Month 1: Announcing your Certification

  • Finalize and Publish your press release (sample press release included at the end of this document)

    • You can publish your release right on your own website as an additional page, but we also recommend using a PR distribution service.

    • Best paid press release distribution: PRWeb.com (costs around $100-200, very effective distribution with tracking)

    • Best free press release distribution: PRLog.org (totally free, good exposure, high ranking)

    • You can choose geographic areas for distribution, to ensure your exposure is relevant.

  • Socialize your Certification

    • Social media assets to announce your certification are available under “Branding” in AskPattyMarketing.

  • Branding your Location

    • We will send you a set of window clings

      Additional branding materials are available on AskPattyMarketing.com or upon request.

  • Branding your Website

    • Use the Certified Female Friendly seal (on the homepage of AskPattyMarketing.com) to add a link to your AskPatty profile page on your website.

      • While reviewing your profile page, please make sure it is accurate and complete – if anything is missing, please let us know!

Month 2: Focus on social

  • Get a social media dashboard – this allows you to schedule posts ahead of time and manage multiple social networks at once.

    • Hootsuite.com offers a free dashboard service which is sufficient for many purposes. Allows you to schedule posts one-at-a-time across multiple social sites, and also allows you to monitor multiple accounts easily. The free service does not include any analytics, but a pro account ($8.99/month) does.

    • SproutSocial.com is not free, but it is a little easier to use than Hootsuite and has more powerful scheduling. It also has better analytics and tracking than Hootsuite, albeit at a significantly higher price tag ($99 / month)

  • Make a social media marketing plan – schedule 2-3 posts/week

    • Grab tips from AskPattyMarketing’s “Web, Tech, and Social Media” page

    • You can also find content on the AskPatty.com blog and on news aggregation sites like http://www.carcarenewsservice.org

    • All of this content is free for you to repost!

    • Check in on your social sites regularly – notice what gets likes, and respond to comments. If people comment on your post and you never respond, they may assume your social sites are being run by a “robot.”

    • Also post employee profiles, birthdays, community interest, and customer reviews. Get creative! Use your smartphone’s camera to record short videos around the shop featuring staff and customers (with permission, of course).

Month 3: Plan your first promotion

Decide on a promotion type.

  • Car care clinics

    • Girl Scout Car Care Clinics are easy for first-time clinic hosts.

      • Reach out to your local GSA council (usually a regional director or coordinator is who you want to speak with)

      • Let them know you’d like to host a car care clinic to help the girls earn car care merit badges.

      • Decide on a date – no need to advertise! They will send girls and families to you.

      • This can be a repeat event if there are more girls than you can manage in one day!

    • Ladies Night Car Care Clinics work very well with Certification Announcements

      • Advertise at local gyms, salons, malls, and of course social media.

      • Partner with a local bakery to provide cupcakes or other snacks.

      • Partner with a local spa/salon/nail salon to provide miniature services or product samples.

      • Collect RSVPs so you’re not overwhelmed – clinics work best when everyone can get a little hands-on time with a task. Usually 20-30 attendees works very well.

      • Cap the evening with the car care clinic.

        • Try to let everyone have a little hands on time with some part of the car as the clinic goes on (let everyone try loosening or tightening a lug nut, for instance, or let everyone try hooking up a battery to live booster cables)

  • Social media contests are also good for social savvy.

    • Facebook photo contests are great for cultivating an active and engaged social following

      • Ask customers to post photos of themselves with their car, along with a story about why they love it.

      • Prizes can include oil changes, maintenance and repair discounts, and more.

  • If in April, consider a green-themed promotion like a recycling drive.

    • Contact local waste management or recycling center for more information on their collection practices – this kind of event’s details can vary widely based on the capabilities of your local utilities.

Of course, for any of these, don’t hesitate to reach out to AskPatty staff for help whenever you need it.

Sample Press Release:

Date:
For Release:
Contact:
Name
Title
Organization
Address
Telephone
E-mail/Web site Address

BUSINESS NAME Becomes Certified Female Friendly in CITY, STATE

BUSINESS NAME of CITY, STATE is proud to announce that in addition to the great experience they already provide their customers, they have taken an additional step to address the needs of women consumers, as part of the growing network of AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly® locations in North America. Team members at BUSINESS NAME have completed a training and certification process to provide a Certified Female Friendly® experience that exceeds women’s expectations, becoming the only Certified Female Friendly® shop in CITY.

In conjunction with AskPatty.com, BUSINESS NAME has launched a female-focused microsite that provides the tools and resources most requested by women. The microsite gives women the ability to schedule service appointments, access coupons and discounts, and learn more about car care online from the comfort of their home or office. The microsite is easily accessed by searching on AskPatty.com, or by going directly to their site.


Visit the BUSINESS NAME AskPatty.com profile page at PROFILE URL HERE

or at their website: INSERT URL HERE


To become AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly®, BUSINESS NAME personnel completed an extensive training program on how to best serve women. BUSINESS NAME will also benefit from a unique marketing support program designed to reach out and build lasting relationships with women customers.

“Women influence 85 percent of the buying decisions in North American households, effectively becoming the family’s chief purchasing officer,” says Jody DeVere, CEO of AskPatty.com, Inc.” AskPatty trains and certifies automotive businesses on how to communicate more effectively with women and ensure they feel safe, respected and empowered, which creates tremendous customer loyalty. BUSINESS NAME’s commitment to women shows that management is serious about earning their business.”

Those wishing to seek more information on BUSINESS NAME’s newly acquired certification may contact them online at INSERT URL HERE or by calling PHONE NUMBER.