We use a lot of different terms in the marketing world, so it can be confusing to keep up with all of them—especially as technology expands our opportunities for communication. One of the biggest terms you might be hearing a lot lately is “lifecycle marketing.” If you run a collision repair shop, perhaps someone suggested that you explore lifecycle marketing techniques for your business. Or maybe you just ran across this term on the web somewhere and you’re doing some research. Well, chances are pretty good that you’re already doing at least some of the strategies that are involved in lifecycle marketing, but it never hurts to know more!
The gist of lifecycle marketing.
The basic idea behind lifecycle marketing is that people undergo different levels of engagement with your shop as their needs change. For instance, in the case of an auto body shop, a person might simply be a peripheral, prospective customer when they first get into an accident and are looking for places to get repair estimates. When a person actually chooses your shop for their car repairs, they then become an official customer. Once their repair is complete, they no longer have an immediate need for your services, but you’ll want them to keep you in mind for any future repairs they might need. At this stage, they can become an advocate for your shop, if they are happy with their repairs.
In lifecycle marketing, we use different marketing techniques to engage with people along each part of the customer spectrum.
Examples of lifecycle marketing at each stage:
Prospective Customer – Use techniques to attract people, like blogging, search engine optimization, great website design, and social media marketing.
Probable Customer – Convert attracted people into customers using calls to action with special offers, a submission form to capture lead information, and a great landing page.
Official Customer – Maintain communication throughout their repair and invite feedback through surveys, emails, and social media.
Former Customer – Retain customer’s loyalty with useful tips sent via email and posted on your blog and social networks. Send special offers, “tell-a-friend” coupons, and details about upcoming shop or community events.
Why lifecycle marketing is worth it.
The more personalized your communication can be, the better. The days of generalized print ads and other old-school marketing methods aren’t gone, but they’re losing traction next to much more targeted methods of marketing. With lifecycle marketing, you can employ smart tactics to engage with your customers and retain them over many years.
Do you have questions about lifecycle marketing for your collision repair shop?
At Stratosphere Studio, we’ve done extensive research into what marketing techniques work specifically for businesses in the automotive industry, including auto body shops, auto repair shops, and auto dealerships. We can help you develop the right strategies to bring more business into your shop. We can create a full marketing plan or provide individual services, such as website design, search engine optimization, email marketing, social media marketing, content marketing, and more. Our clients span the U.S. and are some of the most successful shops in their respective cities. We would love to help you next!
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I think this is valid for every business, not just auto shops. If you don’t follow up with your clients, you’re not going to get their future business or referrals. Even if they leave happy, they still need follow-up reminders to advocate for you. Since collision repair is not usually a planned expense, it’s even more important to make sure your past clients refer your shop.