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When it comes to deciding where to get their car serviced, consumers have so many options. They can go to a national chain, a privately owned automotive shop, or an independent mechanic to get the repair work or maintenance tasks that they need completed. Some consumers may even choose to complete the work themselves, if they know how to manage basic automotive maintenance tasks or are willing to learn how.

To establish a steady base of customers, it is best to differentiate your automotive shop from the rest so customers know why they should choose your automotive shop over their other options. To do this, you can position your auto shop’s marketing campaigns to align with the lifestyle choices of your target consumers. Here’s how.

Identify Your True Target Market

It’s easy to pick too broad of a target market and try to get business from wherever you can take it. However, this isn’t the most effective way to position your auto shop. Instead, think about who your best customers are. Do you service specific types of vehicles more often than others, such as minivans or drift cars? If so, it makes sense to develop marketing efforts directly aimed at this target market and the lifestyles they lead.

Understand Where Your Competition is Lacking

The next step in positioning your business is to really take the time to understand where your competition is lacking. Maybe your competitor’s prices are a lot higher than yours or they offer fewer services. You can highlight these differences in your marketing efforts without mentioning the competitors directly. After all, one of the major components of positioning your auto shop is how it relates to other competitors.

Use Storytelling to Demonstrate Your Auto Shop’s Unique Value

Once you understand who your true target market is and how your automotive shop is different than your competitors, it’s time to craft a campaign that successfully clarifies your position in the market. Storytelling is a great way to demonstrate this value. For example, if you’re positioning your company as having the best customer service, you can tell a story that shows how you offer this level of service, such as relieving customer stress with quick solutions or the ability to answer their questions.

Offer a Consistent Experience

If you’re going to spend money and time positioning your auto shop, it’s imperative that you offer a consistent experience to customers in real life and in your branding efforts. If you want to position yourself as an automotive shop for luxury cars, you need to look like one. It’s important that your waiting room, website photos, staff photos, and prices reflect this.

Solicit Feedback from Key Customers

Gathering testimonials from customers is an effective way to check how your company is doing and to position your auto shop in the market. Look for themes in the testimonials, as this can give you insight into your positioning. If almost every testimonial mentions your shop’s affordable prices, odds are good that your prices are affordable. Share testimonials with common themes on your shop’s website or social media pages.

To know your position in the market, it’s important to know your customers. By identifying why they choose your automotive shop and who they are, you can find ways to reach them. Instead of having a broad customer base, narrow customers into segmented groups based on their lifestyle choices.