Show off what makes your shop unique

5. Make sure your website matches your company

After seeing your job offer, the next thing a potential employee will do is check out your website.

If your website looks old, outdated, and not up to modern standards, then they may not be interested in working with you at all. They don’t want to work for a company that doesn’t care about their reputation. Make sure you keep your site up to date and looking professional.

Check to make sure your site:

Make sure that your website is up to date, mobile ready and professional looking
Is updated with all the latest information about your shop and your work
Has a consistent voice and tone that matches your job advertisements
Has plenty of images showing what the workplace is like
Has content that’s easy to read and understand
Highlights employee testimonials on the careers page

Pro Tip: Your website has to be upda ted regularly, not just once every couple of years, be sure to add relevant news, publications, and other recent achievements to your websit e.

6. Make the most out of your social media

Posting your job openings on social media is vital for getting your shop the attention of all the new talent hitting your industry.

Everybody is on social media, and more often than not, they’ll be looking for jobs on social media. Did you know that a whole 79% of job applicants use social media in their job search? That’s a whole lot of people!

Don’t forget that LinkedIn and Facebook have free job posting tools to help you find the perfect employees for your shop, so use these to your advantage when you can.

You should also try to take advantage by using stories in social media. It might just seem like a fun feature that the Gen Zers love to use, but this feature might just get the attention of your next team member over a regular post.

Apart from social media, you should also post your job listing at:

Trade schools
SEMA career center
Placement agencies
Online job sites

Pro Tip: Try to engage with your audience as much as possible on your social media. You never know who’s reading or who you’re interacting with; it could be your next star employee!

7. Show them the benefits of working for you

8. Remember: it’s not just about you

Posting about yourself constantly on social media can get a bit overwhelming for your potential employees, so don’t forget to post about things like the brands you work with or suppliers you use for parts and paints.

You can also talk about how good your current employees are. This will help strengthen your company culture and show potential employees that you care about others and not just yourself.

Pro Tip: Consider creating a document where all your employees can write a bio about themselves and give you a quote on what it’s like to work for you. This way you’ll have instant access to a selection of content and quotes to use in your social posts.

9. Make sure your careers page is mobile-friendly

Figuring out how to use your website, email and social media to make your job listings look awesome can be hard work. If you need some extra help putting the finishing touches to your website or social media then our team is here for you.

Start getting the help you need to attract all the right kinds of employees.

Barry Alt and his team at Motorhead Digital have over 24 years of experience in digital marketing and website development. They offer their DONE-FOR-YOU Location, Site, and Marketing Maximizer™ programs that will supercharge your site, social media, and your entire online presence so you attract better, high-value leads into your shop. You can reach him at (585) 766-9785, balt@motorheaddigital.com , or online at MotorheadDigital.co m

As seen in The Shop Magazine

Your Shop — On The Go

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 00:58:49 GMT

The importance of a mobile-ready website.

It can be tough to keep up with the changing times and promote your shop online. One thing that doesn’t change is the need for a mobile-ready website. Our recent research of over 450 aftermarket auto restoration, performance and restyling shops online had some surprising revelations: over 40% of shops don’t have a mobile-ready website - which is truly shocking.

Having a website is excellent, but so many people are accessing the web from the comfort of their phones these days. Based on data compiled by Statista, in 2021 83% of the U.S. population uses a mobile device to access and search for products and services on the internet, and it's expected to be 87.66% by 2026. So having a mobile-friendly website is incredibly important - it can be the difference between signing on a new project or losing them to the competition.

If you’re a shop owner and your website doesn’t work well on mobile, then you could be losing out on new clients.

Why Mobile-ready?

There are many reasons why you should make sure your website is mobile-ready, not just to make it easier for your customers to access your site, but also to ensure that you always look professional.

A mobile-ready website tends to have more page views per visit, plus it has a lower bounce rate, which basically means people spend more time browsing on your site and learning more about your products and services.

Mobile devices, such as phones and tablets, are also often used for researching products and services before a consumer decides to commit. So before they even consider working with you, they’ll check your website to see what your company is all about.

We’ve spoken to a number of shop owners over the years and they tell us that they get most of their work via referrals. While that’s great, you can bet the majority of those referrals will almost always check out your site before committing to a product or service.

Your audience will want to see what each shop offers, as well as the products and services you offer so they can make an informed buying decision. Sometimes it’s just way more convenient to browse businesses on a mobile device than on a computer.

Prospects can browse while working on their project in the garage or while at a car show when inspiration hits. Having a mobile ready website means that when a client sees your work at a show, they can find you easily on their phone and learn about the company behind the badass ride they're looking at.

More often than not, people will use their mobile phones to have a quick scan of your website to make their minds up and then switch to a desktop to contact you.

Pro Tip: If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, your users might not even be able to find you on Google. This is because Google ranks sites that are mobile ready higher than those that are not mobile ready or poorly designed.

Are You Already Mobile-Ready?

The easiest way to figure out if your website is mobile-ready is to view your site on a smartphone or iPad device.

Does it look alright on your phone, or is it cut off? Do you have to zoom in to read the content? Is the text hard to read? Are the buttons or links challenging to click?

If so, there’s a good chance that your website isn’t mobile-ready, and you could be losing clients because of this.

If you don’t trust your judgment, you can always ask a friend to take a look at your website for you. Google also offers a free service where you can test your website to see if it is mobile-friendly.

It’ll tell you if your:

Content is wider than the screen
Links are too close together
Text is too small to read
Videos play okay
Images are readable

We recommend figuring out if your website needs updating as soon as possible. The quicker you make your website mobile-friendly, the fewer potential clients you’ll lose.

Pro Tip: Having a mobile-ready website means having a website that loads quickly so make sure that your website loads within 3 seconds. 53% of mobile sites are abandoned by users if they take longer than 3 seconds for the site to load.

Maximum Effectiveness

If your website isn’t mobile-ready, then you’re going to end up losing customers; that’s just a fact. But having a mobile-ready website doesn’t just improve your chances of retaining customers. It also has a lot of other benefits too.

Here are five more benefits of having a mobile-ready website:

1. Customers Come Back for More

If people can easily access your website from the comfort of their phone without any stress or issues, then they’re going to revisit your website. They’ll regularly check on your site to see if you’ve added anything new or to check out your latest projects.

It’s easier for them to search for you on their mobile device from anywhere than turn on their laptop or desktop. So if you provide them with a space to see all your work from their phone or tablet, they’ll have no issues finding you again.

Pro Tip: 80% of smartphone users will buy from companies with easy-to-navigate mobile sites. So, by giving them a mobile-friendly website to view over a complicated one, they’ll stay on your site longer and they’re also more likely to work with you.

2. Reduced Bounce Rates

People will leave your website quickly if it looks terrible on their phone. They’ll leave if they can’t read your text, view your images, or navigate your site with ease.

If your website looks great on small mobile devices and your user doesn’t need to zoom in to read your text, then they’ll stay on your site longer, and even watch a video, read some of your blog posts, browse more of your products or check out your projects galleries.

Navigation also has to be easy on mobile; otherwise, they’ll simply decide not to call you.

Make your navigation as simple and stress-free as possible so your user can quickly fly through your website and find everything they need from the palm of their hand.

Keeping your prospective customers on your site longer is proven to increase conversion rates.

3. Improved SEO Rank

Google loves mobile responsive sites because users prefer mobile-ready websites. If you have a website that works perfectly on mobile, then you’re going to appear higher on the search results.

However, if you don’t have a mobile-ready website, then your site might get penalized by Google and moved lower down the search results or, worse...the second page!

The more traffic you get to your website because your site is easy to use on mobile, the more Google will love you and the higher on the search engine results page you’ll go, so make sure you have your site perfected for mobile.

4. Attract More Clients

With a site that doesn’t work well on mobile, your visitors will run for the hills and most likely to the competition.

They don’t want to work with a shop that has a terrible mobile website. It looks unprofessional, and they might automatically assume that because your website is amateur, so is your business as well as the products and services that you offer.

So by making your website mobile-ready, you’ll be able to attract more clients to your business and, in turn, make more sales.

5. Improved user experience

Having a mobile-responsive website means that your website is going to have a better user friendly design.

By improving your user experience and hence the customer journey, you’re going to increase the number of happy clients you get into your shop.

The happier your clients, the more positive reviews they’ll leave about your website, and the more clients you'll attract.

For those that rely on social media to promote their business should also know that 80% of social media browsing is done on mobile devices , so when they click a link that goes back to your website, they’ll be much more likely to stay and convert if the mobile website experience matches that of the mobile social media app they just came from.

Pro Level

SEMA Show 2021 Brings Out The Best Of The Best

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 22:42:14 GMT

Trends in the market dictating style and function

The demand for custom restorations has never been higher. With the COVID crush hitting hard in 2020, car enthusiasts had plenty of time to pause and look at the old project sitting in the corner of their barn collecting dust that they would always promise themselves to get to “someday”. Well someday has arrived, and for everyone at once it seems. Restoration and build shops are so busy they’re even turning away customers due to being flush with all the new business. But what direction are these new customers going in? Where is car culture headed? Full factory restoration? Resto mod? Hot rod? Full custom? Or *gasp* Eco-Weenie electrics??

Enter The 2021 SEMA Show, held in Las Vegas at the mind-blowingly vast Las Vegas convention center. The SEMA Show has always been the premier automotive aftermarket specialty equipment products trade event in the world. It draws the best and most innovative creations, products, and developments to one place. This makes it the perfect place to help answer the question, “Where is car culture trending?”.

Resto mods are red hot

Resto mods seemed to attract the most attention throughout the show. Custom builders in booths made famous in part by all the restoration shows on TV bring lots of new blood, customers, and popularity into the fray. I counted no less than ten vintage Mopars that had Hellcat (or Hellephant) engines stuffed into their engine bays. The red hot resto mod market sees no end to the possibilities. Many more builds had the ever-reliable and powerful LS engine upgrade. Custom independent suspension, rack and pinion steering, coil-over shocks, and whole new aftermarket frames altogether were the norm with ridiculous amounts of horsepower. Customers want beautiful old school body lines with all the new power, tech, and reliability of today’s best equipment.

Willie B’s “Sick Six Six” 66 Wide Body Charger at the Heidts Booth

But hold on to your bank accounts. These resto mods aren’t cheap. People want their projects done correctly and are willing to pay for it! $500,000+ are builds not unheard of. One quote overheard at the show is that, “the $10,000 paint job doesn’t exist anymore”. Yes, bring your wallet, but even if you have the money be prepared to get in line. Just about every builder we talked to is flush with business, some out to 2024 and the project orders just keep rolling in. The COVID glut in the market, the painfully long shipping times for parts with just about every special part on backorder at some point assures us that the market will not loosen up anytime soon.

Electric future?

It’s not just crate engines replacing the vintage mills anymore. Electric-powered hot rodding is, inevitably, on the horizon. Conversion kits from the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) to electric were easy to find. In fact, even the heavyweights like Ford and GM are investing and betting heavily in the technology. They’re even offering electric crate engines at only 205 pounds in weight and diminutive in size. They can be installed in the front or rear of the car or on all four wheels. 281 horsepower with 317 ft/lb of torque each is nothing to sneeze at. The motors with the control pack are currently just under $4,000. This tech is only going to improve and the batteries are going to get smaller, cheaper, and lighter.

Electric Mustang built by HR Manufacturing

There were clear signals, however, from the car culture at the SEMA Show that the technology is not yet fully embraced by the car culture at large. At the SEMA Show Monday Night Reveal, Dave Kindig unveiled two of his new custom 53 Corvettes, he also made the announcement that not only will these cars come with ICE motors, but they will be releasing an all-electric version for next year. The pause to await the cheer from the crowd was rewarded with awkward silence instead. It is clear the culture feels the electric option does not have the hot rodding soul, allure, or feel of a well-tuned V8 with all the familiar rumble, smell, and earned reverence that goes along with it. Looks like the public is going kicking and screaming into the mandated electric EV era.

Kindig-It Design blue Lingenfelter powered 53 Corvette Concept

Dave Kindig and Kevin Schiele reveal the Kindig-It Designed 53 Corvette Concepts

Hydrogen calling?

There may be hope for hot rodders unwilling to jump into embracing electricity while still wanting to try a more environmentally-friendly option, hydrogen power! At the Red Line Oil booth we found this sweet hydrogen-burning LS-powered 1949 Chevy pickup truck built by Mike Copeland and team at Arrington Performance. It doesn’t contain a hydrogen fuel cell like previous prototypes. It carries its very own hydrogen fuel tank, and keep in mind hydrogen is three times more explosive than gasoline. That means there’s the potential for more power, and with the fuel being more concentrated, you get more miles using the same volume of fuel, much more efficient.

The Zero Emissions hydrogen powered truck by Arrington Performance as seen at the Red Line Oil Booth

The only byproduct is water. How great is that? This has the potential to be even cleaner than electric. No more factories pumping out batteries with all their caustic chemicals, recycling issues and no drain on the power grid. We won’t have to worry about this type of power being slow, as they claim the LS engine made north of 500 horsepower on the potent gas. As a bonus, hot rodders would even get their classic V8 exhaust rumble back, which electric so harshly took away. Seems like a win-win to us.

Rat Rods

Rat rods still had their place at the show. Upon entering the show, participants were greeted with one particular outrageous rat rod 47 Fargo FL1 named “Chain Smoker”. Like the name says it was adorned with chains over the fenders, hood, and wheel openings. Stuffed with a gigantic Cummins-Powered turbo-diesel engine, it was definitely a showstopper at the 2021 SEMA Cruise-out, billowing smoke straight up out of its gargantuan smokestack. Rat rods at the show are maintaining their aggressive, cartoonish looks in defiance of the pristine cars that otherwise dominate the show floor. Rat rods have a mean street, steampunk gangster vibe that many hardcore hot rodders can appreciate and admire.

Warwick Andrews 47 Fargo FL1 named “Chain Smoker” at the SEMA Show Cruise-Out

Where are we headed?

So what feeling did we come away with from this year’s SEMA show? If the young guns in the famous Battle of the Builders are any indication, we are in good hands. We had time to talk with the young up and comers in the builder arena and it gives us hope for the future. They are building cars that the people want to see. Gone are the days of dissimilar sized tires jacked up in the back in the classic muscle car pose. The main thing is getting these cars close to the ground in the perfect lowered suspension stance. Concours restorations will always have their place, but resto mods are clearly the king for now and in the near future. It’s hard for builders to ignore the sky high prices they’re commanding at the Mecum and Barrett-Jackson auctions as of late. The consumer’s appetite seems insatiable at this point in the game.

The electric revolution is desperately trying to gain a foothold in the performance aftermarket but they’re not quite there yet. Hot rodders of today want it all. They want the classic lines. They want super car handling. They want all the bluetooth conveniences that modern day tech holds. But most of all, they appreciate mechanical beauty mixed with the heavy metal chaos that 1000 horsepower transplants bring to the table. This formula brings a permanent smile to their face and leaves them wanting more, and we’ll be right there with them at the gas stations until the octane runs out…

How To Use Your Shop’s Story To Connect With More Customers

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 02:07:00 GMT

Brand storytelling can help you connect with your clients. It can help you become the go-to shop for all your audiences’ auto performance and restoration needs.

Every shop has a story and if you want to connect more with your customers, then telling your story is key to your success.

Everybody loves a good story. Stories entice your audience and drag them in, making them become invested in your company and what you have to offer.

Brand storytelling can help you connect with your clients. It can help you become the go-to shop for all your audiences’ auto performance and restoration needs.

By showing your audience your unique qualities, you’ll build up trust and authenticate yourself as a reliable business within the industry.

But how can you tell your story online so that it not only gets more people interested in what you do but also improves your conversions?

What is brand storytelling?

Brand storytelling is essentially anytime you connect with your audience by showing them:

What your brand stands for
What your goals are
What you’re all about

It involves conversational selling that helps you market your shop positively towards your potential customers without directly selling anything to them.

Shops that tell their story and connect with their audience will get more sales and more clients through the doors. Storytelling has always been an effective form of marketing. It’s worked wonders for advertisements and digital marketing campaigns in the past and it can work wonders for you too.

People like relating to companies and want to connect to the shops they’re working with. Getting a car restored is a personal job, and if you tell your story well, your clients will be more comfortable handing over their ‘baby’ for you to work on.

Your brand story is so much more than just a piece of writing. It’s communication. By communicating the true heart of your company, even those who aren’t your clients yet will get to know your company and want to work with you.

How do you sell your brand through storytelling?

A good story creates a link between your brand and your audience. A well-written one appeals to the emotions within your readers so they start to see themselves within that story.

They start seeing themselves working with you just like your other clients who’ve received gorgeous pieces of work from your shop.

But how do you create the story that will help you improve your conversions and get more sales?

Here are five ways you can sell your brand through storytelling.

1. Figure out who you are

This is the first and most crucial step for an obvious reason - you can’t tell a story if you don’t know what the story is about.

If you’re going to connect people with your words and your brand story, then you have to be able to tell your story coherently.

Otherwise, it won’t make any sense.

This means that you have to avoid making any inconsistencies and plot holes. You have to be sincere and honest with your readers.

Find out what your brand stands for by asking yourself:

Who are you?
What inspired you to begin?
Why do you do what you do?
Who do you do these things for?
What drives you to continue despite all odds, if any?

When you’ve answered these questions, you’ll be able to start writing your story and authentically show your audience what you’re all about.

2. Know your audience

Learn about who you’re talking to and what they’re looking for with auto restoration and performance.

Find out necessary information like who they are and what they enjoy. By building a customer persona, you’ll be able to know who you’re talking to every time you post about your story.

You should also learn how they consume your content and where they hang out online. There’s no point telling your story on social media if your audience isn’t there.

The more information you can get about your audience, the better you’ll be able to write your story for them.

3. Position your brand correctly

Do you want to be seen as someone who provides solutions?

Do you want people to perceive you as a compassionate brand that always puts customers first?

Then write this into your brand story!

Show your audience that you’re a shop that’s there to give them the best service possible at all times.

4. Be your authentic self

You might be tempted to make your brand the perfect company. A company that’s never made a mistake and is incapable of flaws, but this isn't authentic.

Your customers will be able to sense any inaccuracies and won’t trust your company or your services if you lie to them. 86% of people say that authenticity is a key factor when deciding what brands they like and support.

You should always talk about yourself positively, but everything you say must be true so you can build trust with your audience. Plus, 81% of people said they have to be able to trust a brand before they work with them.

This will also help you become more human and relatable to them. Nobody is absent of fault, and by meeting your weaknesses head-on, you’ll become a much more reliable brand.

After all, what’s a good story without good character development?

When talking about your business, talk about how it was founded, the struggles you went through, and how it grew to what it is today. Continue with what your clients love about your company and highlight your uniqueness for all to see.

Summarize your story with the value you offer your target audience and why they should choose you over your competitors.

5. Make your story human

The best way to make your story appealing is to make it human.

By showing your audience that you’re just like them, you’ll be able to motivate them to see the people behind your business rather than just the services you offer.

This will create an emotional connection between you and your customers. The more they get to know the real you, the more they’ll feel comfortable working with you.

Show them what you’re passionate about and display the challenges your business had to overcome to become the brand you are today.

To make your story even more human, add case studies or employee stories and highlight them on your website and social media.

If you’re not too sure how to start telling your brand’s story online, then the team at Motorhead Digital is here to help.

Get in contact with our team of experts today to start attracting more potential customers to your shop by telling your story online.

How To Get To The Top Of Google: Rank Better In Local And Organic Search

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 00:20:42 GMT

If you want to get noticed online, you're going to have to get your website ranked high on the search engine results page.

How do you do this?

By doing everything in your power to please Google.

You can get on Google's good side by improving your SEO (search engine optimization).

Making the appropriate improvements to your website will help you enhance your SEO. It'll also help you get noticed by Google and push you up the rankings. Nobody wants to be stuck at the bottom of the search results or worse, the second page! Only 0.78% of Google users click on results from the 2nd page - so make sure this doesn’t happen to your website by improving your SEO.

But SEO is incredibly complicated, right?

It might sound like a lot of complex jargon, but SEO isn't as complicated as you might think, or at least it doesn't have to be.

With the right strategy and a bit of professional assistance, you can improve your SEO and soar up the rankings ahead of your competitors.

Today we're going to show you exactly how your shop can rank better in both local and organic search results.

How to use local SEO to get to the top of Google

Local SEO is where you optimize your online presence to attract more business from your local audience.

Here are five ways you can optimize your local SEO:

1. Optimize your Google My Business listing

One of the best ways to improve your local SEO is to create a Google My Business Listing (GMB) if you haven't already.

Google My Business is a free tool by Google that you can use to list your shop.

You can list all the details your audience needs to know about your shop on GMB.

These details can include:

Opening times
Address
Phone number
Website
Email address

Optimizing your Google My Business will help improve your Google Maps 3-Pack results. A Google Maps 3-Pack is the little boxed area that appears on the first results page.

It shows your audience details about your company, star rating, phone number, and opening times.

If you don't have a GMB listing set up then you're missing out on a huge, free marketing opportunity.

2. Build high-quality local citations & links

Citations are online mentions of your business, but these can't just be mentions on any old site or web page. They have to be from reputable, local sources to build up your local SEO.

The same goes for local links. If a company links back to your shop's website, you should ensure that they're trustworthy businesses in your local area and not just some random company you found deep within a Google search.

Remember, if somebody is offering you hundreds of backlinks for a small price, they're not going to be high-quality and could end up damaging your shop's reputation on Google. This will only push you further down the search results.

One of the best ways to build links to the pages that matter is by guest blogging.

3. Get more reviews from customers

Getting reviews on your Google My Business won't just show your audience how amazing your company is to work for. It'll also show Google that you're a great shop to do business with.

The more reviews and interactions Google sees, the better your ranking in the local search results.

4. Use high-quality keywords

Adding local keywords and keyword phrases is key to getting recognized on the local search results. Try to include the names of local areas, local slang or colloquialisms, and location-specific phrases.

The best way to figure out what keywords you should be using is to do some in-depth local keyword research. One tool we use is Ubersuggest , an easy to use tool that shows top keywords for a website, and where those keywords are ranking.

5. Improve on-page SEO

After your in-depth local keyword research, you can also start to improve your on-page SEO.

The best way to do this is to take your local keywords and include them in your H1s and H2s. Be careful you don't want to stuff your headings with random local keywords, so make sure everything still sounds and looks okay.

How to rank better in organic searches

To start with, the best way to rank higher in organic searches is by paying attention to the best practices of SEO.

These can include making sure your website is:

Mobile-friendly
Fast loading
Easy to use - easy navigation good UX design
Secure
Well-structure
High-quality content

Take a look at these three ways you can improve your shop's SEO and get your website noticed by the search engines.

1. Pay attention to your competitors

Ranking on Google isn't a single-player game. If you want to rank high you'll have to fight your competitors for the keywords that matter most to your business.

You'll have to surpass every company ranking on the first page because they're all your competition. So, to get the top spot, you'll have to check how intense your competition is in relation to your site.

How do you do this?

Simple. Just search for a keyword you're using and take a look at the companies that come up.

If they're bigger shops, you might have a bit of trouble taking the first spot, but if they're smaller or the same size as yours, then you can fight to seize control of those top keywords.

2. Align your website with content stocked with search intent

Search intent is the reason why your audience is on the internet and the reason why they're looking for your services.

By providing your audience with the answers to their questions, you'll be able to attract them to your site with ease.

You can do this by identifying the three Cs of your keyword's search intent:

Content-type: are the top-ranking results for this keyword blog pages, YouTube videos, or websites?
Content format: is the content how-to guides, step-by-step tutorials, reviews, or something else?
Content angle: is there a prominent USP (unique selling proposition) used by these top-ranking pages?

By using the three Cs and creating content your audience is looking for, you'll be able to improve your organic search ranking quickly.

3. Build high-quality backlinks and internal links

Like with local SEO, backlinks are an excellent ranking tool that can help get your shop's website high up on the search engine results page. Did you know that 91% of websites never get any organic traffic from Google, mainly because they don’t have any backlinks?

It's not about quantity, though, and to rank high on the search engine results, you need to have high-quality backlinks. Links from untrustworthy or unprofessional sites can get you penalized.

Backlinks aren't the only way to boost your ranking.

Having relevant internal links from other pages on your site can also help win Google's favor.

We hope our blog has helped you understand a little bit more about how to rank better in local and organic searches.

If you want to get to the top of Google but still don’t know where to start then our team is here for you. If you need some help figuring out the details, then the team at Motorhead Digital can provide you with the perfect strategy.

We can help you get to the top of the search engine results page for your local keywords with our SEO services.

Get in contact with our team of experts today to start improving your SEO.

How To Create Referrals: Making The Client Journey Unforgettable & Creating Repeat Business

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 01:24:19 GMT

You want your clients to be satisfied with your work because if they’re not, they won’t refer people, and you’ll lose out on that valuable word of mouth.

When you get a new client through the door, you have the opportunity to provide them with a one-of-a-kind experience and create a repeat referral-giver.

The more impressive, incredible, and unforgettable their customer journey is, the more likely they’ll recommend you to their family, friends, and even their colleagues.

So the questions you’re probably asking are:

How do you make sure that your current clients get the perfect experience with you?
How do you encourage them to refer your company to their friends?
How do you ensure they love every minute of working with you?

You want your clients to be satisfied with your work because if they’re not, they won’t refer people, and you’ll lose out on that valuable word of mouth.

There are two main things you can do to help secure referrals:

Make sure your current clients are satisfied enough to refer their friends
Make sure those referrals are converting into new clients

There isn’t any point in encouraging clients to make referrals if those referrals aren’t interested in working with you.

The good news is that you can take some simple steps to ensure that your clients have an unforgettable time with your company and that their referrals are flowing directly into your sales funnel.

1. Provide great customer service

As a dedicated shop owner, you most likely already treat your clients with the utmost respect and help them with all their restoration and performance needs. Having this high level of customer service is the first key to encouraging clients to make a referral because, without it, they won’t feel like your business deserves the referral.

83% of customers are willing to refer a friend or colleague after having a positive service or shopping experience. So make sure you provide every single one of your clients with a unique and friendly experience.

If they know that your company is a good company with friendly, talented staff, quality products and show-stopping services, why wouldn’t they refer you?

You’ll not only get referrals, but you’ll get high-quality referrals who are eager to start doing work with you.

2. Ask for referrals (at the appropriate time)

Your customers, without any prompting, might refer everybody they know to your shop... or they might not even think about it.

Even if you blow your client away with your fantastic customer care and stunning restoration and performance services, you can’t guarantee they’ll go ahead and refer their friends and family.

But you could always ask them to.

When asking your clients to refer your shop, be sure to ask at the right time during their customer journey. For example, there’s no point in asking them to refer their friends at the start of the journey because they haven’t had the chance to see how great your company is.

Instead, try to engage with your client at the moment they’ve decided that the services you’ve provided are spectacular. Only ask for a referral when they’ve become familiar with your brand and when they’ve built an unquestionable loyalty to your company.

The best way you can figure out if your customer is happy with a service is to simply ask them for a review when you’ve completed their project. If they give a positive review, you’ll know they’re happy with your work, and you can ask them for a referral.

3. Offer the right incentives

So, you’ve given your clients fantastic customer service, delivered the perfect restoration or performance enhancement for their project, and you’ve even asked them if they’ll refer your company.

You should have gotten that referral by now, right?

Unfortunately, doing all these steps doesn’t necessarily mean that your client will refer your business. Even if you ask them really nicely, some clients just don’t want to refer companies to friends or family.

Whether they’re worried about offering their opinion or simply don’t want to bother, they just won’t do it without a bit of incentive.

One thing that will encourage your clients to refer you to a friend is offering them a reward.

Over 50% of people tend to give a referral if they’re offered a direct incentive. Think loyalty programs or discounts in return for a referral. Plus, 64% of consumers say that the reward will impact how much they spend with your company, and 69% say they’re more likely to work with you if rewards are on the table.

So not only do incentives and rewards help you get referrals, but they also encourage repeat business from your current clients.

Here are a few examples of rewards you can use to sway customers:

Discounts
Money-back offers
Credit for their next purchase
Merch like T-shirts, mugs, or even a tote bag
Gift cards
Free add-ons

4. Encourage your referrals to become referrers

Your referred customers have:

Witnessed your excellent customer service
Received a fantastic service or product
Started thinking about leaving a review

So what can you do now?

Encourage them to refer!

When you have a referred customer, they’re five times more likely to jump on board your referral program than non-referred customers.

This is because they’ve already seen all the great benefits you provide, and they know you have a talented team of professional workers.

There’s no risk for them when it comes to joining your referral program simply because they’ve already seen it all. They know how you work, and they know exactly what to expect.

So don’t forget to remind them how they discovered your extraordinary work - through a referral program. The ball is in their court, and now they have the opportunity to pass on the torch so their friends and family can enjoy your work too.

Now that you’ve created a cycle of referrals, you’ll be able to start getting more eager leads into your company to help your business grow and thrive.

By creating a positive client journey full of benefits and rewards, you’ll be able to encourage people to refer others.

Plus, the more you reward your clients, the more they’ll see your shop as the go-to brand to work with. So they’ll keep coming back to you whenever they need help with their next auto restoration or performance project.

If you’re not too sure on how to get your cycle of referrals started, then the team at Motorhead Digital is here to help.

Get in contact with our team of experts today to start making the client journey unforgettable and creating more referrals and repeat business.

Classics never go out of style

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sat, 17 Jul 2021 15:36:36 GMT

RJ CARS knows its niche, and how to work it.

Photos by Darren Ohara

Author’s note: Way back in 2008, before THE SHOP magazine merged an early predecessor with Hot Rod & Restoration magazine, Russell Jacobs, owner of RJ CARS Inc., was featured in an HR&R article discussing his first 20 years in business. Now that he’s passed the 30-year mark, we thought we’d check back in to see how far the shop’s come and the lessons learned along the way.

Russell Jacobs first opened his own restoration shop when he turned 21, after spending five years at an auto body shop developing his skills and passion for the industry.

“I started working out of an old cow barn at my mother’s family farm, and since then the company just started to evolve,”

Jacobs says of RJ CARS.

Russell Jacobs opened his own restoration shop in New York when he turned 21, after spending five years at an auto body shop developing his skills and passion for the industry.

Being his own boss, Jacobs was able to build his business from a one-man show into the successful shop it is today. How? By focusing on delivering customer service to a clientele that appreciates restoration work done the right way—and is happy to pay for it.

Word soon spread about the shop’s skills and dedication to the craft. The company started to expand, and Jacobs needed to hire more staff to keep up with demand. Within a few years, he ultimately made the move to his own facility in Arkport, New York, in order to offer a better service to his customers.

The shop now operates with a team of six employees, which will soon grow to seven. Occupying 7,000 square feet—including two buildings with offices, seven bays, an auto body shop, a paint shop, an assembly shop and a barn for storage—it can keep multiple projects moving at each stage.

Primarily focused on auto restoration work, parts and component installation, and performance tuning, RJ CARS also offers services related to car shows such as detailing, chrome polishing, stainless steel trim repair and restoration done in-house and on location.

To fill in the gaps between projects, Jacobs also takes in auto repair, collision and auto body repair work. On the retail side, the shop sells and uses Wizards Products on its show cars and restorations.

DOWN TO BUSINESS

With so many shops out there doing high-quality restorations, how does Jacobs make his company stand out from the competition?

“Our clients come first in everything we do,” he explains.

That means every member of the team makes sure the client they’re working with gets exactly what they signed on for—and is treated with respect and complete professionalism throughout the entire restoration process.

“A typical job always starts with getting to know the client. The more I know them, the easier it is to work alongside them and deliver what they want,” Jacobs notes.

ALL SHAPES & SIZES

Every project at RJ CARS (rjcars.com) is unique, with its own demands and issues. And most of those projects come from baby boomers.

As Jacobs puts it, “their kids are gone, their house is paid for. They’re sitting there looking at their retirement account. That’s pretty boring. Looking at them you ask, ‘what are we going to do with those retirement funds? Let’s spend them and build a muscle car or classic.’”

It’s not unusual for customers to express interest in projects of the Concours-award caliber, but Jacobs finds they don’t often follow through once they get what they asked for.

“It’s funny because I build these cars and people say they want a Concours car like a Shelby, so I build it. And then the owner may never take it and show it anywhere!”

The team at RJ CARS has restored and worked on numerous top brands and classic muscle cars over the years, from a 1917 Locomobile, to a 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, to a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. The most common builds are Mopars, with more than 50 complete restorations performed, Jacobs estimates.

Among them are three full-blown Superbird restoration projects, including a six-pack original, a 440 four-speed Dana original and another completely restored original. Related jobs have included Hemi builds, a special-order Petty Blue 1972 ’Cuda and a ’70 T/A Challenger dealer demonstrator owned by Jacobs himself.

LIFE AT THE SHOP

The key to a great shop is having a talented team. Finding and keeping that talent takes keen eyes and ears to understand what motivates them.

How does management at RJ CARS find new employees? By word of mouth, sometimes from colleges (a past employee is now a teacher himself), via social media and even through email campaigns.

Jacobs tries to keep his employees interested in their work by bringing in great projects.

“My guys are here because they want to work on cool cars,” he explains.

Sometimes, however, other jobs need to be taken on to pay the bills and fill gaps between projects.

As a small company, RJ CARS provides paid holidays and paid time off, bonuses and SIMPLE IRA accounts. The group also celebrates special occasions together. It’s the little things—and a great amount of respect—that matter the most, Jacobs believes.

Cash flow and parts availability can mean delays when dealing with high-end restorations. Keeping the team busy between those projects are more run-of-the-mill jobs including collision repair, detailing and engine tune-ups.

There’s never any doubt, however, of the highest-ranking priority placed on restorations.

“You know, a lot of body shops will do a restoration, but typically that restoration is going to sit in the corner and collect dust. It’s not at their forefront. My forefront is the restoration work. My background is doing collision work” Jacobs explains.

And every once in a while, a filler project takes an interesting turn—often involving the shop’s paint booth. Among the oddball requests the shop has tackled are restorations of pedal cars, gas pumps, antique and cast iron furniture, horse buggy parts, light posts and signposts. Other fun jobs included a remote-control jet and dragsters with candy finishes.

One of the most memorable paint projects was a rally car that had traveled around the world. Since the owner was from Aruba, Jacobs had one of his vendors come in and airbrush the Aruban flag on the hood.

ABOVE THE CROWD

Not only has RJ CARS established itself as a standout shop over the last 30 years, but it’s also expanded business by embracing the opportunities available in the online world.

Jacobs originally advertised in local and national magazines, including Hemmings Motor New s. The ads were supplemented with occasional social media posts sharing project photos and updates, helping clients to connect with parts or buyers, or offering parts for sale on a Garage Sale page.

Referral business from clients and their networks has always been significant, and over the years the shop has gained exposure by being featured on the covers of magazines such as Mopar Muscle, Mopar Collector’s Guide and Muscle Car Review . Its vehicles have won numerous awards and accolades, and Jacobs has been invited to participate on expert panel discussions at the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals, where a number of his projects have been featured alongside other top restorations.

RJ CARS’ partnership with Motorhead Digital began back in 2007, when Jacobs realized that he needed to up his game with a new website that matched the quality work the RJ CARS team produces.

Since that first site build, Motorhead Digital has created a mobile-ready website that helps the shop attract higher-dollar projects. The company also has a professional, consistent online digital footprint that’s helped build RJ CARS’ reputation and created an inclusive community for clients and employees.

A very special event that took place online in the early days of the pandemic was a marketing campaign to promote not the business, but a celebration of music and hope. Jacobs reached out to the team of country music singer Drake White to express his interest in sponsoring one of the livestreamed Wednesday Night Therapy shows White and his band were putting on.

With Motorhead Digital onboard, the plans were made, the website was updated, and a social media and email marketing campaign was designed to spread hope and cheer in the form of a musical event.

Focusing on attracting both local and national car enthusiasts through innovative online advertising, email campaigns and local SEO campaigns, the RJ CARS’ project pipeline has been continually filled.

“Thanks to our consistent online presence and the digital marketing that we’ve engaged in, our shop is now fully booked for 2021 and filling up fast for 2022,” Jacobs reports.

THE ROAD TRAVELED

When talking about the future, Jacobs expresses confidence the business will last for generations and his legacy will live on.

“I think it’ll live longer than I do! We’re still going strong after 30 years, and I’d like my son (Matthew) to take over to keep the business running.”

Jacobs never loses sight of what needs to be done next to help his business, including adopting the latest technology and marketing techniques.

From a family farm barn to a well-respected figure in the industry, he and his crew have grown the business through talent and determination over three decades.

“I’ve done way above and beyond what I ever dreamed of with this business, which is pretty cool,” he notes. “How many people get to do that in their lifetime?”

Barry Alt and his team at Motorhead Digital offer DONE-FOR-YOU Location, Site, and Marketing Maximizer™ programs that will supercharge your site, your social media and your online presence so you attract better leads. You can reach us at (585) 766-9785, balt@motorheaddigital.com or online at MotorheadDigital.com .

As seen on The Shop Magazine

5 Simple Steps To Getting Started On Instagram Today

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 20:53:14 GMT

If you’re new to the world of Instagram, you might not know how to get started with your account. Don’t worry, you’re not alone, a lot of shops haven’t yet jumped on this kind of social media either - which means there’s plenty of opportunity still available for you.

Instagram is an incredible social media platform, and it’s perfect for restoration and performance shops to show their audience what they can do.

If you’re new to the world of Instagram, you might not know how to get started with your account. Don’t worry, you’re not alone, a lot of shops haven’t yet jumped on this kind of social media either - which means there’s plenty of opportunity still available for you.

Instagram allows you to post photos and videos, and it’s a great way to get your audience more involved in what you do. Around 63% of Americans say they check Instagram daily, making it the perfect place to engage with your audience and build a following.

Today we’re going to go through five simple ways you can get started on Instagram and start getting followers onto your account.

1. Create an account and optimize it

The first step to getting started on Instagram is to simply set up an account if you haven’t already. Creating an account is pretty straightforward.

All you have to do is:

Download the app from the app store onto your phone
Sign up with your email
Choose an Instagram business account
Fill in all the necessary details
Start posting

What parts of your Instagram account should you optimize?

Write an informative bio

You only have 150 characters (not words) to write your Instagram bio, so you have to make them count.

A lot of shops write about who they are and what they do, but your Instagram bio shouldn’t focus on you. It should be all about your customers.

When writing your bio, make sure you include what you can do for your customers and how your service can uniquely help them with their cars.

Don’t forget to link to your website on your bio as well. There’s a specific section on Instagram where you can connect to your website, and many businesses leave these blank, which is a huge mistake!

2. Build a strong content strategy

It’s not enough to only post a few photos or videos every so often. Your audience isn’t going to magically come rushing in to view a couple of posts.

Instead, you’re going to have to build a strong content strategy so that you can plan out when you’re going to post, how often you’re going to post, and what you’re going to post about.

Just like any other marketing campaign, your Instagram content strategy has to be well thought through.

How often should you post on Instagram?

Your Instagram account needs a regular posting schedule; otherwise, your shop will not stay relevant. However, you don’t want to overload your followers with a ton of posts, especially if you’re just posting for the sake of it.

The best way to figure out how often you should post is by posting at different times and checking the results. By finding out what time gets the most attention first you can build your schedule around that time.

Generally, the best time to post on Instagram is between 8 AM-12 PM and 4-5 PM on weekdays.

Create a content calendar to keep track of what you want to post and what time you want to post it.

Figure out what your style should be

Before you start creating Instagram posts, you should figure out what style you want to go for.

Ask yourself:

How do you want to be seen by your followers?
Should you use emojis?
What hashtags should you use?
Are you creating graphics or using photos?

From here, you can create a style guide so that your posts are consistent and work with your brand.

What are hashtags?

A hashtag is a type of label that’s used on social media platforms. They’re used to make it easier to find information on specific topics and locate posts about certain themes online. Hashtags make it easier for users to explore content that they’re interested in and find what they’re looking for.

Hashtags all start with a ‘#’ symbol and are usually keywords related to the post. For example if we were to hashtag this blog post on Instagram you could hashtag it #InstagramTips or #InstagramHelp.

Always research topics

Research is key to creating great posts on Instagram to find out what the auto restoration industry is talking about right now on social media.

By figuring out these trends, you can post about them and get attention from the industry’s audience.

Don’t forget to take a look at the hashtags used in competitor posts too. This way, you can see which hashtags are the most popular to use.

3. Post stories as well as regular content

Not many companies take advantage of stories, but they’re an essential part of getting started on Instagram.

Stories are great for adding ‘in the moment’ pieces of content, so if you’re working on a car and want to snap a couple of photos or a short video, you can add it to your story for your audience.

This is limited content as they disappear after 24 hours, but you can also add any cool pictures to your highlights which feature at the top of your page.

You can make different story highlight folders too, so you can break up your story highlights into specific jobs you were working on.

Stories are a great way to casually interact with your audience and even share behind-the-scenes work.

4. Engage with your Instagram audience

One of the most critical parts of getting started on Instagram is to engage with your audience.

By responding to comments and liking them, you’ll be able to win the hearts of your audience quickly.

Plus, the more you engage with what your audience is doing, the more they’ll trust you and stick around for more content.

Responding to comments might also be the final push somebody needs to follow you. They might have liked your content but were unsure of whether you were a friendly, trustworthy brand.

5. Connect with influencers

If you’re looking to get noticed on Instagram, connecting with influencers is the perfect way to do it.

Influencers are popular people in your niche, and they generally have a lot of influence on your target audience.

If you can get them to give your brand a shout-out on their Instagram, then you’re going to get a lot of attention from the right crowd of people.

People who follow influencers are easily swayed by their opinions and recommendations. So by working with an influencer, you’ll be able to get a lot of people interested in the work you do.

Instagram can be a tricky and complex game to play but with the right help and support, you’ll be able to get loads of followers in no time at all.

If you want some help figuring out the rocky road of Instagram then we’d love to help. We’ve got a lot of experience working with Instagram and would be delighted to give your shop a hand.

So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch today.

How does the auto restoration, performance and restyling industry measure up online?

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Wed, 05 May 2021 15:48:30 GMT

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The data below is base on the original 250 shops that we audited from late 2020 into early 2021. We have since audited over 450 shops as being presented at the SEMA Show November 2nd 2021.

We audited over 250 auto restoration and performance shop websites (as well as their Google My Business profiles) and the results can help you sell more online.

The auto restoration and performance world is changing fast - increasingly, shop owners are moving online, and the marketplace is changing. Everything from scheduling, parts, sales, and services are being sold online , and customers are expecting to find everything they need via a quick Google search.

The online world is incredibly competitive - and here at Motorhead Digital, we’re dedicated to helping auto restoration and performance shops compete online, grow their businesses, and keep their shops full of high value projects.

So, we spent six months conducting detailed research into how the auto restoration and performance industry is shaping up online.

We wanted to see how many shops within the industry were set up to compete at the standards customers expect online in 2021 - and attract more of the right clients to their business as a result.

We looked at over 250 auto restoration and performance shops and graded their websites. We also analyzed their businesses for 7 important elements , took a look to see if they were using social media to promote their shops as well as YouTube for marketing , we also dug into their Google My Business profiles to see where they stood and how much they could improve.

Here are the key areas we looked into during our research:

The user-friendliness of a website
Digital marketing for auto restoration and performance shops
Google My Business
Website privacy, security & ADA Compliance

Our team used HubSpot’s Website Grader tool , to calculate the average score for the site’s performance, SEO, mobile responsiveness, and security standards. The average we found was 71% across all the sites we graded with a low score of 0 to a high of 97.

Here’s how the 257 sites we ran through HubSpot Website Grader scored:

8 sites scored in the 0 - 25 range
35 sites scored in the 26 - 50 range
77 sites scored in the 51 - 75 range
137 sites scored in the 76-100 range

Out of the 257 sites we ran through HubSpot Website Grader only 34 sites received a score of 90 or higher.

We wanted to see what the industry standards were in each of these areas and share the results with you, so you can grade your own current efforts, and improve your online presence to be even more effective than it is now.

Take a look at our findings, figure out where your company is on its digital journey, and start attracting more clients to your business in the future with a few improvements.

User-friendliness of the website

Are auto restoration and performance shop websites mobile-ready?

Almost 60% of websites in the auto restoration and performance industry are mobile-ready. This is great to see because being mobile-ready means that companies within the industry will get more visitors to their websites due to being more accessible on multiple devices.

However, this also means that over 40% of shop websites aren’t mobile-ready and not easily viewed or navigated on a mobile smartphone - which is not a great start for those companies. Having a mobile-friendly website these days is an absolute necessity for any company, so if your website isn’t mobile-ready then you’re going to lose leads.

Why?

Most people access the internet through their phones, tablets, or any other kind of mobile device.

Right now, 83% of the U.S. population uses a mobile device to access and search for products and services on the internet - it's expected to be 86.7% by 2025.

If a site isn’t mobile-ready, it won’t display correctly when viewed on a mobile device. This means someone viewing your site will most likely click away onto someone else’s site that does work for them.

Make sure your website is made with mobile users in mind:

Make sure your phone number or phone icon is visible at the top of the site.
Is your shop address easy to find? So many people use their phone as a tool to navigate via a maps' app to businesses when they’re on the road.
Check if you can easily read all of your content while on your smartphone.
See if the buttons are all easy to find and are big enough to tap on the smaller screen.
Make sure everything loads properly and isn’t distorted on a phone screen.
Page load speed is a huge factor for mobile, if your site loads too slowly people may go elsewhere.

Take a close look at your website today to make sure it’s accessible on mobile devices.

Is your web page mobile-friendly? You can test it here . If it fails the test, let’s chat.

Wondering if your site works correctly on mobile?

Do auto restoration and performance shop websites look professional?

It’s very important to have a professional-looking site. 94% of a visitor’s first impressions relate to your site’s web design and 75% of website credibility comes down to design .

Just 45% of the websites we audited looked professional leaving 55% of those websites looking unprofessional. An unprofessional website doesn’t give your business the credit it deserves.

You don’t want to scare away your potential customers or future team members with a website that looks like it was made at the dawn of the Internet in the late 1990s. Even if it’s mobile ready, if it’s not pleasing to look at and easy to navigate, potential customers will leave. Website standards are constantly evolving - your site should be designed to the standards people are used to today.

An updated and professional website is the only way to go and unfortunately less than half of the companies we surveyed had professional looking websites.

You could be losing a lot of clients if your website comes across as unprofessional. If somebody lands on your website and sees that it’s not very well put together, they’ll think your business is the same - and they won’t want to do business with you.

Digital marketing for auto restoration and performance shops

How many auto restoration and performance shop websites have a working email marketing campaign?

We found that less than 25% of the websites we audited had email opt-ins for an email marketing campaign. This was shocking to see as email marketing is a fantastic way to build regular and happy clients.

It’s crazy to think that 75% of companies in the au to restoration and performance industry don’t run email marketing campaigns. Email marketing has the best return on investment of any digital marketing technique - boasting a 4200% ROI ($42 for every $1 spent) .

Start building your email list and create an email marketing campaign for your business and include irresistible opt-in offers on your website so you can convert people into paying clients as they sign up.

How many auto restoration and performance websites have a blog?

Only 12.2% of the websites audited had a blog . Blogs are an incredibly important and vital part of content marketing for auto restoration shops . They help your website get seen by Google and improve your search engine optimization (SEO) - companies who blog get 97% more backlinks to their websites .

The more you post on a blog, the more people will see you as an expert in the industry. They’ll see that you’re knowledgeable and trustworthy - and the perfect company for their restoration project or performance work.

If your business doesn’t have a blog then now is the time to add one to your website. Try to add a new post at least once a month with:

Interesting industry tips
New technology
News about your company
Stories about projects you've done
or about events that you support or will be attending in the area.

Although It’s not a necessity, HubSpot notes in this article that a blog post with 2,100-2,400 words is ideal for SEO.

Keep in mind, blogs are best used to help and educate your clients and prospects not sell and once published to your site they can be shared online to your social media channels or via an email blast to your customers and prospects.

Wondering how email marketing can help your business?

Do auto restoration and performance shops use social media?

Over 80% of the websites we audited had social media accounts set up - which is a fantastic start.

If you have a social media account make sure you’re posting regular updates with relevant posts so your audience will engage with you more. By doing this, you’ll become better known within the industry and more people will want to work with you.

If you don’t have a social media account then we’d advise getting one setup as soon as possible. Social media is a great way to connect with your audience and bring more clients to your business.

We recommend that shops start with Instagram as it’s the go-to social media platform in this industry - in fact, 83% of people on Instagram use it to discover new products and services.

Do auto restoration and performance shops have YouTube channels?

Of the companies that we checked, only 40% had an active YouTube channel. Video marketing is an excellent way to engage with your audience, show them how you can help, as well as showcasing current projects.

According to a recent study by HootSuite , YouTube is bigger than any other social media platform. (And every other website, too, except for Google.) YouTube has 2 billion users worldwide ( Statista, 2019 ).

YouTube is a marketing platform that gives you access to millions of potential clients.

You can shoot and upload videos to YouTube that show your audience how to fix or perform simple upgrades to their cars. You can also create vlogs to put on your site featuring events you’ve attended, or projects you've worked on in your shop.

People love explainer videos that show processes, project progress, as well as the end result of that awesome restoration, build, or engine modification you’re working on.

Video is one of the best mediums to advertise and promote your business as people prefer to consume information by watching or listening to it rather than reading it.

Many people don’t know this, but your YouTube channel can help you show up in the search results - YouTube is huge when it comes to SEO, if it’s done correctly.

If you go down the paid ad route, ads on YouTube receive more attention (62 percent) from viewers than television ads (45 percent) .

YouTube has some seriously big sway when it comes to modern consumers’ buying decisions - so get on it!

Google My Business

Google My Business (GMB) is an absolute must for any business in the auto restoration and performance industry.

It helps you:

Rank higher on Google for local searches
Makes you look more professional
It makes it easier for potential clients to find and contact your business.

Here’s what we found out about auto restoration and performance companies and their Google My Business listings.

Have they claimed their GMB profile?

60% of businesses that we surveyed have claimed their listing on Google My Business. This means that 40% haven’t claimed their company on Google My Business.

If you haven’t claimed your business you’re missing out on a lot of amazing (free!) marketing opportunities. We’d highly recommend that you claim your GMB listing as soon as possible so you can start getting more clients to your shop.

Did you know that most people who view your Google My Business listing will check out your website too? According to a recent study, 56% will visit your site , 24% will give you a call, and 20% will ask Google for directions to your shop.

Google My Business is a great promotional tool to have, and an optimized profile can get you serious leads. 96% of local businesses are viewed 25+ times per month in the search results , and 86% receive more than 25 views on Google Maps. 16% of businesses also receive more than 100 calls every month because of GMB.

If you haven’t claimed your Google My Business page, Google has probably already created it for you and is just waiting for you to claim it. To check, search for your business name and it will most likely show up on the right side of the search results. If you’re a new business Google might not have created one for you yet, so you’ll need to create one for your business on Google Business.

To put it simply - if you want local customers, you need to claim and optimize your Google My Business profile ( it’s one of the things we do best, get in touch! )

Be an authority in your niche by promoting your expertise!

Have they optimized their GMB profile?

Out of the small percentage of companies who do have a GMB account set up and running only 19% of those companies have optimized their GMB.

What this means is that they’ve claimed and verified they own the business, but they haven’t optimized the listing to help with SEO and marketing.

You can optimize your Google My Business by:

Adding photos of your business
Writing a description in the bio about your business
Adding products and services
Including your opening and closing hours and including your contact information

It’s important to optimize your GMB profile so potential clients know where you are, what you do, and how to contact you. GMB also has a neat feature called Posts that will help with your SEO rank and you can also use it as another place to share your blog articles with the world.

Does their GMB profile have customer reviews on it?

Out of the companies who had verified their Google My Business, 76% of the companies had received reviews.

Reviews are incredibly important for a company’s growth as they allow you to learn and grow to be better for your clients. 84% of people trust online reviews - making them incredibly important when attracting new clients.

Not only this, but positive reviews will show your audience that you’re a great company to work with.

Even negative reviews can have a positive outcome, if you respond to them in the right way. By solving the problems your clients had with your service professionally, you’re showing your future clients that you have great customer service skills and if they have a problem you’ll be able to fix it.

Regardless of whether it’s a good or bad review, it’s important to respond to every review your shop gets. If you can it’ll show that you’re on top of things and you care about your clients as well as your shop's reputation.

If you don’t have any reviews on your GMB try to email your clients after you’ve completed a job for them and ask them if they would leave a review on your GMB listing.

Is your business using Google My Business to it's fullest?

Website privacy, security & ADA compliance

Do auto restoration and performance shop websites have SSL certification?

An SSL cert is the fighting force behind your online security as it protects all of your sensitive information and the information of your clients.

About 60% of the companies we audited had an SSL certification in place, but the other 40% didn’t have it on their website - which is a huge red flag to visitors and Google alike that your site may not be secure.

SSL certification is a necessity for any website. Not only does it protect your data but it also affirms your identity as a business, helps you rank higher on Google, and improves trust between you and your clients

SSL certification is very important and you now need it to be compliant with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

Privacy cookie notices

These are the annoying pop up notices that you see on most sites, asking you to approve of the site placing a tracking code (or cookie) on your computer

California’s version of Europe's GDPR law, the CCPA, is an act that gives consumers more control over what personal and tracking information you’re allowed to collect from them, how you store that data, as well as their rights to have you delete their personal data if requested.

This means you’ll have to give your clients certain notices explaining your privacy practices, like those annoying cookie notices you may have noticed popping up everywhere. The CCPA can be enforced across the US, it’s not restricted to just California, so protect your shop and get compliant ASAP.

ADA Compliance

While we’re talking about legal compliance, of the shop websites we audited, 80% were completely non-ADA compliant . 13% were only semi-compliant. If a website isn’t ADA compliant, they run the risk of being sued.

This is a huge issue in our industry and has put many smaller, family-run companies out of business already. We can’t emphasize how serious this is - if your website isn’t ADA compliant, you can get sued - this isn’t something you can put off and sort out later. At the end of the day it’s the right thing to do for your clients and prospects that may be physically impaired.

People love to feel safe and secure is your site secure?

Conclusion

Our results showed us that there are definitely areas for improvement in the standards of websites, digital marketing and Google My Business in the auto restoration and performance industry.

We found all our data just by looking at the websites and GMB profiles of companies in the niche - just like your audience would.

Think about what the customer wants from you and how you can improve your website, marketing and your GMB to meet those needs.

If you’d like us to assess your online presence, get in touch . Our Marketing Maximizer program is designed to help you make the most of your website, your content and your Google My Business profile.

Diagnose The Problem Before Boosting The Performance

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 21:47:06 GMT

There isn’t any point in doing online marketing if what you’re promoting isn’t built to convert casual visitors to loyal customers. Your website needs to be built with customer conversion in mind otherwise you’re not going to hit your maximum ROI (return on investment).

First, what is Digital Marketing? It’s not just Google or Facebook Ads

As a premier to this article we wanted to start with a quick overview of what digital marketing is as we’ve had so many tell us and assume that Digital Marketing is only paying big money to run Google or Facebook ads. Yes this is a big part of it, but there’s so much more.

“Digital marketing is the component of marketing that utilizes internet and online based digital technologies such as desktop computers, mobile phones and other digital media and platforms to promote products and services.

Digital marketing campaigns have become prevalent, employing combinations of search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), content marketing, influencer marketing, e-commerce marketing, social media marketing, e-mail marketing, display advertising to name a few. Digital marketing extends to non-Internet channels that provide digital media, such as television, mobile phones (SMS and MMS) and callback. The extension to non-Internet channels differentiates digital marketing from online marketing.”

~ Source Wikipedia

How To Review Your Marketing For Maximum ROI

There isn’t any point in doing online marketing if what you’re promoting isn’t built to convert casual visitors to loyal customers. Your website needs to be built with customer conversion in mind otherwise you’re not going to hit your maximum ROI (return on investment).

So, before you invest all your time and money into promoting your business and worrying about not getting the best ROI out of your marketing efforts, you should assess your current marketing. Start by looking at the journey your visitors are taking when they land on your website. Are you giving them what they are looking for? Is your website built with conversion in mind? Does it focus on the customer journey?

If you answered no to any of these items take a look at how you can further assess your marketing strategy and drive your website traffic into making a conversion.

Assessing Marketing For Your Audience

For a marketing strategy to work effectively you need to know your audience inside and out. The best way to understand your audience is by creating customer personas and using them to understand the wants and needs of your customers.

User personas are basically a fictional profile of what your ideal customer(s) looks like. You can create multiple personas based on the different products and services you offer in your business.

They can include things like:

Age
Income
Marital status
Do they have children?
Do they own their own home?
What keeps them up at night?
How do they like to spend their spare time?
What kind of work do they do?
What are their beliefs?
What do they like/dislike?
Even understanding their political leanings my be taken into account

User personas are the perfect way to:

Help your company understand who your customers really are
Help you understand the behaviors and needs of your customers
Helps you to start to create better messaging by talking about your audience, rather than yourself
Have more focused business meetings
Have a clear view of the situation when making decisions
Increase empathy with your customer

If you’ve never created customer personas, or have but don’t use them, then you’re missing out on an opportunity to engage more with your customers and understand their wants and desires. This will easily help improve your conversion rates and help maximize your ROI.

Pro Tip: When trying to sell a product or service to your preferred audience ask yourself why would they need your offering and what benefits does it have for them in their lives. Don’t try to sell them just features, sell them the real benefits and outcomes.

Your Digital Marketing Plan

When it comes to digital marketing you need to have a strategic plan at the ready. Without a plan, you’re simply going blindly into battle, and you’ll lose quickly. And when we say lose, we mean loss of money and wasted time.

The purpose of a digital marketing plan is to help your business succeed online - researching your target audience and knowing them inside and out, clearly outlining your goals and aspirations and setting up your success metrics will help you gauge how you're doing and set you up for success.

3. Set Your Success Metrics

Running a good digital marketing strategy is sure to help your business in the future, but you need to know the appropriate analytic numbers to be able to measure your success. In order to continue to improve you need to know how, what and why you did something, how your audience interacted with your marketing as well as why it had a positive or negative effect on your business.

Here are some key things you should track if your sending traffic to a landing page, social media posts or using email marketing:

If you’re sending them to a landing page on your website:

Number of ad clicks
Page views
Time on page and site
Form fills
Phone calls
Number of sales or new customers for each campaign

If you’re marketing is on social media:

Ad or post clicks
Content Interactions: Post likes, comments and shares
Reach
New followers

If you’re marketing is via an email blast to your list:

Number of opens and open rate %
Number of clicks and click rate %
Unsubscribes
Forwards (Shares)
The Geographic location of the people who took action

To execute this properly you’ll need to ensure that you create the appropriate success metrics (or markers). Success metrics track your measurements properly and over time you’ll be able to see what is and isn’t working in your marketing strategy.

This is the best way to make the right changes to adjust your marketing and to keep your business moving forward.

Pro Tip: For digital marketing there's nothing more important than the data (The Metrics). If you don’t have the proper data, look at the data or even understand the data on everything you do, how can you know if what you’re spending your time and money on is really working? Or for that matter when to change directions, shift, hit the gas or stop?

The Importance Of Driving Traffic To A Specific Landing Page

This is, by far, one of the most common mistakes in marketing campaigns.

For the love of all things marketing do not direct paid (Or unpaid) traffic to your home page, contact page or some random product category!

You want your customers to make a conversion (Take action with a purchase, form fill or call) as soon as possible. This means that if a customer clicks on an advertisement for one of your products or even a social media post you don’t want that ad or post to send them to the homepage - there are too many directions they can head in from there including off your site.

You would not believe how many businesses that we’ve spoken to over the past 23 years that have just started or have been doing Facebook or Google Ads for a while and have them tell us that they’re sending all that traffic to their home page or some other unfocused page on their site.

If your customer is sent to the homepage they can feel lost or confused. It probably wasn’t what they expected to see after clicking the link, and they definitely won’t spend a lot of time (if any) trying to find what they were looking for.

Which means you’ve just possibly lost a potential customer

You want those casual visitors to become customers as quickly as possible which means that your ads or posts should send them straight to the page that corresponds with what was advertised or posted about. This needs to be a very focused page with a Call To Action (CTA) offer as well as a way to directly purchase or communicate with you about your products or services. This will create a higher chance that your customer will make a purchase or reach out compared to if they were just sent to your homepage or other random page on your site.

Pro Tip: You also will want to track interactions and time on your landing page and tweak the content and CTA as needed.

To gain real traction in your market and get the maximum ROI for your investment, you need to look at your current efforts critically and constantly. By continually improving and honing your marketing strategy, you’ll reap the benefits of all that hard work in record time.

If you’re in need of help or guidance with your auto restoration, performance or restyling shop’s digital marketing strategy and efforts our Marketing Maximizer™ program is the perfect place to start.

About The Author

Barry Alt is the founder of Motorhead Digital, providing signature Marketing Maximizer™ programs specifically developed for auto restoration, performance and restyling shops. These programs are geared towards customer acquisition and conversion to keep those project bookings coming. With over 23 years of experience in digital marketing and web development Barry’s goal is to help clients market and grow their shops through strategic marketing practices. You can reach him at (585) 766-9785, balt@motorheaddigital.com or online at MotorheadDigital.com

As seen on The Shop Magazine

5 ways to increase repeat business using video

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 23:17:56 GMT

Do you want to retain your customers & keep them coming back for more? Here’s how you can by using video marketing techniques to increase your repeat business.

Attracting and persuading new customers to buy from you costs between 5 and 25 times more than retaining existing ones.

Let that sink in for a moment.

Encouraging repeat business from happy clients is a lot cheaper (and less labor intensive) than trying to get new customers through the door.

Working on strengthening that connection with your current customers is essential - you worked so hard to get them on board the first time, don’t let that go to waste!

One of the best ways you can encourage repeat sales and keep those customers coming back for more is with strong video content.

By creating a great video marketing strategy and using your videos in the right way, you can seriously boost your sales and see a real difference in your repeat business.

Video content is outshining all other types of content when it comes to retaining repeat business in the auto world. In this blog, we’re going to show you 5 ways in which you can use video to increase your repeat business.

1. Use videos to improve your customer experience

We all know the key to repeat business is great customer service. When a customer gets great service, they’ll happily keep coming back for me - and pay more for your services too.

Videos can help you provide great customer service, sometimes we just have to think outside the box!

If you have customers that are paying you thousands of dollars for restoring their vintage vehicle, you can send them quick update videos once a week or once a month. It takes minutes to do, but it makes your clients feel special. It shows how much you care about their project, and it makes them feel like you have a more personal relationship - which means they’ll be more inclined to return to you over trying someone new.

Sell auto parts online? Choose your top selling items and create videos explaining the different elements of what makes them great. You can send these out in your email marketing, add them to your website and post them on social media.

By seeing you explaining the products they’re interested in buying, customers will feel like they’re getting a personalized explanation from you - which helps build up their rapport with your company.

2. Improve customer engagement online

Videos is an incredibly engaging form of content and your audience will more likely engage with video than any other form of content.

Why?

Because video is easy to consume and most people prefer watching a video over reading a wall of text.

In fact, in 2019 web users spent a weekly average of six hours and 48 minutes watching online videos – a 59 percent increase from just three years prior in 2016.

Video content is great for promoting your brand, delivering information and resonating with your audience.

It does all this in such a short amount of time compared to reading a blog. This all helps you increase your sales and keep your repeat customers.

Your video content will add value to your customer’s shopping experience which means they’re more likely to engage with your brand and remember who you are. This positive engagement will keep them coming back to you for more products or services down the line.

You can use your video content to take back the attention of your potential customers when they tune out.

Another way that video can be used to improve customer engagement is through sharing and social media.

If your audience likes your brand and the content you post then they’re more likely to share it with people they know. If you publish a highly-engaging video then your audience is going to share it which is a fantastic way to generate more sales - it’s basically the online word of mouth.

3. Create a brand image your customers can trust

Your company is up against a lot of competition online - it can be difficult to keep up with your competitors and still do the day-to-day tasks of running a business.

You want to be able to promote your company in a way that increases trust and transparency to your loyal customers.

One of the best ways to do this is through video.

By posting videos you can connect with customers on a more personal different level and they will be able to put a face to your company. This is incredibly effective for smaller shops or family-run businesses.

Video allows your returning customers to develop a stronger relationship with your brand. This allows them to feel more comfortable about doing business with you - and they’ll want to continue giving you their business to support you.

By posting videos about your brand's history and message your customers will trust you more and want to support you.

People recognize when a company values its customers.

By being truthful, humble and appreciative of your customers they'll want to work with you again.

4. Thank you videos

Thank you videos are an amazing tool to build relationships with current clients.

Customers will feel appreciated if they receive a heartfelt thank you from your business and they’ll remember it too.

Thank you videos are easy to put together and worth it. You can send them out with order confirmation emails so your customers feel appreciated after making a purchase with you.

You can also post thank you videos around special occasions on your social media. For example, near the holidays you can post a thank you video, thanking your clients for their business over the holiday season.

These kind gestures will make your brand stick in the minds of your customers as genuine and human - and help you gain more repeat orders.

5. Aftersales marketing videos

Post-sales marketing is just as important as pre-sales marketing. It builds on your existing customer relationships by getting them to share their experiences with others.

By using post-sales videos you can show off your customer service skills. Put together a video campaign that shows how efficient, friendly and helpful you are to your customers.

You can get your current clients to submit video testimonials to strengthen your claims.

By giving these clients an incentive to post testimonials you can get them to convert again with your business.

For example, you could offer them a discount on their next purchase or free shipping on one of your products.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to video marketing your auto shop - and building more custom around repeat business is a serious win.

If you want some help figuring out how you can use video to increase your repeat business, get in touch today and our team will be happy to help.

How ADA compliance laws can affect your auto shop website

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Thu, 24 Dec 2020 03:17:32 GMT

Being accessible isn’t just for physical stores anymore and if your website doesn’t cater to everybody’s needs then you could be at risk of a lawsuit.

If you have a website, you can be sued for not being accessible.

No, we’re not being alarmist.

With news that Domino’s pizza recently got sued due to falling foul of accessibility laws, everyone with a website is at risk of being sued.

Being accessible isn’t just for physical stores anymore and if your website doesn’t cater to everybody’s needs then you could be at risk of a lawsuit.

We know that this may sound a bit crazy but trust us when we say that you could be sued if your website isn’t up to browsing standards fit for all users.

A new law was recently passed as part of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), which states that everybody should have equal rights to access online information and services.

This law isn’t restricted to large businesses either. Whether you’re a small start-up or a one-man store, if your website doesn’t work to this law’s standards, you could be sued just as easily as any of those big brands out there.

Some of the companies that have been sued already include: Target, Weight Watchers, Home Depot, Bank Of America and so many more. Some smaller businesses have even been put out of business because their websites didn’t reach the accessibility standards.

In 2018 alone there were 2,285 lawsuits filed under the ADA and this number will only grow unless businesses start making their websites accessible for all.

Being accessible is no longer optional, if you don’t update to be user friendly, you can now face the consequences of a lawsuit.

With this law now being enforced so strictly, you probably have questions about it. So we’re here to answer the most common questions about the ADA for you.

What Is The ADA?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law by George W. Bush on July 26, 1990. It’s a law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities.

The law originally didn’t cover anything about websites as it was written in 1990. It does, however, prohibit any company from raising barriers in communication that could restrict access for some people. In 2019, it’s now being used against companies whose websites are not accessible to all.

How Does ADA Affect Websites?

How Do People With Disabilities Use Websites?

If you wear glasses or use contact lenses to read then you are using what is called assistive technology. Assistive technology is created in order to help those with any sort of disability access the web as easily as somebody without a disability.

Some of the most popular assistive technologies are glasses - helping people with visual impairments - as well as screen readers for those who have low vision or legal blindness and can’t see their device’s screen.

For people who have impaired hearing, closed captioning of any audio on your website must be provided.

There are some users who have a physical disability and may not be able to use a keyboard or a mouse and instead use equipment like head pointers, devices that track eye movement and software that turns text into speech. It’s often the case that people who have dyslexia or other learning disabilities will also use text to speech software to assist them in reading webpages.

In order to make sure that all the visitors to your site are able to use your website, you need to be able to work alongside these assistive technologies.

Pro Tip: You should follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to ensure that your website is fully accessible. Published in 2008 these guidelines showcase the criteria you should address in order to make your site accessible for people with disabilities.

What Parts Of A Website Should Be Accessible?

Simply put, you need to make sure that all of your website is accessible, including:

Videos
Images (alt-text)
Blogs
Buttons
Links
PDFs
Products that are for sale
Downloadable documents
Forms
Any other content on your site

You can make sure your website is accessible by following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. If you don’t have the time to do it yourself then it might be a good idea to hire an accessibility professional to make sure your website is fully accessible.

This accessibility professional will audit your current site and see what needs to be done to make it fully accessible for all of your customers.

Pro Tip: After all, the changes have been made and your website is ready to go you will need to get an accessibility statement. These statements need to be clearly visible on your website and will help you avoid any lawsuits. They need to be done by a lawyer in order to show their validation.

The Cost Of Not Having An Accessible Site

It may be a bit time consuming to make sure your site is accessible, or it might cost you to hire somebody to fix your site for you - but it’s going to cost you a lot more time and money if you don’t get it done.

If every one in five of your customers is a person with a disability and your site doesn’t work with their assistive technology then you’re losing 20% of your customers.

If they decide to file a lawsuit against your company then your company could go bust or lose a lot of revenue. The maximum penalty for violating this law would be a fine of $75,000 for your first violation and if you are a repeat offender it's $150,000.

Pro tip: A good start towards making your website accessible is to talk to your attorney about getting an accessibility statement on your site. ADA is a specialty, so your attorney may refer you to a specialist.

Find an ADA Compliance expert to help

Make your website accessible today and don’t let your company become another ADA lawsuit.

There are a variety of online tools to help you on the way to becoming accessible, a couple that we use regularly include:

The Web Accessibility Testing browser add-on by axe. This Google Chrome add-on is a fast, lightweight accessibility testing tool that returns zero false positives. It tests for accessibility issues that can be accurately detected via automation, and it only tests for components that actually exist on the page or application you’re testing. It’s also free!
Automated website scans from Monsido . Monsido gives you the tools you need to improve your website, quickly and easily. Their intuitive platform helps you find, fix and follow common website issues. With a super user friendly layout, Monsido enables you to effortlessly maintain web accessibility standards, quality assurance, brand guidelines and much more. The only drawback is the price: Monsido is around $5,050 a year.
For the full list of guidelines, visit the w3 website.

If this all sounds a bit overwhelming, Motorhead Digital is here to help you out - we have solutions to get your website ADA compliant and can also help you to understand the rules of ADA compliance better.

About The Author

With over 26 years of experience, BARRY ALT combines his passion for most anything automotive with his ability to strategize in the digital world at Motorhead Digital, a full-service digital agency just for automotive professionals. Reach him at (585) 766-9785 or balt@motorheaddigital.com and see how he can help you become ADA compliant.

As seen on The Shop Magazine

Can I Grow My Auto Restoration Shop Using Social Media Alone?

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 01:27:56 GMT

Updated Oct 06, 2021

When choosing how to represent your business online, you’re going to be faced with a lot of choices. One of the first questions you’ll need to answer is: ‘do I need a website or will I just use social media to promote myself?’

The internet is full of opportunities for ambitious shop owners - and full of places customers can solve all of their auto restoration needs.

People can get everything they could ever want online. You can buy products, book in for services, check out videos of product reviews, and you can even get virtual tours of events. With all of this easily available on the internet, and consumers now expecting it, it’s become a necessity that all businesses are online.

When choosing how to represent your business online, you’re going to be faced with a lot of choices. One of the first questions you’ll need to answer is: ‘do I need a website or will I just use social media to promote myself?’

Both options have their advantages and disadvantages, but ultimately, a combination of both will get you better results.

Many small business owners believe they can grow their business by using social media alone. 20% of small business owners use social media instead of owning a website.

Today, we’re going to look at the pros and cons of websites and social media to help you decide what’s best for your business.

Can you rely on social media alone to help grow your shop?

Whether your auto restoration or performance shop has been around for a while, or you’re just starting off, having a social media account is a necessary step in growing your business.

But can you use social media exclusively to grow your shop’s business?

Let’s take a look at all the advantages and disadvantages of social media to find out whether it's a reliable method of attracting and converting prospects into paying clients.

The advantages of having social media profiles

1. Improved brand awareness

By interacting with your audience over social media you’ll be able to increase your brand awareness in the industry. This means that your potential clients will trust you more and be more likely to work with you over your competitors.

89% of consumers have said that they buy from brands they follow on social media - so be sure to post relevant content and engage with them regularly.

2. There’s no contracts

When you create a social media account there’s no long-term commitment. If you don’t like the way a social media platform works then you can easily delete your account and move to another one.

3. It’s free & easy to set up

One of the great things about social media is it doesn’t cost you a dime, unless you pay for advertising. It’s also incredibly easy to set up and use so you can have a working social media profile for your shop in a matter of minutes!

4. Improved customer engagement

By creating and optimizing social media profiles, you could get the attention of quite a lot of people in your target audience. Social media platforms are used by nearly half the population, 3.81 billion people worldwide to be exact.

By being active on social media you’ll be able to chat with your potential clients and build up a relationship.

This real-time customer interaction will help them learn more about your business. It’ll also get you top of their list when they need an auto performance and restoration job done.

The disadvantages of having social media profiles

1. You can’t really customize your profile

You can change your profile picture, upload a new banner, and edit your information but apart from this, there is very little customization available on social media platforms.

What this means for you is your profile looks pretty much the same as everybody else’s.

There’s little space to show off your true individuality - which puts you at risk of being seen as a commodity. If your audience views your services in the same light as your competitors, you’re just going to be battling over price to win their custom.

2. You don’t have control

Unfortunately, you don’t technically own your social media account. It’s owned by a third-party and if something was to go wrong with your account, you could potentially lose your whole business in an instant.

Social media also controls what types of ads and promotions appear on your profile page - which means there’s always the possibility your competitors could end up advertising on your profile.

It’s also important to remember that the social media platform you’re using today might not be around forever. Bebo and Myspace were once considered irreplaceable social media platforms until Facebook took over. It’s quite possible that another social media tycoon could take over again and Facebook and Instagram will be a distant memory.

UPDATE: On October 4th, 2021 all of the platforms owned by Facebook, including Instagram and WhatsApp, were gone in minutes and out for hours. On this day, they were down across the globe for over 7 hours. This was a stark reminder that we have zero control over these platforms and should not count on them as our sole means of promoting our brand, products, and services. This also affected Facebook messenger, so if you use Messenger to communicate with your clients and prospects, it may have been a tough day.

Along with what happened on the 4th, we've heard of Facebook just taking down or banning a business page without so much as an explanation other than to say that the page did not conform with community standards. Has this happened to you?

Yes, websites go down as well, but in most cases, if you have contracted with a quality agency that uses a solid platform, outages aren't usually very long, as they have a back up plan. And if they've done their job, they also have a backup of your site for the worst-case scenario where you need to move your site to another hosting provider. In the case of social media platforms like Facebook, that option does not exist because, unlike your site, you don't have control of what you've posted on those platforms.

October 4th, 2021 was an eye-opener for those that depended 100% on Facebook as the lifeblood of their business. Don't get caught with your pants down. If you don't have a quality website for your business, it's time to think about this differently and make sure you own and have control of your content and how you communicate with your clients and prospects.

3. Social media doesn’t guarantee conversions

You’d think with 3.81 billion people on social media all over the world you’d get a good few conversions from your account - but unfortunately it doesn’t really work that way.

Even if you have thousands of people following you online this doesn’t mean they’re going to convert. 46% of people who follow brands on Facebook followed with no intention of making a purchase. They simply wanted a freebie, entry into a competition, or they were recommended by a friend.

Social media really doesn’t help you get that many conversions (i.e. sales and bookings) but what you could do is funnel your social media followers to your website where you can entice them to convert.

Now, let's take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of owning a website in comparison.

Do auto restoration shops need websites?

Having control over what your online presence looks like is an important part of showing your audience what your business is all about.

The advantages of having a website

1. It’s available 24/7

Your website is your 24/7 sales rep. They’re available around the clock to make sure your potential clients get the necessary information they need before working with you.

2. You own it

One of the best things about having a website is that you own it. It is 100% yours and no third-party person can take it away from you. You get to decide what it looks like, what’s displayed on it, and what features are available. You can make your website as unique as you want to show your audience that you’re the only shop to work with.

3. Websites improve credibility

Having a website doesn’t just look good, it also improves credibility and trust with your potential clients. 75% of consumers make assumptions about a company’s credibility based on their website so make sure your website works properly and looks good.

4. Improved marketing

Having a website means that you can easily improve your digital marketing strategy.

You’ll be able to communicate with your audience and provide them with incentives to convert. You can build landing pages to encourage potential clients to join mailing lists.

You can also use blogs, videos, images, and customer reviews to market your business.

The disadvantages of owning a website

1. Websites need to be maintained

If you want to run a website then you’re going to need to keep it maintained. Keeping a website updated is important for security reasons and it makes you look better.

It can be quite time-consuming if you do it yourself, but if you want to keep your information secure and your customers happy, then you must update and maintain your site.

2. Websites cost money

A custom website can cost anywhere between $5000 - $25,000+, depending on what features you want.

It’s true you can get free website builders, but these websites usually look poor and aren’t very appealing to potential clients.

3. You have to work hard to get traffic to your site

Just having a website isn’t enough to attract people to your business. You’ll have to put time and effort into improving your SEO, writing blog posts, and advertising your website.

With that, you have a brief overview of the pros and cons of relying on social media or a website for promoting your shop online.

The best digital marketing campaign incorporates both a strong social media presence and a fully-optimized website.

Here at Motorhead Digital, we specialize in helping auto performance and restoration shops succeed online through a combination of website design, SEO services, and online awareness campaigns.

If you’d like to talk about how to improve your business and develop a kickass digital marketing strategy then get in touch with our team today.

Stuck in a rut? 3 Simple Changes to Get Traction in Your Online Marketing

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 01:10:11 GMT

Take a look at these 3 simple changes you can make to your content online, social media accounts and website to help you get more traction in your online marketing.

Are you struggling to bring customers into your auto shop? Have you invested in online advertising, but not seeing much return on your investment?

You might have a great set of business cards with an impressive website ready to show off - but that doesn’t mean anything if people don’t know you exist.

So, how can you get your name out there?

How do you connect with the right people at the right time, bring more traffic to your website and get more customers through your doors?

Take a look at these 3 simple changes you can make to your content online, social media accounts and website to help you get more traction in your online marketing.

1. Create Useful, Unique Content

If you want to gain more traction with your online marketing then you need to be able to create content that is both relevant to your industry and of value to your audience.

Digital content comes in so many forms now - you can write blog posts, create infographics, checklists - but the most popular form of content in our industry is by far video.

Get creating unique, interesting video content and see your company’s name get shared far and wide on social media.

People aren’t going to want to follow your business unless they are intrigued by what you post and talk about online. They need to see that they will gain something from the content you write and that it will benefit them in some way.

Here are a few tips on how to create content that is useful for your customers;

Know Your Audience

It sounds like something so simple but a lot of content creators fail to understand who they are talking to. This is one of the most important points when it comes to creating content that is useful for your audience, because if you don’t know who you’re talking to, how can you make it of use to them?

You need to make sure your content is relatable. This will make sure the content you create has value to your customers which will increase the amount of relevant traffic you get to your website.

If you’ve written a really interesting blog post, you can post it to your own website or approach a magazine that’s popular with your ideal customers.

Once you’ve got your content up and live - it’s time to promote, promote, promote.

Pro Tip: Add some images, graphs, and charts into your blog posts to help break up your post and give your content more personality.

2. Redefine Your Social Media Strategy

Social media accounts are vital when it comes to building traction in your digital marketing. A strong social media strategy will attract customers, boost sales and help you grow your company.

Here are a few ways you can improve your social media strategy today.

Get Your Digital Footprint In Order

This is obvious to a lot of people but you’d be amazed at how many businesses don’t update crucial information on their website, social media profiles and Google My Business account.

Make sure that you keep all of your information up to date especially when it comes to having a strong social media strategy. It only takes one wrong link to lose a lot of customers which will only make it harder to bring more traffic to your website.

Keep your phone numbers and email addresses correct or you could lose out on sales.

Add Up-To-Date Photos

If you want to improve your online presence, then you need to keep your social media profiles looking professional and up-to-date. You can do this by keeping your profiles updated with new, professional photos of your business, yourself and your team. Not only will this keep your social media updated, but it will also show new customers that you are still relevant and active.

When updating your main profile pictures on your social media accounts make sure they are consistent throughout all of the platforms you’re on. This helps keep your brand’s visual identity consistent.

Update Regularly

When your customers decide to follow you on social media they expect regular, relevant posts from you. This is why it’s crucial to continuously update your social media with information about you, the industry or your niche.

You can post images of the products you have for sale, live broadcast and event or tweet about any new offers you might have coming up. Any form of interaction or engagement with your customers is important as it helps spread brand awareness and help you gain serious traction in your marketing.

Pro Tip: Everyone is not your audience! Don’t try to reach everyone on your social media - stick with your niche and what you know.

3. Improve Your Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Improving your local SEO is essential for operating on a regional, as opposed to a national, level. Local SEO focuses on prioritizing SERPs (search engine results page) in specific locations rather than searches across the country. A good local SEO strategy relies on your brand’s marketing, your products, and the services that local customers will be interested in.

Optimizing your local SEO means you’ll receive more traffic to your website and will increase your sales. Here are a few ideas you can consider when optimizing your local SEO:

Optimize your Google My Business profile
Respond to reviews from customers (both negative and positive!)
Optimize your website for voice search
Create content covering local events or news stories
Optimize your website for mobile use
Use local keywords in your content

Pro Tip: Engaging with online directories is the perfect way to help improve your local SEO and gain more traction for your website.

Implement these three changes to your digital marketing efforts and you should see some serious results. If you’d like to get a head start on your marketing efforts, take a look at our Marketing MaximizerTM to get you ready for the year ahead.

About The Author

With over 23 years of experience in digital marketing and web development Barry’s goal is to help clients market and grow their shops through strategic marketing practices. You can reach him at (585) 766-9785, balt@motorheaddigital.com or online at MotorheadDigital.com .

As seen on The Shop Magazine

How To Create A Great Email Marketing Campaign

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 00:45:10 GMT

By the end of this useful guide you’ll know all the tips, techniques, and best practice to create an amazing email marketing campaign for your shop.

With billions of emails being sent out every day you’d better hope your own email campaign is standing out and getting those clicks. If it’s not then you’ve got some work to do!

With so much competition out there, it’s important to learn how to do email marketing the right way.

So, is your current email marketing working? Do you know how to run a successful email marketing campaign?

By the end of this useful guide you’ll know all the tips, techniques, and best practice to create an amazing email marketing campaign for your shop.

The elements of a successful email marketing campaign

A targeted email list

The most successful email marketing campaigns start off with an email list full of high-quality leads. The best way to build up this sort of list is by converting people already interested in your services into email subscribers.

You can convert your website visitors into subscribers by enticing them in with an incentive for signing up. For example, you could offer them free downloadable content like a free guide, access to an exclusive webinar, or a series of how-to videos.

Visitors tend to have a very short attention span, so it’s important to grab their attention and get them to sign up as quickly as possible.

If you can’t get them to sign up by filling in your form, another great way to get their contact info is with exit intent pop-ups.

The way exit intent pop-ups work is as soon as your user goes to exit your website a pop-up will appear detailing your enticing free content in exchange for them signing up or subscribing to your email marketing.

If you’re attending industry events, make sure to collect people’s contact details when they visit your booth and follow up with them afterwards with an enticing offer in your email newsletter.

2. Clear goals

Once you’ve got your list up and running, it’s always good to set out clear goals for yourself - no matter what you’re trying to accomplish. If you want to create a campaign that works, setting out clear goals really helps - that way you know if you’re achieving results that actually matter to you.

Common goals for email marketing campaigns for auto shops include:

Increasing your shop’s average repair order
Filling your appointment calendar
Re-engaging customers who haven’t interacted with you in awhile
Increase bookings for a specific service
Introduce a loyalty program

3. An understanding of the different types of emails

Understanding the different types of emails that are sent for email marketing campaigns is essential to figuring out what you should email to your subscribers.

There are three main types of emails sent in marketing campaigns, and they’re sent with different intentions/goals in mind:

1. Promotional emails

These emails talk about special offers, deals, and are all about self-promotion. Their goal is to get someone to spend money with you.

2.Relational emails

These emails are generally weekly newsletters/updates that provide your subscriber with relevant news about your company/industry. The goal with these emails is to build a relationship with your readers - people buy from/hire companies they feel connected to on a personal level.

3. Transactional emails

Transactional emails are emails triggered by an action your subscriber took on your site.

For example:

Subscriber signup confirmation emails
Welcome emails
Order or purchase confirmation emails

Although transactional, they do provide a great chance to work on injecting your own personal brand into a direct line of communication with a potential future client.

4. Email marketing tools to make your job easier

Email marketing tools help you streamline the creation and sending of email campaigns.

They have features like:

Templates to make your emails easy to create (and replicate)
Integration with your website CMS, accounting software, or booking system
The ability to segment and target your audience
In-depth analytics on how your campaign is running
Automation for sending emails/replying to emails

Some great email marketing tools include:

Mailchimp
Drip
GetResponse
AWeber
ConvertKit
Constant Contact

5. A clear plan for your email campaign

As soon as you’ve got your subscriber list all sorted and your goals clearly mapped out it’s time to sit down and plan out your emails.

Here’s an outline you can follow when coming up with your emails:

Type of email
Rough content idea
The main action you want subscribers to take

When creating your emails you want to make them timely, relevant, and valuable to your subscriber.

Don’t overwhelm your subscribers by bombarding them with constant emails - instead stick to an organised plan and send them the emails they’re expecting (and wanting).

6. A perfect subject line

Subject lines can make or break an email marketing campaign.

Subject lines are the first things your visitor reads when they see your email, so they have to be enticing, interesting - and most importantly persuade them to open it. If they’re not, then your subscriber will more than likely delete the email before they even read it.

Improve your subject lines by:

Telling people what’s inside before they open the email
Add some personalization like the subscriber’s name
Avoid spam trigger words
Stay on topic
Make it exciting/intriguing for the reader to find out more

7. Engaging copy

When writing the text for your email you want to hook your reader in, right at the start. Generally speaking, try to keep the emails as short and to the point as you can.

Address your subscribers by name (personalization goes a long way with email marketing) and include interesting and relevant info is an absolute must to keep your subscriber engaged.

Don’t forget to include a killer CTA in your email so you can encourage your reader to take action.

8. Create a clean, simple email design

Design matters when it comes to creating a successful email marketing campaign. If your email looks terrible then it’s going to reflect badly on your business and your subscribers will stop reading.

If you’re not already, you can save some serious time by saving your email layout as a template. Not only can you avoid spending hours designing new emails every week, your readers will get used to a familiar layout - skipping to the sections they enjoy the most.

9. Continuous testing

Split A/B testing can give you amazing insight into what works (and what doesn’t). Test your design and layout, your copy, subject lines and even your calls to action. Change anything that isn’t working for you and try different approaches to improve your campaign.

The more you test your emails and monitor their progress the more you’ll be able to improve for future campaigns and convert more people into paying clients.

With these 9 steps implemented into your next email marketing campaign, you’ll be able to engage your target audience, show them what a great shop you are, and ultimately turn them into loyal, repeat customers.

Ready to create the perfect email marketing campaign for your business? Get in touch today and our expert team will do the heavy lifting for you.

3 Must-Have Website Tools You Need To Integrate Into Your Website

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 00:44:32 GMT

Every day sees new innovations in the web design world and it can feel a bit overwhelming to try and keep up - so we’ve hand-picked three of the must-have tools you need to keep your website working for you.

Your website should work for you - now we’re not just talking about it looking good and attracting traffic, no we’re saying it should act as a dedicated employee that works for your business 24/7.

It should take some of your workload off your plate - and automate any repetitive tasks for you.

Every day sees new innovations in the web design world and it can feel a bit overwhelming to try and keep up - so we’ve hand-picked three of the must-have tools you need to keep your website working for you.

1. Videoask

Videoask by Typeform is a brilliant software that helps you take visitor interactions to a whole new level!

How does it work? You create a list of the most common questions you get asked by customers. Then you record the answers to those questions with a video of yourself. Then Videoask acts as a ‘chatbot’ on your website - only instead of presenting simple FAQ answers with prewritten text, your users get personal-feeling videos instead.

Your site’s visitor can then choose to reply to you with a video message, an audio clip, or simply text.

The great thing about Videoask is that it also records and transcribes every conversation that you have with your potential customers.

It organizes them all for you so you can access them whenever you like. This makes it so much easier for you to save responses and pick up on any new frequently asked questions - and follow up with interested prospects.

Embedding Videoask onto your website is easy enough - it’s a simple copy and paste job, straight from their website, which makes your life a whole lot easier.

2. Automate your event follow-ups

Attending events is great. You get to meet loads of fantastic people, show people what you have to offer, and get people to sign up for your email marketing.

Hopefully, you’ll get some solid leads out of the list of people that gave you their emails but you still have to input it all into your computer and then send out follow up emails on Monday morning.

It’s incredibly tiring and nobody wants to do that after a long weekend away at an event. Luckily for you, there is an easier way: automated email marketing.

You can use ActiveCampaign to automate your email marketing at events. It allows you to scan people’s badges as they come to your table and store their information ready for when you need it.

This way you can gather all the names, emails, and other information that you need without having to worry about inputting it yourself.

The best bit about ActiveCampaign is that after the event is over, you can set it to automatically email every person on the list for you.

This also gets rid of human errors. If you have to sort out your email marketing campaign all by yourself you could input a name or email wrong. This could cause you to lose potential customers who might have been eager to work with you.

3. Personalize your website

Creating a customized visit to your website for every single one of your potential customers sounds like it’d be difficult and time-consuming. Well, not anymore.

You can create a unique experience for each and every one of your visitors so they get something tailored specifically for them - designed to turn them into repeat customers.

By using personalization on your website you can increase your sales by a whole 20% . This is because you’re showing your potential customers what they like before they even have to search for it.

This makes their life a whole lot easier and your website a whole lot more likely to increase sales.

How does website personalization work?

Personalization works by collecting data from your users’ browser history. The data is used to recommend products and services that they might be interested in.

It can even be used to show them specific pieces of content that would appeal to them to help get them more interested in what you’re selling.

What personalization can I use on my website?

Here are three of the most common go-to methods of website personalization:

1. Navigational Personalization

Based on a visitor’s browsing behavior or purchase history, this personalization method customizes what your website displays.

For example, say someone was looking at a nitrous kit to buy on your online shop but left before buying it. The next time they visit your website, you can show them the same nitrous kit (and other similar products) in relevant places throughout your site.

2. Predictive Recommendation

Think about the last thing you bought online - do you remember seeing:

“If you like this you might also like…”

“Other customers also bought these…”

...or something similar?

Using predictive AI, recommendation software can accurately predict products that your visitor might be interested in, by analyzing buying behavior from other users.

By embracing predictive recommendations, you can increase your online sales substantially - for instance, Amazon attributes 30% of their sales to this method.

3. Contextual Messaging

Contextual messaging customizes the messages displayed to your site's visitors based on characteristics like location, behavior, or type of device they’re using.

By showing your visitors messaging that’s tailored to their specific needs, they’ll feel like they’re getting a completely personal service from you - greatly enhancing the chances of them becoming loyal customers in the future.

If you’d like to figure out the best options to convert your visitors into repeat buyers, get in touch today and the Motorhead Digital team will be happy to help you.

What Are Customer Personas? How To Create Them - And Why You Need To

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sun, 16 Aug 2020 15:28:58 GMT

If you’re not creating customer personas for your business, you’re missing out on the opportunity to understand what makes your customers tick (and buy).

Customer personas are a fantastic way to get to know your audience, helping you target your products and services to them a lot easier.

If you’re not creating customer personas for your business, you’re missing out on the opportunity to understand what makes your customers tick (and buy).

Today, we’re going to look at what a customer persona actually is, how you create a customer persona, why you need to create them, and why they’re so important to your company’s continuous growth.

Let’s get started!

What is a customer persona?

A customer persona (or buyer persona/user persona) is a fictional character that you make up to represent your ideal customer. It’s usually based on market research and any data you’ve collected from your existing customers.

When creating your buyer or customer persona you should include:

Customer demographics
Their behavior patterns
Your customer’s motivations and goals
Their age, gender, and occupation

The more detailed you are with your personas, the easier it will be to address their wants, needs and concerns - and market your products and services towards them more effectively.

Buyer personas are a big help when it comes to building up a strong insight into what your customers are like. A detailed buyer persona will allow you to focus on what parts of your business appeal to your customers. It’ll help you align your services with what your customers want to see.

With strong customer personas at your fingertips, you’ll be able to attract more valuable visitors that will more likely convert and become a paying client for your auto shop.

How do you create a buyer persona?

Buyer personas require a lot of time, patience, research, and strategy. If you want to construct the perfect persona to represent your target audience then you need to start by asking yourself some questions.

You need to define exactly who you want to attract to your company, what you have to offer and why.

By being thorough with your analysis you’ll be able to gather a lot of key details about your target audience. The more details you have about your target market’s driving motivations, the more effective your customer personas will be.

The questions you ask about your audience will help you lay the foundation to keep them coming back for more from you.

Customer persona questions can include:

How old are they?
What do they do for a living?
How do they spend their money?
What do they do for fun?
What other hobbies do they have?
What keeps them up at night?
Where do they hang out?
Why do they enjoy restoring cars/improving their vehicle’s performance?
What do they look for in an auto shop?
How can you give them the perfect solution to their problems?

Answering these questions will help you create a base of what your ideal customer is like. If you want your customer personas to be detailed, you’re going to want to move beyond these questions and ask more in-depth ones that are specific to your ideal customer.

You want to really get to know your target audience so you can understand them as people, as individuals with their own problems, wants and desires. If you can understand them then you can figure out how you can give them what they want.

For example, start thinking about:

What do they do at the weekend?
How old are they?
What does their family life look like?
What motivates them to get up in the morning?
What are their aspirations?
What would they change about their life?
What do they like to read?
Where do they go to find out about your industry?
What social media do they use?

When answering these questions, think about how you can communicate your unique selling point (USP) to your customers. If you can figure out what sort of person your target customers are then you can figure out what makes your company unique to them.

Focus on what each customer persona needs and wants from you and how you can benefit their lives. This will make it easier for you to connect with them and convert them into repeat paying customers.

How do customer personas help your business?

Figure out where customers spend their time

With customer personas, you’ll be able to see where your customers are spending their time online. You can figure out if they’re more active on Facebook, Instagram, or other social media and aim your marketing to that platform.

There’s nothing worse than putting a load of effort into a social media campaign and then getting 0 engagement back. Customer personas give you unique insight into the behavior of your audience, making it easier for you to market towards them.

You can also use these personas to figure out if you want to target local customers or customers across the states. This will help you market to their specific area with targeted ads to attract them to your site.

Speak their language

Having customer personas helps you figure out what sort of language your target audience speaks. We’re not talking about whether they speak French, German, or English but how they talk online.

For example, do they use slang words or emojis? Are they formal or informal? This is all information you should take into consideration and it’ll help you connect with your target audience.

Creating persona-specific content

Instead of making content that is specific to you and what you think will look good on your site, your customer personas can help you create content that will inform, engage and entertain your target audience.

You’ll already know what your target audience likes and dislikes from your customer personas, so now you know what you should start posting on your blog and social media profiles.

Customer personas are a great way to get to know your target audience and they’re perfect for helping you attract more customers to your business.

If you want to attract new customers to your business with innovative online marketing, get in touch today.

How To Get New Customers Using Automotive Video Marketing Tactics

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 14:58:47 GMT

With the right automotive video marketing tactics behind you, you can capture a new audience, show off what’s great about your company - and have fun while doing it.

If you think YouTube and Instagram are just for 20-something beauty bloggers and influencers, think again!

Over 40% of auto shoppers use video to narrow down their options and ultimately choose what they purchase.

With the right automotive video marketing tactics behind you, you can capture a new audience, show off what’s great about your company - and have fun while doing it.

You don't need expensive equipment to get started, you just need a plan (and some standards!)

There's a lot of poor video content out there that isn’t doing anyone in the industry any favors - but that means there's plenty of space for you to make a positive impression on potential customers.

Video marketing helps you connect with your audience, showcase your products/services and boost your SEO efforts.

Search engine optimization isn't just about blogging - video content can propel your website and social media accounts to the top of Google too.

When people are searching for specific products or 'how to' guides, Google knows the average web user wants something easy to understand and quick to digest - so it actively promotes video search results as the answer to common search queries.

So, when you post that 2 minute video on how to install your most popular product, or what happens during a tune-up, Google will show your video as an authority to people searching for that content on their search engine.

The result? People that are looking for what you do/what you sell will visit your website to learn more about you (and hopefully ultimately hire you/buy from you).

This can be particularly useful for auto shops trying to attract local customers with local SEO.

So - with all that said, how can you use video marketing for your auto shop? What types of videos should you make?

The 4 most effective types of video marketing for automotive businesses

Videos, like your blog posts, can help your business appear higher on Google, convert casual visitors to loyal customers and bring in more sales for your company.

But, like a badly formatted blog post, low-quality videos can also hurt your reputation - and your conversion rates.

Low-quality videos aren’t going to get you the attention you need, which is why you need to be clear on what type of video you want to create and what image you want to promote of yourself online.

Here are four of the most effective types of video content that can help attract new customers to your shop.

1. ‘How to’ guides - simplifying complicated topics

Written content, unfortunately, has its limitations. There’s only so much written content can do for your audience, especially when it comes down to explaining complex situations.

You can easily describe simple and straightforward concepts with written content but trying to break down more detailed concepts can be quite tough.

For example, let’s say you’re writing about how to change the oil in a car. Think about how many words it’ll take to explain how you go about this safely. You have to explain to them in detail how to prop up the car, find the oil plug, and then go about describing the rest of the procedure.

On a guess, it’d take at least 600 words to explain all this - or you could explain it quicker in a short video.

Video also provides your audience with a lot more context and information than text does.

Using the same example from before. If you’re showing a person on video how to change the oil in a car you’ll be able to visually show them where the oil plug is located and they’ll be able to see exactly how each step in the process is performed.

With video, your audience will not only get the information quicker but they’ll also be able to understand what you’re trying to show them more clearly.

By using video in this detailed way you’ll be able to draw more customers in by providing consumable, helpful content.

2. Creating a connection, authentically

Written content can often make it difficult for the reader to connect with the writer as they can’t put a face to the words. This is why you often see an author’s picture at the top of a blog post.

But, just seeing a person’s picture isn’t the same as hearing the content straight from the creator. Video is one of the best ways to connect with your audience this way - they’ll know you when they see you in the shop (and feel like they have a more personal connection with you).

You may not be directly talking to each individual member of your audience but it can give viewing the feeling that you are.

You can introduce yourself, each member of your team and give them a guided tour of your premises.

With video working alongside your written work, your audience will adapt and start to read all your content in your voice. This will make them feel more comfortable and more connected with you.

The closer your audience feels to you the easier it will be to get them to convert to paying customers.

3. Product guide videos - things are best seen in action

There are a lot of factors that stop people from buying products or booking services online. One of the biggest factors is that they’re unsure of what the product will look like or how it will perform in real life.

By using video you can provide your potential customers with a 3-D simulation of what the product looks like.

In a video of a product being unboxed and tested, customers usually look at:

How big the product is
Does it look as good as its photos
Do the main features work as described
How easy/difficult it is to install

You can even create a video of different products being installed - the more questions you can answer, the shorter your sales cycle will be.

4. Entertaining/funny videos - engaging posts get shared

When people have a few minutes spare, what’s the first thing they do? They pull out their phones and scroll through Facebook or Instagram.

How do you get their attention? Create entertaining or funny videos that are relevant to your industry.

By getting casual viewers interested in what you have to say (that isn’t a sales pitch), they’re more likely to share your video with friends and family - exposing your business to more potential customers.

With automotive video marketing, there are so many options and opportunities at your fingertips to try out.

Want some help figuring out how you can use video to attract more customers to your auto shop? Get in touch today - our team specializes in helping auto shops reach more customers online and convert them to loyal, long-term customers.

Instagram and Your Auto Shop: 5 Mistakes to Avoid

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 21:40:17 GMT

With so many businesses using Instagram to get more customers, it's more important than ever to do the right things and avoid making common mistakes that could cost you followers.

Instagram is continuing to grow in popularity in the auto industry and with so many businesses (and customers) flocking towards social media it’s important to know how best to work it.

With so many businesses using Instagram to get more customers, it's more important than ever to do the right things and avoid making common mistakes that could cost you followers.

So, if you want to:

Gain more followers
Increase your audience engagement
Drive more traffic to your website

Then you’ll need to avoid these Instagram mistakes in your posts.

Instagram Mistake 1: Not optimizing your bio

This might seem like an obvious point to you, but you’d be amazed by the number of people who don’t optimize their social media bios.

Not optimizing your bio on your Instagram page can cause it to become lost amongst the already-crowded space on the platform.

Writing a great bio gives your audience an insight into what your business is like.

Think of it as an introduction to your business.

When you don’t introduce yourself to somebody after meeting them for the first time it’s considered rude: it’s the same with Instagram.

Not showing your audience who you are can make you seem standoffish and unwelcoming.

When it comes to your bio you want to be able to show your audience who you are and what you do in a couple of sentences.

You don’t have much space so make sure you leave them with something enticing.

It’s a good idea to add some sort of social proof in your bio to show your visitors that you’re a trusted source and can provide them with high-quality work.

When adding a CTA (call to action) on your Instagram bio, remember that you can also leave a link to your website to really make the most of that chance to attract new customers.

Instagram is not Facebook, so any links you leave in your posts are unfortunately not clickable. If you want to link to a webpage or any other information keep the link very short or put the link in your bio. If you put the link in your bio make sure to tell your audience where to find it in your post - otherwise they won’t know where to go.

If you’d like to promote a sale or offer it’s a good idea to look into Instagram ads rather than playing around with links.

Instagram Mistake 2: Low quality content

So many people make this mistake!

Instagram is a very visual platform and people use it to gaze at beautiful landscapes, funny videos, awesome cars and just decent content overall.

They don’t want to look at poorly taken photos that are taken in bad lighting or at a weird angle and they certainly don’t want to look at a pixelated image.

With cell phones now having such great built-in cameras, it’s easier than ever to upload high-quality images - and your visitors will be more likely to engage with something that’s actually nice to look at.

Speaking of images, when taking your photos remember that Instagram images are square and can be cropped so you’ll need to think about how you frame your shots.

Holding your phone in landscape mode works best for posts, portrait mode works best for stories.

Make sure your posts are entertaining too!

Nobody wants to scroll through their feed and see irrelevant and boring videos and images.

One of the most important things for any business is telling your story and with Instagram, it's all about the photos (and a little bit of commentary). So, show off your shop and all the cool projects you’re working on. You can even document long term projects over time with posts and story updates.

Finally don’t over-post.

If you post 5-10 images or more in a row within a very short period of time you may risk annoying your followers and causing them to unfollow you.

Give your audience something to enjoy, not something to skip over.

Not sure if your content is good enough?

Look at other accounts in the auto industry and see what their pages look like.

Check out what posts get the most likes and see what resonates with your audience.

A consistent Instagram page always does better than a bundle of messy photographs so don’t be afraid to take down any older posts that aren’t doing very well.

You can always replace them with newer, fresher, and better content.

Instagram Mistake 3: Ignoring engagement

Engaging with your audience is a fantastic way to gain their trust and loyalty.

Instagram actually awards you for interacting with comments and direct messages. It'll see that you’re engaging with certain people and show them more of your content because you’ve developed a relationship with them.

It will also show similar users your content and you have a higher chance of appearing as a suggested page to be followed by them.

So, the more you like, comment on posts and reply to direct messages the more likely you are to improve your presence on the app.

Instagram Mistake 4: Forgetting hashtags

Hashtags are still incredibly important when using Instagram and you should be using them on every one of your posts.

Many people don’t like to use hashtags because they aren’t sure what they should write in them. There’s a simple solution to this though, simply check out what hashtags your competitors are adding to their posts.

Be sure to make note of which posts do the best on their page and see what hashtags they use on them.

Be careful though. Some hashtags are overused and your posts can often get lost in a sea of content.

Try to add hashtags that are unique to your niche within the auto industry. This will help attract the right audience for your page too.

Instagram Mistake 5: Not developing a content calendar

Organizing what and when you should post on your Instagram account can be a difficult task in itself - and that’s before you’ve even taken a photo or come up with hashtags.

Your schedule is already extremely busy with running your shop and talking to clients so thinking about Instagram posts can be a headache if you’re not prepared.

This is why you need to get yourself a content calendar.

With a content calendar, you can organize yourself and figure out what you want to post and when you want to post it months in advance.

As soon as you have your content calendar written out for the year ahead (or even the next 3 months), you won’t have to worry about thinking up posts on the spot anymore.

So, streamline your content by staying organized and on top of things - it’ll make your Instagram journey a little bit easier.

Need help figuring out the best way to get started with Instagram for your auto shop? Get in touch today.

Unlock Hidden Revenue in Your High Performance Auto Shop

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 21:02:53 GMT

The world of online shopping for high performance auto parts and accessories has completely revolutionized in the last five years. There are so many opportunities available to sell more online and many of these can be easily done on your own, if you have the time. Others are better left to experts who have the savvy and the tools. We’ve put together a quick checklist for online high performance auto shops to help optimize their website with the most cost-effective solutions and the must do’s of online trading.

Should I Market My Business In A Downturn?

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 01:04:33 GMT

Keep your marketing going (at some level) to stay strong

As an online strategist with my digital agency Motorhead Digital, I’ve already weathered out 2 recessions - and come out fighting every time. Helping our clients navigate through the uncertain times ahead, I’ve heard the same question popping up time and time again over the last few weeks: should I market my business in a downturn?

The short answer? Yes. And I have the perfect real-life example to show you the difference between shutting up shop and thriving in the future.

Going back to the 1920s (yes, really but stick with me), Post Cereal quit their marketing and advertising efforts during the Great Depression. Kellogg’s doubled their ad budget. That effort set Kellogg’s to become the king of cereals for generations to come.

During this COVID-19 driven economic crisis, you need to ask yourself, will your business be like Post or Kellogg’s?

Over the years one thing that’s always amazed us is the fact that during every downturn in our country's history the first thing that companies big and small do is cut their marketing and sales staff and cut back or stop their marketing and advertising spend.

We’ve spent some time digging into this and have learned that pulling back is OK, but entirely stopping your marketing and advertising activities is almost always the wrong thing to do.

How Kellogg’s Crushed Post

We really never understood this as it just makes no sense. No matter what’s happening in the world there will always be companies and consumers that have money and the desire to purchase your products and services. If you pull back and go dark then you’ll be forgotten and it will be even harder to get your momentum back.

Here’s an example of how Kelloggs won the cereal wars of the Great Depression as noted in this 2009 piece in the New Yorker magazine.

In the late nineteen-twenties, two companies— Kellogg and Post—dominated the market for packaged cereal. It was still a relatively new market: ready-to-eat cereal had been around for decades, but Americans didn’t see it as a real alternative to oatmeal or cream of wheat until the twenties. So, when the Depression hit, no one knew what would happen to consumer demand. Post did the predictable thing: it reined in expenses and cut back on advertising. But Kellogg doubled it’s ad budget , moved aggressively into radio advertising, and heavily pushed its new cereal, Rice Krispies. (Snap, Crackle, and Pop first appeared in the thirties.) By 1933, even as the economy cratered, Kellogg’s profits had risen almost thirty per cent and it had become what it remains today: the industry’s dominant player.

You may be asking yourself what does the marketing of cereal in the 30’s have to do with advertising my business today in 2020? All we can say is: EVERYTHING! In the same article, the author noted that:

In 1927, the economist Roland Vaile found that firms that kept ad spending stable or increased it during the recession of 1921-22 saw their sales hold up significantly better than those which didn’t. A study of advertising during the 1981-82 recession found that sales at firms that increased advertising or held steady grew precipitously in the next three years.

Four important things to consider

Here are four things to consider from this September 2019 Forbes article when thinking about cutting back on advertising during this crisis.

The “noise level” in a brand’s product category can drop when competitors cut back on their ad spend. It also allows for advertisers to reposition a brand or introduce a new product.
Brands can project to consumers the image of corporate stability during challenging times.
The cost of advertising drops during recessions. The lower rates create a “buyer’s market” for brands.
When marketers cut back on their ad spending, the brand loses its “share of mind” with consumers, with the potential of losing current – and possibly future – sales. An increase in “share of voice” typically leads to an increase in “share of market.” An increase in market share results, with an increase in profits.

The bottom line is that if you pull back and go dark, there’s a good chance that the market will leave you in the dust - and it will take longer to recover even after this is over.

More businesses fail on the other side of a downturn

In lean times the key question is to think about WHAT your marketing strategy is going to be going forward. Will you keep things the same, pull back entirely or keep things going with a minimum viable investment so you can come out strong on the other side?

Statistics show that businesses that stop their marketing entirely have a higher chance of failure on the other side of a crisis than those that keep things going at some level. You can use Kellogg’s as noted above as a shining example of what happens when you keep your marketing going.

When you keep at it, your business has a much higher chance of coming out the other side stronger.

What this graphic represents is that at a high level, marketing takes time to work. Getting leads and clients is the result of an investment made weeks ago.

NORMAL (Before COVID) INVESTMENT: This represents business marketing and advertising investment in normal times. If COVID-19 did not happen this box would continue and no downturn would exist. It’s recommended that you try to stay at this level if you can and have the financial reserves to do so.
MINIMUM INVESTMENT: This represents business marketing and advertising investment that has been pulled back to the minimum viable investment, but has not stopped. If you keep something going you have a much better chance of coming out the other side strong and not losing momentum.
ZERO INVESTMENT: This is when businesses pull back on their marketing and advertising completely. Think Post as mentioned above. It’ll take much longer to get back in the game and you may have to work even harder and invest more to get that momentum back, increase visibility and build awareness - if it’s not already too late.

So if we go "back to business" in a month or two, and you haven't marketed your business in two months, then while you might be "open," you’ll have another two or three month lag before you start to really fill your pipeline again.

*Some information provided by one of our amazing business mentors Brent Weaver owner of Ugurus.com

In some cases advertising is on sale!

In some cases (like Google Ads and Facebook Ads.) online advertising is on sale - making it the perfect time to market your business via Google Ads, Facebook or Instagram.

In mid-March 2020, companies had to pay on average 9 U.S. cents for a click on a Facebook ad, while at the beginning of the year this cost amounted to 11 U.S. cents. In general Facebook advertising has become cheaper with the recent spike in usage of the platform influenced by COVID-19.

The 4 Takeaways

Follow these four principles to succeed during these unprecedented times:

Protect the current business and clientele you currently have
Pivot if you need to re-adjust your offering. Offer other microservices you might not normally offer
Be persistent and never stop building awareness about your company
Don’t back down and don’t give up - you can come out of this stronger

Bonus

Like you, I’m a small business owner, trying to make sense of everything too. Here’s one thing I do know - we’ll all get through this together.

So in the spirit of collaboration, we worked with some of our colleagues from around the world to share our own expert insights into how to overcome the challenges we’re facing right now.

We created this free eBook for you here: Transformation in Turbulent Times - inside you’ll get actionable advice from business leaders around the world to help you transform your business and ensure your future success.

Learn more about how you can:

Cleanup, expand and organize your business’ digital footprint
Get in front of your clients and prospects on mobile
Create value by offering helpful content and support
Ya know that new thing you’ve been wanting to launch? Now you have time to focus, get it out there
If you can move sales and support online even if it’s a percentage of your offering, do it now
Focus on what you can control
Look for helpers and help out the best you can
Get clear on your messaging
Get your brand consistent across all of your social media and marketing channels

I hope you enjoy it, and if you’d like to talk about your options right now, get in touch .

~ Inspiration for this article provided by our good friend Wendy Miles over at The Shop Magazine.

~ Content development support provided by Abby Wood from The Content Lab.

~ Moral support and review provided by Pam Haskell from Chili Pepper Design.

Barry Alt is the founder and owner of Motorhead Digital , feel free to reach out to me at balt@motorheaddigital.com if you or your customers need help or have any questions.

How To Use An Online Booking System To Get New Customers For Your Auto Restoration Shop

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 15:12:41 GMT

Here’s how you can start to use an online booking system to attract more customers to your business and save you time in the long-run.

In business, we often think that the old ways of doing business are the best - and sometimes this is true. Shaking hands with partners, excellent customer service and making deals in person are all still essential tools for the modern-day business. But, this doesn’t mean that all older customs need to be brought forward into the future.

Some tools need to be left in the past so that businesses can grow and improve. One of these tools is outdated, time-consuming booking systems - like over the phone or via email and the appointment diary book. Though these are still vital parts of any business, technology can make the booking process a whole lot easier.

Here’s how you can start to use an online booking system to attract more customers to your business and save you time in the long-run.

2 4/7, Flexible Booking For Customers

Without an online booking system, your customers will be relying on over the phone bookings, email bookings or booking in, in-person. These processes are all very time consuming and are limited by the amount of time you or your staff are in the office to respond.

By using an online booking system your customers can book an appointment whenever they like, at any time of day and most importantly, when it suits them. It also means that multiple customers can book in with you at the same time (and not be left on-hold) and can do it from their desktop, mobile phone or laptop. It’s incredibly flexible and provides a huge boost to your customer service and revenue.

Just by having an online booking system you’ll be able to attract significantly more customers to your shop because more people can book at once and your time isn’t taken up answering calls. For the younger crowd, online booking is a must.

S taff Workload Is Reduced

Booking over the phone and checking emails requires a lot of maintenance to keep bookings accurate and up to date. This means more staff time is put into managing the phones and checking emails.

You need your team to manage phone lines, update and maintain your booking calendar, take payments from clients, check for any mistakes and send reminders to customers who have already booked in.

These are all time-consuming tasks that could end up costing your company a fortune in wages or overtime. There is also more likely to be a slip up with a manual booking system then if you had an online system.

By having an online booking system added onto your website, you’ll be making the entire process a whole lot easier and cutting down on costs for your business.

Here are some of the ways online booking systems will make your time more manageable:

Customers will only be able to book the dates that are available on the calendar in front of them
Customers will have to make upfront payments for their bookings
Customers will receive automatic booking reminders near the time of their appointment

Online booking systems are a simple way for customers to book appointments. It’s fast and allows you and your staff to focus on other tasks for the business.

By freeing up your team members’ time, they can focus more on upselling or attracting even more new customers through the door.

S elf Promotion Made Easy

Social media isn’t just for connecting with friends and family, it can also be used for companies to sell products and promote services.

A lot of people will find new businesses every day through social media - in our industry, Instagram and Facebook are incredibly popular. Whether it’s through a simple search, seeing one of your ads or a retweet on twitter, social media has the potential to expose your company to thousands of new customers.

How do online bookings come into this? By being able to take bookings on your website, you’ll have a page to send potential clients to, rather than instructing them to call you or email you to place a booking.

When the customer is sent to your booking calendar online you can include some compelling offer next to the form to encourage them to make that booking. This will help increase the bookings your shop receives, as well as increase the number of new customers you get coming into your shop overall.

Some booking systems are even able to integrate with Facebook which gives you even more benefits for using the online booking systems. These benefits include:

Customers can book directly from their Facebook page and be taken to a live calendar showing your availability, as well as a detailed product or service description.
You can add special promotional Facebook booking codes to encourage people to make a booking with you.
Customers can like and share your booking information on their own Facebook profile which will enhance the visibility of your company.
Customers who book through Facebook can be encouraged to leave reviews on your Facebook profile - helping to boost your brand reputation online

If you’re interested in learning more about online booking systems and how they can help you save time and increase revenue, get in touch today.

COVID-19: Our Working From Home Survival Kit

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 01:30:05 GMT

We’ve worked remotely for a combined 43 years, so in these trying times with COVID-19 we wanted to put something together that we hope will help you stay focused and productive.

We’ve put together a list of software, equipment, best practices and productivity tips which has made our life working from home much easier and more productive over the years.

Below are the best practices, equipment, and online software tools (with links) that we follow and use every day working with our remote team, clients and business associates all over the world.

10 Best Practices and Productivity Tips

WARNING : Working remotely from home is NOT for the weak at heart or the undisciplined. Working from home does not mean you’re on vacation! When working from home you need to make sure you have even more structure and discipline than at the office. You may ask why, it should be easy, right? WRONG!

When you work in an office environment most people have to be in the office and at their desk ready to start their day at a set time. If you fail at this and show up late or in your PJs without a shower and with your hair a mess, you may not be in that position for very long.

We’ve included some key tips that bosses, managers, and staff can follow that will help them succeed while working remotely from home and also be super productive.

Get dressed for success just as if you were heading into the office: It’s tempting to just land on the couch with your PJs on and your laptop in hand and start your day with the morning show on, but all we can say is DON’T DO IT. We’re hoping all of this is short term so get dressed for the day as you normally would, OK maybe sans the tie and heels but ditch the PJs and sweatpants. Not doing this builds laziness and leads to unproductive work - and a bad back.
Get there on time and shut down on time: OK you only have to walk a few feet to your office but that doesn't mean you can get there whenever you please. If your start time is 9am make sure you’re at your desk at that start time and you're ready to go. And a quote we’ve heard a number of times “Early is On Time, On Time is Late, and Late is Unacceptable!” Likewise if you normally shut down at 5 pm to head home for the day don’t change that routine.
Keep your desk area as you would at work (not in bed!): Set up your work environment as close as possible to what you have at work. Keep it organized and clean.
Avoid distractions: This is a big one. Having that TV on while you're signed into social media is a recipe for disaster and can be a huge time suck. Turn the TV off, log out of all social media and turn off any notifications that will be a distraction.
Your family needs to know the rules: For those who have a partner or kids at home, you’ll need to educate them on the importance of your time at work. They need to understand that this is no different than when you’re at the office. Let them know that you’ll be available at your regular break times. Speaking of breaks, these are very important so don’t forget to take a break now and then and also get up a stretch every so often. Some people take a 15-minute break at 10 and 3 with a 30-60 minute lunch break at noon, this is a great time to reconnect with others in the household. Try to keep the same schedule as you do at the office.
Schedule Work Sessions: In an office environment where you’re in the same area, whether it be in a cubicle next to a team member or someone across the office, it’s a very different world when you’re at home alone talking to yourself. Schedule 30- to 60-minute work sessions with a team member or multiple team members. Chat for 5 minutes or so with everyone taking notes on what they’ll be focusing on. Set a timer for a set time (25 minutes minimum) then mute your mic and get to work. Only un-mute if you have a question or need help. At the end of the session, everyone reports on what they got accomplished.
Lighting for video: OK, if you’re not used to being on video with the camera make sure you pay attention to where you’re seated, where your camera is pointing and test the video before you start. You might need to have a shade you can close if you have a window behind you as the light (depending on location) can wash you out. You can also add lighting where needed to brighten things up, see some options provided below.
Your background: If you’re meeting with clients or recording videos to be posted online you’ll want to pay attention to your background and what’s behind you. Keep it neat and minimal.
Implement online project management and communications tools: If your business does not currently use a project management and/or communication tool other than email you might want to consider looking into using these types of SaaS (Software as a service) tools listed below. Adding these tools to your company's tool kit will help increase productivity and communication with your remote team.
Finally for The Boss: Keep in mind that this may be all new to you and your staff so give your team a little slack while they get things set up. If you had a daily stand up or regularly scheduled meetings, don't change a thing - just move those to tools like Zoom (more info on that below).

Here’s a great article from Think with Google on Working from home? 4 tips for staying productive.

Health and Wellness

Breathe - Check out this short video from our friends over at Archmark as a reminder to take time for yourself. See the comments on this Linkedin post for more self-care tips.
Brain.fm - Music to help you focus, relax, or sleep.
Core Power Yoga - Free online classes are pre-recorded and range from 30 minutes to up to an hour long. The studio is also offering online guided breathing practices and meditations.
Drift to Peace - Liminal Relaxation Session by Mike Parker
Headspace - Free meditations you can listen to anytime.
Planet Fitnes s - Offering free workouts on Facebook Live daily at 7 p.m. ET. For individuals who can’t make it to the live workout, they will be able to view the workout afterwards on the Planet Fitness Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Equipment

We’ve compiled a list of equipment with links that we’ve found to be helpful and of high quality. If you’re using a desktop computer you may need at least a quality camera and mic or USB headset. Most laptops have built-in cameras and microphones. We’ve learned that most laptop cameras aren't the greatest when it comes to the quality of the video. So if you’re going to be working from home or remotely for a long period of time you should at least pick up a quality camera. We’ve included a couple of options below

CAMERAS:

Logitech Video 1080p camera that you can use with your desktop, laptop or attached to a tripod. These also come with an internal mic and software that will allow you to zoom in and better control your camera.
Razer Kiyo Streaming webcam with LED light

MICROPHONES:

Some laptops and cameras come with built-in mics that work fine but if you want quality audio for recordings we recommend Yeti or other higher quality mics.

Yeti USB Mic - The Logitech camera listed above also has a good quality mic but if you plan to record videos long term, for online training or distribution this mic is much better. You can also purchase it in a bundle with other goodies, just search Amazon.
Blue Snowball USB Microphone

HEADPHONES:

If your PC has speakers you really only need to use headphones if you’re around others or in a noisy environment. Most earphones that come with your mobile phone will work or you can opt for fully wired headsets or high-end wireless headphones.

Apple Bluetooth Airpods
Logitech wired headphones
Sony high-end wireless headphones

LIGHTING:

There are lots of different options, but here’s what we use

Clamp-on LED Circle Light

CAMERA STANDS & TRIPODS:

Flexible Jaw Long Arm Swivel Clamp Clip Mount Holder Stand for Logitech Webcam. If you have a tripod you use with your still camera, you can use this with the Logitech camera above.

Software

For Video, Communication and File Management

Here are a number of tools we use every day to hold face to face meetings with our team, communicate effectively and manage projects

ONLINE VIDEO CONFERENCING:

Zoom for video chat and webinars - We've tested a number of solutions and this ranks far above the rest-
Zoom’s COVID19 Support Page
Zoom Video Tutorials
Zoom Blog
Joining a Zoom meeting
Google Hangouts - Part of G Suites - NOTE: Through July 1, 2020, all G Suite customers can use advanced Hangouts Meet features, like larger meetings (up to 250 participants), live streaming, and recording.
Microsoft Teams - Teams is a unified communication and collaboration platform that combines workplace chat, video meetings, file storage, and application integration
Skype

DESKTOP RECORDING:

Dubb - Dubb offers a suite of video creation, distribution, and tracking tools to engage your prospects and increase your revenue.
Loom Video - Allows you to create and recording desktop explainer videos. Through July 1, 2020, Loom will remove the recording limit on their free plan — what was 25 mins is now unlimited, cut the price of Loom Pro in half — what was $10/month is now $5/month and extended all trials of Loom Pro from 14 to 30 days.
CloudApp for creating and recording desktop explainer videos, gifs, and screenshots.

*Additionally, Zoom and Loom can record everything to an MP4 file (Zoom records the audio as well) so if you do video and you want to share them with the world YouTube or Vimeo are great options.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT & COMMUNICATION:

Teamwork - Teamwork is a work and project management tool that helps teams improve collaboration, visibility and accountability
Asana - Asana is the work management platform teams use to stay focused on the goals, projects, and daily tasks
Project Manager - Project Manager is a project management software built for teams as a central hub where teams can work and plan together
Trello - Trello’s boards, lists, and cards enable you to organize and prioritize your projects
Slack - Slack is a high end team chat tool where you can get your team collaboration out of email

DESKTOP APPS: (Access from multiple devices and having two or more people edit the same doc simultaneously is huge and very productive)

Google G Suite for docs, spreadsheets, slide decks and file storage. This is great if you have a remote team and need to work on and share docs
Office 365 - For those who have already invested and love Microsoft office

AUDIO/VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION:

Temi Speech to text transcription

IT Departments and Remote Access

Finally, as noted, we’ve been working in this environment for over 43 years combined, but we’re NOT IT people. If your company has an IT department with desktop and/or file servers that you need access to you’ll want to communicate with them on how to get access to your companies files via a VPN and remote access software, as well as access to your email.

SUMMARY

In these tough times we hope this helps you and your team to transition to a remote working environment. Here are some key points in summary.

Stay focused, avoid distractions to stay productive
Keep a set schedule and inform your family when you’re available and when you’re not
Give your team some slack while everyone transitions to working from home
Use quality equipment and software
Even more than ever communicate effectively and stay connected with the boss and others
Use online SaaS software for project management and team collaboration
FINALLY We will all get through this and come out stronger on the other side

Laura Sutherly is the founder and owner of Agtivation, LTD and Barry Alt is the founder and owner of Motorhead Digital , we use these tools every day so feel free to reach out if you or your customers need help or have any questions; reach out to Barry or Laura via their respective Websites or via mmaxhelpdesk@gmail.com

The Best Way To Improve SEO For Your Auto Restoration Shop

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 18:53:29 GMT

If you want to be able to grow your shop and dominate the online world then you’re going to need to start improving your website’s search engine optimization (SEO).

SEO will help you improve your site’s rank on Google and ultimately bring more customers to your shop.

There is no point in looking for a short term solution for your SEO problem and quick fixes such as paid advertising can only get you so far before your funds run out and you’re right back to square one.

SEO is a long-term game (anyone that promises you fast results isn’t telling you the whole truth). SEO works depending on your online team’s skill and your competition’s persistence - good SEO means continuous improvement.

Here’s how you can improve your SEO for your shop and reach a higher ranking on Google.

Start With An Audit

If you want to figure out what the best way is to increase your search engine optimization for your website, you should start out with an SEO website audit.

You need to know where you’re starting to know where you’re aiming to go and how you’re going to get there.

An SEO website audit takes an in-depth look at:

The structure of your website
How your information is laid out
Existing content
Who is linking to your site from their own website
What key phrases your site is ranking for

The job of an SEO website audit is to identify what areas of your website need more attention than others. This will help you develop a strategic plan to improve your SEO. The audit itself won’t improve your SEO, but it is definitely a vital aspect to improving it efficiently and effectively going forward.

Improve Your Site Navigation

Google wants to give users the best possible search engine experience they can and for this reason, they reward any site that provides users with a positive user experience (UX).

Part of making your website have a positive UX is making sure that your site can be navigated easily by your visitors. If visitors can’t find what they’re looking for within the first couple of minutes of being on your page then they’ll more than likely leave. Not only is this bad for business, it’s bad for your SEO too.

Developing a structure for your website that is both clear and easy to use is the first step in helping your customers find what they’re looking for.

You should try to make sure that any page on your website is no more than 3 clicks away from the home page.

Along with this, your navigational menu should be labeled clearly so your customers can make sense of it immediately when they arrive on your site. People who come to your website shouldn’t have to click around and waste time looking for something they need.

Get Rid Of Duplicate Content

Having duplicate content on your website can severely impact your SEO efforts in a negative way. Google rewards sites that have unique content on their pages and having the same information on multiple pages will drop your search engine ranking significantly.

If your site has duplicate content on it you’ll be penalized. This also includes content that you have copy-and-pasted from other websites. Google automatically scans your site’s content and compares it with millions of others on the web. So, if you did copy another shop’s blog post, or one of their service page descriptions, Google will know and will push your website lower on its results pages as a punishment.

Produce High-Quality Content

Having high-quality content across your website will help your business increase its SEO results. No matter what changes you make to your website’s design, structure or layout you can’t substitute high-quality content for its effect on search engine rankings.

Your content should be well researched, well-written and be useful to your target customer. If the content on your website doesn’t provide any real value for your readers then it won’t help with your search engine optimization.

One of the easiest and best ways to set up a form of content creation is to set up a blog for your shop. Here you can post regular blog articles about topics that are relevant to the industry and to your target audience.

You can start brainstorming topics with your team or think about questions your audience might have and address these questions or challenges in blog posts. This will help grab the attention of your audience and ensure that the content you’re providing to the public has value to it. This, in turn, will help increase your SEO.

Improve The Speed Of Your Website

The loading time of your site is another factor that Google will consider when ranking your website on its SERP (Search Engine Results Pages).

The longer your page takes to load the more annoyed and frustrated your customers will become, which may cause them to leave your website and go to your competitors. The less time your customers spend on your website, the lower your rankings will be on search engines.

Websites that take longer than 3 seconds to load are more likely to lose customers, so when you improve the speed of your website you’re improving your UX. This will also increase your conversion rates and your SEO too, as Google will see that your site is appealing to users.

If you have any questions or queries about how you can improve the SEO for your website then be sure to get in contact with us and we will try our best to answer any of your concerns about your site’s SEO.

Shout out to The Shop Magazine and Sticker Mule

Sat, 14 Mar 2020 21:34:01 GMT

Thanks for your awesome magazine and stickers

December saw our owner Barry Alt attending the PRI Trade show in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Hanging out with our friends at The Shop magazine , Barry met plenty of car enthusiasts and business owners while helping sign up new subscribers and handing out free issues of the always-awesome Shop magazine.

The show’s featured issue just happened to have our article “ How to Gain Local Customers ” featured in it.

In preparation for the show we stocked up on some awesome Sticker Mule stickers to hand out with the magazines. As expected, they were a huge hit and didn’t last long! Note to team, purchase 10X the stickers for next year!

When we can, we try to purchase from companies in the States - and since Sticker Mule is located in our home State of New York, it was a no brainer. We’re a big fan of their Custom stickers and we love their Vinyl stickers too. Sticker Mule is our go-to for any stickers we purchase for Motorhead Digital.

Get a sticker for your ride, tool box, laptop or anything else!

Our team all love stickers and stick them on everything (seriously, you should see our laptops). If you love our Motorhead Digital sticker that Barry’s wife Kandi named “Stinger” (because it’s based on their 69 427 Corvette Stingray but with MORE POWER) send us your info below and we’ll send you a Stinger sticker that you can stick on your ride, laptop or your tool box or whatever fun place you can think of!

*NOTE: All information must be filled in and valid. Only one sticker per business.

How To Create a Digital Marketing Plan That Actually Works

Sat, 14 Mar 2020 15:30:10 GMT

Competition can be worrying, but with a well researched digital marketing plan in place, you’re more likely to succeed in reaching your goals and getting rid of those sleepless nights thinking about your business’ future.

Here’s everything you need to know to maximize the return on your marketing investment!

It can be pretty scary to think about your company’s future. The next couple of months, the next year, the next few years, where will you be? What will your profits look like? How can you keep up online? Competition can be worrying, but with a well researched digital marketing plan in place, you’re more likely to succeed in reaching your goals and getting rid of those sleepless nights thinking about your business’ future.

But what exactly is a digital marketing plan?

A digital marketing plan (or digital marketing strategy) is the plan of action that is implemented to help you achieve your company's goals online. It does this through carefully selecting online marketing channels, including paid adverts, social media exposure and many others. All of these channels are used to help increase your company’s ranking on the search engines, visitor numbers, conversions (how many people book in/buy from you) and ultimately your sales.

So, how do you create the perfect digital marketing plan? One that actually works and provides you with all the assistance you need to meet those conversions?

Analyze Your Current Online Presence

When developing your digital marketing plan, it is important to first carry out both an internal and an external SWOT analysis of your business and it’s online presence. A SWOT analysis looks at the S trengths, W eaknesses, O pportunities and T hreats for your company, competitors and the industry.

You shouldn’t go rushing into the planning stage completely blind, which is why analyzing your digital presence’s past strengths and weaknesses can help you improve your business going forward.

Some of the questions you should be asking yourself are:

Is your website customer-oriented?
How is the customer’s browsing experience?
Do you update your blog and products/services often?
What is your website’s current ranking on the search engines?
If you depend on local business what does your local SEO landscape look like
What is your social media presence like?
If you’ve already done some online advertising, what worked? What didn’t?

Asking yourself these questions will help you realize what your online strengths and weaknesses are.

Pro Tip: Be brutal. Be honest. Don’t look at your current online efforts through rose-tinted glasses. The more honest and critical you are now, the better your online presence will be in the future.

Know What You Want

It’s important to know what you want to achieve for your business. Define what your overall objective is and then match your digital marketing plan to your grand scheme. Think big and work towards what your end goal for your company is.

Setting and measuring your Success Metrics will help with maintaining what you want for your business. Yes we know everyone talks about KPIs (key performance indicators) but aren't we really looking for success in everything we do? So we’re changing it up and thinking about Success from the start.

Be specific with your Success Metrics and identify the figures which you want to be held accountable for. Examples are number of leads generated, X number of calls, etc.
Be realistic with your goals by analyzing any previous digital marketing attempts (this will ensure a positive increase on your current results and help you avoid expectations that are too high).
Make sure you know what method you’ll be using to measure success metrics (Google Analytics, number of completed online sales for example)

Pro Tip: Keep every element of your digital marketing plan SMART - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound.

Choose Your Methods

A few things are important when it comes to identifying the methods most suitable to you, but most importantly you must remember the following four things:

Your Budget
Your Audience
Your Digital Channels
Your Team

Your Budget:

Define what type of budget you’ll have for your digital marketing
Develop your budget for the long haul, 6-12 months rather than one or two months
Look at past data to see what has and hasn’t worked

Your Audience:

Where does your audience hang out online?
What are they looking for online?
What can you give them that they actually value
Are you targeting a specific geographical area or niche within the industry?
Know your target demographic: where they live, what their income is, what their likes and dislikes are, where they spend their money and where they hang out online.

Your Channels:

Take a look at what current digital marketing channels work for you. Which ones will you keep?
Will you use Google AdWords or Social Media ads, like Facebook or Instagram?
Write out what each digital channel is going to achieve or what you want it to achieve
Make sure you have at least one or two Success Metrics attached to each of your digital channels, so you know if it’s been successful or not

Your Team:

Assess what your current team is capable of achieving (be realistic to ensure that nobody is stressed or over-worked)
See if you need to hire more people and if you have the means to do so
Decide if you’ll be running your digital marketing yourself or if you would prefer to hire professionals to do it for you (this is exactly what Motorhead Digital does, if your looking for a team of experts and you’d like it done right, get in touch! Our team is here to help)

Pro Tip: When assigning roles to your team members, assign based on what they’re good at. There is no point in making someone terrible with figures in charge of tracking Google Analytics. If you’re struggling with certain elements, get professionals in - it will save you a lot of wasted time and frustrated complaints from employees.

Make A Plan… Build your Marketing Engine and Don’t Stick To It!

Wait What? Before the panic sets in about why we’re telling you not to stick to your plan, just hear us out. Your plan is never going to be perfect and there is always going to be something that will pop up and take you by surprise. Not every estimate or assumption you make is going to be correct - and that’s alright!

You’ve looked at all the steps and carefully constructed a plan based on highly insightful assumptions and perfectly analysed research. But all of this preparation can’t compare to how your current customers and your target market will behave throughout the year.

Because of this, it’s necessary to continuously measure and monitor the performance of your business’s digital marketing efforts to be able to change things when you need to.

Key Steps To Success

Create a measurement and monitoring plan that will fit in with your success metrics
Check the success of all the individual elements of your digital marketing plan at regular intervals
Take note of what is and isn’t working for you and your business. If something isn’t working for you, isolate what’s wrong and try to identify why it’s not working. By doing this you should be able to change it and make it better
Revisit previous analysis and budget allocations and try something new with them

By implementing a well-researched digital marketing strategy and monitoring it regularly, you’ll be able to track your success online and know exactly what works for your business.

Pro Tip: The key is to be consistent and have quality reporting so you’ll know what’s happening on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. If you don’t have (or regularly review) reporting on your digital marketing, you will never know what’s working and what’s not.

About The Author

With over 20 years of experience, BARRY ALT combines his passion for everything automotive with his ability to strategize in the digital world to bring you a full-service digital agency just for automotive professionals: Motorhead Digital. Contact Barry at (585) 766-9785 or balt@motorheaddigital.com

As seen on The Shop Magazine

How to Optimize Your Social Media Profiles

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 12:25:58 GMT

Leaving your social media profiles go stale and collecting dust can hurt your business a lot more than not having them at all.

A social media presence isn’t a commodity anymore, it’s a necessity. Any auto business, whether you’re just starting out or have been around for a while, needs to have a social media presence - and a good one at that.

Just having a social media profile isn’t enough and a lot of businesses make the mistake of not optimizing their profiles. Leaving your social media profiles go stale and collecting dust can hurt your business a lot more than not having them at all.

The good news is that it doesn’t take much to initially optimize your social media accounts and it can be quite a simple process to improve them.

In this post, we’re going to run through what information is important on your social media accounts, how to optimize your accounts and how to keep on top of any new content you should be posting.

What Information Goes On Your Social Media Account?

Your Username

When customers search for your shop online they’ll usually just type in your company name in hopes that it’ll show up on whatever platform they’re using.

This is why it’s important to have your company’s name present on each of your social media accounts to help prevent any confusion. Consistency is key - whatever name you use, make sure you use it across all platforms.

If you decide that you want to have a unique username present on your account instead of your business name be sure to make it something relevant to your business or brand so your customers can find you easily.

Profile Picture And Cover Photo

The profile photo you choose for your social media profile should be consistent throughout your accounts. You can choose a logo or even a personal picture. Some companies like to change their profile picture for special occasions like Halloween or Christmas which can help with audience interaction.

Having the same profile picture on all of your social media accounts helps build brand recognition. If you decide to use a personal photo instead of a logo it can help connect your audience with your business by putting a face to the company.

Your Bio

This is the main part of your social media accounts and it’s one of the first things a visitor will see when they click onto your profile. A bio is usually a couple of sentences that describe you and your business and it’s the perfect place to promote yourself and pitch your company to anybody who visits your profile.

It’s a good idea to leave a link to your website in the bio of your social media accounts to encourage people to visit it and check out what you have to offer. Most social media networks have a section to input your website URL so it’ll be displayed on your profile.

Location Of Your Business

You can usually display the location of your business on your social media profile - which can help any visitors find out where you’re located quickly.

If you’re a smaller shop and service local customers, it’s highly important that you put your location and opening times on your social media profiles. This will help you attract more customers in your local area as the more information a customer knows about a company the better they feel about doing business with them.

How To Optimize Your Profiles

Make Sure All Your Info Is Correct

This may seem like something obvious to you but you’d be amazed how many businesses forget to update certain information or even check it to make sure it’s correct in the first place.

The type of information you might need to update or check includes:

Opening times
Location
Holiday hours
Links to other social media accounts
Links to your website
Prices for services and products
Photographs

Consistent Up-To-Date Photos

If you want your social media profiles to look professional then you have to keep up-to-date photographs of your shop on your profiles. This will show your customers what your business looks like and that it is actively keeping up appearances on social media.

It is important to keep your profile pictures and cover photos consistent throughout all of your social media accounts as it will help increase your brand’s visual identity and make your shop more known to your customers.

Having updated photos are necessary but it is also important that your photographs and logos fit perfectly for the social media page you’re on.

You can find out what size your image needs to be by simply typing it into Google. Below we have listed some of the more popular social media network’s optimal image sizes.

Facebook

Profile picture: 170 X 170 pixels
Cover photo: 828 X 465 pixels

Twitter

Profile photo: 400 X 400 pixels

Profile photo: 400 X 400 pixels (minimum)
Custom background: 1584 X 396
Cover photo: 974 X 330 pixels
Banner image: 646 X 220 pixels

Instagram

Profile picture: 110 X 110 pixels

Update Regularly

When people follow you on social media they expect to see a certain amount of posts and interactions from you. This is why it is important for you to update your social media as regularly as possible.

You can post images of any products you have for sale or restorations you have done on your Instagram account and you can Tweet about a new deal you have on offer. Any form of social media interaction is important and helps spread brand awareness for your shop.

It is also important to respond to any comments or questions that customers or potential customers might leave on your website. This audience interaction will help to improve the trust you have with your potential clients by showing them that if they ever had any problems you won’t have any issue addressing them.

That’s all for right now but we hope you’ve enjoyed our blog on social media optimization.

If you’re interested in learning more about running a social media account for your shop then why not get in contact with us and we can answer any questions you might have on the subject.

3 Simple Things You Can Do To Attract New Customers

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 01:13:19 GMT

There are many methods you can follow to improve visitor traffic on your website, but here are three ways that we know for sure will help you attract more people to your site and get you more paying customers.

Everybody wants to attract new customers in the door and help their company grow, but it’s often difficult to know exactly how you’re supposed to do this.

In the online world, attracting new customers is wrapped up in bringing in more visitors to your website. There are many methods you can follow to improve visitor traffic on your website, but here are three ways that we know for sure will help you attract more people to your site and get you more paying customers.

Improve Your Social Media Efforts

Social media is the be all and end all nowadays and because it’s such a huge influence in people's lives, you can reach an incredibly large section of your audience. It’s the perfect tool to promote new products or services you have to offer.

But having a social media profile isn’t enough and if you have one but don’t use it as often as you would like, then you could be damaging your shop more than you think.

You need to be able to keep your social media pages updated and regulated or they’ll have a negative effect on the reputation of your business. If your social media pages aren’t looked after then it’s going to make your business seem neglected and out of touch with the industry.

If you want to avoid giving off a bad impression, you need to start improving your social media accounts and give them the attention they need to thrive online.

Try using our checklist to make sure you have everything you need to improve your presence online and attract more customers to your shop.

1. Make sure all your information is correct and consistent across all of your social media accounts and your website.

Having incorrect information might make you come across as untrustworthy and your customers won’t want to do business with a shop they don’t trust. This could also prevent sales from going through, especially if the wrong contact information is put down. How are your customers meant to contact you with queries, concerns or complaints if they can’t get through to you?

Make sure that the following information is correct across all your online accounts:

Company address
Company name
Services you offer
Products you have on sale
Opening and closing times
Links to your website
Links to other social media
Up-to-date images and videos

2. Keep up-to-date with what is happening within the automotive industry. Whether it’s with events, new products or new technology make sure you know it inside and out. You can do this by checking on social media and seeing what your competitors are posting about and what’s trending in the auto industry.

3. Keep posting regularly to ensure that you keep your audience interested in what you and your business are doing. Keep them up to date with your latest products, services and any offers that you might have.

You can also use your social media to advertise exclusive offers which will help bring more of your audience to your social media.

4. Try to share content that’s relevant to your industry as your audience might have only followed you so they can keep up with the industry.

If you share content that isn’t what they’re interested in then they will probably unsubscribe and look for the content elsewhere (usually your competitors).

Google My Business

If you don’t know what Google My Business is then you’re already a step behind your competitors. Google My Business or GMB is a free online service that is there to help promote local businesses in the online market.

GMB lets business owners take control of how they appear online and helps them stand out more in the already crowded online market.

You want your shop to be recognized by Google which is why having a Google My Business set up is an essential part of running an online business. Now, your business has probably already been created and recognized by GMB you just need to claim it and optimize it to your liking.

Simply search the name of your shop on Google to see if there is a listing on it. If there is then you only need to claim that it’s yours. They’ll send you out a letter of confirmation and it’ll be good to go. If there isn’t a listing there then you will need to make your own. Go to Google My Business and simply press ‘Start Now’.

Once you have your Google My Business all set up you can start editing your page. You can add contact information, images, opening hours and a simple bio about your shop. GMB can be used in a lot of ways to improve your shop but it is mostly used to help improve your search engine optimization (SEO) which will raise your ranking on google. This raise in ranking will attract more customers to your shop and increase your sales over time.

Google My Business can also be used to interact with your audience via reviews, feedback or comments that they leave on your GMB profile. It is also an easy way to keep your audience updated when it comes to opening and closing hours of your shop especially during the holiday season when your regular hours might change.

If you haven’t claimed your Google My Business listing yet then you’re missing out on the chance to attract more traffic to your website and business.

Optimize Your Website Content

Having a good Google My Business listing as well as a strong social media presence is perfect for attracting new customers to your website. However, there are a few more things you can do to optimize your website and bring in more traffic and it’s all about content.

Content will always be king and you need to write good content to attract customers to your website. Here are a few things to keep in mind when writing content for your website to attract new customers.

1. Know your audience

Before you start writing your content, be sure to keep your audience in mind. The more you know your audience, the better your content will be received.

2. Write short simple sentences

People don’t have a very long attention span these days so writing shorter sentences in your pieces will keep their attention longer.

3. Use an active voice in your pieces

Using the active voice instead of the passive voice in your content will create more reader-friendly text. For example; instead of saying “Services can be booked on our website,” say “You can book a service on our website.”

4. Write relevant content for the industry

There isn’t any point in writing pieces for your website if they aren’t relevant to the industry. Your audience won’t be interested in reading unrelated posts so keep them appropriate for your target audience.

5. Mix up your word choices

By mixing up your word choices in your content you’ll make your pieces a lot easier to read. The reader is less likely to get bored too.

6. Make your text scannable

As we’ve said above, people don’t have a long attention span so by making your text scannable you’re more likely to keep their attention for longer. You can do this by adding white space into your posts as well as incorporating bullet points and lists.

7. Incorporate other media into your posts

By putting images and video clips into your blog posts you can enhance the reader’s experience. They’re more likely to remember what you’ve posted about if you include some graphs and pictures for them to look at throughout their read.

That’s all for right now - we hope you’ve enjoyed our short guide on how you can attract new customers to your website. If you’re interested in learning more about anything we’ve covered here, get in contact with us and we can answer any questions or queries you might have on the subject.

Attending Auto Performance Events: How It Can Increase Your Revenue

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 16:30:33 GMT

Attending auto performance events is something that shouldn’t be overlooked as just another business expense - you can stay up-to-date with the latest innovations and trends, meet new people and see the latest advancements in technology.

In our industry, it’s rare that you get an opportunity to talk face-to-face with so many people who work within our area in one place, at one time.

These face-to-face meetings with like-minded individuals can help you attract business to your shop and help you make connections you wouldn’t have had a chance to make otherwise.

Attending auto performance events is something that shouldn’t be overlooked as just another business expense - you can stay up-to-date with the latest innovations and trends, meet new people and see the latest advancements in technology.

Here are five ways you can increase your shop’s revenue by attending auto events.

1. Networking

Networking - sounds so simple, yet it’s so often overlooked. Networking can often lead to new customers, new suppliers and creating important contacts with potential collaborators. It’s also a great way to learn new things from other shop owners and businesses in the industry.

A great tool to use at events is LinkedIn’s ‘Find Nearby’ feature. With Find Nearby enabled on your phone, LinkedIn helps you locate other LinkedIn members in your proximity. This really helps you meet the right people at the right time.

If you don’t see yourself as somebody who is naturally social then consider bringing some conversation starters, a list of questions or even some topics for discussing with you to these events.

Try to explore opportunities outside of your comfort zone too - consider getting onstage yourself or writing a guest article in a relevant magazine (this is something we regularly do too! Check out our latest piece in The Shop magazine).

2. Learning New (More Profitable) Ways Of Working

There are always opportunities to learn more in the business world - especially when it comes to productivity and profitability. Things in the auto performance and auto restoration industry evolve every year. New products hit the shelves and new, more efficient ways of doing things are discovered.

Attending events is a great way to chat with other shop owners about the way they do business - and take a few cost-cutting techniques home with you to try out.

Learning new knowledge about a product or developing your business skills is always something you can get out of attending auto performance events. You will always come out more informed and ready to deal with any new challenges that you might run into.

While you can learn a lot from the people in your industry and experts in your field, events are also the perfect place to show off some of your skills. You can also spread your knowledge and teach people about the tricks you’ve learned over the years and become known for being an expert at what you do.

3. Pick Up New Technology

A lot of auto performance and auto restoration trade shows highlight the latest tools, technologies and research that has surfaced in the industry over the year or the last couple of months.

Depending on the event and what area of the auto industry you specialize in, you can attend seminars, talks and lectures to learn about the latest innovations that are most relevant to you. You might find there’s also group workshops you can attend which are a great opportunity to network with like-minded people.

Events are the perfect place to see any new machinery or tech as you can talk to the experts behind them in person - and even get demonstrations on how each one works.

It’s common to see vendors giving away free samples of smaller items too - making this the perfect opportunity to try out new products without having to invest in the whole thing.

There’s a lot of innovation within the industry and it’s important to try and stay on top of it all in order to get ahead of your competition when it comes to offering the best service and products for your customers.

4. Check Out Your Competitors

Events give you the opportunity to see what your competitors are doing, how they are doing it and what you can learn from it. It gives you the chance to see first-hand what their strengths and weaknesses are and how you can learn from their mistakes - or their successes.

It all builds up to valuable knowledge that could help give your shop the edge it needs to pull ahead. You can see for yourself what sets your business apart from your competitors and what you can do that they can’t.

5. Promote, Promote, Promote

You can promote your company in a number of ways at events, but one of the most popular ways is by becoming a guest speaker. When you give a talk at an event you become seen as an expert in your niche. This can help boost your reputation in the industry, raise brand awareness and help increase your popularity with potential customers.

If public speaking isn’t something you are comfortable with, then there are plenty of other ways at events that you can promote yourself and your shop:

Take part in group discussions and events
Book in to have a trade stand
Advertise through leaflets or posters
Go to talks and network with people who have similar interests as you

That’s all for now, but we hope you enjoyed our blog on attending auto performance events. If you’re interested in learning more about the events we find the most beneficial to attend, get in touch.

If you want to gain some serious exposure for your shop with tried, tested and proven methods, check out our Marketing Maximizer.

How To Get The Most Out Of Email Marketing For Your Auto Performance Shop

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 17:05:46 GMT

Email marketing can be an incredibly effective tool when used right. When optimized correctly, it can help you connect with your customers wherever they are, whenever you want to.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably concerned about your email marketing’s effectiveness. Maybe your customers aren’t clicking your links? Maybe leads aren’t being generated from your email marketing, rendering it pretty useless right now.

Email marketing can be an incredibly effective tool when used right. When optimized correctly, it can help you connect with your customers wherever they are, whenever you want to.

So, how do you go about improving your email marketing to see a clear return on your investment? In this blog, we’re going to give you some tips and techniques to get the most out of your email marketing for your auto performance shop.

How to improve your email marketing campaigns

Personalize Each Email

Take a moment and think about how many promotional emails or ‘spam’ emails you receive in your inbox each morning. These emails get a bit repetitive and annoying, to say the least, and you don’t want your emails to be lumped in with them.

If your company sends out generic emails, just like every other business out there, then the reader is more than likely going to hit delete before getting past the first two sentences. Hey, they might not even open them to begin with.

Opening your email with a greeting and your customer’s first name will make them feel like it was written just for them and creating a sense of trust between you - which leads to an easier sale.

Get The Timing Right

One of the worst things you can do when it comes to deploying your email marketing is sending them out at the wrong time. Usually, there’s a bit of trial and error when it comes to finding the appropriate time and day to send your emails, as every business is different.

If you’re not getting a great open rate and haven’t tried different sending times, it’s time to start experimenting with your mailing list. By trying different sending times, you can establish when your audience opens and interacts with your emails the most.

Have A Clear Call To Action In The Email

If your call to action (CTA) in your email isn’t clear or doesn’t make sense, then you’re going to find your email marketing doing little to nothing. Your audience doesn’t have the time or patience to read through a long email waiting for you to tell them what it is you want them to do.

A clear CTA in your email lets them what the email is about and what they need to do with it.

Keep your CTA text simple and easy to read - and avoid the generic ‘click here’. Your CTA should be relevant to the content of the email and encourage your reader to take up your special offer, book in for that service or buy that new product.

How to get people on your email list

Now that we’ve gone through some of the basics in improving your email marketing it’s time to figure out how you’re going to go about getting that email list full. There are a few ways you can go about this but here are some of the most popular ways.

Opt-In Forms

Placing opt-in forms strategically around your website is an excellent way to turn visitors into subscribers. These forms are usually placed after pieces of content that make your visitors want to know more about your company, like:

Engaging blog posts
On your website’s footer
Within the body of an interesting article
On your about page
On your list of services page

Social Media Opt-Ins

Social media is one of the most popular ways to advertise competitions and giveaways - which are a sure way to get more subscribers onto your email series.

If you offer incentives like freebies, vouchers or discounts then customers are going to leap at the chance to opt-in to your email marketing for the chance to get their hands on one of those.

Exit Pop-Ups

These pop-ups are incredibly popular and a good way to attract visitors into becoming subscribers.

When your visitor moves their pointer towards leaving the page, a pop-up will appear. It will have a clear CTA which, in this case, will encourage them to sign up for your email marketing.

Like with the social media opt-ins it’s a good idea to offer some sort of incentive for your visitors. For example, you could offer a discount during their next purchase or some form of free downloadable content.

Try implementing these techniques and see how your email marketing conversions increase. If you’re interested in accelerating your return from your email marketing efforts, try our Marketing Maximizer service.

Driving for Change in the Digital Automotive Marketplace

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 18:21:00 GMT

When Barry Alt first launched Motorhead Digital he knew there were automotive businesses ready for a higher level of performance in their digital marketing. As a serious car enthusiast, he also understood what these businesses had to offer.

When Barry Alt first launched Motorhead Digital he knew there were automotive businesses ready for a higher level of performance in their digital marketing. As a serious car enthusiast, he also understood what these businesses had to offer.

He spent his high school years attending an automotive trade school and dreaming of one day being an auto mechanic and says, “As much as I tried and as much as I loved the work, I was not as good of a mechanic or painter as I was a website designer and developer” .

After having been in the website development industry for over 20 years and keeping up with the ever-changing digital landscape of the internet, it was time to start something new. Merging his experience with his passion for all things automotive, Barry built MotorheadDigital.com to drive the industry to new heights.

Having helped performance shops and automotive suppliers get found by both local and long-distance clients, he’s already developed a specialty in the niche. With cutting-edge mobile ready websites and digital marketing strategies Barry has the best tools for the job. These include local citation building to help businesses get discovered on Google, ranking at the top of search results.

Motorhead Digital clients include car restoration and collision specialist, RJ CARS. “The collaborative discovery process to learn about their business needs and clients was the most important step in building the website and strategy” , says Barry.

Ranked 19th in national in Corvette sales and New York’s premiere Corvette dealer, Van Bortel Corvette has also benefited from Barry’s experience. Other clients include the leader in emergency vehicle safety lighting, Star Headlight & Lantern, and automotive electrical specialists, North Star Auto Electric.

When experts in the automotive industry need to focus on their businesses, they count on Motorhead Digital to focus on their online marketing. Who better to understand your customers than a likely client and enthusiast?

Barry’s constantly scouring the digital world for the latest and greatest. In his free time however, he enjoys tinkering on his 1969 427 Tri-Power Corvette and cruising with his wife Kandi in their 2013 427 60th Anniversary Corvette.

As seen on APEX Automotive Magazine

Social Media Marketing: What Every Auto Shop Needs To Know

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 00:09:57 GMT

There's more to social media marketing than just running paid ads. This article covers the four main areas of social media marketing that will help you get the best brand exposure and return on your investment.

Social media is a direct channel into your customers' daily lives - it's a great communication tool and an unbelievable relationship builder.

If you’re not sure of what social media marketing includes (or what it is!) here’s a quick introduction.

What is social media marketing?

Social media marketing (SMM) is a form of internet marketing that uses social networking websites as a marketing tool.

Social networking sites include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube, Instagram and Snapchat.

The goal of SMM is to produce content that users will share with their friends online to help a company increase brand exposure and broaden their customer reach.

In our 20+ years of working with business owners, we've never seen a marketing tool so effective, yet so overlooked by our industry.

As of 2019, there are 3.48 billion social media users, with the worldwide total growing by 288 million (9 percent) since this time last year. Facebook is still the 3rd most popular website on the internet ( We Are Social Study 2019 ) - but there are plenty of other options there to help you connect with your audience. The power of social media can't be denied and the longer you avoid it, the more potential customers you're missing out on.

Not only is it a direct line of communication with the people you want to serve, the reporting tools available for each platform can provide you with unrivaled insight into what resonates with your audience. Thanks to social media marketing, we now have the ability to measure the effectiveness of each marketing campaign in-depth like never before.

For the unfamiliar out there, there are 5 main social media marketing channels that are effective in the automotive world: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter & YouTube. Which one (or two, or three!) that will give you the best return on your investment depends on who your customer base is.

Before investing your time or your money in social media marketing, you need to decide who your ideal customers are. This might be determined by their age, marital status, income level or many other factors.

Once you know who you're targeting, you need to figure out where they're hanging out online. Knowing where your customer spends their time online is a huge factor in getting the best return on your ad dollars and time investment.

There's more to social media marketing than just running paid ads. This article covers the four main areas of social media marketing that will help you get the best brand exposure and return on your investment.

1. Using social media for customer service

We've all heard of companies that got a negative online review that went viral because of their unprofessional response. Don't let those once-in-a-blue-moon bad experiences put you off.

For many auto shop owners, investing in a reputation management service is a must - it's one of our most popular services for this industry. For a lot of people, social media is the first go-to touchpoint for a company if they have a question or need a problem solved.

In fact, a recent J.D Power survey indicated that 67% of consumers used a company’s social media channels to seek customer support. That includes both pre-purchase enquiries and post-purchase problems.

Facebook messenger is an invaluable resource for managing customer requests and questions. If you’re not overtly comfortable using technology, it’s one of the most accessible and easy-to-use solutions out there.

With more car owners relying on their cell phones for day-to-day tasks than ever before, it's easier for them to send you a message on Facebook or Instagram than it is to actually call you. If they're browsing through your Instagram feed at 3am and see something they really like, they'll drop you a message right then and there - they won't wait to give you a call the next day.

But what does that all mean for you? Social media gives you an amazing opportunity to connect with potential new customers and showcase your unrivaled level of customer service and expertise in the industry.

The only downside? Some social media sites will show the average time it takes you to answer private messages. You're expected to answer within 24 hours, but the quicker the better. If you leave customer queries unanswered and your profile shows a lack of engagement, it can prevent potential customers from getting in touch with you.

As with everything online, you get out what you put in. Some companies use public customer support situations to double down on their brand’s personality and show their sense of humor - but sometimes this is best left to the PR professionals!

2. Monitor your reputation with social media PR

Social PR is pretty similar to influencer marketing but with one major difference - the goal. Social media PR focuses on building a positive brand perception among its audience. PR has always been about monitoring a company's reputation and building relationships with other companies as well as customers.

Thanks to social media, you can keep track of who's saying what as well as what the important figureheads in the automotive world are up to - all in one place.

With a simple tool like BrandWatch, Google Alerts or HootSuite, you can get notifications if someone mentions or tags your company in any posts or reviews online. Instant notification means you can reply instantly too - which can be a serious reputation saver when it comes to bad online reviews.

3. Build relationships with others in the industry

While it's incredibly important to create original content for your own website, it's ok (and encouraged) to share other people's content on your social media profiles. Social media isn't just about attracting new customers, it's about networking with other businesses too.

Sharing other company's content has special value on social media - it can help expose your brand and build relationships with influential people in your industry.

A great option is to find a YouTube channel with content that resonates with your audience, reach out to the creator and ask about embedding it on your website.

Not only do they get more views, you benefit from the SEO value. SEO stands for search engine optimization - if the video is high quality, informative and helps your website’s visitors find what they want, your website will rank higher on the search engines.

LinkedIn is an amazing platform to network with other business owners - and high-end clients. Traditionally used for B2B opportunities, many luxury performance and auto shops have started to interact with, and market to, their audience here.

There is no social network more catered to business professionals than LinkedIn. What does that mean for you? 44 percent of LinkedIn users have incomes over $75,000 - the site is essentially “built for social selling.” Basically, it’s a great place to find customers with plenty of disposable income.

4. Gain exposure with influencer marketing

Influencer marketing produces an ROI that’s 11x higher than other traditional forms of marketing ( Social Media Today ).

If you haven’t heard of influencer marketing before, it works off the same premise as buying based on a friend or family member's recommendation of a product/service - only instead of a trusted best friend, you buy something based on what a popular online figure in the industry says.

It's not just celebrities or well-respected auto authority figures who have selling power now, it's people with millions of Instagram/YouTube followers.

Influencer marketing is huge in our industry. By getting a popular influencer to promote you, you can get your company in front of millions of potential customers.

Influencer marketing is about building alliances with influencers - a positive reviews by one of these guys can seriously boost a company's exposure and sales.

If you're a small to medium sized business, it can be tough to get into this. If you can is will pay huge dividends.

The best approach? Follow and interact with your influencer of choice for a few weeks before you approach them to represent or work with your brand. Make sure that the influencer you choose has the right audience for your business - they need to be popular with the clients you’re looking to attract.

If you simply don’t have the budget (or the time) to invest into this, it can be a better decision to invest in establishing your own expert status. You don’t have to convince millions of people you’re the best in the industry - just the people in your local community.

Just like any part of a solid marketing strategy - social media tactics should be scaled up or down to suit you, your business and your target audience.

To get the most out of social media marketing, you need to make sure you have a clearly defined strategy with set goals you're looking to achieve (and that can actually be achieved). As with any marketing campaign or initiative, if you don't know what you're aiming for, you won't know when you get there.

About the author

With over 20 years of experience, Barry Alt combines his passion for most anything automotive with his ability to strategize in the digital world to bring you a full service digital agency just for automotive professionals: Motorhead Digital.

If you're ready for a higher level of performance in your digital marketing efforts, Barry Alt and the Motorhead Digital team have proven processes that will help you stay savvy and at the top of your game - going way beyond a simple website.

You can contact Barry on 585-766-9785 or balt@motorheaddigital.com

As seen on ASA AutoInc . Official Magazine of the Automotive Service Association

Changing lanes: the beginner's guide to selling online

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 21:56:41 GMT

Who doesn’t want a 24/7 salesman? Here’s how to get started

Who doesn’t want a 24/7 salesman? Here’s how to get started

Online selling isn't restricted to Tire Rack, Summit Racing Equipment or RockAuto - it's an unrivaled opportunity for performance and restyling professionals to seriously increase their revenue, and more importantly - their profit.

Last year, sales of auto parts and accessories in the United States equaled roughly $140 billion, with $15 billion of that happening online, according to marketing and research firm Hedges & Company. This year, sales of automotive parts and accessories on cell phones will exceed $7.4 billion - about 60.2% of the estimated total of online sales.

If you think selling online is just for products, think again! To get your share of the ever-increasing amount of online sales, there are plenty of online selling options to choose from.

You can sell services such as a basic performance tuneup, schedule time on your dyno or sell custom tuning packages that include parts installation. You can even sell your time and expertise online by doing consultations via online scheduling and conferencing (Zoom and Skype are two examples of platforms that can help you do this).

Not convinced? Try Googling 'schedule a tune up appointment near me' and see all the auto shops near you that have already started selling online.

Thinking of cashing in on the huge opportunities available to your company online? There are a few things to consider before getting started which we'll cover in this article. It’s not simple, but it IS profitable. We've shared a few insider secrets in this piece to make your online presence successful, quicker.

So, here are our top tips for auto shops looking to start selling online.

What are you selling, and to who?
Get all your content together and ready
Choose the right eCommerce platform for your needs
Time to build this thing!
Start your online selling marketing strategy
Keep at it!

1. What are you selling, and to who?

It might seem obvious, but we can't state how important it is to have a clear, well-thought-out product/service/price list. You can't get your online selling strategy down unless you know exactly what you're looking to promote.

Thinking about putting up an online shop to sell your services and accessories? You're going to need a completely different approach than someone who's looking to implement an online appointment booking system for tune-ups or dyno time for example.

First things first though, you need to look at your audience.

Who are you selling to?
Will they buy your services or products online?
Where do they hangout online?
Are they into DIY options or done-for-you services?
Where can you advertise to get their attention?

Once you've figured out what (and who) you want to focus on, you'll know what you need out of your website.

To get the best return on your investment, you want to take some time to consider your long-term strategy for getting (and keeping) new customers. Have you got a plan in place to help give your new customer the same unrivaled experience they'd get in person? Are you ready to offer shipping? Do you know how much shipping costs and how long it takes? Remember, if you’re offering next day delivery, you need to deliver the next day! Don’t promise what you can’t deliver! Pun intended.

This might seem a bit like overkill, but the more you know about who you're trying to sell to and how you’re going to do it, the easier it will be to connect with them (and eventually turn them into loyal, repeat customers).

Pro tip: If you've already got a website, you'll need to find out if it can support the addition of an e-commerce store/online payment system and if not you may need to have your new online store setup on a new platform eveloped to support ecommerce. This will greatly influence the price you'll pay for site development as well as your monthly ongoing hosting and care plan fees.

2. Get all your content together and ready

Content covers a wide variety of online assets, including: photos, text, videos, price lists, product lists, service lists etc.

When it comes to selling products online you’ll need more than just a nice set of photos and a brief description of your products. In our industry, customers expect to have detailed technical specs so you’ll need this info on hand. Oh and don’t forget since you may be shipping your products you’ll need to know the weight of each item.

In this industry, the power of good photography can't be underestimated. Great product photography is the easiest way to attract new customers. A high quality set of photos showcasing your premises, your services or your products can be used for multiple platforms - from your website to social media, trade show exhibits to flyers.

The same goes for good website text (otherwise known as copy or content writing) - get it done right the first time and you can re-use your key messaging on all your website and marketing material going forward.

We recommend that you hire a professional photographer as well as a content writer to help you with this task, content writers can also make sure your content is written properly for search engine optimization.

If you're doing any of your site's content yourself, make sure you run it by someone you trust for honest feedback. You want a professional online presence, so avoid blurry photos and spelling mistakes! Also remember that you need to think about your customers and how they may interact with your site, getting too technical or wordy might turn them off. These days, less is more. Clear and concise is the way forward!

3. Choose the right eCommerce platform for your needs

There are hundreds of options for eCommerce platforms. That's an overwhelming thought as is, let alone trying to figure out what one has the best features for your needs!

An easy rule to follow: stick to a popular option like Shopify, Volusion, BigCommerce or WooCommerce for WordPress, as these will have great support for your chosen web developer to solve any future issues that may arise, they’ll also support your growth when the orders start coming in (and if you need to switch web design agencies, you'll have more choice of companies that can work with your site).

You'll also be required to choose an online payment gateway to collect the payments through your site. The most popular and reliable options are PayPal and Stripe. Keep in mind that online payment gateways will take a % of each sale you make this ranged from 2.9 - 3.9% - this goes for websites selling both products and services. You’ll also need to meet PCI credit card compliance standards, this sounds scary but if you or your selected developer uses a top quality ecommerce platform like the ones previously mentioned, they usually have this covered but you’ll want to confirm before moving forward.

If you're looking to take payments online or schedule services on-site (or at trade or car shows), you’ll want to find make sure the platform and/or payment gateway you select provides a mobile app or is mobile ready.

4. Time to build this thing!

Now you have two choices - you can either build this yourself (if you've got the time to spare - the average ecommerce website with 20-50 products can take up to 60 hours or more to properly create and test! Don’t forget the technological know-how needed too...) or you can hire a professional to do it for you ( we might know someone... )

One huge step before you go live with your new ecommerce site is to make sure you test the shopping cart functionality. Does it calculate the price, taxes and shipping correctly. Does it notify you and the customer that the order was successfully placed? Test, test and test again - this is not something you want going wrong. Also don’t forget to double check all your product and service pricing.

Whichever route you choose to take, you want to make sure your online shop/booking system is built to current accessibility standards, following best practice guidelines for search engine optimization, security precautions and mobile friendliness.

Pro tip: We’ve already mentioned it once but it’s so important we’re saying it again. If you’re selling products that need to be shipped direct to the customer from your shop or a direct ship supplier, remember we live in a world of instant ratification. If you give the customer the option to receive the product the next day, within two days or on a specific date, you need to deliver on your promise and have a process to get that product out ASAP.

5. Start your online selling marketing strategy

Ok, so you've got your online shop/booking system live - time to sit back and watch the dollars roll in, right? WRONG!

Unfortunately in the online world of today the old saying “if you build it, they will come” is wishful thinking.

Now you need to attract visitors to the site. You'll want to look at blogging on a regular basis (a key pillar of content marketing, helping you appear in search engine results). You can also participate in industry forums where your customers hang out, offer helpful support related to the products and services you offer, become the expert they know and trust. But do not sell unless the forum provides an area to do so, just be the expert and people will come.

Another underrated form of content is video. Keep in mind that online content like video tutorials, product reviews or step-by-step instructions can be an incredible draw for customers.

When it comes to paying for advertisements, you’ll want to make sure you're advertising on the right platform. In this industry, our audience usually hangs out on Facebook or Instagram. Google Ads are always a good choice, no matter who you're looking to appeal to.

Reaching customers through social media is one of the best ways to engage and attract new buyers. Most ad platforms allow you to run discount specials or offer coupon codes easily, helping you capture your audience's attention.

Pro tip: A super common mistake for first-time online sellers is to set up online ads that drive traffic to their home page. Make sure your online ads link to a relevant product or custom ad-related landing page on your website.

6. Keep at it!

Once you're up and running, you're making sales/securing appointments, you need to maintain your website and keep investing in online ads. Think of your online shop/website as a car - you need to keep giving it periodic tune-ups, or it'll break down.

Online selling can be an incredibly profit booster and help you access an entirely new set of customers.

Getting started can be a bit overwhelming and a total time suck if you don’t have a process setup.

You can do it yourself but we recommend a professional that knows all the ins and out of a digital strategy and selling online. It will save you time, money and a lot of stress in the long run!

Get back to doing what you love - get off the phone, stuck booking people in for appointments or answering questions about products and let your website do the work for you.

About the author

You can contact Barry on 585-766-9785 or balt@motorheaddigital.com

As seen on The Shop Magazine

Want More Local Customers? Enhance Your Local SEO Performance

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 00:46:17 GMT

Good local SEO (search engine optimization) is essential for modern automotive performance, restyling and restoration shops.

Above: Claiming your Google My Business Page.

Above: Google listings for "Auto performance shops near Indianapolis”

First off, let’s look at what SEO (Search Engine Optimization) actually is.

SEO techniques are used to increase the amount of traffic to your website by reaching a high rank on the results page of a search engine.

When someone searches on Google for your service or product, you want to appear in the top 5 results on the first page (just think about the last time you scrolled through to the 12th page of Google results and went with a company there - we’re going to go out on a limb here and say you’ve never done that).

There are many different types of SEO techniques, including improvements to your website and getting your website mentioned (and linked to) from well-respected websites in your niche.

Good local SEO (search engine optimization) is essential for modern automotive performance, restyling and restoration shops.

Unlike standard SEO, which focuses on ranking on search results across the country, local SEO makes appearing on search engine results in your specific location priority. When implemented correctly, local SEO can help you see a serious increase in local customers.

By taking a look at the following local SEO tips and tricks, you can get your business ranking higher on Google and get more local customers through your door.

1. Create A Google My Business (GMB) Account

To get started on Google My Business , you’ll need to claim your business. Search for your business on Google, once you’ve found your GMB page look for the “Own this business?” button on your listing. If Google has created a listing for your business, you can click this link and claim your Google My Business Page.

Don’t worry about paying any fees as this service is absolutely free. Claiming (or creating) your GMB page will enable your business to show up higher on Google’s search results and also on Google maps. If a business has a physical address you can bet Google has already created a GMB page for the business.

Already have a Google My Business claimed and set up for your business? Well then there is only one thing you have to do: verify the address, phone number, hours of operation and optimize all the business info that Google allows you to add or update.

This means providing Google with up-to-date information that is accurate and easy to understand - the more recent your updates, the better, as Google loves constant, consistent updates.

Pro tip: Don’t forget to add your logo, business description, business categories that describe what your business does, as well as the services that you offer and plenty of images to show off your business premises in your Google My Business listing. The more you add, the more Google will love you.

Google My Business is a great way to encourage your customers to review your services online. Try to respond sincerely to any customer reviews you get - it’ll help boost your presence online significantly.

2. Encourage Reviews Online

Getting your loyal customers to write reviews for your business isn’t just something that will increase your local SEO rankings, it will also encourage more local buyers to come to you for their needs.

Here are some useful tips to help you encourage your customers to leave a review:

Ask for a review in-person after you’ve finished their service or they’ve completed their purchase.
Send a post-purchase email or text, asking if the customer would write a review. You can also try adding an incentive, like a percentage off their next service/purchase.
Make sure that the customers you’re asking are happy with your services and you’re not approaching a dissatisfied customer. If you do get a neutral or negative review (hey, it happens to the best of us), the best thing you can do is respond in a positive, professional manner.
Respond to ALL existing reviews on your website, Google My Business profile or social media accounts in a professional way. Thank anybody who gives you a review and address any complaints - try to turn an unhappy customer into a happy one.

Reviews are incredibly powerful in the decision making process when it comes to competing against local competitors. In this example, we searched for “Auto performance shops near Indianapolis” - the current top three listings that show up all seem pretty similar, so what’s the differentiator that makes the customer choose one over the other two? The multiple 4-5 star reviews! Even though Stage 1 Tuning is listed third they may get more customer visits to their site due to the larger number of reviews compared to the top two in this search.

Here’s some key automotive review data from the BrightLocal Google Reviews Study, 2018.

88% of automotive businesses have Google reviews
Automotive businesses have an average of 27 Google reviews
On average, automotive businesses have 4.4 stars

*These findings are based on 1,866 automotive businesses found using 97 related keywords.

PRO TIP : There are a number of reasonably priced automated solutions available that can make it easier to ask your customer for reviews, as well as make it easier for your clients to give reviews.

3. Optimize Your Website For Mobile Devices

As things shift to mobile the number of people that search for things on a desktop or laptop nowadays is decreasing. In fact, 2018 saw 52.2% of all website traffic worldwide generated through mobile phones, up from 50.3 percent from the previous year ( Statista, 2019 ).

If your customers want to look something up, they’ll just take out their phone and do a quick search - especially if they’re on the road and looking for your location. This is why it’s so very important to have your website built and optimized for phones and tablets - you want to reach as many people in your local area as possible and having a mobile-ready website is one of the first steps.

How do you do this?

If you’re not sure on your site’s mobile-readiness, first test it. An easy way to tell is to view it on a smartphone and if you need to zoom in to read any text, then it’s probably not mobile-ready.
Make sure your website loads in under three seconds.
Use mobile friendly fonts that are easy to read.
Use a combination of text, images and video to convey important information. No one likes having to read through a novel just to get to someone’s list of products and services!
Test and if needed, re-design your pop ups to work properly on a mobile phone - there’s nothing more frustrating than a pop up you can’t click out of.
Make sure your phone number is easy to find and click to call is enabled (which means people can click on your phone number and their phone will call you automatically)
Be sure to have a map or your full location address on your site so people can find your location once they’ve found you in search

PRO TIP: Always be thinking about your target audience and how they may be using your site. As time goes by more people from all age groups move to smartphones and tablets and live on their mobile devices, if your site does not load fast and work well on their devices they will move on.

4. Take Advantage Of Online Business Directories

Often overlooked by many in the industry, getting featured on online business directories commonly known in the search industry as citations are incredibly important to ranking high on local searches. Directories like Bing Business listings, Yelp, Yellow Pages, Apple Maps Connect (Yes you can get your business listed on Apple Maps) and many more are a service you can really take advantage of without much cost to your company.

Make sure that when listing your business in these directories, your profile contains at least the following basic NAP (Name, Address and Phone) information:

Accurate business name (How you would like it spelled across the Internet)
The correct address and phone number (consistent over all directories you use)
A link back to your website
An informative description of your business
A list of business categories/services/products you supply
Your business description
Your logo

PRO TIP: One generally unknown area of the business listings world are data aggregators listing.. Data Aggregators are companies which collect data on local businesses such as their name, address, phone number, opening hours etc. in order to present it elsewhere online.

These data aggregation companies verify and clean the data to ensure it’s accurate, and then they sell it (lease it) to other companies that need data about local businesses. Data Aggregators are very important when it comes to getting listed on niche based directories or apps.

As part of our popular Marketing Maximizer service , we’ve seen customers get amazing results by embracing the power of Citations. Not only are they ranking higher for their important keyword phrases in local searches, but they’re also seeing increases in referrals and traffic from organic search. When people are looking for local automotive-related products and services, online directories are one of the first listings in search that may show up in keyword searches your business even if your site does not.

5. Create Localized Content

What really helps grab the attention of local customers is writing localized content.

You can create localized content by writing blog posts about events that have happened in your area or around local news stories. You can also write review products you use in your business, write about projects your working on for your customer and how you helped them realize their dreams or how you can educate others on how you might perform a unique task in you business.

Not a fan of blogging? Create videos about local charities or causes that your company supports and create a sense of local community and solidarity with your website’s visitors. Anything you can do to get noticed, build awareness and get noticed by current and future customers can be a huge benefit to your local business.

PRO TIP: You may not know this, but YouTube is both a Social Media channel and video search engine! The more videos you develop, optimize and post to your YouTube channel, the more awareness you build for your business.

As with most things to do with Google, consistency is key. If you want to attract more local customers, you need to consistently publish new content online that’s targeted to your audience. Show off how great your service is. Promote reviews left by happy customers. Get your name out there. The people in your local area looking for your services will thank you!

About The Author

With over 20 years of experience, Barry Alt combines his passion for everything automotive with his ability to strategize in the digital world to bring you a full service digital agency just for automotive professionals: Motorhead Digital.

You can contact Barry at (585) 766-9785 or customercare@a2zeds.com.

As seen on The Shop Magazine

7 of the Best Ways to Advertise Performance Auto Parts Online

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 22:55:24 GMT

Getting your company performing online is the key to future success in the industry. Your potential customers are browsing what's for sale on their mobile devices at all times of the day and night.

Trying to keep ahead of your competitors can feel like a full time job in itself. It doesn’t help that online marketing techniques are constantly evolving.

Many of the well-established automotive product sellers that have come to us for help have experienced a real slow down in demand over the last five years.

Depending on the area you specialize in, the car industry can be highly cyclical and years of declining disposable income reduced consumer interest in classic and muscle cars.

But, the industry is slowly recovering!

Getting your company performing online is the key to future success in the industry. Your potential customers are browsing what's for sale on their mobile devices at all times of the day and night.

The best way to reach your audience is now online.

Remember, to get the most out of your online advertising, you need to bring potential customers back to a professional, modern website that is optimised to turn casual visitors into paying customers.

With so many different advertising options out there, it can get confusing (and expensive) if online marketing isn't done right.

When you're advertising your company and it’s products online, you're opening yourself up to a much bigger audience over a much larger geographical area than traditional advertising methods.

To help get you up to speed, we've created this quick introduction to the world of online advertising for performance auto parts.

How To Improve Auto Parts Sales

Advertising on Car Enthusiast Websites and Forums

If you're new to the world of online marketing, this is probably going to be the most familiar entry on this list for you!

For years, the auto industry relied on placing ads in car magazines, garage directories and forums for car enthusiasts. With the shift from traditional to digital, you might have noticed a lot of the places you used to buy ad space with have gone online.

Buying digital ad space is pretty much the same as a paper ad, the only difference being the magazine will add your advert to their website.

The benefit of advertising on the websites of the industry's biggest names means you have access to all of their subscribers and visitors. The downside? You have to fight hard to get noticed amongst all those other companies advertising too.

A popular (but time-consuming) way of advertising to our industry is a seller setting up their own Facebook group, dedicated to the niche area of the industry you specialize in. If you have the time and interest to do this, it’s a great way to make a name for yourself in the industry.

Promotional Item Giveaways

If you've got a Facebook account, you've probably already seen plenty of these.

Promotional giveaways involve giving away an item in exchange for people giving you their contact details (most likely on your website) or by liking and sharing your social media post. After a certain amount of time, a random winner is chosen, and they get their free item.

Promotional giveaways can potentially bring you a huge amount of brand awareness. Depending on the item you choose to give away, they can continue to have a beneficial effect on your company long after you have stopped promoting them.

Things like t-shirts, bags, pens and baseball caps can enter daily use amongst your target audience.

When people give their contact details to enter, make sure to store these in an email database or automated email software for any future marketing project.

The most popular (and most shared) items are usually free products given away - but whether that's suitable for your business really depends on what items you sell. If you stock car accessories or branded driving gear, this could be a great opportunity for you.

Make sure to maximize your exposure by taking photos of the winner collecting their goods and promoting it on social media (and even local newspapers, if the prize is big enough).

Retargeting Adverts (AKA Programmatic Ads)

Retargeting is absolutely essential if you're investing any money at all into online advertising.

You might have noticed after looking at something online that you keep seeing adverts for that exact item or similar products. This is retargeting ads in action.

When someone visits your website, they're automatically assigned a tracker ID that will display your ads to them repeatedly when they visit other sites.

The great advantage to implementing this type of online advertising is there are thousands of websites that will show your ads to people who have visited your site, including the likes of: Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, Twitter and so many more.

The average customer will interact with a company SEVEN times before actually purchasing from them. In fact:

96% of visitors that come to your website are not ready to buy.

Now that’s a scary number for anyone investing money in their website.

But, by repeatedly reminding them of your amazing products and unbeatable service, you're touching base with them, building that relationship - without having to put any time or effort in.

Retargeting ads do the hard work for you.

This latest innovation in advertising enables you to pay for the potential customer, not the ad placement.

Google AdWords

Google AdWords gives you access to millions of people searching for information on your industry every day.

When you combine AdWords with retargeting, the Google Display Network Reach in the US reaches over 92% of visitors across millions of websites, videos and devices.

Now that’s a result.

The best way to approach AdWords is to narrow down the target audience of your ads. You can define who sees your ads by age, sex, location, occupation and so much more.

To get the best return on your investment, you need to know exactly who buys from you: where they live, what they do and what they're searching for. When you can pinpoint exactly who your customers are, you can choose to target them and pay to get your details above your competitors.

Facebook Marketplace

Launched in 2016, Facebook Marketplace is a great way to sell to local car enthusiasts (shoppers can choose to see items anywhere from 2-100 miles away).

The number of potential customers is encouraging - Facebook has more than a billion monthly active users with more than 450 million people visiting buy-and-sell groups each month.

In terms of the dedicated Marketplace, there are currently 100 million active iOS and Android app users that have Marketplace featured in their Facebook app.

With the average user spending 50 minutes or more every day on the app, you've got a good chance of attracting new customers.

The downside? Facebook Marketplace is used by a lot of casual sellers - if you sell common products, you might find yourself competing on price.

Email Marketing

Email marketing has the highest return on investment of any advertising option. On average, every $1 spent on email marketing sees a return of $38.

With email marketing software, you can now prepare customized and personalized emails months in advance and schedule them to send out at set times of the year.

Once you have a number of customers' email addresses, you can start sending them promotional emails or let them know about any new products in stock.

As each person you're emailing has already expressed interest in your product or service, you're going to get a much warmer reception (and higher success rate) than if you were contacting random people in the industry.

The result? Your emails are going to get more opens, clicks and conversions. You can even target customers with specific products based off their previous purchases.

Online marketing can help drive qualified leads to your business.

If you’re an automotive business ready for a higher level of performance in your digital marketing efforts, the Motorhead Digital team has proven processes that will help you stay savvy and at the top of your game - going way beyond a simple website.

Get in touch for a free strategy call today and get your business working for you.

Online Selling for Automotive Performance Parts Dealers

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sat, 09 Nov 2019 02:37:00 GMT

Selling auto parts online has never been more lucrative! According to Search Auto Parts online sales of auto parts is forecast to reach $16 billion in 2021.

In 2018, online retail sales of auto parts & accessories pushed past the $10 billion mark for the first time, and more than half of this was purchased on cell phones.

Selling auto parts online has never been more lucrative! According to Search Auto Parts ( source ) online sales of auto parts is forecast to reach $16 billion in 2021.

Looking at the full automotive online sales figures for the last 5 years, 2019 is forecast ( source ) to bring in an impressive $57.4 billion.

So, this all sounds great, but what does it mean for you?

Now is the time to start prepping your sales funnels and online marketing efforts to supercharge your online selling capacity.

In this blog, we’re going to cover a few key areas:

Simple Steps to Selling More on Your Current Website

Setting Up Online Sales Funnels and Getting Customer Details

Online Advertising - Where to Advertise to Get the Best ROI

Simple Steps to Selling More on Your Current Website

If you already have a website of your own set up, there are 5 simple and easy improvements you can make today to help you sell more online. (If you haven't got a website yet, you're missing out on a serious revenue stream - let's talk).

1. Make your contact details prominent

It might seem obvious, but the amount of sites that don't show a phone number or email address in an easy-to-see place is worrying!

If a prospect sees something they want to buy on your site, but can't find your contact details to ask a question/visit you in-person - what do you think they'll do? Waste 20 minutes of their time trying to find a phone number or do you think they'll just click onto the next guy and call him up?

Put your phone number, email address and location clearly in your site's header (which is the top panel where your logo usually lives).

2. Use high quality photos - delete any tiny/blurry/out of focus photos

Using low quality images on your site will make your products look terrible and will make you come off as a small-time player.

Every photo on your site needs to have good lighting and be in focus on the item you're selling. High resolution is essential.

For high ticket items, try and get photos of every important detail on the item.

If you don't have a designated place to take photos, pay special attention to what's in the background of your photos - you don't want anything costing you that sale.

*Extra tip for second-hand sales - a good wash will make up for a lot. Some distributors have reported a 10% increase in their final sales price, just by making sure the equipment looks clean and well maintained.

3. Break down barriers to purchase before they're even raised

The key here is to answer those common questions you hear over and over again. Save your time by answering all of those in a FAQ section for each product - break down the usual barriers to buying before they even pick up the phone.

4. Price

It doesn't matter what you're selling, people love to feel like they've got a good deal from you.

If you make most of your sales in person and you're expecting a haggle/negotiation on price, add a little extra onto your online price.

If you sell mostly online, be sensible when pricing products - buyers will be shopping around and checking current values. Which also brings us onto our last point.

5. Refer buyers to online sources and reviews

Word of mouth does half the selling for you. Try and integrate online reviews from your previous customers onto each product page.

Don't forget to show off all those great testimonials from previous/current customers throughout your site.

Selling high ticket items? You can even showcase reviews and positive opinion pieces from trusted sites that are well known in the industry to help you outsell your competitors.

Think of your website as your online sales team - it should take the brunt of the hard work out of your job.

Setting Up Online Sales Funnels and Getting Customer Details

Now you've got your website optimized for the basics, it's time to set up an online sales funnel.

What's an online sales funnel?

Online sales funnels can be as complicated or as simple as you want.

For your first sales funnel, let’s keep this super simple:

Going by this diagram, you want to focus on Level 2: Lead Gathering first.

A lead is a prospect/potential customer who has shown interest in your company/what you sell.

The best way to get more leads is to set up landing pages on your website. These are dedicated, product-specific pages of your website and offer something to people in return for their contact details.

This can include a product guide, an online catalog or even a discount on their next purchase. These are known as lead magnets.

Level 3: Lead Qualifying is the next step to focus on.

Once you've got people to submit their contact details, you'll need to put them into an email series. This can be done automatically with an email marketing software.

An email series is a set of pre-written emails that help build up trust and familiarity between your company and the lead.

When you're ready to email on a deal or call them to close the sale, they'll already be fully up to speed with everything and ready to buy (Level 4: Sale). Either that, or you'll know that they weren't a viable sale in the first place.

Level 1 is Brand Awareness, which is where all of your marketing efforts come into play.

In terms of your landing page, this would be online advertising to push people onto your lead magnet.

Now, you have your first online sales funnel up and running. You'll need to monitor it and tweak it to get the most sales out of it.

Online Advertising - Where to Advertise to Get the Best ROI

The world of online advertising is so expansive, we can't possible cover it all in this one blog post!

Check out our dedicated blogs on How to Use Automotive Content Marketing to Draw in New Customers and 7 of the Best Ways to Advertise Performance Auto Parts Online.

The Motorhead Digital team has proven processes that will help you stay savvy and at the top of your game - going way beyond a simple website.

We want to help increase your profits - schedule a free strategy call today and get your business working for you.

Email Marketing Tips for Auto Restoration and Auto Performance Shops

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Sun, 20 Oct 2019 17:05:00 GMT

Email marketing can help you to build a relationship with your customers with minimal effort from you and provides a measurable return on your investment.

If you’re not already harnessing the power of email marketing for your business, you’re missing out!

Digital marketing is the key to keeping your business alive and outdoing your competitors.

Email marketing can help you to build a relationship with your customers with minimal effort from you and provides a measurable return on your investment.

For every $1 spent, email marketing generates $38 in ROI ( Source )

Email marketing works by creating a relationship between your company and your customers.

It focuses on strengthening the relationship you have with your current customers and growing trust between you and potential future customers.

When done right, email marketing has a much more personal feel than traditional advertising methods. By writing personal and approachable emails, your customers will feel like you’ve taken the time out of your busy day to write to them directly.

A good email campaign focuses on your customers' unique wants, needs and problems. It reminds them your company is there and you’re ready to help them whenever they need you.

The most effective email marketing campaign is more than JUST a sales pitch.

If you want to build direct connections with car enthusiasts, it’s time to start investing in email marketing.

But don’t just take our word for it – check out these email marketing stats:

Email marketing attracts 40 times more new customers than social media ( Source )
Customers coming through an email special offer spend 138% more than people that don’t get email offers ( Source )
44% of people made at least one purchase in 2017 based on a promotional email ( Source )
Email has a higher conversion rate than social media, organic search and paid search combined ( Source )
75% of companies agree that email offers “good” to “excellent” ROI ( Source )
86% of shoppers want to receive monthly email updates from brands they follow ( Source )
Segmented and targeted emails generate 58% of revenue for companies ( Source )

All those numbers and facts sound great, but how can it help your business?

By starting an email marketing campaign, you can maximize your exposure to your customers (past, present and future included!) and see more engagement from the people you want to sell to.

So, how do you build an email marketing campaign for the auto industry?

The best part about email marketing is that you’ve probably already got a head start on the basics - a list of customers.

We highly recommend splitting your email campaigns for different customer categories (some great starter segments could be: past, present and potential clients). Why? The language you use and points to highlight in each email will change dramatically depending on who you’re trying to sell to.

As with everything, you'll need to have a well-developed email marketing strategy to follow. Remember, your emails are designed to build a relationship with your customers, not irritate them with endless self promotion.

'It's been a while, better send a newsletter' doesn't get you sales!

The worst thing you can do when emailing your clients is treating them like an afterthought.

No doubt you’ve opened your inbox and found plenty of ‘junk’ emails looking to sell you products you don’t want. You do not want to end up in this category!

Think about what your clients want to hear about. What do they expect to get from you? Emails are a great way to showcase your company's personality and unbeatable customer service.

You want customers to look forward to seeing your name pop up in their inbox - whether that’s for your great sense of humour or your amazing range of products.

If you don't have buyer personas already, now is the perfect time to create them.

Once you know who your audience is, you can target different emails to each type of customer you have.

By focusing on what each customer group wants, you can create more personal, one-to-one connections with your audience – which will generate a much better return on your investment.

The 5 Types of Emails You Need to Send To Your Customers

Sending the same boring sales email over and over again is quickly going to make your customers click 'unsubscribe', or even worse, 'spam'!

To get them interested in what you have to say, you’ll want to create an email strategy with a combination of the 5 main email types:

1. The Industry Insider Email

Show your status as a restoration/performance expert by sharing the latest news and events, useful tips and interesting blogs you've written recently.

Have product guides or videos to help promote your products? Send them to your email list; seeing helpful info and reviews about your products can help prospects to see added value in your company.

The average customer needs to interact with your brand 7 times before committing to a purchase - this is a great way of answering any common questions they might have without taking up any of your time.

2. The Thank You Email

Whether they've just signed up for your newsletter, bought an item from you or just passed the 10-year mark as a loyal customer, the Thank You Email should show you company's personal side.

It's a personalized, simple message. Go above and beyond the usual template that comes with your email software - your customers will appreciate it.

3. The Helpful Checklist Email

Designed to help your customers choose between different products types, this email sums up valuable information for customers making a buying decision and compiles it into a simple checklist.

Cementing your auto expert status, the checklist shows you know your stuff - and are therefore the right company to buy from.

4. The Look-How-Popular-We-Are Email

Promote that amazing testimonial from one of your repeat customers. Show how many satisfied customers you have. Show real people with real opinions. The more authentic, the better.

These types of emails work great as videos. Watching real life clients interact with you, your products and telling their experience helps prospective customers see you as more than just a sales pitch.

5. The Special Offer Email

One of the most popular (and most effective) emails out there!

Offer up a special that customers can't say no to. Whether it's a percentage off their next purchase or a free add-on item, people love a good deal.

The Golden Rules of Email Marketing for the Auto Industry

1. Keep it personal - don’t make it obvious it's an automated email!

2. Don’t “Bait and Switch” - make sure the subject line is delivered in the email content, always deliver what you promise

3. Make it easy to unsubscribe - an 'unsubscribe' reaction is better than a 'spam' report

4. Track ROI, open rates and click rates from specific emails. Know exactly what you’re getting for every dollar you invest in email marketing

5. Keep your emails regular and interesting for your customers

6. Make sure all your emails are mobile-friendly and are enjoyable no matter what device your reader is using

So, there's your quick introduction to the world of email marketing!

Online marketing can help drive qualified leads to your business.

We want to help increase your profits - get in touch for a free strategy call today and get your business working for you.

How to Use Content Marketing for High Performance Auto Shops to Draw in New Customers

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 15:45:00 GMT

It's goal is not to promote a company explicitly, but to establish their status as 'expert' in their industry and stimulate interest in their products or services.

First up, let’s talk about what content marketing actually is.

Content marketing is a type of marketing that involves the creation and sharing of online material, like videos, blogs and social media posts.

It's goal is not to promote a company explicitly, but to establish their status as 'expert' in their industry and stimulate interest in their products or services.

Content marketing can also help your search engine rankings, when done correctly.

How Content Marketing Can Help High Performance Auto Shops

For years, the auto industry has relied on placing ads in car magazines, directories and forums for car enthusiasts. With the shift from traditional to digital, you might have noticed a lot of the places you used to buy ad space with have now gone online.

The sales process for high performance parts and services has changed dramatically in the last ten years - car enthusiasts are looking online for info on how to upgrade their car’s performance and the products they need to do it.

What's the first thing people do when they need to buy something?

They Google it.

They type in what they want, they look up the parts that can give them the best bang for their buck. They ask Google the questions they need answered.

Modern shoppers have the answers before they even step through your door.

On average, 70% of the buying decision is made online, before they even contact a business for the first time.

This is where Content Marketing comes in.

Think about the last big purchase you made, what did you do?

1. You searched online

2. You read reviews on the product

3. You compared prices, products and features

4. You asked your friends on social media for their experiences/opinions

…and you did all of that before even speaking to a company.

Why?

People can educate themselves online, with unbiased information, about enhancing their car’s performance.

The modern car enthusiast isn’t dependent on their mechanic and a sales person anymore.

Having a customer that already knows the basics will actually make your job so much easier.

When customers already feel secure in what they know, they come to you more trusting and with an open mind.

Simply put: they’re ready to buy.

So, how can you capitalize on your customers researching their next car improvement before they even call you?

Content marketing.

How Does Content Marketing Lead To Auto Part Sales?

Content marketing positions you as an expert in your industry.

When a potential new customer types into Google 'what is the best...?’, your website will come up - with all the answers to their questions.

But let's not run before we can walk.

To get to the top of Google, you need to have a website full of original, interesting and informative content. This includes blog posts, videos, infographics and links to your social media accounts (that are also updated with content on a regular basis).

So, how do you create this original, interesting and informative content for potential customers to find and enjoy?

Let’s look at how to create a blog post.

First, you need to know what your customers are asking, and then answer those questions.

A really good, easy intro to this way of thinking is to simply write down all the questions your customers ask you.

Ask your friends what would make them go to one shop over another. Ask them what would stop them from going to a company completely. Ask them why they keep buying from their favorite suppliers over anyone else.

Once you've got plenty of feedback and a good number of questions, organize them into common/shared themes.

Next, try writing about ONE of the questions your prospects ask.

Answer it in depth and answer it honestly.

Go into details, your customers want their questions answered properly.

Remember, this piece of writing is going to be a 24/7 salesman for you. Share your knowledge and experience.

Once you've finished, run it through a spell checker and give it a couple of read throughs. Sometimes it helps to read it out loud to make sure it makes sense.

Once you've done all that - get it published! Ideally, you’ll have a blog section on your own website.

Getting published in a well-respected industry magazine is incredibly beneficial to your company’s exposure too.

Remember, your ultimate goal is to become the go-to company for helpful, honest advice and information on your industry.

You need to become an industry expert.

When you're known as the industry expert, prospect customers will trust you, and most importantly, they'll buy from you.

So how does writing a blog piece get people to buy from you?

Your new blog piece is just a small cog in the content marketing machine.

Step One. Your search engine position will improve for the questions and topics you've included in your blog piece.

Step Two. The number of visitors to your website will increase. To make the most out of this, you'll need to be able to track who visits your site, where they come from and how they find you (Google Analytics is your new best friend).

You can then tailor your future blogs and videos to cater to what your visitors are looking for.

Step Three. Better educated visitors that trust you as a source of reliable information will contact you about your products and services.

Make sure your contact details are easy to find and have a simple way for them to submit their contact details for a call back/more information on the service they want you to provide.

Step Four. More enquiries. Easier sales. Higher profits. If you continue to keep in touch with the people that enquire about your service, they will hire you.

With the relationship already nurtured and trust established, you'll be able to sell more over a long-term relationship.

The Secret To Content Marketing Success In The Auto Performance Industry

Remember why you're writing the content in the first place.

Your writing needs to be interesting, engaging and relevant. It needs to be better than your competitors. It needs to keep your prospects reading and show them you're the expert on the performance upgrades you're writing on.

Focus on driving the type of people to your website that have the ability and drive to buy from you.

If you attract the wrong audience, you’ll struggle to turn those visitors into leads, sales and profits. Stop writing content for your peers. Start writing for people that want to buy from you.

The Motorhead Digital team has proven processes that will help you stay savvy and at the top of your game - going way beyond a simple website. We also know you don’t want to be at your computer all day writing, when you could be selling!

We want to help increase your profits - get in touch for a free strategy call today and get your business working for you.

Have a website? You can now get sued for not being ADA Accessible.

Thu, 01 Aug 2019 16:23:10 GMT

This may sound alarmist, but there's a worrying rise in lawsuits against companies for not catering to all needs.

Above: ADA Timeline and legal statistics from Accessibe web accessibility application .

The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) has brought into law the right to equal access to information online.

The incoming lawsuits aren't restricted to just the big players either - small entrepreneurs and international companies alike are affected.

Businesses that have already been sued include the likes of Bank of America, Target, Winn Dixie, Home Depot and Weight Watchers - but smaller companies are being pursued too. Island Comfort Footwear in Florida were put out of business due to an ADA lawsuit.

In 2018, there were 2,285 ADA lawsuits filed, up 187% on 2017’s figures. One woman in Florida sued over 175 business owners under ADA.

According to Fingerlakes.com, 26 New York wineries are presently being sued for not being compatible with screen-reading software. Last year, more than 1,000 ADA lawsuits had been filed in New York.

ADA covers private websites too - it's like having a store in the mall with no wheelchair ramp - you CAN get sued for not being accessible. This is a legal requirement, it's not optional.

So with such a wide-reaching law now being enforced, you probably have a few questions about the law, how it affects you and what it actually is. Here's our introduction to The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and it's enforcement on the web.

What is ADA?

On July 26, 1990, George W. Bush signed into law The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA law prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. It prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies, and labor unions from discriminating against the disabled.

While no mention of websites appears in the ADA law (it was signed in 1990 after all!), it does prohibit companies from putting up communication barriers that restrict access for all.

How does the ADA affect a website?

As people now use the internet for every aspect of their daily lives (and with many services now online only) Title III of the ADA has expanded from brick and mortar establishments to include those who have a business on the Internet too.

Think about how many of our daily errands are now completed online - from banking, shopping, preparing taxes to studying - everything is now online. Now imagine if you were trying to complete your taxes online and the website you're using doesn't work correctly. Not only are you going to be incredibly frustrated, you're going to be prevented from completing an essential task.

So, this is what the ADA is designed to prevent.

For people who use assistive devices (such as screen readers, Braille output devices, or interactive voiceover software) if they find your website is not accessible using their device, they may be forced to leave the website, lodge a complaint or initiate litigation against you.

The worst part for website owners? ADA law requires no notice before a lawsuit is filed for non-compliance.

The law provides no time for a company to take action before a lawsuit is filed, and it offers no real defense to a company after a lawsuit has been filed.

How do people with disabilities use a website differently?

Wear glasses or contact lenses? You're officially using assistive technology to be able to see properly.

People with visual impairments who require more than glasses, such as those with color blindness, low vision, and legal blindness, use special alternative views or may also use screen readers.

For people who are hearing impaired, closed captioning or a downloadable transcription of any on-site audio must be provided.

People with a physical disability may not be able to use a keyboard and instead use special equipment, such as head pointers, eye movement devices or text to speech software.

People with blindness, dyslexia and other learning disabilities may also use text to speech.

This is a super short list of some of the most commonly used assistive technologies - but for the average website owner, it can be eye-opening. In order for all of your customers, clients or general site visitors to be able to use your website fully, it needs to be able to work with all of the above technologies.

To help you (or your website developer) attain full accessibility online, your website should follow the WCAG guidelines.

What are the WCAG guidelines?

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) were published in 2008 by the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative. In 2018, WCAG 2.1 were released which provide 17 additional criteria to address mobile accessibility, people with low vision and people with cognitive and learning disabilities.

The standards are filtered into 4 categories, each with their own set of requirements. Level AA is the basic level that must be reached

What parts of my website must be accessible?

Pretty much all of it, including:

Any text content
Videos
Images
Buttons
Links
PDFs
Items for sale
Documents
Forms
Any other types of content you offer

How do you make your website accessible?

To get your website up to the basic standards (and avoid a possible lawsuit), you'll need an understanding of the WCAG requirements and how to implement them.

If you don't have the time or inclination to do this yourself, it's best to hire an accessibility professional. Motorhead Digital has access to a network of accessibility experts who can advise you on the topic and help you get your website accessible.

The website accessibility process

The process begins with an audit of your current website to determine how accessible it is.

Based on the findings of the audit, our team will then make any necessary changes to the site.

After the changes have been implemented, we'll audit the areas initially found to have issues to confirm the necessary changes are complete.

As part of having an accessible website, you need to have an accessibility statement visible on the site. This needs to be done with a lawyer.

What’s the cost of not having an accessible website?

People with disabilities account for one in five website users. If you're not accessible, you're already cutting out 20% of your potential customer base.

If you get sued, there are also fines, lawsuit settlements, and attorney’s fees to account for.

The maximum penalty for the first violation that the Department of Justice imposes is $75,000. For subsequent violations, it’s $150,000.

Accessibility is an ongoing task.

Attorneys are actively scanning websites to find non-ADA friendly websites - it's a great fishing pond for business for them.

If you actively update your website with new content, you'll need to invest in training for those who will be updating the website. If you prefer, our team can take care of updating your website and scanning the website on a designated schedule for you.

It's not a day too soon to make your website accessible - you don't want your company to become another statistic that fell to an ADA lawsuit.

7 SEO Tips for Auto Performance Shops

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 18:49:21 GMT

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) isn't just for the big players in the industry!

No matter how big or small you consider your business in the grand scheme of things, you can gain some serious traction on search engine results by implementing some basic SEO on your website.

What is SEO?

SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization”. SEO is a marketing technique that focuses on getting visitors to your website from organic search engine results (i.e. not the ads you pay for).

Essentially, websites are judged by search engines on a number of criteria - all of which boils down to user friendliness and relevance. SEO works to improve your website based on those judgement criterias. By making the search engines happier - you'll rank higher in their results and get more visitors to your site.

What Are The Benefits of SEO for Businesses in the Auto Industry?

Last year, 78% of online buying decisions made in the US began by using a search engine.

Internationally, over 40,000 searches are made every second, with 3.5 billion searches made every single day. That's a massive base of potential customers.

SEO gives small businesses the tools to compete with big players in the industry, while being much cheaper than paid advertising.

SEO can help give your company a status of expertise and reliability across the whole country, if it's done well. In this industry reputation can make or break a business.

7 SEO Tips to Help You Dominate the Search Engines

1. Update Your Website With QUALITY Content

The most effective way to update your website is to blog regularly on a weekly/monthly basis. Google prefers websites with a regular blogging schedule.

It prefers original writing (that isn't copied word for word from a competing site) that people like reading.

The more time people spend on your site reading your most recent blog, the more Google likes your website and the higher a ranking it will give it in search results.

High quality content isn't limited to a few blog posts - your title tags, meta descriptions and image names should be relevant and useful too. You'll get a higher rank for related search terms if your website is helpful for your visitors.

2. Make Sure Your Website is Mobile Friendly

With the majority of people now using their mobile devices to access the internet (that's an amazing 94% of us here in the US), your site needs to be easy to use, no matter what device your visitors use.

Traditional desktop websites can translate poorly to mobile devices. Your website isn't user friendly if visitors need to actively zoom in or pinch to read your content. If users get annoyed by your website they'll leave for one that works.

Google tracks the number of users that leave your site quickly, and calls it your bounce rate. For Google a high bounce rate means that your website is inefficient and hard for people to use. What does this mean? A low rank in their search results.

Do you know if you're mobile friendly? Google lets you check free of charge here

3. Have A Google My Business Account & Optimize It

Local SEO is a very effective way to capitalize on potential customers in your area. A good (and free!) way to do this is to claim your Google My Business account and use it to your full advantage.

When you have Google My Business account, if someone in your locality searches for what you do - you'll appear as a local business that can help them with what they want. If they look at a map of their local area on Google, you'll show up on that map as a business near them.

The best thing about it? Setting up a basic profile only takes ten minutes at most.

Once your profile's set up, make the most of it by:

Posting some high quality images that are relevant to your business

Entering your business hours

Giving a helpful and compelling summary of what you offer

Linking your social media accounts to your site

Getting satisfied clients and customers to leave positive reviews

4. Build Up Quality Backlinks

The golden rule when it comes to any kind of search engine optimization is quality over quantity, and this includes backlinks!

In the past, a lot of companies that sold SEO services bought hundreds of low quality random links to put on their clients' sites, in order to improve their SEO.

Websites that are supported by references from other sites rank highly on Google, but their standards have become stricter in the last five years.

Backlinks are a good way to improve your SEO ranking, but it's important to do it right by getting reputable websites in your industry to link to your site.

5. Add Internal Links Between Pages Of Your Site

This is a useful SEO technique to that's easy to apply to your site right away.

Look at the pre-existing text on your site - if it references other relevant pages on your site then hyperlink them. Does a blog post mention various products that your offer? Add hyperlinks to the pages for those products.

An up-to-date sitemap of your site is definitely vital for SEO. (A sitemap is a page of your website, which has every other page of the site listed and linked to on it).

Sitemaps and internal links make Google rank your website higher. If you're at ease with adding them to your site, you can do it straight away!

6. Get Social

An effective method of promoting all of your great original content is to post it on your social media profiles.

We all know car enthusiasts love keeping up to date with all of the latest innovations in the industry, so keep your social media feeds interesting and updated. To really take advantage of this to its full extent, post links to the relevant pages of your website.

7. Set Goals & Measure, Measure, Measure.

It's pointless to spend so much effort working on SEO if you're not measuring your results. Note the goals that you want to achieve and consistently check to see how you're progressing.

For example, if you want to rank for a general search phrase like 'auto performance shop', record the date that you begin your SEO efforts, your website's current ranking, the ranking you want to have in a year's time, and what you're doing to reach that ranking.

Then check your progress regularly, to see if there's any development. There’s a host of tools to help you do this, including:

Google Webmasters Tool: this makes sure that Google knows about your site, and gives you data on what works well and what doesn't for you site.

Google Analytics: This, to put it simply, is vital. Google Analytics gives you detailed information on your website's progress. It analyzes statistics like page views, user profiles, how and where users find your site and what they're looking at while they use it.

MOZ: This is a few different tools all rolled into one. It includes a keyword explorer (which creates keyword suggestions and predicts their popularity on the internet) and a site crawl (which constantly checks your site and alerts you to any technical issues that might flag it to Google).

Search engine optimization can be difficult when you're getting started, because it can take a while to see results. But as soon as you start see progress, it'll be very rewarding - you'll never look back!

SEO works well when done with paid advertising campaigns, because by using both of them, you're not relying too much on Google's ranking algorithms (which can change very quickly).

The Motorhead Digital team has proven processes that will help you stay savvy and at the top of your game - going way beyond a simple website.

We want to help increase your profits - get in touch for a free strategy call today and get your business working for you.

Marketing in the Auto Performance Space

balt@a2zeds.com (Barry Alt) — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 18:40:58 GMT

Catch the Shift from Traditional to Digital

When it comes to the latest performance enhancement products on the market, we're all experts - part of being a muscle car enthusiast is figuring out how to keep improving our cars.

For a lot of auto performance shops, they don't carry this hunger for knowledge through to promoting their business by utilizing their customers' modern browsing habits.

It's a pretty good generalization to say the industry is slightly behind when it comes to adopting digital marketing techniques.

Easy internet access and the ability to show off their machines on the likes of Instagram have changed the face of performance car ownership, improvement and socializing.

Now, many companies in the industry are scrambling to keep up with the new methods available to keep them in touch with their customers.

The time is ripe for auto performance shops to make the shift from traditional to digital marketing approaches and get their business the exposure they deserve.

Marketing to our industry is completely different than most other markets - it requires someone who knows the industry intimately to:

know where to find people looking to enhance their car's performance
and
know how to speak to muscle car owners and persuade them to invest in your customization and enhancement services over the next guy.

Where To Find Muscle Car Owners and High Performance Car Enthusiasts

The things that keep car enthusiasts awake at night are not like other consumers, let's face it!

Because of this, your approach to marketing has to be different. If you're hiring a web agency to market online for you, they NEED to know where to find your audience and how to talk to them.

There's nothing like spending a few hours watching the latest rally/drag race/restoration of a classic. Where do we hang out? Instagram, Facebook & YouTube.

You know and I know what we choose to spend our time watching and learning about the industry. Make sure your marketing company knows too.

Move From 1-to-Many to 1-to-1 Marketing

The old approach to advertising (general ads placed in newspapers, directories, radio, TV etc.) spreads one message to many consumers - but in the modern world, this singular approach just doesn't cut it anymore.

By combining traditional methods for quick-buys that don't require any really investment or thought and one-to-one relationship building digital marketing methods for those bigger projects, you can have a winning formula.

Today's consumer spends hours (and we mean HOURS) researching the latest innovations in the industry, the best rated products and what could be the newest improvement to their car.

How do you harness this to promote your own service and products against a world of competition?

Create unique, informative and entertaining content that helps your target customer research their next investment.

Become The Go-To Expert

Car enthusiasts want to stand out. They want the best of the best and they want their car to BE the best.

It's no longer a case of having to stick to your local auto shop - customers can view work from all over the world, which is the perfect opportunity for you. It helps you open the door to new customers through exceptional content.

By creating custom content (whether that's videos showing off your latest project, blogs exploring common issues or before and after photos of cars you've worked on) you can build your company's reputation as the expert in your field.

Customers want performance shops that think outside of the box and know what they're doing - no one wants to hand over their hard-earned cash to a Jack-of-all-trades that doesn't actually know anything.

You know your customers better than anyone else.

Create content that speaks directly to your ideal customer - you're not marketing to just anyone - you're marketing directly to them, to solve their issues and help them be more successful.

If you want to get new customers to hire you, you need to invest in your online assets.

Be honest - would you buy from you from looking at your website? If not, why not? Make sure your digital assets promote your company as you want to be seen.

By creating a company personality (your brand), you're aiming for your customer to see your business as the friendly expert they can trust with their car.

To fully get the benefits of online marketing, it does take a real shift in thinking; embrace the world of digital marketing and consider just how much consumers are already using social media and search engines in their day-to-day lives.

Imagine the exposure your company will get if you're appearing in their daily feeds and search results. You do awesome work - now’s the time to show it off.

If you’d like to explore how digital marketing can help you dominate the market, the team here at Motorhead Digital has proven processes that will help you stay savvy and at the top of your game - going way beyond a simple website.

We want to help increase your profits - get in touch for a free strategy call today and get your business working for you.