and then their wife's car for the cheap oil change
so we realized that wasn't working for us
so we took the money that we were spending
on the direct mailing marketing campaign
service ads, the LSAs that we started
I think it was a wise move
it's all about budgeting and
balance and keeping track
of what's working and what's not working
we don't have a huge
pile of money to work with so we certainly
need to pay attention to what we're doing with it
you know, Katie from your team
has been great in leading us through that process
and making suggestions that what can be
changed and she's really on top of it
we appreciate it.
You know, as you look back on
the various types of marketing that you've done
is there any one thing that
you can like it stands out
and you can say that has been the best performing
marketing that we've done
I'd probably say it's the Google local search ads
Katie and the team
brought us up to speed on those
it was a while ago, I want to say it was back in the spring
and our budget wasn't ready
to support it but she said hey you know
just in case, here's what it's going to take
to be able to use those ads and there's a process
involved so even though we weren't ready
she said hey here's what you want to do just to be ready for it
so we went ahead and took those steps
got certified and verified through
Google so we knew what options were on
the table because you had made us aware of them
and we were able to say let's look and try the
LSA versus the direct mail
and see how that goes for us so
even though we weren't ready to jump on board
you guys said hey you might want to
and that gave us the time to spend
getting prepared for Google's verification
and to be ready to say okay let's try this
new avenue.
Did you find that they performed like from the beginning
or were they a little hit or miss in the
beginning and they just kind of got better
as they went?
They were a mixed bag right out of the gate
but the LSA ads those people are calling
looking for work they're ready to get it done
they're buyers so we tried to
treat all of those as a ready to go
customer but I would say there's
you have to kind of find your way navigate
so it starts to find you in the right direction
you don't get calls for the wrong
services and that's a process
but I think David
and I are both very happy with the process so far
I love asking
about LSA in particular
because we get such
mixed results or mixed feelings
I would say from our clients about them
we have clients that absolutely love it
and they're killing it with LSA
and then we have clients that are like
it's just a bunch of price shoppers
I'm personally convinced that
the ones who have
success with it
they're much better
on the phone like they have
much better phone skills than
the ones who don't
but as much as I'm convinced of that
I know some of the ones that have not had great
problems with it that my perception
is that they run a really
a really strong business a great shop
now in your case I've visited
your shop and I've been standing next to you
while you were on the phone and know
just how good y'all are
about you know just
I heard you the tone
of voice that you have with the client
how no pun, how pleasant
you are on the phone
and then also like asking
for the appointment and such as that
is that something that
has just kind of come natural to you
or did you have any kind of training
or anything for those phone skills
Ryan is just the most
naturally friendly guy in the world
as soon as you meet him you know
you want to hang out with him
or with anybody
it's not really an act with him
he just gets on the phone and talks to people
tries to make him feel comfortable
they end up coming in
he doesn't sell him anything
his biggest line is hey let's not jump to conclusions
maybe it's just a loose bolt
or maybe it's something simple
let's get it in here and figure out what's going on
before you lose some sleep
and he constantly impresses me with his people skills
much better than mine
I love it when you're on the phone too David
we're in the industry where everybody brings their problems
straight to us to our front door
and so when they call they've got a concern
they're worried my car is broken
my kids on the side of the road what are we going to do
so we're in the business of helping
and part of that is being helpful
if you can take some stress off of somebody's mind
by saying don't worry about it right now
let's find out what it is and we love to share good news
on a Friday afternoon if we've got a car
it's a big job they don't know what's going on
if we make a discovery that's good news
and I can give that to them at 4.59
and they can enjoy the weekend a little bit better
we're going to try to get that news across to them
yeah that's great
alright so for shops that
you know they might be real early on
in their business and I know y'all I mean you're only
a year right and just a little over a year
so y'all are still early yourself
but you know those shops that are
anywhere from brand new
to where you're at now
and they're looking to grow
you know from a strictly a marketing standpoint
what's the advice that you would have for them
get that website online
get that website even if it's just an initial landing page
it helps Google
figure out who you are
those organic searches are crucial
and then find the most expensive
marketing company you can find and stick with them
it's honest to God's truth
a question that's
sort of related but not really
related to this I'm just curious
how much have y'all been hearing from
people that they are finding you
in places like chat gpt
for example
we're on reddit a little bit some people are
talking about us there's chatter out there
and I've done some you know outward
looking in searches to try to find out we're mentioned
on the web I know it's coming
AI is in the news right now and actually
David mentioned one of our partners
has been using grok for was it over a year now David
and he uses it for technical information
and we as technicians have spent countless
hours pouring over articles
looking for information
and AI will get it and it's
surprisingly accurate so it's coming
yeah it's crazy you gotta check it though
yeah it's funny that
your first response was that you're on reddit
because we know
that one of the top
things that AI is
using when they are
recommending businesses
or just answers to anything in general
they're using reddit
and Quora and it's because
the content it's user generated
content that's upvoted
so they can look at
the content that's most highly voted
and make a decision that okay this is good
accurate information
and I love it
alright so what's next for pleasant automotive
the customers really enjoy the very
small shop the intimate
speak easy feel that we have
here your car doesn't disappear
behind the back of the building you don't
see who's working on your car they feel
like it's their little secret that they want to share
with their friends so
maybe a couple more locations
in the not immediate area but in some of the
surrounding towns that
mirrors what we're doing here
ultimately that's what I'd like to see not
necessarily a 10 to 20 bay shop
but maybe
3 or 4 3 bay shops
and it just helps with relationships
they see the same people when they come in
and they're comfortable with us
I've never in my life heard someone
describe their shop as a speak easy
and I think that that is
the best way
to describe what it is that
you've built there because you're not
like right out there on that main road for
people to see not at all
you got to have a code to get in the gate to get to
our facility it's invitation only
you're like the best kept secret
and but we're showing up
everywhere
we're trying with the marketing to not make it a secret
at all so I love telling people
hey we're in a gated community here's how to
get here and they do a double take until
they show up
people come to the shop you know it's an unassuming building
but they walk in and we're pleasant and welcoming
and hey thanks for coming in and they look around
and they're just kind of blown away
it's different it is like
you said before concierge auto service
doesn't look fancy but it's risk-calling
service all the way yeah guys
I really appreciate y'all being on
today this has been great you know Ryan
is anytime
that I think about you I start
thinking about the
W140
Mercedes
that you and I worked on with the
torque sensor on the side of the transmission
oh my gosh
you remember
I remember going down 64 in that car
and the wheels were about as round as a stop sign
so the dashboard
in this s-class is hitting both sides of
the doors as we're going down the road
David I talk about that is join us on a journey
of discovery
as we find out what's going on with this car
and some journeys of discovery are longer than others
and then every once in a while Ryan
will send me a picture of me sitting in a
blue Volkswagen Beetle
with a boa around my neck
and anyway I owe that to your
team I have promised that to your team many times
I've got to make good on that anyway
guys I really appreciate it this has been great
for our listeners you know thanks
for listening remember we are just
one of a handful of podcasts on the aftermarket radio
network you can find the others at
aftermarketradionetwork.com
thank you to our sponsors
hope you'll listen in again next week and until
then remember in everything that you do
be a pro
you've been listening to the auto repair
marketing podcast with Kim and Brian Walker
follow the podcast on your favorite
listening app find the emails
in the show notes and visit them at
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About this episode
Scaling marketing efforts is crucial for auto repair shops, especially for new owners like David Gibson and Ryan Grace of Pleasant Automotive. They share their journey of establishing a successful business in Wake Forest, North Carolina, focusing on Tesla repairs. The discussion highlights their strategic marketing choices, including the importance of a solid website and effective Google ads. They emphasize community involvement and the value of learning from industry experts to navigate challenges. Their approach balances aggressive growth with financial prudence, showcasing how personal customer service sets them apart in a competitive market.
Ryan Grace and David Gibson, former techs turned shop owners, join host Brian Walker to share how they built Pleasant Automotive in Wake Forest, NC. They started with a website before they even had a location. With no deep pockets or big investors, they focused on smart, strategic marketing moves that helped them grow fast without wasting money.
Brian dives into their decision-making process, from ditching direct mail to doubling down on Google LSAs, and how strong phone skills turned casual calls into loyal customers. They talk openly about what worked, what flopped, and how they’ve created a brand that feels more like a high-end speakeasy than a typical auto shop.
This episode is packed with takeaways for shop owners who want to scale without the fluff. It’s about being intentional, building relationships, and letting marketing fuel real growth.
Introduction and Sponsor Acknowledgment (00:00:01) Host introduces the podcast, guests, and thanks sponsors.
Background and Shop Ownership Journey (00:01:03) Ryan and David share their transition from technicians to shop owners and their first year in business.
Tesla Specialty and Local Market Opportunity (00:01:59) Discussion of their focus on Tesla repairs due to poor local dealership service.
Early Marketing Strategy: Website and SEO (00:03:46) Started with a website and SEO before opening, aiming for Google visibility from day one.
Financial Preparations and Entrepreneurial Mindset (00:06:06) Talk about financial risks, faith, and foundational steps like securing a domain name.
Scaling Services and Adding Marketing Channels (00:07:52) Gradual addition of services and marketing channels, including Google Ads.
Seeking Industry Guidance and Community Involvement (00:08:59) Leaning on industry experts, SCORE, and engaging in community programs like Adopt a Highway.
Evaluating Community Marketing ROI (00:09:52) Discusses the intangible benefits of community involvement and local visibility.
Initial Marketing Company Experience (00:11:21) Tried a budget marketing company for website/SEO; found it ineffective and disappointing.
Value of Investing in Quality Marketing (00:13:03) Realization that higher-quality, more expensive marketing services yield better results.
Balancing Aggressive Growth with Financial Prudence (00:16:24) How they scaled marketing aggressively but sustainably, reallocating budget from ineffective channels.
Best Performing Marketing: Google Local Service Ads (00:17:31) Google Local Service Ads identified as the most effective marketing channel.
Optimizing and Adapting LSA Campaigns (00:18:29) Describes the learning curve and adjustments needed to maximize LSA effectiveness.
Importance of Phone Skills and Customer Service (00:20:02) Emphasizes the role of strong phone skills and customer care in converting leads.
Advice for New Shop Owners on Marketing (00:21:47) Recommends launching a website early and investing in top-tier marketing services.
AI, Online Presence, and Future Trends (00:22:04) Mentions being found on Reddit, the rise of AI, and its impact on business visibility.
Future Plans for Pleasant Automotive (00:23:24) Plans to expand with more small, relationship-focused locations, maintaining a "speakeasy" feel.
Closing Remarks and Anecdotes (00:24:52) Host and guests share personal stories, thank listeners, and wrap up the episode.