Hello, I am the bookkeeper/secretary+ at a small family owned auto repair shop in a small town (less than 10,000 people on the population board). I am searching for ideas on making our business great!
What tips could you offer me?
What would you like for your auto repair shop to do for you?
What catches your eye for auto repair?
& auto repair advertising?
When I make advertisements for our local round-up paper I want to be educational but keep it short, sweet & to the point, which isn't always easy.
How can I get customers interested in understanding what we're talking about?
I created a book for our customers that has information on products we sell, on understanding certain systems of a car & some tips for keeping their car in safe running condition, but no one looks at it :(
I'd really like to get some displays for them to look at, cause I've noticed what we already have does catch people's attention, however I just don't have the office space, walls or desk, to do this. I would really like a different shop building but that's just not in the cards.
I would also like to do some sort of customer loyalty program as well, but am not sure about how to go about doing this. I've tried to start an email list but not one person has signed up. We do intend on starting a website in the future, hopefully that will happen in 2015. A great portion of our customers are elderly people so that might be part of the dilemma.
And if you have any tips or info you can give me to help be improve my bookkeeping skills & organization I would really appreciate it.
Thanks for taking time to read this. I look forward to any tips I may get!

Elderly people appreciate being able to save money. Offer money-saving coupons for various services? Print them in the local paper or pennysaver? And customer service is extremely important. What about being willing to make "house calls" for certain car care needs, like oil changes, detailing, minor servicing (head- or tail-light replacement, etc.)?

Website? Not necessary. A Facebook page. Car repair is local, and Facebook is mostly people who know each other, so there you are, all for free, in two minutes. Hours, map, phones, smiling faces.
Loyalty program? Easy. Business cards with offers on the back or bottom edge, good for one year past the date of when you hand it to them, dated and initialed. Dollars off, % off, whatever you want. You could make some people charter members.
Attraction from the road? Two big flower planters, well kept. In the winter, fill with pine branches and winking lights. A neat, attractive curb means that you care about the service you give. No weeds, ever.
Return business? Work on the cars when you say you will, within 15 minutes. Talk in detail. Do they want a quote called in before you do the work, and so on. Why the work is needed, and what brands you use for parts. 3 extra minutes explaining means a relaxed, happy, trusting customer.

Usually. Some people are never happy in the car biz!