The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) announced that members and supporters gathered earlier this month at Innovative Solutions & Technology (ISAT) in Lincoln Park, N.J., to listen to nationally-known speaker Michelle Nelson of B2B Automotive give an interactive and engaging presentation on the important role marketing plays in running a successful business.

Nelson provided a thorough overview of what types of strategies shops should take to encourage more business, engage with customers and consistently promote their brand. She also spoke about how OEM certifications and building DRPs can play a role in increasing business, but emphasized that shops need to bring their presence up and not just rely on outside parties to generate customers.

“Shops need to be consistent across the board with their logos, names and how they position themselves on social media,” said Nelson.

Noting the importance of a strong online presence, she demonstrated how to use tools like Google Analytics and how to maintain a good online reputation by effectively answering favorable and non-favorable reviews.

“It was a great presentation,” said Jerry McNee, president of AASP/NJ. “The information she shared was well-needed and well-received. Michelle covered everything we need to focus on as technology continues to evolve. It was quite a shock to see that online posts can really generate a substantial amount of attention. It’s important to know about this end of the business. Shops need to capitalize on it and use it to their advantage.”

The training event also included demonstrations of Pro Spot and Spanesi equipment by members of the ISAT team.

For more information on AASP/NJ and to learn about upcoming training events, visit aaspnj.org.