Harsh winter weather can be tough on vehicles, and the last thing any driver needs is to break down. Making sure your customers’ vehicles are winter-ready now is a sensible approach to helping them avoid the inconvenience of being stranded in the cold. As colder weather nears, so does the potential for treacherous road conditions. Giving certain areas of the car special attention is necessary to maintain optimal performance. The changing seasons means more service opportunities for you that will not only generate more business, but will also create a sense of goodwill with your customers.
Fall Car Care Month in October is the ideal time to kick off the winter driving season and remind customers to prepare their vehicles for winter while temperatures are still mild.
A good starting place to find information about how to participate in Fall Car Care Month and the Be Car Care Aware campaign throughout the year is the Car Care Council’s Industry Tool Box. For more information, visit: www.carcare.org/industry-tool-box
There you’ll find a one-stop-shop for ideas, tools and resources to help businesses reach out to new and existing customers. Whether it’s something simple like handing out car care guides or more elaborate, like conducting a community car care event, the tool box walks aftermarket professionals through the many different ways they can get involved in the campaign to grow their business and connect with the community.
The Car Care Council’s website is a great resource for information to help your customers prepare their vehicles for harsh driving conditions and to help avoid emergency roadside situations. You can share the information with your customers by emailing the article links or include them on your website and share through your social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter.
Some of our favorite winter related article suggestions include: “9 Steps for a Winter Ready Car,” “Home for the Holidays: Is Your Car Ready for the Journey?” “Six Quick Tips for Sub-Zero Driving,” “Can Your Car Weather the Storm?” and “Emergency Road Kit for Winter Driving: A Gift that Shows You Care” The site also features a video called, “Winterizing Your Vehicle.”
Winter magnifies existing problems like pings, hard starts, sluggish performance and rough idling. It’s a good idea to remind your customers that preventative vehicle maintenance is a small investment of time and money to ensure peace of mind and help avoid the cost and hassle of a breakdown during severe weather.
The Car Care Council’s recently updated 80-page Car Care Guide is a valuable tool to use when discussing recommended maintenance and repairs with customers. Plus, it’s a great giveaway for customers to keep in their vehicles as a useful reference guide to better understand the when, why and how of caring for their vehicles. Printed copies can be easily ordered by visiting the Car Care Council’s website. Custom print jobs with a company logo on the back cover are available in bulk quantities. The digital version of the guide can be shared using this link: www.carcare.org/car-care-guide
The Car Care Guide is also the perfect stocking stuffer for a driver in the family. It offers useful preventative maintenance and fuel saving tips to help drivers be car care aware and save money in the New Year. Single copies can be ordered free of charge on the Car Care website.
With winter weather on the way, there is no better time than Fall Car Care Month in October to educate motorists about the importance of preparing their vehicles for the rough road conditions ahead. Not only will this help you increase your business potential, but it will also build loyalty with current customers as well as attract new ones.
For more information about benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair, visit: www.carcare.org
RICH WHITE is the executive director of the Car Care Council. For more information about the Car Care Council and the “Be Car Care Aware” campaign, visit: www.carcare.org
