Dori Eppstein is the Founder and President of Amazing Women in Automotive and is an Automotive Coach/Consultant for ESi. She grew up in Southern California and started off in the auto repair industry handling the marketing for her brother’s first shop. She learned more about the business challenges auto repair shop owners face through working with her partner on his auto repair shop business along with the marketing work and reviews she handled for shop owners around the country. Her extensive leadership experience over the decades and her own entrepreneurial endeavors combined with her knowledge of the auto repair industry to make a perfect marriage to become a powerful coach and consultant in this industry.

Kim Walker from Shop Marketing Pros is a social media expert. Kim’s experience includes a school counselor and teacher. Her husband Brian, started his own shop while he was a Mercedes technician in North Carolina. Then asked Kim to leave her school job and join his service business. Then for specific reasons left to go back home to Louisiana. It was almost destiny that they engaged with Shop Marketing Pros. As a former shop owner, Kim’s advice and expertise on social media is perfectly matched because she’s been there and done that.

She is on the Car Care Council’s Women’s Board, an ATI and Management Success Graduate, and their shop was a Motor Age Top Shop winner two years in a row. Their shop experience is without question, so when she talks about social media as it relates to the automotive service professional, she has the experience that matters. Look for Kim’s other episodes HERE.

Nanette Griffin is the owner of Griffin Muffler and Brake Center and has over 35 years of experience total in the automotive industry. She started in 1985 working at dealerships and has learned every area of the business through this experience, from accounting to mechanical. Nannette was part of the All-Female Build helping restore a 1956 Chevy Pickup that was unveiled at the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. As a young girl, Nannette was fascinated with cars, especially muscle cars, and how they worked. She loves to see the new technology every year when the manufacturers introduce new models. She also enjoys working with the public and sharing information on the new technology. In Nannette’s free time, she enjoys traveling, hunting, raising Labrador puppies, camping, NASCAR races, and being outdoors. Nannette and Clark have a daughter named Caitlin. She has 3 stepchildren Michael, Matthew and Sara and 7 step-grandchildren.

Key Talking Points:

• Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. You will be doing things differently
• Times are different you will have to adjust your marketing
• It is about retention not the acquisition of new customers
• You are an essential business. Explain that with organic posts
• Understand your purpose and the reason you continue to be open
• You are there for the front line responders, health care, doctors, nurses, food delivery, nursing homes, pharmacy’sOffer your support to this group
• Share the degree you are keeping your people safe and how you are disinfecting the entire transaction with your customer
• The businesses that are open will need help with transportation. You perform a vital service and are the transportation hub of your marketplace
• Don’t shy away for your team and community and customers. Show up. Be positive. Show that you are open
• Genuine live Facebook posts speaking to the gratitude we have in our livesShowcase your commitment at these times
• Speak to the culture of your customer
• You are speaking to the people who know and love you now
• If a FB post is not doing well organically it is not wise to spend money on boosting it
• Create a pattern interrupterReal, authentic, transparent, genuine, out of the ordinary, from the heart, using empathy 
• Remember parents are home with their childrenSome are doing a teddy bear scavenger hunt keeping safe and secure with their family while in their vehicle.
• Shop owners are putting hearts in their windows
• Remind your customer that when they need their vehicle and something doesn’t work you are there for them
• Address your customer problems or potential problems
• Careful with financing but for emergency needs 6 or 12 months financing may be an option
• Pick up the phone and call your customersDon’t jump on declined work but,
• Explain your purpose and why you are open to supporting first responders, heal care, food delivery vehicles.
• If you need your vehicle for any reason and it doesn’t work, just let us know and we’ll even come and pick it up
• It is tough to make smart decisions for your business if you are stressedFind a peer or mentor to talk to. A coach is a great option or a peer group inside the industry or local businesses
• Decide with your logical mind not your emotional/anxious mind

Resources:

• Thanks to Dori Eppstein, Kim Walker, and Nanette Griffin for their contribution to the aftermarket’s premier podcast.
• Link to the ‘BOOKS‘ page highlighting all books discussed in the podcast library HERE. Leaders are readers.
• Love what we do, buy a cup of coffee HERE.

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This episode is brought to you by AAPEX, the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo. AAPEX represents the $740 billion global automotive aftermarket industry and has everything you need to stay ahead of the curve. With 2,500 exhibiting companies, you’ll see the latest products, parts, and technologies for your business. As a result, the event also offers advanced training for shop owners, technicians, warehouse distributors (WDs) and auto parts retailers, as well as networking opportunities to grow your business. AAPEX 2020 will take place Tuesday, Nov. 3 through Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas. Therefore, more than 48,000 targeted buyers are expected to attend, and approximately 162,000 automotive aftermarket professionals. They will be from 135 countries which are projected to be in Las Vegas during AAPEX 2020. For information, visit aapexshow.com