What’s the sound you hate most in the dealership?
It’s not a rattling engine or a squeaky belt. It’s silence.
The sound of an empty service bay on a Tuesday morning. The sound of a customer walking out without approving that extra work because they “had to think about it.”
We’re all fighting to keep our service drives profitable. We’re up against the quick-lube places, the independent shops, and customers who think “YouTube University” makes them a master tech.
So how do you win? How do you succeed in today’s economy?
You need a direct line. A tool that lets you upsell, retain, and fill your bays on demand.
That tool is text message marketing. Forget what you think it is. Let’s talk about what it actually does for your revenues.
What Is Text Marketing, Really?
Forget the fancy jargon.
Text marketing is a direct, permission-based marketing channel that goes straight to your customers’ pockets. When a customer texts you back or signs off on that RO, they’re giving you permission to sell to them.
It’s the modern-day equivalent of them handing you a key and saying:
“Let me know what else you’ve got.”
Let’s put that in perspective. Your last email blast probably got a 20% open rate, right? Texting gets a 98% open rate. It’s not even a fair fight. This is the most powerful sales tool you’re probably not using to its full potential.
What Are the Benefits of SMS Marketing for Your Dealership?
Let’s skip the fluff. Here’s how texting directly impacts your revenue.
Increase Your Average RO with Instant Upsells
Your tech finds a dirty filter or worn brake pads. Instead of a game of phone tag, you text the customer a video or picture directly from the bay. They see it, they get it.
You follow up with, “We can take care of that for you today for an extra $XX. Reply YES to approve.”
The approval rate is insane. That’s pure profit added to an existing RO. It’s the simplest way to get a yes on previously declined services.
Your Advisors Are Profit-Makers and Not Call Center Agents
Every minute an advisor spends leaving a voicemail is a minute they’re not spending with the customer in front of them, building ROs, and selling work.
Texting handles the simple updates, freeing up your advisors to focus on high-value conversations that lead to bigger sales and helping you reduce your fixed ops staff's workload.
Fill Your Bays on Demand
Got a slow Wednesday coming up?
Don’t just sit there and wait. At 10 AM on Tuesday, blast out a targeted offer:
“Tire Wednesday at {company.name}! Get a free tire rotation with any oil change this Wednesday only. Limited spots available. Reply TIRE to book now!”
You’ll fill those empty slots before lunch and see a real-time increase in your fixed ops revenue.
Stop Customers from Defecting to Competitors
Why do customers leave? Price and convenience.
You can compete on both with texting. Send automated service reminders with a built-in coupon.
“Hey {customer.name}, records show your {customer.meta_vehicle_model} is due for an oil change. Book with us this week and get 15% off. [link]”
You’re building a better dealership customer experience making it easy and affordable for them to stay with you.
“If you do email or hardmail campaigns, usually a 30 to 60 day period you can expect to have a 6 to 8 percent response rate. I usually see that within the first 24h of sending some sort of marketing campaign, I have an average of 10 to 15% response rate for scheduling. With Kimoby you’re getting real-time results.”
Ken Benton
VW Service Manager at North Penn Volkswagen
The Dealership Playbook For Text Marketing
Text marketing isn’t just about random messages. It’s a strategy.
Unlocking Service Drive Revenue
- Appointment Reminders: Reduces no-shows, keeping your bays full and productive.
- The Upsell Message (The Ultimate Money-Maker): Send technician videos for immediate approval on additional work.
- Targeted Service Specials: Promote high-margin services like alignments, flushes, and detail packages.
- Recall Notifications (with an Upsell): Get them in the door for a no-charge recall, then offer a discount on another service while they’re there.
Winning Back “Lost Souls”
- Re-engagement Campaigns: Hit up customers who haven’t been in for over a year. “Hey {customer.name}, we miss you at {company.name}! Come back for any service this month and your oil change is on us. Reply SAVE to claim this offer.”
Supporting the Sales Team
- Lease-End Reminders: Start the conversation about upgrading three months before their lease is up. It’s a warm lead for your sales team.
- Warranty Expiration Alerts: “Your factory warranty is ending soon. Now is the perfect time to explore extended warranty options or trade up to a new model. Reply UPGRADE to connect with a sales specialist.”
Best Strategies for Efficient Text Message Marketing
- Get Permission (Non-Negotiable): This is the fondation. Get an explicit opt-in on your repair orders, online booking forms, or through a text-to-join keyword. Make sure you are TCPA compliant if you’re in the US.
- Segment Your List: Don’t send a tire special to a guy who just bought four new Michelins from you last week. Use your data. Target customers based on their vehicle, mileage, and service history.
- Make an Offer They Can’t Refuse: Every marketing text needs value. A discount, a special, exclusive information. Give your customers a reason to act.
- Always Have a Clear Call to Action (CTA): Tell them exactly what you want them to do. “Reply YES,” “Click to Schedule,” “Call Us Now.” Don’t make them guess.
- Use the Right Tools: Your advisors can’t be doing this from their personal cell phones. That’s a huge liability and you can’t track a thing. You need a real, professional SMS platform that’s built for dealerships. You need something that integrates with your DMS, automates reminders, and makes sending those video MPIs a breeze. A tool like Kimoby was literally built from the ground up for our industry. It’s not some generic business tool.
SMS Templates That Actually Convert
Here are some battle-tested templates designed to drive revenue.
The Video Upsell:
“
Hi {customer.name}, your tech found your engine air filter is clogged. Here’s a quick video: [link]. We can replace it for [price] while it’s here. Reply YES to approve the work.”
The Slow Day Bay-Filler:
“
Slow day, big savings at {company.name}! We have a few service spots open tomorrow. Book now and get 20% off any single service over $100. Reply DEAL to claim your spot!”
The “We Miss You” Win-Back:
“
Hey {customer.name}, it’s been a while! Come back to {company.name} and let us show you why we’re the best. Your next oil change is FREE, no strings attached. This month only. Reply COMEBACK to schedule.”
The Recall + Upsell:
“
Hi {customer.name}, a recall has been issued for your {customer.meta_vehicle_make}. Please reply RECALL to book your no-cost repair. P.S. While you’re here, we’ll take 15% off any additional service you need.”
Optimizing Your Text Marketing Strategy
Now, you know what to send and when. Now, let’s talk about the pro-level moves that really separate you from the competition and help you get every last dollar out of this strategy.
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Timing Is Everything: A text is a guest in your customer’s personal space. Don’t be that guy who shows up uninvited every day. Respect their phone. A well-timed service reminder, a perfectly placed upsell video, or a single “Happy Birthday” text with a small offer does more than 10 random spam messages ever will.
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Mix It Up: Texting is your MVP, but it doesn’t win the championship alone. Your text campaigns should work with your other marketing. Combine your SMS campaigns with email blasts, social media posts, and maybe even a good old-fashioned phone call now and then.
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Measure What Actually Matters: Forget vanity metrics. The only numbers that count are response rates, conversion rates on your offers, and the dollar amount on your average repair order. If your ROs are going up and you’re selling more work, it’s working. That’s the real magic.
Conclusion
Look, the game has changed. You can keep playing phone tag and watching customers walk out the door, or you can get proactive and meet them where they live. On their phones.
Text message marketing is a revenue-generating machine for your service drive. Use it right, and you won’t have to worry about the sound of silence ever again. The only sound you’ll hear is the constant hum of a busy, profitable shop.
Straight Answers to Your Tough Questions (FAQ)
1. Is SMS marketing profitable? What’s the real ROI?
Absolutely. And the ROI isn’t just about coupon redemptions. The real money is in increasing your average repair order. Think about it: your tech sends a quick video of worn brake pads. The customer sees it and replies “YES” to approve a $400 job they would have otherwise put off. Do that just a few times a day, and the platform pays for itself almost instantly.
2. Does SMS marketing still work in today’s world?
It works better than almost anything else. Your last email blast maybe got a 20% open rate. Texts get a 98% open rate. It’s the most direct, immediate line you have to your customer. In a world where everyone is drowning in emails and ignoring phone calls, a text message cuts through the noise and gets seen.
3. Is SMS marketing legal?
Yes, 100%-as long as you do it by the book. The golden rule is simple: you need their permission. Customers have to “opt-in” to receive marketing messages from you. This is non-negotiable and a core part of regulations like the TCPA in the US.
4. How do we get customer phone numbers and permission to text them?
You’re probably already doing it. Your intake form, your online scheduler, the repair order itself-these are all perfect places to add a simple check box and a line of text that says, “Is it okay for us to text you with updates about your vehicle’s service? (Msg & data rates may apply).” Boom. You’ve got your opt-in. It’s that easy.
5. My advisors are already slammed. How much time does this take?
That’s the wrong way to look at it. This saves them time. Think of all the time they waste playing phone tag, leaving voicemails, and waiting for callbacks. An automated platform handles the appointment reminders and status updates on its own. Sending a video MPI takes 30 seconds. Getting an approval back takes even less. This system takes the low-value communication tasks off their plate so they can focus on what they do best: building rapport and selling service.
6. Why can’t my advisors just use their personal cell phones?
Don’t do it. Ever. It’s a disaster waiting to happen. First, it’s a huge liability for the dealership with zero oversight. Second, it’s completely unprofessional. And third, when that advisor leaves, they take all those customer relationships-and their text history-with them. A real SMS platform gives you a central, trackable, and professional business line that protects you, your employees, and your customers.
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