Video marketing has skyrocketed in the auto industry, and while many dealerships have robust programs in place, others have been slower to adapt. In other cases dealers have tried video marketing with varying degrees of success.
One problem is common misconceptions about video marketing prevent some dealers from trying, and benefiting from, the advantages that video marketing delivers. Have you ever heard these misconceptions, outlined in an article in AutoSuccessOnline by Tim James, COO of FlickFusion Marketing?
Misconception #1: It’s Too Expensive
Some dealerships feel that video is too expensive because they incorporate a “single purpose” video strategy. This is when you purchase multiple video “types” from multiple video providers in order to have the right video content for various campaigns on different touch points.
With this strategy, you end up purchasing video content with a single purpose and an expiration date, while a multi-purpose video strategy would be much more cost effective and you could repurpose video content across multiple touch points and marketing campaigns, with no expiration date. This makes video content very affordable — especially when you consider the increased engagement and conversion that video delivers.
Misconception #2: Video Takes Too Much Time
Video marketing doesn’t have to be time-consuming. For inventory videos, data proves that even the old, stitched-photo video slideshows are better than having no video at all.
If you want full-motion inventory videos, most lot-service companies now shoot videos in addition to taking photos. If you’re DIY, it’s easy to shoot a video and then extract the photos you need from that video. You can even upload video footage from your phone to a platform where the video production process is completed automatically.
Today, even your value proposition, customer testimonial and FAQ videos can be auto-generated, requiring little time and cost.
Misconception #3: Video Requires Creativity and Expertise I Don’t Have
We live in a video world. I bet that you have several people on your team who have mad video skills and could generate some creative content for you if given the opportunity. Start with your staff (or their friends/family) and see what kind of creativity you have at your fingertips. Have a contest and offer a small prize.
If you don’t have anyone on your team who has the time or interest in learning how to create videos, it’s worth it to hire a local video production company or one that specializes in the automotive industry. Your videos will be professional, polished and you’ll be able to get a lot of mileage out of them.
Make the most of it by producing several videos at once. Have the experts create videos in each of the following categories:
- Value proposition/why buy
- Service “how to”
- Customer testimonial/happy customer
- Staff introduction/get to know
- Thank you/birthday/anniversary
- Finance/education videos
For more information on using video at your dealership, please reach out to Doug Thompson at VehiclesTEST.com (954-629-2242), or visit his calendar to set up a demo with him.
