Yesterday, we discussed various types of events that you could host at your auto body shop to boost both your presence in the community and your shop’s sales. Yet, some of you might be wondering exactly how to spread the word about your event. Hosting an event can leave you slightly vulnerable, worrying that no one will attend or that people won’t stay very long. Then there’s the worry that you might overspend on refreshments, live entertainment, or other elements of the event.
There are plenty of logistical concerns involved with hosting a special event, but it can be incredibly beneficial if done well. One of the best things you can do to prevent leaving yourself in a vulnerable position on event day is to market the event strategically.
To help you with that task, here are our tips for getting the word out about your shop’s special event:
· Issue a press release. Your event might not get mentioned, but it can’t hurt to issue a press release to any relevant contacts at your local newspaper, radio, and television stations. Be sure to make your key points very clear, because press contacts rarely have the patience to sift through jumbled, tedious press releases. Try to issue the release at least one month in advance and follow up with your contacts after a week if your event hasn’t been mentioned.
· Invite press to your event. Along with your press release, make sure that you send an event invitation to any key press. If you are able to get press to attend your event, then go out of your way to ensure that they have a great experience. Their presence at your event and the resulting publicity could be a great boost to your shop’s marketing.
· Design a stunning invitation. Since you will rely heavily on your invitation’s design to catch the eyes of your invitees, make it really special. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or overly expensive, but it should be memorable.
· Send your invitation in multiple ways. For your primary customer database, employ both direct mail and email for sending your invite. Depending on the anticipated size of the event, you can also post the invitation on your website and social networks.
· Partner with other organizations. If your database isn’t very large, consider buying a list to mail to or partnering with another organization to mail to their list. If a company is resistant to lending you their mailing list, request that they send your invitation to their email database. Just remember that it is polite to offer a reciprocal arrangement in such a situation.
For help with your body shop marketing, give Stratosphere Studio a call.
If you’re looking for a marketing agency to generate more business for your collision repair shop, at Stratosphere Studio we can develop the perfect strategy for you. We can produce a comprehensive marketing proposal or provide individual services, such as website design, blogging, search engine optimization, event marketing, video production, social networking, and more. We specialize in auto body shop marketing and work with some of the top shops across the country. We are currently offering low-cost trial packages that can match any shop’s budget, so if you’re ready bring more cars into your shop, then call us today.
