Ever since you could buy a car, there’s been a service out there to make it shine for you. Few things frustrate a gearhead like a dirty car, and while some have the time and space to keep things clean on their own, many rely on professionals to do the job for them.
That’s an opportunity, and if you’ve elected to make your living providing just such a service, you’ve got to get your name out there in front of people. In this day and age, that means courting social media — but how exactly does one make a carwash service stand out on Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms?
Keep your public posted
As with any online content, freshness matters on social media.1 Your public wants to know what’s new — so tell them. Post new services you’ve added to the page, and make sure basics like contact info, location and hours are easy to find. Have some fun with your company page, set up a catchy company description, and get your logo out there as the site image.
Sales is just part of it
Remember, social media should be more about generating interest than making sales. If you can get people’s attention, the sales will follow. Sites that overwhelm customers with sales pitches aren’t popular, and it’s obvious how they’ve veered away from the intent of social media. Avoid this fate by creating an organic relationship with your customers through your social media site.
Take advantage of customer testimonials
Many social media venues aside from Facebook and the big names we often consider can boost your brand. Yelp is a great example of one, since it provides you with a great opportunity to look good in search results.2
Yelp has so much clout in the world of customer reviews that if your business is listed there, it’s extremely likely your review will display when someone searches for your business. Offer your best customers perks for writing positive reviews, and learn how to communicate with Yelp or other review sites if you get a negative review. Many will allow you to challenge and potentially overturn it.
Social media is a place for customer questions
One way you can establish credibility and bring in customers at the same time is by resolving customer issues through your social media site. If you set the precedent that people can expect a quick response over social media, people will find your business more accessible and the content this generates will be seen by potential customers.3 This is a great example of the organic relationship we mentioned earlier.
Promote across platforms
A single site is a start, but social media as a platform becomes exponentially more powerful when you’ve established a brand that crosses the borders of multiple sites. Add links from your web page, link your social properties to one another and create a constant stream of good content across multiple channels.
The way you interact with customers via social media can make or break your carwash business, so be sure to handle it the correct way. If you do, you’ll really be cleaning up.
Scott Huntington is a writer and automotive enthusiast from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Check out his blog Off The Throttle at www.offthethrottle.com, or follow him on Twitter @SMHuntington.
Sources
1 https://windtrax.com/wordpress/how-to-use-social-media-to-market-your-car-wash/
2 https://www.allbusiness.com/4-ways-increase-positive-yelp-reviews-11679-1.html
