TRC Automotive Repair | Marketing Operating System

TRC Automotive Repair / Belmont, NC / Marketing department

Marketing operating system

September to November 2026. The calendar, the month at a glance, and every script. Click anything on the calendar to open it.

Draft for review Nothing here is approved or scheduled. Topics, offers, dates, and copy are all proposed. Use the approval button at the bottom of the calendar to accept, or to note what you want changed.

Content day, the one filming day Blog, the monthly source Video published Graphic Google posts Web pages, Starr and Teresa Email, text, and mail Paid ads, Starr with Ryze Mailers, placeholder Stories, from the bay

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Mon

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Thu

Fri

Sat

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September Steer Straight

Monthly topic / everything this month comes from here

Steer Straight, alignment at $99.95

A summer of potholes and heat softened roads has already knocked most vehicles out of alignment. The damage is done. What has not happened yet is the driver noticing the pull, or the uneven tire wear that follows. That gap between the damage and the discovery is the entire September story, and it is the most tangible of the three services to explain.

Tone is confident, not anxious. This is about command of the vehicle, not surviving a season. No cold weather urgency language anywhere this month. That register belongs to Winter Prep and it launches in November.

Layer	What it does with the topic
Longform, the source	What a summer of Belmont roads did to your alignment. Published September 1, about 1,400 words. Every other piece this month traces to a section of it.
Video, 4 reels and 5 tips	How to tell your alignment is off, reading uneven tire wear, what summer did to your car, the full Rule the Road, plus state inspection and check engine light which stay because they are the demand signal.
Graphic, 5 carousels	Rule the Road lineup, the report card, the dealership alternative, the team, and a bridge into transmission for October.
Direct, 3 emails and 2 texts	Rule the Road launch, monthly newsletter, last call. Subject lines from the brief: take control this fall, and what summer did to your car.
Web, location pages	Twelve service meta formulas written and batch applied across 38 location pages, legacy image conversion site wide, and the two Belmont pages that do not exist yet. Belmont has no wheel alignment page and no state inspection page while Charlotte has twelve pages total.
Web, 9 page improvements	One batch handed to Teresa September 2, all from the Ryze audit. Services URL normalization first, then title and meta fixes on the ignition coil article, AC page, brake article, state inspection, services hub, specials, contact, vehicles, and reviews. Metadata and redirects, separate from the four substantive content pieces.
Paid, Starr with Ryze	Ryze connected and the baseline captured first, then the Rule the Road set up with the specials page as the destination. Held to the $13.70 cost per conversion baseline.
Offer	Rule the Road. Alignment $99.95, Transmission Fluid Service $35 off, Brake Fluid Service $149.95. September leads on alignment.

Campaign / approved, runs September through November

Rule the Road

Named by Aaron on August 31, which closes the two name conflict between the briefs. Rule the Road is the campaign name everywhere. Steer straight, shift clean, stop short stays as the header line for print and social.

Aaron's launch line, finished out. Now that the kiddos are back in school, it is time to Rule the Road. Before fall holidays hit harder than the turkey induced coma, come see us for an alignment, a transmission fluid service, and a brake fluid service.

Three systems you rely on every drive: handling, drivetrain, and stopping power. The full package runs all three months and the lead story rotates. Header line for print and social: steer straight, shift clean, stop short, take control this fall.

ALIGNMENT $99.95 · TRANSMISSION FLUID SERVICE $35 OFF · BRAKE FLUID SERVICE $149.95

The voice just shifted, and it is an improvement

The brief called for confident and not anxious, plain and direct. Aaron's launch line is warmer and funnier than that. Kiddos back in school, fall holidays, the turkey induced coma.

Go with his. A local shop that sounds like a neighbor beats a local shop that sounds like a brand, and the humor does the same job the brief wanted without the flatness. Keep the service explanations plain and factual, and let the campaign wrapper carry the personality.

One thing to reconcile. The brief tagline says you cannot control the road, and the name says rule the road. Those argue with each other. Drop the old tagline. The name is the line now.

Three things to settle before anything prints

Resolved. Aaron named it Rule the Road on August 31. Fall Drive-Ready is retired.
The $35 off transmission price has no baseline. A discount advertised without an original price is a problem in print and in paid. This is the one item I would hold until it is settled.
Which two or three messaging angles lead. The brief says pick two or three and not to run all four. Control not survival is the core differentiator and should be one of them.
Whether a flyer gets built for this campaign matching the Winter Prep format.

The tracking number problem just became urgent

Every surface in both briefs carries 704-825-6550. That is the line AI call scoring is not capturing, and Teresa's ticket is still open. If this campaign launches on a number with broken tracking, there is no way to prove what two quarters of promotions produced. This moved from housekeeping to the item that gates measurement.

October Shift Clean

Monthly topic

Shift Clean, Transmission Fluid Service at $35 off

The least visible service in the lineup, which is why it needs the most explaining. Old fluid quietly stops protecting the drivetrain right as shorter trips and colder starts put more strain on it. Nothing about a transmission looks urgent from the outside, so the month has to make the case for why now.

Lead angles are cost of neglect versus cost of prevention, and the dealership alternative. Contrast the experience, never name a dealership.

Layer	What it does with the topic
Longform, the source	The service nobody asks for and every transmission needs. Published October 1, written in September.
Video, 4 reels and 4 tips	What old transmission fluid looks like, why shorter trips are harder on a drivetrain, the dealership contrast, and the seasonal checkpoint.
Graphic, 5 carousels	Cost of neglect, the dealership alternative, why we do not rush, the report card, and a bridge into November.
Direct, 3 emails, 2 texts, 1 mailer	Main push of the campaign across social and SMS per the brief. Mailer one drops October 1.
Web, 4 pages	Ignition coil rewrite, brake repair Belmont money page, internal linking pass, braking guide expanded. This is the routing month.
Paid, Starr with Ryze	Transmission campaign set up, then the first full month reviewed against baseline October 8.
Offer	Transmission Fluid Service $35 off leads. Alignment and brake fluid still available at $99.95 and $149.95.

November Stop Short, and Winter Prep launches

Monthly topic / two campaigns run at once

Stop Short, and the Winter Prep Package launch

Rule the Road closes on brake fluid at $149.95. It is the safety critical one and the logic speaks for itself. Brake fluid absorbs moisture, moisture means a softer pedal and a longer stop, and fall rain and the first icy mornings make stopping distance immediate. No fear framing needed.

Winter Prep launches the same month and the tone shifts deliberately from take control to get ahead of the cold. Wiper blades lead because they are the lowest friction yes in the lineup. Two campaigns, separate sends, separate creative. Do not blend them.

Layer	What it does with the topic
Longform, the source	Stopping distance, and what winter tests first. Published November 2. Carries both campaigns, with the Veterans Day section in the middle rather than the end.
Video, 4 reels and 4 tips	Brake fluid and stopping distance, wiper blades and visibility, Aaron on veteran owned, and the year in review.
Graphic, 4 carousels	Stopping power, what veteran owned means here, the Winter Prep lineup, and Black Friday.
Direct, 4 emails, 3 texts, 1 mailer	Heaviest send month of the quarter and the only one. Control close, Winter Prep launch, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving travel, Black Friday. Mailer two drops November 2.
Web, 3 pages and 1 reserved slot	Oil change and alignment money pages, the winter readiness guide, and one slot held for the index test.
Paid, Starr with Ryze	Two offers in separate campaigns. Retargeting on specials page visitors goes live November 20.
Offers	Control: Brake Fluid Service $149.95. Winter Prep: wiper blades $5 off a pair of in-stock Bosch, Starting and Charging System Test $49.95, Coolant Flush $179.95 in-stock fluid only.

Two fine print rules that cannot be skipped

The coolant disclaimer runs everywhere the $179.95 appears. In-stock antifreeze or coolant only, OEM or specialty coolant may cost more. Caption line or on-image footnote, both work, but it has to be on the surface showing the price.
The Starting and Charging Test is sold on what is included, not the number. Battery test, starter test, alternator load test, terminal cleaning, tie-down cleaning. At $49.95 that reads as a full preventive service. Stated as a price alone it reads as a check.

The rule that governs every session

One filming day a month

Everything is shot on content day, the first Tuesday. One session, the whole month, plus the first week of the month after so nothing has to be filmed the morning it posts.

The order that makes it work is blog first, then content day films the breakdown, then the rest of the month is posting rather than producing. If the blog slips, content day has no spine and the month gets invented week by week.

The monthly anchor

Content day is the first Tuesday of every month

September 1, October 6, November 3. The brief is published on the 25th of the prior month, then content day is where it gets walked end to end. On camera assignments confirmed, the full shot list worked top to bottom, everything that does not require filming batched and assembled, and the month locked.

The shop gives up one morning a month and gets it back in not being interrupted every week. Anything not decided on content day gets decided in a hallway three weeks later, which is how months drift.

BRIEF PUBLISHED THE 25TH · CONTENT DAY THE FIRST TUESDAY · MONTH LOCKED THAT AFTERNOON

Prep the shop does before content day Nothing here exists unless someone saves it

This is the part that decides whether the day works. Half these shots need a part that gets thrown away on a normal Tuesday. Send this list to the shop the Friday before, every month.

A worn tire with visible uneven or feathered wear. Set it aside, do not let it go out with the scrap. This is the proof shot for the entire Rule the Road campaign.
A dark brake fluid sample and a clean one in two clear containers.
Old transmission fluid and new, same setup. Needed for October, filmed now.
A vehicle booked for an alignment that morning, so the rack is genuinely in use rather than staged.
A cracked wiper blade, and a pair of Bosch blades still in the box. Needed for November.
A corroded battery terminal if one comes through that week. Needed for the Winter Prep launch.
Clean TRC shirts on whoever is on camera, and the shot zones tidied. No competitor branding in frame, including on a customer vehicle.

September shot list 46 shots, 9 setups, one morning

Work it top to bottom. The order is by setup, not by post date, because moving the vehicle and changing location is what costs the time. Two takes minimum on every spoken line, three on the opening line. Every demonstration gets filmed twice, once wide and once tight.

Setup 01 / Alignment rackTechnician on camera

The lead service this month and the one with no existing footage. Everything here is new.

No	Shot and angle	Feeds
1.1	Vehicle driving onto the rackWide, low, from the front so the car comes at camera	Reel, what summer did to your car
1.2	Technician attaching alignment headsMedium, side on, hands and wheel in frame	Reel and B roll bank
1.3	Alignment head clamped on the wheelTight, shallow depth	B roll, all alignment pieces
1.4	The alignment readout on screenOver the shoulder, screen legible	Reel, what summer did to your car
1.5	Readout numbers, out of specMacro, screen fills frame	Reel and carousel still
1.6	Front tire straight on, wheel turned slightlyLow angle, ground level	Tip, three ways to tell
1.7	Hand on the tie rod making the adjustmentTight, hands only	B roll bank
1.8	Open and close, talking to cameraChest up, eyes level, rack behind	Reel, what summer did to your car

Setup 02 / The worn tireNo talent, hands only

The most important five minutes of the day. Visible proof of an invisible problem.

No	Shot and angle	Feeds
2.1	Hand running across tread, inside to outsideTight, follow the hand	Tip, how to read uneven tire wear
2.2	Feathered tread edgeMacro, raking light so the wear reads	Tip and carousel
2.3	Worn tire beside a good tireWide, both in frame, same distance	Reel and carousel
2.4	Tread pattern full widthOverhead, flat on	Carousel still
2.5	Tread depth gauge in the grooveMacro, gauge numbers legible	Tip, three inspection failures

Setup 03 / Inside a vehicleTechnician on camera

Parked is fine for all of these. Nothing here requires driving.

No	Shot and angle	Feeds
3.1	Steering wheel sitting off centerPassenger seat angle, logo clearly not level	Tip, three ways to tell
3.2	Down the road over the wheelPOV from the driver seat	Reel opener option
3.3	Hands easing off the wheelTight on hands, wheel in frame	Tip, three ways to tell
3.4	Full tip, talking to cameraChest up from the passenger side	Tip, three ways to tell your alignment is off

Setup 04 / Under the hoodTechnician on camera

One vehicle, hood up, film everything here back to back before it moves.

No	Shot and angle	Feeds
4.1	Hood coming upWide, front of vehicle	B roll bank
4.2	Brake fluid reservoir and capTight, cap label legible	Tip, brake fluid
4.3	Dark sample beside clean sampleTight, both in frame, backlit if possible	Tip, brake fluid, and the lineup carousel
4.4	Full tip, talking to cameraChest up, engine bay behind	Tip, how to tell your brake fluid needs changing

Setup 05 / Bay and liftTechnician on camera

Inspection is the highest demand search term on the account. Follow the real inspection order so the hands match the words.

No	Shot and angle	Feeds
5.1	Car rising on the liftWide, low, car moving up through frame	B roll bank, every month
5.2	Wheel off, caliper and rotor visibleMedium, three quarter	Reel and November brake pieces
5.3	Brake pad thicknessMacro	November brake fluid pieces
5.4	Inspection sequence, one shot eachBrakes, headlight, tail light, plate light, horn, steering, tires, wipers, mirrors, tint. Tight on each.	Reel, NC state inspection walkthrough
5.5	Scan tool in the OBD portTight, port and connector	Tip, check engine light
5.6	Inspection walkthrough, talking to cameraMedium, moving with the tech around the car	Reel, NC state inspection walkthrough
5.7	Full tip, talking to cameraChest up, bay behind	Tip, three inspection failures
5.8	Full tip, talking to cameraChest up, scan tool in hand	Tip, what the check engine light actually means

Setup 06 / Front counterTechnician or GM on camera

Quietest spot in the building. Check for road noise before rolling.

No	Shot and angle	Feeds
6.1	Rule the Road lineup, talking to cameraChest up, counter and signage behind	Reel, steer straight shift clean stop short
6.2	Dealership contrast, talking to cameraSame framing, shift position so it does not look identical	Reel, the same work the dealership recommends
6.3	Report card on a screenOver the shoulder, screen legible	Carousel, reading your report card
6.4	Report card handed across the counterMedium, hands in frame, no faces needed	Carousel and B roll bank

Setup 07 / Transmission, for OctoberNo talent needed

October leads on this and there is no footage. Film it now or October has nothing to show.

No	Shot and angle	Feeds
7.1	Old fluid and new fluid side by sideTight, clear containers, backlit	October reel and carousel
7.2	Old fluid being pouredMacro, slow, color visible	October reel
7.3	Fluid being drawn or the pan droppedMedium, hands and tool	October B roll
7.4	Transmission dipstick, if the vehicle has oneTight	October tip

Setup 08 / Winter Prep, for NovemberNo talent needed

November launches Winter Prep alongside the Rule the Road close. Bank these now.

No	Shot and angle	Feeds
8.1	Bosch wiper blades in the boxTight, brand legible	November wiper pieces
8.2	Cracked wiper rubberMacro, raking light	November wiper pieces
8.3	Blade streaking across wet glassTight, from inside the vehicle	November wiper pieces
8.4	Battery load tester clamped onMedium, readout visible	Winter Prep, starting and charging test
8.5	Corroded terminal, then cleanedTwo matched macros, same angle	Winter Prep, terminal cleaning value story
8.6	Coolant being filledTight, fluid and funnel	December coolant flush

Setup 09 / Stills for graphics and the photo libraryTeam, where noted

Photographs, not video. Everything here uploads to the shop photo library the same day.

No	Shot and angle	Feeds
9.1	Exterior sign showing 7am to 6pmStraight on, no glare	Static, new hours
9.2	Building wide from the streetLandscape and vertical, both	Library, Google profile, web pages
9.3	Team group photoWide, everyone in TRC shirts, in front of the shop	Carousel, meet the team, Sep 23
9.4	Individual technician portraitsChest up, consistent background	Carousel and library. Names and consent required first
9.5	2026 award badge and 2026 Carfax badgeFlat, straight on	Library, replaces the 2025 versions
9.6	Hands on toolsTight, three or four variations	Library, fills every gap
9.7	Parts delivery arrivingMedium	Stories and library
9.8	Waiting room, quiet momentWide	Library and Stories

Before anyone leaves Wrap checklist

Every file uploaded to the shared folder. Footage that lives only on a phone is footage that gets lost.
Stills copied into the shop photo library, named TRC, date, subject.
One extra evergreen tip banked for the fallback shelf. The shelf holds four at all times.
Set aside the worn tire, the fluid samples, and the wiper blade for next month if they are still usable.
Walk the shot list and mark anything missed. A gap found today is a ten minute fix. A gap found next week waits thirty days.

Six rules for every shoot Read once

Vertical, always. Never turn the phone sideways, not for one shot.
Engine off, compressor off. No impact wrench running in the building. Audio is what kills shop video and it cannot be fixed later.
Face the light. Open bay door light is the best light in the shop. Never put the door behind the person.
Hands in frame on anything being demonstrated. The hands are the proof.
Two takes per line, three on the first. The opening second decides whether anyone sees the rest.
Clean TRC shirt, no other logos in frame, including on a customer vehicle.

FILES: TRC_YYYY-MM-DD_TYPE_TOPIC · UPLOAD BEFORE LEAVING THE SHOP

Fallback bank Four on the shelf at all times

Filmed in advance, seasonally neutral, ready to publish with no context. Not filler. Good pieces held in reserve, and the only thing making them fallbacks is that they are not tied to a date.

Tire pressure, and why the door number is not the tire number.
Checking your oil properly, including where to park.
Common dashboard lights, and which two mean stop driving now.
Replacing a wiper blade in two minutes.

Restocking rule. Any time a fallback is used, the next Tuesday block films a replacement. The shelf never drops below four.

Asset library

Every shop photo lives in one place

Anyone who needs an image for a post, a flyer, a page, a proposal, or a print piece pulls it from here. No asking, no waiting, no rebuilding a folder that already exists.

Open the shop photo library

Rules for using these Applies to every channel

Real photos only

Everything in the library was taken at this shop, on these vehicles, by these people. No stock imagery, no generated images, and never a generated person representing this team. The reason the photography works is that it is verifiably real, and one obviously fake image undoes that across the whole account.

Permission

No customer face and no customer vehicle goes public without permission. A license plate in frame gets cropped or blurred. A technician who has not agreed to be on camera does not appear in a post, even in the background.

Competitor branding

Check the frame before it ships. A parts box, a customer vehicle badge, or a supplier banner in the background is easy to miss and impossible to unpublish.

Red is an accent

When a photo carries type over it, red is one word, one button, one keyline, or one badge. Never a fill behind body copy and never a background.

What the library should hold Add to it every content day

Set	What it covers	Status
Exterior and signage	Building, sign with the 7am to 6pm hours, street view, the bays open.	Aaron sent updated sign photos
The team	Group photo wide, individual technicians, hands at work. Needed for the September 23 carousel.	Names and consent pending
Badges and credentials	2026 award badge, 2026 Carfax badge, ASE marks. The 2026 versions replace 2025 everywhere.	Aaron sent to Teresa
Alignment	Vehicle on the alignment rack, readout on screen, hand on a tie rod, tight uneven tire wear.	Shoot on September content day
Transmission	Old and new fluid side by side, fluid being drawn.	Shoot on September content day, needed for October
Brakes	Pads and rotors on the bench, wheel off with caliper visible, brake fluid reservoir.	Shoot on September content day, needed for November
Winter Prep	Bosch wiper blades in the box, battery load tester on a battery, coolant being filled.	Shoot by October content day
Report card	The scored report on a screen, a customer looking at it, a printed copy being handed over.	Runs through every month
B roll stills	Tools, torque wrench, a car rising on the lift, the parts delivery, the board in the morning.	Ongoing

Naming and filing So the library stays usable

File name format is TRC, date, subject. For example TRC_2026-09-01_alignment-rack.

Everything from a content day uploads before anyone leaves the shop. Photos that live only on a phone are photos that get lost, and the whole point of a library is that nobody has to ask.

Anything Aaron sends to Teresa gets copied here the same week. Brand assets that live in a vendor folder are assets TRC does not control.