A customer’s post-purchase experience helps to define how they think of your shop after they leave because it shows them how much you valued their business. While a follow-up email may seem insignificant, it can increase repeat sales by 25% as it helps you build a personal connection between the customer and your shop.
Read on to learn more about sending follow-up emails for auto repair shops.
Timing is Everything
Timing is everything when it comes to follow-up emails, however, a major differentiator in the auto repair industry is that your services aren’t needed on a weekly or even monthly basis. That’s why it’s important to find a balance between staying top of mind and not overwhelming customers.
Start here- send the first email 2-4 days after their visit. This gives you an opportunity to thank them for their business and request a review. Then, send recurring reminder emails that remind them about upcoming appointments or the need to make one. According to recent research, the ideal time to send an email and increase your chances that it will be seen is Tuesday, around 10 am.
What to Send
As an auto repair shop, you have some really great options for the content of your emails. Use this marketing channel as a way to keep your customers informed, provide more incentive for them to come back, and convenience.
Ask for Feedback
Feedback provides insight into the customer’s experience. This is a great way for your shop to leverage the things you are doing right and make meaningful changes to the things you aren’t. Moreover, ask for a review, not only will 68% of customers leave a review for your business if asked, but 90% look at the reviews of a company before doing business with them. A follow-up email presents the perfect opportunity.
Discount Reminder
Discount reminders give customers a friendly sense of urgency about an ongoing promotion. If your customers receive discounts from their receipts, plan to send a reminder a week before it expires, then again 24 hours before expiration to convince impulsive customers to take advantage of it.
Promotional Email
Promotional emails include recommendations based on customers’ past purchases, sales coupons, or other content that only your customers can view. These emails encourage future purchases. For example, offering a Buy 3 Get 1 Free tire promotion.
Appointment Reminder
Reminding customers of their appointment adds a human connection to their relationship with your brand. Auto repair shops are used on an as needed basis, generally a few times a year, which is why an email reminder can be beneficial and add convenience.
How Often is Too Often?
The cadence of your emails can drastically increase or decrease business. Should your customer find an email from you in their inbox daily? No. So, how often is appropriate without becoming annoying?
According to an email benchmark report, businesses in consumer service (that’s you) should aim to send 4 emails per month. It’s important that each one offers value to the consumer ensuring you don’t end up in the spam folder. When creating content for follow up emails ask yourself:
- What action do we want them to take? Make a purchase? Utilize a discount? Come in for service?
- Does the email guide them to take that action? Is there a clear call-to-action? Are links provided to make it easier to leave a review or get more information?
- Is there valuable content within the email? Does it provide consumers with additional information they need? Would this content help establish your brand as a thought leader?
Don’t Overthink It
The process of sending follow-up emails seems simple enough until you start thinking about the frequency at which each person should get one. Every person that makes a purchase should have follow up emails sent plus be added to your ongoing email marketing list. That’s a lot to account for and track. Thankfully, with BayIQ, you can mark it off your long to-do list.
BayIQ is a marketing platform built specifically for the auto repair industry. It automatically creates emails to send your customers reminders, promotional announcements and even solicits reviews and posts the responses to Google and Facebook for you. Additionally, BayIQ provides automated text marketing, easy access to analytics, and a built-in loyalty program.
BayIQ can streamline the process of sending follow-up emails, and with its other features, can help you create a well-rounded, automated marketing strategy without overwhelming your customers or yourself.
