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Autoshop Solutions

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Business Information

  • Business Name
    Autoshop Solutions
  • Business Address
    942 WINDY RD, APEX, North Carolina, 27502
  • Type of Business
    Marketing to Auto Shops
  • Your Current Position
    Shop Coaching
  • Automotive Franchise
    None
  • Website
  • Logo
  • Banner Program
    None
  • Participate in Training
    Yes
  • Certifications
    Automotive: AMI Insructor, ASA, AASP, AMI,
    General & Marketing: American Marketing Association, Internet Media Association, Google Certified, Yahoo Certified, Microsoft Adcenter Certified, Autoinc. Top Ten websites 7 out of 20 last two years.
  • Your Mission Statement
    To serve the Automotive Industry with high quality Internet Marketing Solutions and Sales and Marketing Training, built from real world experience and proven results.

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  1. Blind ads like this are almost always a scam. I apologize if I am wrong in this case... but I just heard of a guy in Africa who has 23 million dollars, he'll split it with me if I just send $ 2,000.00 to help pay for the transfer fee... 😛
  2. Nice update @RobMax and @Alex. You both make excellent points. I hope everyone reading this can conclude every shop is different and every market is too. Just duplicating what another shop owner may be doing might not be enough or could be way too much. A good marketing company can help you navigate your marketing budget.
  3. Update as of March 28th, 2017, please see the screenshot for a graphical view of Eurozone Motors' Google Rankings. The results were climbing very quickly until he lost faith and couldn't understand that a brand new business isn't going to climb the ladder in just a few months, at least not in a major market. I hope that by posting in here I can show that no one should jump to conclusions on the performance of any vendor without first seeing the evidence. At any point, we would gladly welcome back Eurozone Motors and get back to work on making his account perform successfully. If nothing else, please take away this... No reputable SEO company will ever guarantee #1 placement. Have a great week everyone! Danny
  4. Hi Jay, thanks for the compliment. We just try to put our customers first and let everything else fall where it does. On your website: 1. Content is king - you don't have very much written content for Google to help understand where to place you It's not just about ranking #1 for keywords, it's about ranking page #1 (or listing #1 is great!) for the RIGHT keywords. Conversions happen (phone calls and cars in your bay) when the right visitors find your website using the right keywords. You can be number one for lots of keywords and still not have the phone ring with the right customers - if the phone rings at all. 2. Love your videos! Unfortunately, Google doesn't read videos Videos can be part of your conversion strategy, I know it is an important part of online marketing and you've got a head start. Unfortunately when it comes to helping you rank for the right keywords, it offers very little SEO. It does, however, show Google you are trying. That may be much of the reason you have had some success moving up the ranking list. In order for Google to move you up higher, you'll need to give them more written content. 3. SEO is not all about getting Google to place you high on the list. SEO is all about giving the user a great experience on your website, and Google will reward you for it. If you focus your attention on answering the right questions for people looking to get their car serviced, there is good chance your content will be very favorable to helping you achieve your ranking goals. Great websites are built to deliver the user to the most relevant content as quickly as possible, removing any obstacles that may get in the way of the ultimate goal, the customer calls to make an appointment! There are many tools in the SEO toolbox and every business needs something different! 4. PPC Budgets/goals Google Adwords or PPC is an amazing tool to drive traffic! PPC performance is directly related to the quality of the website. Meaning, Google gives every website a quality score for the keywords you would like to compete for in Adwords. If you have a low-quality score, your PPC performance will be poor. You can't "buy" your way to better performance either, throwing more budget won't solve the problem. We find most shops can spend less on PPC budget with a higher quality website and get better performance. I can't guaranty much in life but I can assure you, your PPC performance is lacking. You just don't have enough quality content on your website, no landing pages (that I can see anyway), or unique written text to relate to keywords. Lastly, Don't trust your ranking results on your own computer. Your browser is tainted with your preferences and aside what some may try to convince you, you can't get real ranking results on your own browser when you've been searching the same keywords over and over. Unfortunately, real ranking results are not available to the casual internet user or small business. There are many companies like ours that do have tools to monitor and report true keyword rankings. BTW, using "incognito mode", does not work! That only hides your activity from others using your computer! Lately, we've heard companies spreading this as a solution. You've got a nice brand image, and a nice headstart on most shops that are missing the fact that in order to be successful, you have to compete online. Keep it up! We are in your backyard - Our office is in Apex, stop in anytime and I'll be glad to show you more! Danny
  5. We've been watching this thread carefully and now is a good time to respond. Every shop is different, both in a geographic and demographic competition. In competitive markets we have had many shop owners move over to our services, save money and still spend well over $ 1,100.00 a month because our specialization allows us to keep our costs low. We also have many shops that absolutely dominate their marketplace and spend less than $ 500.00 a month. There is no one size fits all solution. Funny enough, the competitor some shop owners claim "fixed" their ranking problems used every word of content from the website we developed. That means, that Autoshop Solutions can still take credit for ranking results, sometimes it just doesn't happen as fast as the shop owner would like it too. Sometimes you can spend more and get better results, sometimes no matter how much you spend it just takes a while for Google to move you up on the list. A confirmed fact is when you are brand new on the scene; it's going to take longer to rank than a business that has an established web presence, especially when you are in Los Angeles, CA. In the end, it's all about partnerships, we work with professionals all around the country. In this case, we struggled to build a relationship as we continually had billing issues and the account was left with a significant balance. We welcome constructive criticism, it's how we grow, we also want to make sure both sides of the story get told. Anyone may feel free to contact me directly. Danny Sanchez, CEO Autoshop Solutions
  6. I can understand why anyone might ask the question... Google or Yelp? We are so trained in our marketing decision making that we want to identify what works and stop doing what doesn't. Hopefully this is helpful, but first I have to point out the obvious. Google is a search engine, Yelp is a review site. There could be no greater difference between the two. Let me first address Google. Google is the largest source of traffic for potential new customers. There is no source that comes even close. However, the success of getting traffic from Google is determined by your success in a few areas of internet marketing. First your company has to be found, that means when potential new customers are searching for a new place to take their car in for an oil change, your company has to rank for the keywords that are most popular to drive quality traffic. Second, your website has to be compelling enough to convince the potential customer that your company is the best choice to call. I'm over simplifying here, but to say Google doesn't work in any respect has nothing to do with Google, it means you need to try again with a new strategy. Yelp is a review site. The closer you are to the west coast, the more Yelp may have an impact on your business. Although I strongly believe Yelp is one of the worst companies on the internet today, they have a strong following. There is a mix of regular people using Yelp and a group of people who like to wield the power of the internet and leave bad reviews in their wake. Yelp themselves have been sued (and lost) for blackmailing business owners with bad reviews to drive business to their paid programs. That being said, if your area has a few Yelp users, you may be able to get a few new customers by having a well organized and positive profile for your business on Yelp. Your success on Yelp is predicated on possible traffic and the strength of your profile, so again making any kind of blanket statements on whether Yelp works or doesn't work is not comparable from one business to another. more... Google local is tied directly to Google plus. Google local is where you can find Google reviews for your business. Many companies are lucky that they show on the first page of the Google search for popular key words and other companies have to work to move up the ranks. Be assured of one thing, your position is NOT guaranteed. Other companies can move up the list forcing you down the list by having a great web presence, optimizing, etc. It's free to have a Yelp listing, Google on the other hand requires you invest in your online marketing to be successful. Organic results, paid search results (PPC) all depend on the quality of your website and optimization, not to mention about another hundred variables. So Yelp or Google? focus on Google, setup your free profile on Yelp Danny
  7. Your building a team, talk to your team. It doesn't have to be a witch hunt, generally your team is likely to be very aware of the problem. In some cases, it's best to get "buy in" from all or at least your key team members before pulling the trigger on a possible trouble maker. If we fired everyone that made a mistake there would be no one left but ourselves in the shop and we'd eventually have to get rid of ourselves too! Source the intent of the tom foolery, talk to your team, talk to the culprit and then make a decision as to whether it's a real problem, or just a little poor judgement. Firing is easy, hiring is hard, but managing people is even harder. Every issue with a team member is an opportunity to grow. Danny
  8. Frank, good for you for giving it a go on your own. It's always great to learn new skills... There a few good pointers here and I could spend a few minutes pointing out improvements on the design but the most important area you need to work on is your content. Well written topical content is what helps user engagement and helps Google place you better in rankings. I did a quick keyword density check and these are the most prominent words on your website: Word Count Density air 3 8.57% repair 2 5.71% killeen 2 5.71% auto 2 5.71% excessive 2 5.71% performance 2 5.71% "Auto" is the only word in the list that will help you rank in the search engines, the rest are not going to help bring in the business you are hoping to get. There are tons of websites on the web with great information on creating compelling content, just keep in mind that Google want to see text that is readable to the user, not just keyword stuffed paragraphs. It won't matter how much time you invest in making the design more friendly, if your website doesn't get found. Have you researched paid search - PPC? Best Danny
  9. This article was written by one of our female team members... all the ladies in our office feel the same way. There are some important lessons to learn here, starting with the fact that heralding your shop as "Certified Female Friendly" by our poll, is actually a negative marketing tool. CERTIFIED FEMALE FRIENDLY? JUST BE FRIENDLY by Tonya Briggs, Autoshop Solutions 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. See it on our blog http://www.autoshopsolutions.com/marketingblog/ or on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/autoshopsolutions
  10. From the time the first computer turned on with password protection, there have been people who thrill at the opportunity to try and crack the code. In modern day we call it 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 to the globe, they are perfect opportunities for hackers to use or abuse. The newest attacks are not intrusive, it's all about links. They will embed hundreds or thousands of links into your website without your noticing. Once Google™ suspects your website has these links, your rankings will drop or you may be removed from the search 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 to intruders. If you manage your own hosting, be sure to use a 12 to 14 digit random passwords. Passwords made from 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. Talk to your web designer about how your website is coded, and keep to the "simpler the better" plan. Every script or gadget you add to the website is a possible intrusion point to gain access to your files. Websites that have been designed over 2 to 3 years ago also need special attention to make sure the code is not out of date and leaving security holes open. Auto repair websites are the same as automobiles, they need 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!
  11. When you look at the cost of generating a new lead, "loss leader" advertising can sometimes be a good boost to business. But the big "IF" in the equation is the quality of the lead that gets generated. It is'nt rocket science that low price leaders can bring in volume with right offer, the question is how much can you upsell or retain? Have a great weekend!
  12. Thanks!! We are very happy for all our top ten clients! I had to make a typo edit in the press release... this is our third year in the top ten. We are excited to keep innovating new internet marketing solutions for the automotive industry!
  13. Apex, NC - Jan. 4, 2010 For the third consecutive year, Autoshop Solutions website swept the competition away at AutoIncs 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 third 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. AutoIncs 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 years 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
  14. I've known Joe for many years... and we are sponsors of AutoshopOwner.com ! We just haven't been able to engage regularly... Our corporate page for the resources section is ready, I just need to connect with Alex to get it posted.
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