Artwork for podcast The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast
Marketing When You Are Not a Marketer [E151]
Episode 1517th May 2025 • The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast • LSTN Media LLC
00:00:00 00:37:46

Share Episode

Shownotes

You didn’t go to school for marketing, but here you are, running a shop and needing to fill those bays!

In this episode of the Auto Repair Marketing Podcast, Kim Walker gets real about what it is like to jump headfirst into marketing when you are not a trained marketer. (Spoiler: it is scary at first, but it is doable.)

Kim shares her own story, from teaching school kids to promoting a growing auto repair shop, and breaks down the six key tips that helped her go from "what is marketing?" to "running the show."

You will learn why knowing your strengths and weaknesses matters, how to find your networking tribe, how to step outside your comfort zone without freaking out, and why sometimes just showing up is the real marketing win.

Packed with encouragement, real-world advice, and plenty of laughs along the way, this episode will inspire you to stop doubting yourself and start marketing with confidence.

Hit play, grab a notebook, and get ready to become the marketer your shop needs! 🚀

Thank you to our friends at RepairPal for providing you this episode. RepairPal will help you grow your auto business and you can learn more at RepairPal.com/shops.

Declined repairs don’t have to be lost revenue. AppFueled’s call center schedules follow-up calls and equips your team with everything they need to close the deal. Get started now at appfueled.com 

Lagniappe (Books, Links, Other Podcasts, etc)

Clifton StrengthsFinder 2.0

Tony Robbins DISC

Kim and Brian Tell Their Story

Ed Mylett

Start with WHY by Simon Sinek

Show Notes with Timestamps

  • Introduction to Marketing Journey (00:00:10)  Kim Walker shares her background and transition into marketing for her husband's auto repair business.
  • First Steps in Marketing (00:01:25) Kim recounts her initial reluctance and confusion about taking on marketing responsibilities.
  • Support from Brian (00:02:47) Brian encourages Kim to join him in the auto repair world, emphasizing the need for marketing.
  • Overcoming Initial Fears (00:05:03)  Kim discusses her feelings of inadequacy and the mental challenges she faced when starting.
  • First Networking Experience (00:06:15)  Kim describes her first networking event and the nerves she felt as a newcomer.
  • Lessons from Networking (00:08:28) Reflecting on her experience, Kim realizes the importance of networking relationships.
  • Six Marketing Tips Introduction (00:09:41)  Kim introduces six tips for shop owners who need to handle marketing themselves.
  • Know Thyself (00:11:01) Kim emphasizes the importance of understanding personal strengths through assessments.
  • Strengths Assessments (00:12:04) She recommends taking the Clifton Strengths assessment to identify personal strengths.
  • Start with the End in Mind (00:15:26)  Kim advises envisioning future marketing goals and building on existing strengths.
  • Building a Network (00:16:34) She encourages listeners to connect with their community and industry for growth opportunities.
  • Finding Your Tribe (00:18:13) Importance of networking and connecting with others to create a supportive community.
  • Engaging with Local Organizations (00:19:29) Advice on joining local groups to enhance networking and marketing efforts.
  • Navigating Marketing Responsibilities (00:20:43) Managing marketing tasks effectively while balancing other business responsibilities.
  • Assessing Weaknesses (00:22:59) Encouragement to identify and improve personal weaknesses for better marketing.
  • Setting Aside Time for Growth (00:25:28) Importance of dedicating time for learning and personal development in marketing.
  • Utilizing Local Resources for Learning (00:26:31) Finding local classes and resources to enhance marketing skills.
  • Asking for Help (00:28:59)  Encouragement to seek guidance and mentorship in marketing endeavors.
  • Personal Growth Journey (00:30:05) Kim's transition from teaching to marketing and her growth through networking.
  • Overcoming Imposter Syndrome (00:33:34) Kim's experience of feeling unqualified yet being recognized for her marketing expertise.
  • Tips for Non-Marketers (00:35:58)  Kim shares actionable tips for those without marketing experience to effectively promote their businesses.
  • Community Engagement (00:36:10) Suggestions on how to engage with local communities, including blogging, podcasting, and joining local organizations.
  • Teaching and Mentoring (00:36:30)  Emphasizes the importance of mentoring and training team members as the business grows.
  • Final Thoughts and Contact (00:36:50)  Kim encourages feedback and provides her email for listeners to share their thoughts on the episode.
  • Next Episode Teaser (00:37:05)  Announcement of future episodes and encouragement to tune in for more insights.
  • Podcast Promotion (00:37:26)  Encouragement to follow the podcast and engage with Kim and Brian for topic suggestions.

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 

Thanks to our Partners,

RepairPal at https://repairpal.com/shops. Quality Car Repair. Fair Price Guarantee.

App Fueled 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.”

Aftermarket Radio Network

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

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

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching.

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

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest.

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.

Links

Chapters

Video

More from YouTube

More Episodes
151. Marketing When You Are Not a Marketer [E151]
00:37:46
150. Creating a Shared Vision for Your Organization [E150]
00:45:09
149. Preparing for June's Marketing [E149]
00:26:22
148. A Genius Move - Playing Games With Your Community [E148]
00:25:16
147. We're Gonna Beat This Horse To Death [E147]
00:38:42
146. You're Not Spending Enough Money On Marketing [E146]
00:31:10
145. Google's Local Service Ads - Everything You Need To Know [E145]
00:35:51
144. Taking An Active Role In Your Shop's Marketing [E144]
00:50:19
143. Preparing for May's Marketing [E143]
00:27:19
142. Staying Humble While Promoting Your Community Involvement [E142]
00:31:56
141. Managing Time & Tasks When You're Overwhelmed [E141]
00:18:48
140. Your Body Is Your Business Card [E140]
00:41:04
139. Marketing Tools and Tech Ideas for Auto Repair Shops [E139]
00:49:47
138. Preparing for April's Marketing [E138]
00:24:59
137. Making Great First Impressions [E137]
00:53:10
136. Preparing for March's Marketing [E136]
00:30:12
135. Podcast Hosts Don't Have It All Figured Out [E135]
00:14:35
134. The Art Of Slowing Down [E134]
00:23:02
133. What Do You Look Like When You're Not There? [E133]
00:13:28
132. Stolen Leadership And Allowing Your Team To Make Mistakes [E132]
00:26:18
131. Branding Your Shop As A Concierge Auto Repair Shop [E131]
00:32:52
130. Beyond CRM: Using AppFueled to Redefine Customer Loyalty in Auto Repair [E130]
00:52:30
129. Preparing for February's Marketing [E129]
00:29:46
128. The Great SMP Website Debacle [E128]
00:38:56
127. When Do You Take Time to Think? [E127]
00:18:41
126. Preparing for January's Marketing [E126]
00:44:43
125. It's OK to Dream Big (Stop Playing Small) [E125]
00:40:11
124. BNI and Auto Repair Go Hand in Hand with Steve Hand [E124]
00:33:32
123. Never, Ever Let Your Domain Name Expire [E123]
00:12:16
122. How To Rank Auto Repair Keywords In Large Cities [E122]
00:24:51
121. How To Make Your Brand Stand Out [E121]
00:35:59
120. How To Work With A Marketing Partner [E120]
00:21:27
119. In 2024 You Cannot Create Original Content [E119]
00:11:38
118. Doing Video Every Day For A Month [E118]
00:15:50
117. Back-to-School Marketing: Strategies for Auto Repair Shops to Engage and Give Back [E117]
00:56:04
116. Communicate Like a Pro: Tips and Mistakes with Craig O'Neill [E116]
00:58:51
115. Manage Your Stress & Drive Success with Jeff Salzenstein [E115]
00:46:53
114. Tapping Into Local Organizations For Business Help [E114]
00:26:00
113. Marketing Lingo & Misconceptions [E113]
00:36:19
112. A Marketer's Take on "Just Say Yes" [E112]
00:19:28
111. What is YOUR Responsibility When Working With Professional Marketers? [E111]
00:28:03
110. Sometimes You Just Have To Go To War [E110]
00:21:37
109. Setting Yourself Apart in a Sea of Mediocre - Arun Coumar [E109]
00:38:47
108. Part 4 - A Service Advisor’s Take on Customer Retention with Michael Doherty [E108]
00:45:24
107. Part 3 - Customer Retention Series - Loyalty Programs [E107]
00:48:49
106. Part 2 Customer Retention Series - Service Advisor Role [E106]
00:42:17
105. Part 1 - Customer Retention Series - Your CRM [E105]
00:50:50
104. Finding and Creating Content [E104]
00:28:28
103. Promotional Products for Auto Repair Shops [E103]
00:52:47
102. Should an Auto Repair Shop Use a Local Marketing Company or Marketers Who Specialize in Auto Repair Shops? [E102]
00:42:31
101. Walker's Hierarchy of Marketing Needs [E101]
01:06:50
100. A Meeting Of The Marketing Minds [E100]
00:46:12
99. I Got 99 Problems But Marketing Ain't One [E099]
00:26:17
98. Surefire Ways To Get Your Google Business Profile Suspended [098]
00:26:24
97. Can Marketing "Even Out" The Workload? [E097]
00:11:12
96. How Population Impacts Marketing [E1096]
00:31:12
95. Creating Loyal Auto Repair Customers [E095]
00:34:24
94. Top Ten Canva Tips from The Pros [E094]
00:23:40
93. An Intro to They Ask You Answer [E093]
00:44:22
92. Creating a Life You Don't Need to Escape From with Mike Ragsdale of the 30a Company [E092]
01:08:23
91. Understanding Geofencing with Mary Ann Pruitt [E091]
00:27:28
90. Why "Stock" Website Content Doesn't Work [E090]
00:17:02
89. Are You Being Unreasonable? I Hope So! [E089]
00:41:01
88. Getting The Most Out of Conferences [E088]
00:32:32
87. The Off-Road to Success: Darrin Barney's Journey in 4x4s and Business Coaching [E087]
00:42:23
86. Naming Your Auto Repair Shop [E086]
00:26:52
85. Our Story of Radio Advertising [E085]
00:20:12
84. Failing Forward in Marketing [E084]
00:28:40
83. Pros On The Road 2024 [E083]
00:24:22
82. Annual Marketing Planning with Matt Wagg and LauraLee Schmidt [E082]
00:50:46
81. 2023 Wrap-Up | Brian and Kim's Favorite Episodes [E081]
00:26:21
80. An Annual Theme For Your Marketing [E080]
00:22:30
79. Hope After Bankruptcy [E079]
00:46:48
78. Fragmented Marketing: How It’s Hurting Your Brand and Wasting Your Money [E078]
00:30:02
77. How to Know When You're Not Ready for Marketing [E077]
00:22:49
76. Retention Marketing And Strategies For Bringing Back Clients More Often with Caroline Legrand [E076]
00:31:17
75. Accelerating Ambition: A Fearless and Youthful Approach to Shop Marketing [E075]
00:35:22
74. Security Strategies for Safe and Sound Marketing [E074]
00:56:20
73. Having Patience With Google Ads with Hallie Wasinger [E073]
00:23:20
72. Life After the Reservation: Winning Friends and Humbly Influencing People with Kendall Warnock [E072]
00:42:24
71. Preparing For The Day You Hope Never Comes with Maylan Newton [E071]
00:51:06
70. Marketing Slow Times, Time Blocking, and Taking Care of Yourself with Chris Cotton [E070]
00:31:31
69. Marketing Auto Repair to College Students [E069]
00:29:17
68. Designing Your Life with Scott Rusnak [E068]
00:30:17
67. "What Do You Really Want?" With Coach Nate Bailey [E067]
00:27:44
66. A Shop Owner's Story of Creating a New Logo [E066]
00:18:43
65. Stop Stopping [E065]
00:12:09
64. Make It Your Own [E064]
00:07:50
63. Marketing Mistakes and Kim's Pet Peeves [E063]
00:47:06
62. The Importance of Managing Your Money [E062]
00:28:23
61. What is a "Brand"? [E061]
00:21:52
60. When To Use Facebook Ads, And When To Use Google Ads [E060]
00:22:47
59. The Power of Negative Keywords in Your Google Ads Campaigns [E059]
00:16:10
58. Getting Ready For The 2023 Fall Conference Season [E058]
00:27:22
57. Should Your Shop Have a Podcast? [E057]
00:27:37
56. From Storytelling to Brand Presence: How to Thrive in the Automotive Repair Industry with Chris Jones [E056]
00:31:41
55. How EOS Drives SMART Marketing with Tim Stoll [E055]
00:54:29
54. Building a Community of Auto Shop Owners: The Impact of ASOG on the Industry with Scott Pelava [E054]
00:32:21
53. Is Online Scheduling the Future of Automotive Appointments? with Steven Fafel [E053]
00:24:42
52. An AI Powered CRM for Auto Repair? with Kieran O'Brien [E052]
00:32:04
51. Growing to 50k YouTube Followers in One Year with Chris Enright [E051]
00:40:14
50. Planning, Prep, and Execution of Shop Events with Tim Chakarian of Bimmer PhD Motorsports [E050]
00:52:21
49. What Is ADA Compliance And How Does It Affect My Website? [E049]
00:29:06
48. Getting Shop Owners Off The Island [E048]
00:23:54
47. Why Do Agencies Always Find Something Wrong With My Website? [E047]
00:30:49
46. Your CRM May Be Lying To You With Justin Rae [E046]
00:21:40
45. Phone Skills Amplify Your Marketing With Cecil Bullard [E045]
00:48:58
44. Pros On The Road - Spring 2023 [E044]
00:16:59
43. Prioritizing Marketing on Properties that You Own [E043]
00:20:22
42. Radical Generosity - The Art of Gifting [E042]
00:36:59
41. Maintaining Your Company Culture While Growing [E041]
00:33:33
40. How to Shift Your Marketing When You’re Busy [E040]
00:17:03
39. Do It Anyway - Win the Battle of Your Internal Dialogue with Tracy Capriotto [E039]
00:42:55
38. Following God's Call from Washington State to Tennessee- Brian and Brittany Hemry [E038]
00:30:58
37. Escaping A War-Torn Country To Becoming A Shop Owner in Arizona - Mac’s Amazing Story [E037]
00:41:50
36. Is Email Marketing Dead? [E036]
00:15:39
35. Marketing For Fleet Work [E035]
00:26:15
34. Do Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant Recommend Your Shop? [E034]
00:19:58
33. Common Myths About RepairPal [E033]
00:47:10
32. Should You Use Coupons In Your Marketing Strategy? [E032]
00:37:09
31. ChatGPT - Should You Use AI in Your Shop’s Marketing [E031]
00:26:21
30. How to Create The Perfect Careers Page [E030]
00:26:32
29. Creating Your Own Economy [E029]
00:23:28
28. Car Count Isn't Your Problem with Chris Cotton [E028]
00:43:42
27. Are You Eating Your Own Dog Food? [E027]
00:07:26
26. How To Attract Better Auto Repair Clients [E026]
00:36:42
25. Living Unapologetically with Purpose [E025]
00:34:11
24. How To Create A Real World Marketing Plan For Your Auto Repair Shop [E024]
00:27:59
23. 13 Foundational Marketing Tactics For Every Auto Repair Shop [E023]
00:43:55
22. When is The Best Time to Plan Your Marketing? [E022]
00:20:59
21. Can Company Culture Have Anything To Do With Marketing? [E021]
00:29:13
20. One Thing We’d Implement Immediately If We Still Had Our Shop [E020]
00:20:53
19. Nominating + Applying for Awards [E019]
00:17:18
18. More Social, Less Media - The Dopamine Effect [E018]
00:14:36
17. Making Friends With Short Format Video [E017]
00:20:22
16. Shops Around the Country are Making a Difference for Breast Cancer! [E016]
00:33:24
15. How to Market for Car Care Month [E015]
00:26:41
14. Guerrilla Marketing, 20 Groups, and Industry Associations [E014]
00:39:19
13. Finding Your Shop's Purple Cow with Vic Tarasik [E013]
00:40:32
12. Relationships Matter; Because Nobody's Perfect [E012]
00:25:28
11. Is It Customer Service Or Is It Marketing? [E011]
00:27:16
10. Networking Skills To Get The Most From In-Person Events [E010]
00:20:45
9. What’s Your Story? Talking Video With Patrick Egan [E009]
00:41:55
8. The Top Features an Auto Repair Shop Website Needs [E008]
00:34:19
7. Marketing Budget with J.R. Portman [E007]
00:22:38
6. The Two Books You Must Read If You Are Involved In Your Shop’s Marketing [E006]
00:34:37
5. Using Marketing to Attract New Team Members [E005]
00:34:37
4. Does Your Community REALLY Know You? [E004]
00:41:17
3. Keywords in Reviews - Adding Fuel to the Fire [E003]
00:21:58
2. Kim and Brian Tell Their Story [E002]
00:44:09
1. Hijacking The Marriott Boardroom With Chris Cotton [E001]
00:41:20