When you are running a cell phone repair shop or a store of any such variety, you can’t just wait around hoping that a passerby would see your outlet and think, “hmm, maybe I should go check it out.” We wish that’s how easy it was to get customers, and sometimes this might just happen. But it is just not viable if you hope to breakeven on your investment, let alone achieve the target profit margins. That is where repair shop marketing techniques come in. You need to get the word out more to grow your business from its current standing. That means constantly working to acquire new and retain old customers.
However, while keeping your business working, marketing tends to take a backseat because it seems daunting and time-consuming. Luckily for you, we are here to give you some insights based on our proven expertise in running digital marketing for repair businesses.
It doesn’t take much. Really.
A few well-placed targeted approaches can significantly increase your shop’s visibility. So, here is a list of strategies that can help you reel in new business without taking up too much of your time. Most of them can even be initiated directly through your repair shop POS system with marketing automation tools.
Three main kinds of marketing can work well to boost your repair shop ranking; online or website marketing, email marketing, and social media marketing.
Online or Website Marketing
There are multiple ways in which you can market your store through an online website. From referral programs to blogs embedded with SEO and forming an online community, it all serves to attract the right crowd for your business.
i. Visibility through SEO
One of the best things that come out of having an online presence is the ability to connect with people within the industry as well as local shoppers in the area. Having an online space opens you up to connections and contacts that may have been previously inaccessible. With this networking, you’ll stay in the loop over every new update in the industry. Not to mention, it would heighten your visibility to potential local customers.
In all the talk of the internet connecting people all over the world, the fact of connections within the area gets lost. Just by optimizing your platform for local SEO, you can use an individual’s internet search to gain a prospective client. This can be boosted even more by using recourses like Facebook and Google ads, updating your business’s Google profile, and ensuring your presence on platforms like Yelp. Ensure information accessibility on platforms that people use every day. Through this, you allow your business to be seen from miles away as well as within your own neighborhood.
ii. Referrals for Rewards
A great way to retain customers while simultaneously ensuring that you get new ones is by starting a referral program. Your existing customers would be given rewards like discounts or points to be redeemed every time they refer a new customer. And if you want to go the extra mile, you may even offer small rewards to the newcomers when they mention being referred to ensure that the referrer is given due credit. You can even market this program in-store and on social media.
iii. Blogging On-Site
On-site blogging is too important a tool not to have for your site. The up-to-date information or how-tos that you provide via your blogs enhance your clients’ confidence in your business. They are more likely to trust in your expertise if they can read up on them. But that’s not all. Not only will it help you connect with customers by providing them with information, but it will also help your search rankings. With a regular schedule, your SEO can be boosted greatly. And the next time someone is looking for repair shop expertise, your business may even be on the front page of the search results.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is perhaps the quickest and most personalized form of marketing. It is a direct line of communication for staying in touch with your customer base. What makes it far easier than most is that you can do it with the right POS system. With just a few clicks. If your POS software is integration friendly, you can connect it with a marketing platform. These platforms, like MailChimp, can optimize your emailing strategy.
i. Regular Emailing
You can launch a monthly newsletter with a well-organized emailing list to keep your clients in the loop. But for it to be effective, you have to know your audience. Through that, you can present content that is captivating for your target reader. Even within your audience, you may have a variety of different types of clients. Some exclusively ask for aesthetic modifications, buy new products, or any other such preference. If you can do audience segmentation in your customer list, your emails can be even more streamlined for the target demographic. But keep in mind that customers do not appreciate being barraged with promotional emails. They may even make your emails spam. Balancing your messaging between information, promotions, and other useful content is essential.
ii. Follow-Up on Repairs
A great way of retaining clients is following up with them on the repairs or products they got from your store. Implement a strategy that ensures that your clients are not only emailed in gratitude for investing in your services but also followed up on how their devices are performing. This will create a bond of trust with your clients as they feel cared for. And you can even receive feedback on your work directly.
iii. Deals and Reminders
Each time a client comes in for a service, collect data to create customer profiles. This lets you stay informed about when their device may be due to be serviced. This way, you can send reminders that are personalized via email or SMS. You can even attach this to promotional offers with discounts or monthly specials to attract them to return to the store.
Social Media Marketing
The fastest way to gain traction in today’s day and age is by making sure your business has a vibrant and responsive social media presence. Social media campaigns are the fastest way to get the word about your repair store services. And the visuals accompanying the message certainly help in catching the client’s attention.
i. Client Engagement
Just because your content is informative doesn’t mean it can’t be engaging. Social media is the best format through which to engage with your clients and improve based on their feedback. You don’t need to have an account on every platform, just the useful ones, like Facebook, where most of the repair industry congregates. Regularly updating your business page with targeted content of interest can boost your engagement easily.
ii. Reviews and Check-Ins
Encourage your clients to leave reviews for your services and products. Through this, you can improve your business as recommended by the client. Or, if the review is extremely positive, it can allow other prospective clients to know that you know what you are doing. And you can even provide incentives for your clients to check in on social media each time they visit. With potential check-in points to exchange for rewards in-store.
The Right POS Software Provides Marketing Channels
Unfortunately, marketing can be an extremely time-consuming process. And time is not a luxury that most small business owners can afford to expend. So, it is vital to have devices and software that help you minimize the time required while maximizing outreach to your clients. One of the best things for this is a POS system that supports marketing integrations for you to use. These allow you text and email outreach opportunities. So, pick your POS software wisely.
