Social Media Management

All right, gang, it’s time.

We’ve discussed a lot of the elements that go into a successful digital marketing campaign—among them a slick website, a Google Business profile, and the importance of good SEO. We’ve even talked about social media. 

Today we’re going to talk about something adjacent to social media—that is, the management of it. You already know that social media can be an effective way to broaden your shop’s digital footprint. It’s also a fantastic way to grow your shop’s brand and show off your voice. 

We snagged a virtual meeting with Pierson Patsakos, Content Team Lead at Dieselmatic, and Patti Moore, Operations Manager at Dieselmatic, to get some more intel on how to manage your social media once you get it up and running—and, naturally, how Dieselmatic can help.

Excited? Us, too. Let’s dive in!

WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ARE MUST-HAVES FOR REPAIR SHOPS?

Some shop owners aren’t sure whether they should zero in on one platform or spread themselves across all of them. Are you going to get the best results from Facebook? Do you need to try out this Threads thing?

“It depends on the type of engagement each shop is trying to get,” Pierson tells us. If you want to zero in on one or two platforms only, you first need to decide what kind of customers you’re after. Do you want business customers or individuals?

Here, we’ll use business terms for it: are you B2B or B2C?

Do you want to target big fleets and corporations? Focus on LinkedIn and Google Business, as many executives and decision-makers tend to prowl those platforms. Do you specialize in RV repairs and want to target individuals who have perhaps broken down or are getting ready for summer traveling? Try Instagram and Facebook—they’re more personalized platforms and allow you to do some pretty specific targeting to reach your potential customers.

(For what it’s worth, we’re also noticing our partners having luck using LinkedIn to find techs. Think about posting there next time you’ve got a job opening!)

You can do the broad approach and hit a whole bunch of platforms (heck, throw in TikTok, too, if you want to tape some teardowns), or you can pick a couple to specialize in. But therein lies another problem: once you’re on said platforms, what exactly do you do?

Fear not, friends. Pierson and Patti had four tips for us. 

1. SHOW OFF YOUR SHOP WITH HIGH-QUALITY PHOTOS‍

“The more real and honest you are about what the business is—by including your people in your photos, and photos in your shop—the more people will gravitate towards you,” Pierson says. 

Yes, pictures are important. Gone are the days when a text-heavy website was all you needed to get ahead in the world (sigh). Your text is still important, but you’ve also got to make sure you’re sharing photos. 

Why? Think about it; photographs give visitors a behind-the-scenes look at your shop. They let potential customers see what you, your techs, and the shop itself (or its trucks) look like. Good photos work on a visitor’s subconscious to build trust: “Hey, these folks are gonna fix my truck!”

Your smartphone’s camera will suffice if you’re uploading a quick picture of the BBQ you just threw together for your techs, but the Dieselmatic team recommends bringing in a pro to ensure you get the most bang for your buck. There’s just something about the artist’s eye that brings out the best in a diesel repair shop (or any other business, for that matter). 

2. FOCUS ON BUILDING CONNECTIONS‍

A lot of shops fall into the trap of talking about their services and only their services. 

But guys…social media is, well, social. Who among us hasn’t logged in to snicker at a meme, or reshared the greatest Star Wars gif known to humanity? Yes, your shop is your business, and there are some elements of professionalism you’ll want to maintain, but it doesn’t have to be completely, utterly serious.

You can talk about an upcoming DOT event and showcase the shop dog during the same week. Even on the same day. ‍

Social media, says Pierson, “is a chance to grow your personality. It’s a chance to get your customers to trust you and really just flex that unique tone and message you’re trying to get across.”

3. KEEP UP WITH CURRENT TRENDS‍

People are usually on social media for two reasons: they want to look at cute cat pictures, and they want to know what’s going on in their world.

What does this translate to in the diesel industry? We can think of a few things:

• Regulation changes and proposals
• Upcoming DOT blitzes
• Tech and part shortages
• Industry-specific conferences—especially if you’re attending!

4. POST REGULARLY‍

Wait up, Dieselmatic, you may be saying. What do you mean REGULARLY?‍

Well, it helps to post under the light of a full moon after you’ve harvested a special plant that—oh, wait, sorry, wrong blog. 

Dieselmatic typically schedules posts three times a week to keep up engagement on the various platforms. “There are a lot of algorithms that will catch frequencies of posts and then bring that content up onto newsfeeds for those who have engaged with them,” Patti says. 

HOW DOES DIESELMATIC DO THIS FOR ME?‍

Aha, we’ve reached the part of the article we love the most: how Dieselmatic can make everything easier. Hey, you know the refrain by now: you can certainly do all the social media on your own. Some people really enjoy it! But if you’d rather be building your business in other ways (or, say, turning wrenches with the other techs), we can take it off your hands.

Once you’re working with us, your account manager will sit down with you and discuss what parts of the business you want to grow or the services you consider yourself an expert in. If, for example, suspension systems are your bread and butter, that’s something we can focus on for social media. If fall rolls around and you want to start focusing on winterization, we’ll start tailoring entries around that.

Your shop will have its own content writer assigned to the account. This is a long-term partnership, which means the writer can really dig into your services, your shop’s tone and brand, and more. And since it’s one person with a deep understanding of your shop handling your entries across all platforms, your shop is presenting a unified brand message to all who see it.

Cool, huh?

If you’d like to know more about how Dieselmatic can take social media management off your hands (and spread your digital footprint throughout the lands!), then give our free demo a try!