Like many industries, the automotive repair business has seen a definitive slump in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. During the year-long lockdowns, driving was down, leading to a reduction in the need for repairs and a slump in routine maintenance work as well. In some areas, a decline in estimates and repairs reached at least 50% — and potentially even higher. 

While some shop owners are reducing staff hours and deploying other methods to try and stay solvent while the market circles back to health, there are some other things you can try if your auto repair shop is seeing a reduction in trade — focus on signage and physical marketing.

Signage and physical marketing may not seem as exciting as larger-scale advertising choices such as billboards, radio spots, or even TV commercials, but it does have something important — trackability and targetability.  

Increasing Traffic to Your Auto Body Business with Signage and Physical Marketing

Signage is more than just a “We’re Open” sign hanging in the door. Using the adaptability and flexibility of today’s wide format printers, your business can easily create banners, wall-sized adhesive signs, window signs, car and floor decals, and more to show your customers you are ready to assist them and to drive traffic inside. 

You can also:

• Print business cards to leave on cars in the area
• Print flyers to post in local restaurants or neighboring businesses
• Mail postcards with discount offers to local homes near your business

What is even better is that you can use your physical marketing, such as those mailers, to direct customers to an online site or landing page that can give them even more important information about your business and the services you offer. 

What Makes a Great Sign?

For auto body shops or even automotive dealers you want to make your signs work for you. Definitely go big — at least 24” by 36” so your customers can see it, even at a distance. You can place these on an easel to change them out easily, or if the message is more permanent, you can consider a more permanent solution such as a banner or even a decal.

Consider highlighting your business philosophy, your mission statement, or even any incentives that you are currently running.

What Kind of Printer to Use

Having a wide format or production printer for in-house use can be an invaluable tool with a great return on investment. Not only do you keep control over your branding and marketing timelines by printing in-house, but you can also change signage quickly — an important factor since the pandemic is still causing daily changes in health and safety rules. These printers not only create brilliantly colored marketing collateral, but they are also able to print on a wide variety of media, including vinyl, magnetic backing, decals, cloth, and even metal. This feature provides access to an incredible array of marketing materials from signage to swag.

However, if a wide format printer is a bit out of reach, a color laser or inkjet printer can do just as well for those postcards, brochures, and other physical marketing collateral, depending on how much — or how little — your business needs to be effective. 

Choose from a Wide Range of Leading-Edge Printers at Blue Technologies 

Every auto body shop or automotive dealer has specific needs, goals, and budgets. That is why at Blue Technologies, we have curated a wide range of inkjet printers, laser printers, wide-format printers, and production printers from which you can choose.

We only partner with leaders in the print and imaging industry so we know we are bringing you the very best technology for your money. Our printers range from small-footprint models to full-service production models that offer finishing and binding capabilities. Regardless of whether you have a smaller, family-owned business or you are part of a larger conglomerate of dealerships, we have the right device to help you boost your auto body business using the power of physical marketing and signage.