Author: Smartfix UK
When looking into starting an alloy wheel repair service in your area, one of the key considerations will be how you will build your customer base. There are many potential sources of business in any area including car dealerships, rental companies, fleet operators and private car owners. Many operators will look to target a wide range of these prospects to provide a broad and diverse customer base.
The key to success here is to adopt a proactive approach with all types of potential customers. It is important to get out and tell your customers that your service is available and how good it is. You cannot rely on a reactive approach - simply building a website and waiting for the phone to ring.
That is not to say that a website is not important, it will help build a picture of your brand and give your customers some basic information about your company and services. But it should not be relied on to be a source of business in the early stages.
Whether you are workshop based or mobile, get out and talk to potential customers. Visit car sales sites, both new and used dealers, and be prepared to offer a demonstration of your service. Talk to both sales and service departments as both can have different needs for your service.
Tyre shops and MOT centres can also be useful contacts. They will often require the service themselves but will also be regularly asked by their own customers if they know of anyone who can repair wheels. Leaving some of your cards or flyers at these locations can be a good source of new business.
Clubs such a gyms, sports centres, golf clubs etc can also provide a good source of new customers. Leaving some literature that offers their members a discount on your service provides good motivation for the club to promote your business to their members.
Other ways of actively targeting retail customers would be to spend time talking with them at targeted locations – in the same way companies such as the AA or RAC do at motorway service stations. Good locations to promote an alloy wheel repair service would be hand car wash sites, supermarket or retail park car parks, local car shows etc. Any location where you can take your van or some literature and talk to potential customers about your service.
In addition to generally being the most effective way of sourcing new customers, getting out and talking to people as described above is also usually the cheapest form of marketing. In many instances, all it will cost is your time.
Although the response will not usually be as quick as talking directly to customers, social media is also a very effective marketing tool for this industry. Generating content is relatively simple as you will have an abundance of “before and after” images of cars and wheels that lend themselves perfectly to eye catching posts. Plus, if you grow your network organically, this also has very little cost attached.
