Here is an honest question: what does your shop’s social media look like? Is it there because you feel you have to have it, or does it reflect who you are and what your business stands for? In this Maximum Octane throwback, Kim Hickey revisits her conversation with Corey Perlman, which originally aired as episode 91.
Corey is a keynote speaker, social media consultant, best-selling author, and owner of Impact Social Media. He explains how to turn social media from a burden into a growth tool, which content works for repair shops, what to avoid, and how to handle negative feedback.
What You Will Learn
- About Corey’s journey into social media advertising and digital marketing
- How digital marketing impacted the car dealership industry
- What an auto repair shop owner should look for in a social media expert
- What kind of content works better for auto repair shops
- Corey talks about social media’s unproductive habits for auto shop owners
- How to respond to negative feedback online and negative reviews
Why Revisit This Conversation
Social media changes constantly, but the core principles Corey shares have held up. Customers want to see real people, real work, and real personality. Shops that treat social media as a brochure miss the opportunity to build trust before a customer ever calls.
For a repair shop, social media plays a different role than it does for a restaurant or retailer. Most people do not wake up wanting to visit an auto shop. They need one when a warning light comes on or a noise starts, and at that moment they are looking for someone they can trust. Social media is where many of them form that first impression. A feed full of friendly faces, clean bays, and helpful explanations tells a stranger that this is a place where they will be treated well.
It also matters for hiring. Technicians and service advisors look at a shop’s online presence before applying, just as customers do. A page that has not been updated in months, or that only shows coupons, says little about what it is like to work there.
Key Lessons From Corey
- Be human: show your team, your shop, and your customers instead of stock images.
- Learn from dealerships: digital marketing transformed car buying, and repair is following the same path.
- Hire carefully: look for professionals who focus on engagement and understand local businesses.
- Avoid bad habits: inconsistent posting and promotion-only content drive people away.
- Respond with care: answer negative feedback calmly, acknowledge concerns, and take details offline.
The dealership comparison is worth thinking about. Car buyers now do most of their research online before ever setting foot on a lot, comparing inventory, pricing, and reviews from their couch. Repair customers are increasingly doing the same thing: checking reviews, browsing photos, and looking for signs of honesty before they call. Shops that show up well in that research phase earn the call.
The habits to avoid are just as important as the ones to adopt. Posting in bursts and then disappearing makes a shop look disorganized. Filling a feed with discounts trains followers to tune out. Arguing with critics in public almost always backfires, even when the shop is right. Consistency, variety, and a calm tone do more for a brand than any single clever post.
From “Just There” to Brand Builder
Corey’s central message is that social media can be a thriving brand-building platform. That happens when content reflects your values and gives people a reason to engage: helpful tips, behind-the-scenes looks, team spotlights, and community involvement. ATI’s How to Quickly Improve Your Shop’s Online Presence offers additional steps.
Brand building on social media is cumulative. One great video will not transform a shop, but months of steady, genuine posts create a sense of familiarity. When a customer finally needs a repair, the shop feels like a known quantity rather than a gamble. That familiarity is especially valuable for independent shops competing with dealers and national chains that have much larger advertising budgets.
Values are what make content distinctive. If your shop prides itself on explaining repairs clearly, show a technician walking through a worn part on camera. If you support local schools or charities, share those moments. If your team has been together for years, celebrate the anniversaries. Content grounded in what you actually care about is easier to produce and far more believable than generic posts borrowed from a template.
Content Ideas That Work for Repair Shops
Many owners stall because they do not know what to post. The good news is that a working repair shop produces content every day. A few reliable categories:
- Quick education: a short clip on what a dashboard light means, how to check tire tread, or why a cabin air filter matters.
- Before and after: a corroded battery terminal, a worn brake rotor, or a clean engine bay, with a sentence on why it matters.
- Meet the team: a brief introduction to a technician or advisor, including how long they have been in the trade and what they enjoy about it.
- Behind the scenes: new equipment, a training day, or the morning huddle.
- Community: sponsorships, local events, and charity drives.
- Customer stories: with permission, a happy customer picking up a vehicle that was restored to good condition.
Short, phone-shot video tends to feel more authentic than polished production. Always get permission before featuring a customer or their vehicle, and avoid showing license plates or personal information.
Handling Negative Reviews and Comments
Every shop eventually gets a critical review. How the shop responds is often more important than the review itself, because future customers read the response too. A calm, professional reply shows that the business takes concerns seriously.
A simple structure works well. Thank the person for the feedback. Acknowledge their frustration without arguing over details. State briefly what the shop values or what it will look into. Then invite them to continue the conversation by phone or in person, with a specific name to ask for. Keep it short, and never share private information about the repair in public.
It helps to wait until you are calm before writing a reply, and to have a second person read it first. If a review appears to be fake or violates the platform’s policies, use the platform’s reporting process rather than accusing the reviewer publicly. And remember that answering positive reviews matters as well. A short, personal thank you shows that real people are paying attention.
Choosing Who Runs Your Social Media
Some shops handle social media in house, often with a service advisor or office manager who enjoys it. Others hire an agency or consultant. Either can work, as long as expectations are clear. Whoever is responsible should understand your shop’s voice, have regular access to photos and stories from the floor, and report on engagement, not just how many posts went out.
When evaluating an outside expert, ask for examples of work with local service businesses, how they measure success, how often they will communicate, and how they will capture authentic content from your shop. Be cautious of anyone who promises fast follower growth or relies heavily on stock images.
Quick Social Media Checkup
- Do your recent posts feature real people from your shop?
- Are you posting on a consistent schedule?
- Have you replied to every comment and review?
- Would a potential employee be excited by what they see?
Jason Patel offers more social media strategy in How to Recruit a Swifties’ Army for Your Auto Repair Shop, and Harris Fanaroff covers LinkedIn in Why Auto Repair Shops Lose Customers by Ignoring LinkedIn.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should an auto repair shop post on social media?
Focus on real people and real work. Short educational tips, before and after photos of repairs, team introductions, behind the scenes moments, and community involvement all perform well because they build trust. Mix in occasional promotions, but avoid making every post a sales pitch. Content that helps or entertains gives people a reason to follow, and it keeps your shop familiar until they need service.
How often should a repair shop post on social media?
Consistency matters more than volume. Posting a few times a week on a steady schedule is a realistic goal for most shops, and it is better than posting daily for two weeks and then going silent. Choose a rhythm your team can sustain, plan content ahead of time, and batch photos and videos during slower parts of the day so you are never scrambling for something to share.
How should I respond to a bad online review of my shop?
Respond promptly, politely, and briefly. Thank the reviewer, acknowledge their concern without debating details, and invite them to contact a named person directly to resolve it. Do not share private repair information publicly. Wait until you are calm before replying, and have someone else read the response. Remember that potential customers are reading your reply, so professionalism matters more than winning the argument.
Should I hire a social media agency for my auto shop?
It depends on your time and in-house talent. An agency can provide consistency and expertise, but it still needs authentic material from your shop. Look for a partner with experience serving local businesses, clear reporting on engagement and leads, and a plan for capturing real photos and video. Avoid anyone who promises quick follower growth or leans on stock imagery that could belong to any shop.
Can social media help my shop recruit technicians?
Yes. Technicians research potential employers online, and a feed that shows a clean shop, modern equipment, training, and a team that enjoys working together makes a strong case. Team spotlights, training days, and work anniversaries are especially effective. Even if a post does not lead to an application directly, it supports every job ad you run by showing candidates what your culture looks like.
Resources and Links From This Episode
Connect With the Guests
- Corey Perlman: website, LinkedIn, Get Corey’s books!
