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The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast

By: Kim and Brian Walker
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The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker. Experts in their field who work with shop owners take it to the next level and create a unique approach to marketing. See the growth in your business you’ve been working so hard for by using time-proven marketing that works, fueled to go further by your shop's uniqueness.Copyright 2026 Kim and Brian Walker Economics Management Management & Leadership Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • Legacy of Education, Events, and Care [E208]

    Legacy of Education, Events, and Care [E208]
    Jun 10 2026
    Thanks to our Partners, Shop Boss and AppFueledSome shops sponsor a Little League team and call it community involvement. Others build their entire business around serving people.Patrick Weidman and Jean Bradley have spent decades creating a culture where giving back is simply part of how they do business. From Ladies’ Night educational events and teen driver workshops to supporting local food pantries, cancer research, and holiday giving programs, their commitment to the community has become one of the biggest drivers of trust, loyalty, and long-term growth.What started with lessons learned from Uncle Pat and a mother who dedicated her life to helping others has grown into a thriving multi-location operation that continues to put people first. Patrick and Jean share how they choose community events, what they’ve learned from successes and failures, how they get their team involved, and why educating customers is one of the most powerful things a shop can do.If you're looking for practical ideas to strengthen your community presence while building a business people genuinely love, this conversation is full of inspiration and actionable takeaways. Hit play and discover how doing the right thing can become one of your shop’s greatest competitive advantages.Show Notes with TimestampsIntroduction and Guest Welcome (00:00:10) Host Kim Walker introduces the episode and her guests, Jean Bradley and Patrick Weidman, owners of multiple auto repair shops.Sponsor Messages (00:00:53) A brief interlude for messages from the podcast sponsors, Shop Boss and App Fueled, highlighting their services for auto shops.The Family Business Story (00:01:25) Discussion about the family's history in the auto repair business, starting with their Uncle Pat and involving six siblings.Choosing Community Events (00:07:32) Jean and Patrick explain how their mother's community involvement inspired them to support causes like cancer research and local food pantries.The Origins of Ladies Night (00:11:09) Patrick and Jean discuss why they started their popular Ladies Night event over 15 years ago to educate and empower women.Lessons from Uncle Pat (00:14:28) Patrick shares the core business philosophy learned from his Uncle Pat: the Golden Rule of treating everyone with respect.The First Event and Post-Mortems (00:21:23) The guests recall their first Ladies Night and emphasize the importance of conducting a "post-mortem" after every event to improve.Getting Team Buy-In (00:25:19) Patrick explains how their strong company culture makes it easy to get team members to volunteer and participate in after-hours events.Marketing a Successful Event (00:26:37) Jean details the marketing strategy for their Ladies Night, which resulted in a full registration and a waiting list.Empowering Customers Through Education (00:31:59) The discussion focuses on how offering a "behind the scenes" look and empowering customers with knowledge builds trust and attracts clients.Collaboration Between Shop Locations (00:34:56) Patrick explains how their different shop locations collaborate and cross-promote for events, especially the two that are located close together.Favorite and Most Successful Events (00:35:59) Patrick and Jean share their favorite events, including Ladies Night, Boy Scout events, and supporting the local food pantry.Least Favorite or Challenging Events (00:41:08) The guests discuss their least successful events, particularly those involving uninterested teenagers at a local driving school.What's Next for the Shops (00:45:18) Patrick and Jean talk about their future plans, including expanding to a fourth location and continuing their educational video content.How to Find the Shops (00:48:12) Jean provides the names and locations of their shops and mentions their active presence on social media and their websites.How To Get In TouchJoin The Auto Repair Marketing Mastermind Group on FacebookMeet The ProsFollow SMP on FacebookFollow SMP on InstagramGet The Ultimate Guide to Auto Repair Shop Marketing BookEmail Us Podcast Questions or Topics Lagniappe (Books, Links, Other Podcasts, etc)Their StoryAdvanced European RepairGrove StreetShovel Town AutoTheir Community InvolvementThanks to our Partners, Shop Boss and AppFueledThis episode is sponsored by Shop Boss. You know, other shop management software makes you work, but Shop Boss works for you.AppFueled at appfueled.com. “Are you ready to convert clients to members? AppFueled™ specializes in creating custom apps tailored specifically for auto repair businesses. Build your first app like a pro.”The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. ...
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    51 mins
  • Should Your Shop Have a Team Retreat? [E207]

    Should Your Shop Have a Team Retreat? [E207]
    Jun 3 2026
    Thanks to our Partners, Shop Boss and AppFueledLet’s be real. Your team probably needs a break more than they need another meeting.Brian and Kim Walker talk about their fifth annual team retreat, why they intentionally do almost no work during it, and how getting away together has helped their remote team reconnect, rest, laugh, and build real culture. Whether you take your shop team to the beach, the mountains, a conference Airbnb, or just your backyard for a barbecue, this episode will get you thinking about what it looks like to truly retreat.Listen to the full episode and start thinking about how you can give your team space to reset, reconnect, and come back stronger.Show Notes with TimestampsIntroduction to Team Retreats (00:00:09) The hosts introduce the topic of company team retreats and share that they just returned from their fifth annual one.The "First Annual" Debate (00:01:04) A humorous debate on the correct terminology for a first-time event, with "inaugural" being the preferred term over "first annual."The Origin and Location of the Retreat (00:02:20) The retreat idea came from a coach. The team has gone to a beach house in Grayton Beach, Florida for five years.What is a Retreat? (00:03:17) Kim defines their retreat as a non-working getaway focused on relaxation and in-person connection, not meetings or work tasks.Retreat Activities and Team Bonding (00:06:22) The team enjoys eating, playing games, riding bikes, and getting massages. The focus is on relaxing and having fun together.The True Meaning of "Retreat" (00:07:35) Brian shares the dictionary definitions of "retreat," emphasizing withdrawal, refuge, and getting away from the daily grind of work.The Importance of Unscheduled Downtime (00:08:57) Rainy weather forced the team to slow down and rest, which proved to be exactly what they needed to recharge.The Power of Taking a Break (00:11:02) The hosts share a personal vacation experience, highlighting how essential it is for leaders to slow down and truly rest.The ROI of a Retreat (00:17:05) While expensive, the hosts believe the return on investment from team bonding and rejuvenation is priceless and absolutely worth it.Learning About Your Team (00:17:49) Playing trivia games helps team members learn surprising and fun personal stories about each other in a relaxed, informal setting.Planning and Logistics (00:19:56) Tips on planning a retreat, including renting bikes, accommodating team needs, and figuring out what works for your specific group.How to Start Your Own Retreat (00:21:02) You don't have to go big. A retreat can start small, like a simple barbecue at your house on a Saturday.Using Tools for Planning (00:21:22) Kim shares her planning process, including using Google Forms for preferences and ChatGPT to figure out complex rooming arrangements.Managing Expectations (00:23:10) Understand that not every team member will be able to attend, and it's important to be flexible and go with the flow.A Valuable Company Culture Tool (00:24:03) A retreat can be a great culture builder and a recruiting tool, as potential hires are often attracted to the idea.How to Get Planning Resources (00:25:20) The hosts offer to share their planning document with listeners who reach out via email or their Facebook group.How To Get In TouchJoin The Auto Repair Marketing Mastermind Group on FacebookMeet The ProsFollow SMP on FacebookFollow SMP on InstagramGet The Ultimate Guide to Auto Repair Shop Marketing BookEmail Us Podcast Questions or Topics Lagniappe (Books, Links, Other Podcasts, etc)Vision Hi-Tech Training & ExpoAutomotive Repair Podcast NetworkThanks to our Partners, Shop Boss and AppFueledThis episode is sponsored by Shop Boss. You know, other shop management software makes you work, but Shop Boss works for you.AppFueled at appfueled.com. “Are you ready to convert clients to members? AppFueled™ specializes in creating custom apps tailored specifically for auto repair businesses. Build your first app like a pro.”The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop ...
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    27 mins
  • AI Nuggets From Our SEO Director [E206]

    AI Nuggets From Our SEO Director [E206]
    May 27 2026
    Thanks to our Partners, Shop Boss and AppFueledAI isn’t just changing SEO. It’s changing the way people choose an auto repair shop.Brian Walker sits down with Michelle Travis to talk through what shop owners need to understand about AI-first SEO, zero-click search, brand trust, reviews, content depth, and why website traffic may go down while lead quality goes up. They also dig into why the old SEO foundations still matter, why AI cares about your brand across the web, and why chasing every shiny new AI tactic is a mistake.Listen to this episode and learn how to position your shop to be recommended by AI, not just found on Google.Show Notes with TimestampsIntroduction to AI-First SEO (00:00:10) Host Brian Walker introduces guest Michelle Travis to discuss AI-first SEO from a technical standpoint, building on a previous episode.What is Zero-Click Search? (00:02:14) Michelle explains zero-click search, where users get answers from AI overviews without clicking on websites, affecting traditional traffic metrics.Impact on Website Traffic and Leads (00:04:21) Discussion on how zero-click search reduces overall website traffic but increases the quality and conversion rate of the remaining visitors.How AI Builds Trust (00:07:28) AI builds trust by acting as a reliable recommender, which then transfers that trust directly to the suggested auto repair shop.The Overlap Between Traditional SEO and AI SEO (00:09:21) Michelle explains how foundational SEO practices like NAP consistency and review management have become even more crucial for AI optimization.AI as a Human-Like Recommender (00:13:07) AI evaluates businesses more like a human, valuing trust signals like diverse review sources and certifications more than traditional algorithms.Ranking Brands, Not Just Websites (00:17:37) The focus shifts from ranking for keywords to establishing the shop's brand across the web through tracked brand mentions.The Power of Increased SEO Efforts (00:20:02) Discussing how increasing the quantity of SEO activities, like creating topic clusters, accelerates building topical authority and attracting high-ticket repairs.Biggest Misconceptions About SEO and AI (00:25:59) Michelle addresses common misconceptions, including the necessity of in-depth content and the idea that you must implement every new AI trend.AI is Not an Expert (00:29:12) A warning that AI tools are not experts, can be factually incorrect, and require knowledgeable human oversight to be used effectively.How To Get In TouchJoin The Auto Repair Marketing Mastermind Group on FacebookMeet The ProsFollow SMP on FacebookFollow SMP on InstagramGet The Ultimate Guide to Auto Repair Shop Marketing BookEmail Us Podcast Questions or Topics Lagniappe (Books, Links, Other Podcasts, etc)Episode 205 of the Auto Repair Marketing PodcastThey Ask, You AnswerEndless CustomersThanks to our Partners, Shop Boss and AppFueledThis episode is sponsored by Shop Boss. You know, other shop management software makes you work, but Shop Boss works for you.AppFueled at appfueled.com. “Are you ready to convert clients to members? AppFueled™ specializes in creating custom apps tailored specifically for auto repair businesses. Build your first app like a pro.”The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size. https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/
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    33 mins
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