Thanks to our Partners, Shop Boss and AppFueled

December comes faster than most of us expect, and if you’re not planning your shop’s holiday marketing now, you’ll be scrambling when the tinsel hits the floor. In this episode of The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast, Brian Walker and Caroline LeGrand break down how to finish the year strong with festive, community-driven content that actually connects.

From shop Christmas parties and Operation Santa Paws to car giveaways and safety awareness campaigns, Brian and Caroline unpack creative, authentic ways to bring holiday cheer into your marketing. They even dive into clever spins on National Cookie Cutter Week, sharing your shop’s “naughty and nice” list, and the power of using year-end stats to celebrate your team and customers.

Whether you’re highlighting your community involvement, promoting gift cards, or just sharing some lighthearted holiday fun (Hallmark movie talk included), this conversation will give you ideas that help your shop stand out while staying true to who you are.

Listen now to learn how to plan December’s marketing with intention so your social media, promotions, and community efforts close out the year on a high note and set the tone for an even better new year.

Show Notes with Timestamps

• Podcast Introduction (00:00:00) Brief intro to the podcast network and hosts, sponsor mentions.
• Reflecting on a Year of Podcasting (00:00:59) Hosts discuss recording for December, marking a full year of episodes.
• Holiday Community Events & Charity (00:01:43) Ideas for shop charity events: Wishes on Wheels, Toys for Tots, Angel Trees, and customer appreciation.
• Sharing Shop Holiday Activities (00:02:41) Encouraging shops to share Christmas parties, decorations, and holiday closure dates on social media.
• December Observances: Santa Paws & Car Donation Month (00:03:22) Highlighting National Operation Santa Paws Month and National Car Donation Month, including car giveaways.
• Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention (00:04:30) Discussing National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month and partnering with local law enforcement.
• Older Driver Safety Awareness (00:05:14) Promoting Older Driver Safety Awareness Week and sharing personal stories about senior drivers.
• National Cookie Cutter Week (00:07:17) Joking about celebrating National Cookie Cutter Week with holiday cookies, not generic marketing.
• Fun December Days: Apples, Giving, Santa’s List (00:07:47) National Eat a Red Apple Day, National Day of Giving, and Santa List Day ideas for shop engagement.
• Non-Holiday December Observances (00:09:43) Mentioning National Miner's Day, International Civil Aviation Day, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, and Blue Collar Day.
• Holiday Sweets & Shop Competitions (00:11:11) Ideas for National Pastry Day, Gingerbread House Day, and National Cupcake Day competitions in the shop.
• Device Appreciation & Buddy the Elf Day (00:11:40) National Device Appreciation Day and answering the phone like Buddy the Elf for fun shop engagement.
• Favorite Christmas Movies Discussion (00:12:36) Hosts discuss favorite Christmas movies and suggest shops ask their teams about theirs.
• December 20th Onward: Ugly Sweaters & Flashlights (00:17:04) National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day, Caroling Day, and National Flashlight Day for shop participation.
• Winter Solstice (00:18:20) Explanation of the winter solstice and its significance for winter-themed marketing.
• Festivus and Christmas Eve/Day (00:19:56) Mentioning Festivus (Dec 23), Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, with reminders about shop closures.
• Post-Christmas & Year-End Content (00:20:58) Ideas for 12 Days of Car Care, year-end recaps, and sharing shop statistics and highlights.
• National Winners Day & New Year’s Eve (00:23:53) Joking about National Winners Day (Dec 26) and using New Year’s Eve for wrap-ups and resolutions.
• General Holiday Marketing Ideas (00:25:10) 12 Days of Car Care, holiday discounts, gift cards, and community giving campaigns.
• Holiday Car Decorations & Customer Engagement (00:26:35) Encouraging sharing of customer car decorations and fun shop stories.
• Cultural Holiday Differences (00:28:47) Discussing how team members in the Philippines celebrate Christmas starting in September.
• Holiday Gift Guides & Show Notes (00:29:45) Suggesting holiday gift guides for car enthusiasts and promoting downloadable show notes.
• Thanksgiving Cards & Unexpected Holiday Greetings (00:31:00) Idea to send Thanksgiving or New Year cards instead of traditional Christmas cards.
• Encouraging Shop Holiday Enthusiasm (00:31:40) Motivating shops to find their holiday enthusiasts and let them lead festive activities.
• Year-End Resource Compilation Announcement (00:32:02) Announcing a future resource compiling all monthly marketing episodes and downloads.
• Podcast Wrap-Up (00:33:10) Thanking listeners, promoting other network podcasts, and closing the episode.

How To Get In Touch

Join The Auto Repair Marketing Mastermind Group on Facebook

Meet The Pros

Follow SMP on Facebook

Follow SMP on Instagram

Get The Ultimate Guide to Auto Repair Shop Marketing Book

Email Us Podcast Questions or Topics 

Lagniappe (Books, Links, Other Podcasts, etc)

National Day Calendar

Days Of The Year

Buy Back Your Time

EP 164 - Car Giveaways and Community Involvement – with Chris Luoma

December Social Media Content Topics

Thanks to our Partners, Shop Boss and AppFueled

This episode is sponsored by Shop Boss. You know, other shop management software makes you work, but Shop Boss works for you.  

AppFueled at appfueled.com. “Are you ready to convert clients to members? AppFueled™ specializes in creating custom apps tailored specifically for auto repair businesses. Build your first app like a pro.”

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/

Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size. https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/