Face to face communications are effective. So use video to meet more people
In the digital age, there is a tool for every phase of the sales funnel — including closing.
But the truth is that a face to face conversation is still the most important part of new and used vehicle sales — in particular closing.
Fortunately, those same digital tools that are turning many car shoppers away from crucial face time in the showroom can be used to put people together as well. One of the most obvious — and least properly utilized — is online video.
But before we approach your online video strategy, let’s jump forward to that moment when potential customers stroll into your facility and why it’s so important.
Recent research indicates that 60 per cent of buyers leave car dealerships satisfied and view most dealerships as trustworthy. Even better, younger buyers are far more likely to feel that way than older ones. Pretty great huh? Well, now the bad news.
Of the 75 per cent of buyers who visit a showroom during a purchase window, a third come and go without talking to a single person. And that number is highest amongst — you guessed it — younger consumers. Not so great huh?
So, with the future of your business in mind, the goal is: get customers into the showroom — once they’re in the showroom — talk to someone. In particular, younger buyers.
Let’s start with getting someone in the showroom. It’s no surprise that most buyers do their research online through third party sites. By the time they walk into a showroom, they already know what marque and model they want.
So, put aside what you can’t change — the influence of the Internet more broadly in auto sales. Dig into the things you can change like getting a buyer interested in your OEM into your showroom to talk to one of your people.
Of the 75 per cent of buyers who visit a showroom during a purchase window, a third come and go without talking to a single person. And that number is highest amongst — you guessed it — younger consumers.
People are much more likely to engage with people they already recognize. Most people would never approach a stranger, but almost everyone will approach a celebrity. Psychologists term this a para-social interaction — a relationship established on the illusion of a face-to-face relationship with a media figure or performer.
Put simply, when we see someone in video, billions of years of evolution tell us to look at their social cues, expressions and way of moving in order to asses their trustworthiness.
Given the recent development of video, we can’t tell the difference between video and real life. So our perception of that experience is that despite just seeing them on video, we think we know them.
And the completion of the loop is that we think they know us. And what is the key element to making any sale? That’s right — the buyer thinking the seller understands them and is empathetic to their needs.
So, how do you get a first time visitor to your facility to speak to someone? Have a para-social relationship in place with them before they even walk in the door. Yes, you read that correctly. No, you don’t need a ouija board to do it. What you do need is a simple online video strategy:
- Know your audience: Who is in your catchment (or beyond) who might be interested? What topics are your facility or your OEM particularly strong on?
- Know your staff: Use staff who are going to be around for a while, who present well on camera and who have special skills (languages, finance etc…) that might be of interest to a segment of your potential customer base.
- Have a point: Nothing is worse than a rambling conversation. Except a wandering video. Keep it short (under two minutes), write a script before you shoot and make sure you actually say something.
- Know your content: If you are showcasing used vehicles, ensure you have the correct information about each one. Write down specifics on cue cards and read off them during shooting if necessary.
- Know your tools. If you are an Apple facility, iMovie is simple and you already own it. For more advanced users, try Final Cut Pro.The Apple Store in your area runs free workshops. Find out when they are and send someone to attend. If you have a Windows facility, Adobe Premier Elements is an excellent, intuitive choice.
- Introduce customers to the space as much as the person: A “walk and talk” approach is a good way to get viewers comfortable with your facility.
- Done is better than perfect — You don’t have to be Spielberg. If you keep it short and to the point you shouldn’t have to do much editing — but having intro and closing graphics does help. And remember to keep doing it. One video every six months isn’t enough. Get something up every week.
- Have fun. If your facility looks like a great place to be, it also looks like a great place to buy a vehicle.
