There are four core aspects of business development in auto repair: in-person, email, phone, and social selling. In-person relationships will always matter most, but they only scale so far. Harris Fanaroff, founder and CEO of Linked Revenue, explains that shops lean on email because it is easy, avoid cold calls because they are uncomfortable, and dismiss LinkedIn because it feels difficult to master. That blind spot is costing shops real opportunities to build trust and grow.

In this episode of Maximum Octane, Kim Hickey and Jason Patel sit down with Harris Fanaroff to break down what he calls the fourth route to market. Harris explains why LinkedIn works differently from other platforms, why executives and ideal customers already live there, and why most shops completely ignore it. He shares a practical blueprint for using LinkedIn to stay top of mind, attract higher-quality customers, recruit better talent, and build genuine relationships without sending generic messages or relying on automation.

The conversation delves into founder-led content, why authenticity matters more than volume, and how consistent thought leadership distinguishes shops that blend in from those that stand out. Harris also explains how to track real ROI from LinkedIn activity, why AI should support your voice instead of replacing it, and how a shop owner can dominate a local market simply by showing up where competitors refuse to spend time.

Tune in to episode 136 of Maximum Octane if you are tired of crowded marketing channels and want a smarter way to reach the right customers. Let us help you change how you think about LinkedIn and your role as a shop owner.

04:50 The four routes to business development and why LinkedIn is the most underused

06:30 Why most sales teams over-rely on email and avoid harder but better channels

07:20 How consistent LinkedIn content creates long-term separation from competitors

08:15 Why your ideal auto repair customers already spend time on LinkedIn

10:00 How LinkedIn supports both customer acquisition and technician recruiting

11:05 A simple local LinkedIn strategy shop owners can implement immediately

12:10 Why connecting with local executives beats mass marketing every time

14:30 How LinkedIn replaces old school networking groups at scale

17:05 Why founder-led content outperforms generic shop marketing

19:10 How Harris creates content without ghostwriting or losing authenticity

20:30 The three parts of a LinkedIn system that actually produce ROI

22:30 Why tracking real people matters more than vanity metrics

25:00 The right way to use AI without sounding fake

27:15 Why most shops quit too early and never see results

32:15 Why holiday posts do nothing and executive visibility changes everything

Connect with Harris Fanaroff:

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• Email: info@maximumoctane.com

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