Reel Leads: How Video Can Help You Market Your Dealership

One day, probably in the near future, we’ll connect USB cords into a slot on the back of our neck and intake copious amounts of information in a matter of moments. The only thing at risk is filling  our minds with too much knowledge and our heads exploding, like one of Gallagher’s watermelons (sorry for the dark mental image, it’s Monday morning and I’ve got a long week ahead of me). In the meantime, we’re forced to find as many different methods of learning as possible within a short time frame. Sort of like when I went to the “How to Make an Impact with Video” seminar put on by Margaux McWatt of local video production company Modern Muse Media. Attempting to condense their 30 hour video training program into 1 hour might’ve proved impossible, but hey, the Mission Impossible movies make Tom Cruise look like an ordinary sized person so my motto is never say never. And while we certainly had to skip a good portion of the actual —you know— filming and editing, I still walked away learning about the importance of video content on social media.

Take 1

Let’s be honest here, some of you don’t understand social media and that’s okay. Me myself, I stand on the precipice of the modern digital age. If it weren’t for diligently researching current trends I’d probably fall by the wayside, complaining about kids “and their damn social media” before reminiscing on those fuzzy white tracking lines that appeared on my VHS tapes as they corroded away. The fact is, not only is social media here to stay but, videos on social media are quickly becoming the dominant method of how we consume information. Fake news, you say! You want numbers to back up these so-called facts? Well okay then, Margaux shared some numbers that the good folks at Forbes have corroborated (in case you don’t trust my note-taking abilities):

• 55% of people watch videos online. Every. Day.
• 90% of users are influenced by product videos.
• Social videos generate 1200% more shares than text, and images combined.

Here, I’ll even include a stat for the dinosaurs like myself:

• 59% of senior executives agree that given the choice between text, and video, video wins out.

So combine those numbers with the knowledge that YouTube is the second largest search engine out there, and that by 2020 videos will account for 80% of consumer traffic online, even a change fearing-dinosaur like myself knows that this is an area you must target.

Now you’re wondering, how do I harness this amazing platform? What do I do to gather up all these amazing leads? Well, let’s look at some of top video types, and see if they don’t get those creative juices a-flowin’.

Take 2

1) Tutorials and how-to’s:

Whether you look up to him as some sort of new age guru, the Warren Buffett of the web, or a loud-and-foul mouthed example of what’s wrong with “kids these days”, Gary Vee is an excellent example of someone who has harnessed the power of video. If you’re looking for a framework to build off of, Gary’s YouTube channel can certainly provide not only content ideas, but organizational ones as well. Take a page out of the Gary Vee playbook and share tutorials that will make your current customers happy, and show prospective customers about the value your dealership provides.

2) Educational videos:

Along the lines of tutorials, educational videos are ranking gold. We’ve really been hammering the point home lately, but people tend to search in questions. Combined with the knowledge of how many people watch videos, and the fact that even the older generations prefer videos over text, you can entrench yourself at the top of Google with simple videos that educate your customers.

3) Product Reviews:

Product reviews are huge when it comes to influencing consumers. Harness the power of influencers, or just your experienced and trusted sales staff. Just remember to be honest and authentic—otherwise it’ll come off as just some slick sales pitch with added production value which, while that’s sort of what it is, is the bane of the millennial’s existence.

4) Stories and portraits:

Humanize your dealership with videos about your staff. If the biggest concern of the modern car buyer is getting taken by some snake oil salesman for a car shaped-magic bean, prove them wrong. Show them about the fun you have at work, about your staff and their interests, about anything that will connect on a personal level (remember that bit above about being honest and authentic?). Also, don’t be afraid to get a testimonial from your customers. We’ve seen enough awkward photos of you handing over a set of keys to the Smith family! Let’s hear what mom and dad, and their precocious little children have to say about their new minivan.

These are just a sampling of the popular video types that we believe could help your dealership. As long as it doesn’t hurt your brand, and stays consistent with your brand voice, feel free to create whatever type of video content you like. Parodies and sketch comedy videos, for example, are the most shared types of videos. Not only are they entertaining, but you could even shoehorn a little something educational in them as well (I mean, you’re learning something reading this blog, aren’t you?).

Take 3

We’ve got a few more tips for you, before you break out your old camcorder and start filming:

• Put away the camcorder—but don’t go out and buy a ton of new equipment. Someone will have the newest iPhone, and Quik app is an excellent and easy to use tool for editing.
• Be mindful of what platform you are filming for, and film accordingly. Your camera should be horizontal for your Facebook and Instagram videos, and horizontal for YouTube.
• Be consistent. Start off slow, and keep the content rolling out regularly. Don’t shoot four videos the first week and then one video over the next four. But if you are consistently producing content, don’t be afraid to invest in some better equipment.
• Remember that every video you post is essentially another chapter in your brand’s story. So stay consistent to your brand voice and understand that, in the buyer’s journey, they’re the hero of their story. You, and your content, is there to help guide the buyer from their couch to your dealership. You’re the Yoda to their Luke, the Seven Dwarves to their Snow White. Which leads us to the final question you should ask yourself…

Are you creating value? Because if you create value for your customers, you are far more likely to create conversions. Videos, like anything else, are a marketing tool—and tools are only as good as those wielding them. But given the massive growth of video consumption, and the fact that it doesn’t appear to be slowing down whatsoever, video is a tool you will want to master. If you have any questions about creating videos, or just want to commiserate on how kids these days will never know the pain of sitting down to watch a VHS that hadn’t been rewound, feel free to email me.