So what is the Facebook Timeline, and how does it work?  In a nutshell, it’s a brand new approach to profile pages of individuals and businesses alike.  When customers look at your Timeline, they will be able to see summaries of the most important events in your business’s history.  With the Timeline, you’ll be able to feature and highlight key events, images, or other details that are important to you and your business.  Just the same, you will also be able to hide the less important stories or wall posts that you wish not to draw attention to on your profile page.

Hence the name “Timeline”, your Facebook history no longer has to begin with the day you joined Facebook.  In this way, businesses are encouraged to go back and add events that were important to their business, even before Facebook came along.  These can be events such as the date you opened, the dates you acquired new team members, new products or services that you introduced, and so on.  Doing this will help customers who view your profile develop a better understanding of your automotive business’s history and the defining moments that made your business what it is today.

With the Timeline also comes the opportunity to brand your auto repair or collision repair business even more than before.  Instead of a standard Facebook profile picture (which will still be there), the Timeline profile also offers a space for a Cover Photo, where you can post a large picture at the top of your page that really captures your brand, and who you are as a business.  In addition to the Cover Photo, pictures posted to your new Timeline profile will be larger and thus, able to draw more attention from viewers and be more engaging.

That’s the beginning of what you really need to know about the Facebook Timeline and social media marketing for now.  Feel free to let us know if you have any questions or concerns; we’re always here to help!  Happy Timelining!

Kathleen Everhart
Internet Marketing Consultant
Autoshop Solutions

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This past year, talk among shop professionals has revolved around women- mainly, how to earn our business, be “female friendly” and retain us as loyal customers.  I realize that 52% of the auto repair market is women, and that shop owners need a certain amount of appeal to keep us coming back for more, but I have to wonder… How did this conversation happen?  What triggered all of the hype?  Why are all of these shop owners spending money to be “Certified Female Friendly?”  I don’t get it.

When I go into a shop, I don’t want to see “Certified Female Friendly” displays; I just want a friendly smile and a “What can I do for you today?” I don’t want my mechanic to take a course in order to be “female friendly.”  I want you to be an expert on my car, show me what the problems are, be honest and give me some advice for preventive maintenance- really the same thing ALL customers want, regardless of gender.

Back in college, I found a great car mechanic.  I met him when my rear tire went flat.  I was stranded on the side of the road and called AAA.  I only had a few towing miles left, so I had the company tow my car to the nearest repair shop.  The mechanic met me with a friendly smile and asked how far down the road I was.  I told him that it was just a couple of miles.  He asked me why I had my car towed when it was just a couple miles down the road.  Didn’t I have a spare?

He wasn’t being condescending. I told him that I did have a spare, but I wasn’t strong enough to change it myself.  He showed me where my car jack was, taught me how to use it, and proved to me that I could change a tire by myself any time of day.  All the tools were already in my car.  After he showed me how to change my own tire, he created a customer for life.  He could have really taken advantage of me by selling me anything.  But he didn’t.  Instead of getting me to a buy new tire, he patched up my old one.  I used it for a pretty long time, and when I needed new tires, guess where I went?  Yep, I went back to him.

After he taught me how to change my tire, he showed me how to check my oil, add wiper fluid and check the coolant.  Every time I went to him for service, he taught me something new until I felt like I knew everything about my car:  the hoses, the tires, the belts and the engine.  From time to time, I’d peek under the hood to make sure that the rubber was good and the battery was clean.  Owning a car became really fun.

Back then, I never thought of him as being a particularly “female friendly” mechanic.  He was just friendly and I enjoyed taking my car in.  I learned about my car.

Having a clean and organized shop isn’t the only way to be “Certified Female Friendly.”   Don’t get me wrong, it’s refreshing to walk into a tidy auto shop, but teaching women about their cars and enabling them to be more independent is truly the best way to earn female customers for life.

Tonya Briggs
Internet Specialist
Autoshop Solutions

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From the time the first computer turned on with password protection, thrill seeking computer nerds have tried to crack the code. In modern day we call this hacking. There are many forms of hacking from malicious, to opportunistic, and in many cases, just because they can. Your website is a very public profile, running 24/7 and visible around the globe. Hackers are always looking for the perfect opportunities to hack into your site for use or abuse.

The newest attacks are not intrusive, it’s all about links. Computer hackers can secretly embed hundreds or thousands of links into your website. Hidden links are against Google policy, and if the company suspects that your website has these links, your ratings will drop. Google could even remove your website from its index.

If you are planning to build your website using WordPress, think again. WordPress is now the number one hacked website and blog platform on the internet. For a very simple blog, it can be effective and secure, but when you begin adding features required for website design and other bells and whistles, it can leave back doors open for intruders.

When managing your own hosting, be sure to use a twelve to fourteen random digit and capitalized passwords. Passwords made from simple names and words can be hacked easily using automated hacking tools. Auto repair websites should always be hosted on a professionally maintained server with the latest security updates. There are many companies that offer this service for $ 10 to $ 30 a month.

Ask your web designer how your website is coded, and keep to the "simpler the better" plan. Every script or gadget you add to the website provides an access point for unwelcome intruders who can have access to your files. Websites designed more than two or three years ago should be sure that their code is not out of date which could leave an open security hole.

Just like automobiles, Auto repair websites need regular preventive maintenance. If you haven’t done any maintenance to your website in 6 months or longer, it may be time for a digital oil change!

Danny Sanchez
CEO Autoshop Solutions, Inc.
AMI Instructor
www.autoshopsolutions.com

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Apex, NC – Jan. 4, 2010 – For the third consecutive year, Autoshop Solutions website swept the competition away at AutoInc’s annual website competition. This year, Autoshop Solutions took away five of the Top Ten award winning sites— a feat on it’s own, however this is the second year in row!  Autoshop Solutions, the innovative website marketing company run out of Apex, North Carolina is completely revolutionizing the independent automotive presence on the internet.

Taking away five of the ten awards available is nothing trite. AutoInc’s Top 10 Automotive websites are judged on strict criteria. First impression, website objective, visual design, interactivity, and consumer friendliness are just some of the categories that a website needs to incorporate in order to make it to the top.

"Seeing that two repeat websites in addition to three new websites took away five out of ten awards this year is a huge honor for our clients as well as us," said Danny Sanchez, CEO & Founder of Autoshop Solutions, "Not only does this mean that our customers are successful with their businesses, but that they are helping to make our industry more web-savvy in an already internet driven society. Congratulations to all of the winners for an excellent job with their websites and online marketing efforts!”

With beautiful, full color websites tailored for each independent shop, consumers can see what services a shop offers and see first-hand whether or not the shop is right for them. Autoshop Solutions is giving small independent businesses a big internet presence. This is revolutionizing business for the automotive industry.

Thirty years ago, independent auto shops relied on word of mouth, Ad Packs, newspapers, and the Yellow Pages to get the message across that they were the best in their field. Yellow Pages alone could cost a company a thousand or more dollars a month, depending on what type of presence they had. Autoshop Solutions offers a more affordable and effective way for shop owners to reach their target markets.

This year’s Top 10 competition recognized those websites that maintained a personal connection to customers, along with search engine optimization, integrated marketing campaigns and active social media outlets.

See this years winners and 2010, 2009 winners here:  http://www.autoshopsolutions.com/award-winning-designs.php

www.autoshopsolutions.com

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Crystal Stangeland comes to Autoshop Solutions from Hanley Wood where she served as an Account Executive helping to produce the industry event ASRW – Automotive Service Repair Week.  ASRW is the umbrella for NACE – International Autobody of Congress & Exposition and CARS – Congress of Automotive Repair & Service which is owned by ASA – Automotive Service Association.  Crystal will be responsible for cultivating new business relationships within the auto repair industry and helping Autoshop Solutions expand its footprint as the only website design & internet marketing agency dedicated to independent shops in the automotive industry.

“We are thrilled to have Crystal join the team.  Her experience in the automotive Industry is a true asset to our company and our customers.  She has a successful industry track record – helping CARS and NACE grow into a hugely successful industry-wide trade show,” says Danny Sanchez, Founder & CEO of Autoshop Solutions.

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It can be a great tool, but I assure everyone, there are no quick and easy ways to use Social Media Marketing to attract new customers.  Social marketing is all about joining the conversation in progress, not advertising where people are talking.  Social Media Marketing is having something worth talking about and engaging people in conversation.

Social Media Marketing is the “hot button” right now and companies are looking to capitalize on everyone’s interest in getting in on the action.  Don’t get caught up in the hype, and be careful where you invest you resources.  Fortune 500 companies are spending millions trying to figure it out, let them spend some money and we’ll learn from their mistakes.  This type of media is around to stay, but not all the venues, Twitter has over $ 155 million in venture capitalization, but has yet to figure out how to monetize the project.  MySpace was making a cool million a day just from their advertisements on their home page, but now is struggling to maintain and has cut back significantly to stay in business.  Facebook is currently seeing black on the books, but advertisers are still testing the impact Facebook campaigns are having, the results are not in yet.

Build a Facebook fan site for your business, use it to talk about your involvement in the community, use it to help promote charity groups, get involved with local causes, Chamber of Commerce events, City events, and community news.  If you get involved with the intent of helping others, you chances of success in the social environment are much higher.

Danny Sanchez

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For auto repair, transmission and collision shops it means that we need to be looking at our internet based marketing (websites, email, search)  and planning ahead to make sure they are compatible with mobile platforms like the Droid and IPhone.   There are new website and search engine optimization techniques that help with mobile compatibility, even slides and movement can be made compatible now.

Danny Sanchez

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Facebook is a good tool for branding your company and helping you spread your message.  Just keep in mind that Facebook is a conversation in progress, you don’t throw your call to action information into the conversation, you have to join the conversation.  Like any other type of advertising, it is a commitment of time, resources, and money.

In future posts, I will discuss the key points of using Facebook.  For now, don’t lose track of the fact that Facebook did not become popular because of its ability to convert prospects into leads.  Count on the fact that, as Facebook looks to monetize their volume of users, people will leave, disgusted that their once marketing-safe environment is now power targeting ads on the same pages they hold personal conversations.  Companies that misuse or overplay their marketing message on Facebook will soon feel the wrath of angry Facebook users.

Facebook can be another tool for helping you brand your company; we do recommend all shops setup fan pages and post at least weekly.  Shop owners we interviewed that are having ”success” on Facebook, are only bringing in 1 or 2 new customers a week and are spending an average of 5 hours a week on Facebook.  Some have reported as much as 8 hours a week to get 2 new customers.  Although every new customer is valuable, we certainly don’t recommend the average shop owner to invest 1 whole business day, every week in Facebook.

Internet marketing takes work, there are no shortcuts.  Regardless of where you choose to invest your time and money for advertising on the Internet, your website is your anchor for all your online marketing.  Make sure yours is cutting edge and ready to receive traffic from your Facebook pages.  Good Luck! And watch for more on Facebook marketing to come.

Danny Sanchez

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Keyword density in the title, headings, and the first paragraphs matter more. These areas should closely follow the guidelines of 3 to 7% keyword density.   If you have a high density percentage for a frequently used keyword, then consider replacing some of the occurrences with additional less used keywords to broaden your search exposure, and find other pages to include more content for primary keyword density (for example “auto repair”).  Organic search is a long term commitment, and Google rewards those companies that follow interactive best practices, and consistently provide useful content.

Read Google’s advice on choosing an SEO Expert, click here.

Danny Sanchez

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