Marketing is critical to the success of any auto body shop. The only way you can let the public know your business exists is to participate in proper marketing techniques that increase your visibility. An online presence is important for any small business today, but sometimes businesses that gain an online presence only think of advertising online from then on. However, there are many offline ways you can approach the advertising of your website as well.

You can advertise your auto body shop website in all kinds of public relation situations. Any time a press release, editorial or trade article is written by someone from your shop, attach your website to it. This will be especially beneficial if the writings are published and distributed to possible clients in your area. Web-Est would be more than happy to post articles of any kind written by our customers. If someone from your shop wrote valuable material for the industry, send it to us, put your web-site on there, and we'll post it for you. Anytime your business name is mentioned as being part of the collision repair industry, you should automatically attach your website to it. There is never a shortage of people needing collision repair, and an easy-to-remember website to them may stay with them when it comes time for them to need your services.

The ability to combine your online presence with advertising offline is a great benefit for the collision repair industry. Since you will obviously not be selling car repairs online, your website can be a simple one-page representation of the prices your auto body shop offers. It is also a great place to list specials and discounts of services. Obviously, creating a simple website for your collision repair industry business is easier than creating a more complicated website.

Never pass up any opportunity that presents itself allowing you to participate in auto body marketing in an offline situation. Of course, if you only focus on advertising offline, you will be missing other opportunities awaiting you in the digital world. Your key to running a busy, successful auto body shop is combining many forms and venues of advertising. Balance your priorities and advertise where your skills are. If you know nothing about online ads, you may want to tackle offline auto body marketing first. It is clear that there are many opportunities for you if advertising online seems out of reach right now.  The key is to just be thinking about it for yourself.  Ask yourself the question: "How can I use the resources available online to market my business, and how I can I balance that out with offline marketing efforts?"  

-JR