Feedback (Hopefully Not Against Any Rules)

I think it is a great idea!!! And yes....I would certainly want to go back to a company that had done something like this for people!!!
How about "Everything you ever wanted to know about car maintenance but were afraid to ask"....
And I would advertise it as being for women but that men are welcome too....shoot my husband could benefit from something like this..he knows NOTHING about car maintenance!!

.

I think you could gear it towards women, but I know a ton of men, that have no idea how to even check the oil and how to check and then put air in their tires..

Maybe use the marketing that in these tough times, this is a great way to save money then you maintain your own car. Heck I would go. My husband is great at this sort of thing, but a terrible teacher.

Do not charge, instead, put together a car "maintenance kit". A quart of oil, a funnel, shop towels, tire gauge, canned air, and a maintenance schedule and any other things based on th training/ workshop.

i would do one free clinic a month (like on the weekend). dont gear it to a perticular sex. there are teens and some men that dont know how to do these things. its not just women. i think it will be a great thing.

omg what an awesome idea! I'd go in a heartbeat to something like this.

Yes, gear it toward women. I am an idiot when it comes to cars and repairs. I don't know the first thing about it. If I were to go to a workshop like this, I would want a bunch of women just like me in it. Otherwise if Joe Handyman is there asking all his technical questions I'd probably feel pretty stupid, out of place, and less likely to ask questions. Is it sexist? Maybe but I think you'd get more women involved (and interested!) if they knew it was geared toward them and their needs. If you use pictures, use them of the every day woman not some hoochie in daisy dukes and a crop top LOL!

And yes, like others have said it might not be a bad idea to do something similar for young drivers (the high school and college set). I'd make my kids attend something like this when they reach driving age.

Fantastic idea! Go for it.

I think you should offer the clinic once a month. I would gear it toward women one month and the next toward young kids just getting their licenses and then the third month toward anyone and everyone.

Put ads in the paper, make announcements to your friends, ask other local businesses to hand brightly colored fliers in their shop windows (providing you'll do the same if they want you to). Contact Driver's Ed schools and see if they'll let you advertise there.

Expect the first few clinics to be sort of sparsely attended, but I think your attendance would get better with time.

At the end of the class, give them a coupon for a certain percentage off a service. Make sure to put that in your advertisement, that will be the draw.

Make up a certificate to give people once the finish your "class."

I would think that if people attend your class, they are going to get to know you and your mechanics. People are more likely to take their car to someone they know and trust, especially women.

Good luck!

Our local technical college does this once a year. They even include the police in developing the clinic for things like car seat and safety issues. It is open to everyone, and advertised in the local paper, bulletin boards, craigslist, and the radio.

If you can...I would do it for no charge because generally people pick repair places on relationships and the comfort factor of feeling like you operate fairly and ethically....building relationships with potential clients could have some great affects down the road.

i think thats a great idea... i wouldnt gear it toward anybody, but i would advertise in places specific to women as well as the general public, thats enough for them to know that they are "included" for lack of a better word. some women will go if they think they can meet men there too! i would advertise at the supermarket and a womens gym, for example, among other places. facebook!! the library. local paper. did i say facebook ? :) and yes, if i went to something like that and felt like i could go back there for service without being taken advantage of, i definitely would.

I think it would be a great idea to gear it toward's women.

I would not charge anything, but use it as goodwill. It's very likely that anyone who attends the workshop, would most likely return to your shop when their car needed repairs.

I would think an ad in your local paper would be a good way to advertise. You could also see about posting flyers at your local high school, community college, and town hall.

Add to the list, checking tire pressure and adding air.

Sounds like a great idea. Good luck.

It would be nice to do it for free, a great way to serve your community. However, I don't think it would be bad to charge a small fee, but no more than $15. Also, if you are going to charge, make sure the people who attend take something home with them, like a step by step guide to changing a tire, maybe laminated, that they can keep in their car, or a tire gauge. You could even make sure your business name is printed on it so that you are advertising as well. I wouldn't limit it to women, because these are skills that teenagers of both sexes would benefit from learning as well. You could make it a series of events, so that you can keep it short and focus on teaching one thing at a time. I'm no good with making up names for things, so sorry, no advice there. I think you should spread the word using regular customers, flyers at the supermarket, bank, post office, library, etc. Also, maybe try advertising at the local high school. Good luck!

I would make it free. Consider it goodwill. When we were purchasing a used Toyota from a private party, I brought it to a local Toyota repair shop for them to give it the once over. When they didn't charge me, they earned a customer. Been going to that same shop for 6 years now.

Don't gear it toward women. Gear it toward "auto novices." I daresay there are men out there who might want to learn a thing or two about car basics (can I sign up my hubby? LOL)

I'd list it in Craigslist and do you have a very small local paper?

Good luck!

I think this is a great idea. I would go to something like that, and I think most of the women in my office would go, too. I think it's a good idea to gear it toward women, because if you don't, women might be intimidated. Anytime you get men (even mechanically clueless men) around cars, they start swaggering and calling women "little darlin'" and in general do everything possible to imply that women can't possibly grasp the basics of auto mechanics. If you made a point of advertising it as a women-only class, you would get a lot more women showing up for it.

Maybe advertise it as "girls' night out at the garage" or something. Offer a discount if you sign up with a few friends? Advertise on Facebook, at the nail salon, at your kids' school... anywhere moms are! When my husband showed me how to change a tire, I was dismayed at how easy it was, and was embarrassed that I hadn't learned before (and then when he showed me how to change the brakes out, I got mad because I'd been spending $700 to have a mechanic do it, and it's not any harder than changing the darn tires!). I bet a lot of women do want to learn how to do this but have never had the chance to have someone explain it to them without talking down to them.

To answer your question, yes, I'd be more likely to take my car to a shop that offered a class like this. (Mostly because I'd know the mechanic a little bit, and I'd know he didn't think me too stupid to grasp the concepts myself!) What a great idea! I hope you'll let us know how it turns out.

Awesome idea! Powderpuff mechanics!

How fun! We own a repair / tire shop also. :)
I think it would good to include everyone. Maybe there are some teenage boys / college students who would like to know.

Maybe you could do a "come to $5 maintenance class and get $15 off your next visit"? It is not a lot, but if you get 4 people in you would cover your time. Plus, it is an incentive for them, because if they use the coupon then they are saving.

We have a local website in our town that we use for advertising. I would maybe use your current database of customers and send out a flyer? Go ahead and put some flyers up to take at your shop. Our grocery stores let us hang up flyers.

I think it is a great idea and sounds like fun! :)

Not only would this be an AWESOME thing for women and some guys..... but THINK of all of the teenage drivers on the road who have NO IDEA how to check thier oi and change a tire! WHEW! I was amazed at the fact that most teens today can't put oil in thier cars. My own daughters have been taught by Dad or they were not allowed to get their keys. That was the deal. Change a tire, check and fill your oil, check your fluids, etc. There are so many young drivers on the road without ANY knowledge of simple car maitnence. GREAT idea! I would go to you as my mechanic!! Word of mouth, fyers, and the school's driver's ed programs too! Facebook it as well. Good luck! I think you could even ask for a small fee, like a $10 to $15 to help cover the cost of whatever materials you will use and for the people you will need to have there to help you "teach'

You could add it to a paid service..... such as buy an oil change and sign up for one of our complimentary Car clues Clinics given every third Saturday or whatever day you decide... That way you come off as if you are giving it away but you are also getting them to purchase an oil change and that way you are also just offering it to the buyer of one of your Oil Changes and you don't have to refer to gender.
Kapeesh? ;)

It's a great idea...I would direct it completely toward women...I would make it free because psychologists know that if we get something free we feel indebted and thus they would be likely to return to you...I saw an autobody shop in San Fran for women called "Lady Parts" I thought that was pretty funny

just a thought, it might not seem "sexist" if you don't mention "women" specifically, but maybe put a picture of a tough chick mechanic (thinking a rosie the riveter type) on it. i would definitely like to point out to any women seeing it that you had THEM in mind for it. but don't make it too frou-frou so that it would chase others away. maybe there's a way to do it so that it welcomes everyone, but makes it obvious that women are included too. i would not automatically see "weekend mechanics workshop" and think, "OH i want to do that!" -i would have visions of a bunch of armchair mechanic husbands wanting to learn how to do their car maintenance themselves. so i think an obvious female nod would be beneficial. or maybe like someone said, do more than one and go back and forth as to who you target.

Thats an awesome idea and I did something similar for new car buyers when I worked at a dealership. You can Call it something like a clinic or event. What we did was worked in 3 stations, we covered warrantys, dash lights, veh safety features, maint intervals, how to make appt, shuttle service, then in another we did a walk around, talked tires, brakes and the importance of schedule maint and building rapport with the shop, next covered after market parts, body work, and accesories. Just to give you an idea. we had food, sandwiches, cookies, chips & refreshments. You might want to promote it on FB, Craigslist & send a flyer to all your customers and ask them to bring a friend. It will make them feel more comfortable and give them an opportunity to ask questions with out feeling rushed or uncomfortable. We did raffles through out the event and was only about 1 hr long. We also offered a discount on parts & a free oil change for those who came, perhaps you can offer a discount to first time customers if you cant afford to do free. If you need more info or have questions message me. I would open it up to everyone first, oh yes and I had a small survery questionnaire that collected all their contact info, asked if they enjoyed it, learned anything and ask how we could make it better.

OMG!!! Awesome idea! Good luck and I hope you follow through