Flick Fusion Video Marketing
Build Your F&I Revenue Through Video
Dealers are increasingly adopting video in order to engage customers and win sales. Well, how about adopting this strategy in the F&I department as well?
As front-end margins decrease, many dealerships are placing more emphasis on F&I to make revenue. With digital retailing on the rise and customers shopping from home rather than in the showroom, how does a finance department sell F&I products in the absence of the dealer?
Going under the assumption that home delivery means that the entire deal has already been done as the paperwork must be printed in advance, dealerships are probably finding it difficult to present finance products in the most convincing way.
And that is where video comes in.
Most companies that offer various F&I products have product videos available for your use. The first step to increasing your F&I profit is to package these videos along with your dealership’s value proposition (Why Buy) videos, testimonial videos, and other finance FAQ videos on your website where they are easy for the consumer to find. Consumers know these “upsell” product offers are coming. Provide them with the opportunity to educate themselves on the various products higher in the buying cycle.
The next step is to strategically re-introduce these videos to the consumer as they continue through the buying cycle. After you have used “video messages” when following up with inquiries (leads) and setting appointments, include these F&I videos in the “video experience” that you send to your leads to confirm appointments.
This provides the shopper with another opportunity to view the various F&I videos, and, with the right software, you can enjoy real-time reporting on the exact video content they view. When your shopper shows up for their appointment, you have insight into all the F&I videos they have watched (or haven’t watched). You know if they watched videos about purchasing with bad credit, lease vs. purchase, the impact of a divorce or bankruptcy, and all the extended warranty and other F&I product videos that you offer. Armed with this information, your team can provide a significantly better experience for each consumer, while helping them with any questions they may be afraid to ask. Both your profits and CSI Scores go up.
For the best results, I would suggest having the finance manager make multiple videos of products on an individual basis. This personalization will increase the informational and emotional value of your videos and reward you with an even larger success ratio.
For example, your finance manager could create a video explaining why paint & fabric protection is a worthwhile investment for the consumer. Then another video explaining wheel and tire protection. Then continue to create short videos “selling” products as if the customer is sitting right in front of them. In addition, you could also create a short video with the finance manager summarizing all of the finance products.
Regardless of if you use stock product videos, or your own personalized videos, be certain to include some testimonial videos for each product. Consumers constantly hear how they don’t need the various “upsell” products. Let them hear a few success stories from other consumers who found the product valuable.
As the finance manager is the correct person to explain and adjust payments based on product and accessory choices, it is important for them to have that engagement and to have these product videos handy should the customer prefer to do everything online. The finance manager can then engage the customer with video via email or even live over a “one-click” video call, whatever the customer’s communication preference may be, while the vehicle paperwork is being created and sent to the customer.
Video can be used in every department to increase brand loyalty, vehicle sales, F&I product sales and service revenue. It is a highly effective tool that should be added to your marketing toolbox. However, to truly maximize the benefit of your videos, utilize your video content across multiple touchpoints as an end-to-end video marketing strategy that combines video content with video data. Then you will realize the true value of video.
Flick Fusion Video Marketing
Flick Fusion Adds New Features to StreaMe Live Video Calling Application
Personal URL Links and Conferencing Features are Designed to Boost Customer Response Rates and Close More Sales
Urbandale, IA—March 23, 2021—Two new features in Flick Fusion’s StreaMe live video calling application are designed to boost customer response rates, increase the number of customer conversations and make it easier for sales and service teams to close more sales.
“StreaMe is quickly becoming the auto industry’s preferred app for video calls, because it utilizes WebRTC technology that enables any person on any device to instantly connect live with dealership employees,” said Tim James, COO of FlickFusion. “Based on customer feedback, we’ve added these new features to further enhance the app’s ability to engage and connect with more customers.”
With StreaMe, a car shopper can easily initiate a live video call right from the dealer’s website or Vehicles Details Pages (VDPs), simply by clicking on an embedded video call button. The customer is instantly connected with a dealership team member in a round robin system, regardless of the device or platform the customer is calling on, and no special apps or downloads are required.
The first new feature in StreaMe allows dealership employees to text or email customers a personal URL link that can be used to initiate a live video call with the employee who sent the link. When the customer clicks on the URL link, a one-way video call is instantly established, where the customer can see and hear the employee but the employee can only hear the customer. If the customer desires a two-way call, they can easily activate their camera so that both parties are live streaming their video. The ability to text and email customers a personal URL link increases response rates while ensuring your sales and service staff that their customers and leads won’t engage with someone else at the dealership who isn’t familiar with them. The personal URL also allows for more detailed tracking of each individual who has been sent the link.
The second new feature in StreaMe is a conferencing feature that allows dealership employees to add a third person to an active video call. This feature will be helpful in many cases when additional expertise or an approval is needed. For example, let’s say a customer video calls a salesperson and asks for a video vehicle walkaround. After the vehicle walkaround is finished, the customer asks for a trade-in appraisal. The salesperson can instantly add the used car manager to the video call while the customer does a vehicle walkaround on their own vehicle, so an estimate can immediately be provided.
In the service department, when an advisor sends a service recommendation to a customer, that customer often has questions or needs visual proof to feel comfortable approving the repair. With StreaMe’s new features, the service advisor can first text the customer a URL link and ask them to establish a live video call at their convenience. When the customer calls, the service advisor can add the technician to the call to explain the repair or show the worn part, thus increasing service recommendation approvals.
“I predict the conferencing feature will be the greatest feature you’ll never use,” said James. “I know that sounds strange, but the main reason most additional repairs aren’t authorized is that the consumer doesn’t understand what the repair is or why it is needed. They think you are just trying to squeeze some extra money out them. Offering the consumer the opportunity to Live Stream with their mechanic first hand, see why the repair is needed, and ask any questions that they have demonstrates complete trust and transparency. In many cases the service customer will just go ahead and authorize the additional repairs without taking you up on your offer to Live Stream, just because your team has the confidence to offer the customer this level of visibility. That is why it’s the greatest feature you’ll never use.”
Additionally, with CRM integration, all StreaMe video calls can be captured and stored in a dealership’s CRM, eliminating any "he said, she said" scenarios, and providing sales and training managers with access to every video call exchange.
To see a short demo of StreaMe, click here.
To learn more, contact sales@flickfusion.com or call 515-333-4337.
FlickFusion offers a full-solution video hosting, marketing and distribution platform to automotive and other inventory-based industries. The platform delivers automated, integrated and rule/behavior-based, including geo-targeted, video content in real-time, across multiple touchpoints and throughout the entire purchase cycle.
FlickFusion makes it easy for dealers to create desktop and mobile-friendly vehicle inventory videos, video email and customer engagement videos such as testimonials, service department overviews and more. Videos are proven to capture more buyers' attention, advance organic SEO rankings, generate leads and increase conversion rates. The FlickFusion system builds emotional value and customer loyalty for more than 3,500 brands and preferred partners.
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Flick Fusion Video Marketing
Keeping with the Times is Essential in Video Marketing
Video marketing in the automotive industry is very dynamic, which makes it essential to keep your videos relevant and sensitive to your market.
During this pandemic, video has proven to be a tremendous tool for communicating with customers and potential customers, helping to gain their trust and create more impact in every stage of the sales funnel.
Here are a few video strategies that I have found to be successful in many dealerships. They are simple, produce great results, and best of all, take little effort on the part of your dealership.
Service – Most dealerships have processes in place to sanitize their customers’ vehicles after repairs and/or maintenance are completed. Consider making a video illustrating the steps from start to finish so customers can actually SEE what you are doing, rather than try to find it in print.
Does your service department offer vehicle pickup and delivery? Show your customers! Make a video showing a driver picking up the vehicle and then returning it. If there is a loaner car involved, show not only the actual process as it happens but also the customer’s vehicle (and loaner) being sanitized, all the way up to returning the serviced vehicle to the customer.
Do you offer touchless payment options? Can the customer pay online before coming into the store? Be sure to include those features in your video to make your dealership stand out from the competition.
Sales – Most states currently allow dealerships to present and sell cars to customers both online and in store. If a customer wants to come in and kick tires, test drive or make the transaction in person, make a video illustrating what they should expect, along with the safety precautions that your dealerships take for this type of sale. This can easily be done using a salesperson along with another dealership employee acting as the customer. In this way, your dealership will not need to get permission from customers to be filmed.
If your dealership offers to deliver vehicles to the customer's location for a test drive and delivery of the purchased vehicle, make a video illustrating this process from start to finish. This can help build trust both before and after the transaction.
I see a lot of dealerships starting to shoot great content like I’ve mentioned, but then only post their videos on YouTube or Facebook. Video is an incredibly valuable tool, but to truly maximize your ROI you must have a strategy that gets your videos in front of your audience at the right time of the buying cycle (where it will have the biggest impact). The best way to make it work is to present the videos where your customers will see them.
Your video experience should live on your website, and it should be as easy as possible for a shopper to find. Put your videos in the places where you know your site visitors will be looking since buyers won’t go out of their way during the buying cycle to view your content. To capitalize on the impact video can bring use these videos in a variety of ways:
- Put value proposition & testimonial videos on the same page as inventory videos so consumers get to see not only how great your inventory is, but how great it would be to do business with you. The majority of consumers are looking for a dealership that they can trust, every bit as much as they are a vehicle to purchase. Don’t make them search your site to learn why you are that dealership, put it in front of them where you know they will be looking.
- Send video emails with a landing page featuring a vehicle a customer is interested in, while also giving them the option to watch several other videos that feature your inventory, value proposition & testimonials videos. Even include your personal introduction videos, all without having to leave the page.
- Build a trust relationship between your sales team and customers by having them send picture-in-picture videos of a vehicle a customer showed interest in, explaining the vehicle in more detail, and letting the customer know that your salesperson is a trusted resource throughout their buying process. Be sure to include this video content on the landing page experience that I just mentioned. The possibilities are endless when you utilize video to give your consumers the best experience possible.
We are currently living in an interesting time. People have many different viewpoints when it comes to the pandemic. The most important thing is to put your videos where your customers will see them, showing your customers (as well as potential customers) that you care, are trustworthy, and that your dealership is a place where they can feel safe and comfortable. These emotions are what will make a consumer choose you over the competition, and keep your current customers coming back again and again. The single most effective way to build these feelings and connections? Video.
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Flick Fusion Video Marketing
FlickFusion Releases Chrome Extension, Making it Easy for Dealers to Send Video Links
Urbandale, IA—March 10, 2021— FlickFusion has released a Chrome extension for Google Chrome that provides a place for dealers to store and access links to video landing pages. The Chrome extension makes it easy for dealers to send customers links to video landing pages, simply by copying and pasting the URL or HTML links into emails, chat boxes or text messages.
“The process of sending a video or link to a video landing page through a CRM can be cumbersome and involve several steps, depending on the CRM,” said Tim James, COO of FlickFusion. “Our Chrome extension allows anyone in the dealership to instantly access their library of videos that may feature personalized lead follow up videos, inventory videos, value proposition videos, model review videos, monthly promotional videos, testimonial and other types of videos.”
Once the Chrome extension is downloaded and installed, all a user has to do is sign in with their dealership’s FlickFusion credentials. Clicking on the extension opens up a library of each user’s stored videos. The extension is designed so that salespeople, service employees and BDC staff can easily search for, find and clip a descriptive video thumbnail to their video, which will display on their designated video landing page when engaged.
Sharing videos with customers during the sales and service process is an effective way to increase lead engagement and response rates, but not all CRMs make the process easy. Often, videos are made for different purposes and hosted in different places. This makes it time consuming for the staff to search for the right video, and provides an inconsistent experience for both the salesperson and the consumer based on the device (mobile or desktop) and delivery method (email or text). Some CRMs even require the use of YouTube URL links, which not only makes it impossible to send video landing pages to customers, but delivers the consumer to YouTube where they may find similar video content from the dealership’s competitors.
The value of utilizing video landing pages is that this allows dealerships to feature several videos on the same page, along with their dealership branding, calls to action and a lead form. Landing pages encourage prospects to view more videos without having to search for them. This allows the salesperson to include personal introduction videos, value proposition, and even testimonial videos all in the same presentation. This builds significantly more trust higher in the buying cycle, and increases lead conversion rates.
“Videos are a powerful engagement tool but they are underutilized in customer communications, simply because it’s too difficult and time consuming to send a video,” said James. “This Chrome extension allows users to instantly find and drop any video thumbnail into a chat conversation, text message or email.”
To learn more, contact sales@flickfusion.com or call 515-333-4337.
About FlickFusion
FlickFusion offers a full-solution video hosting, marketing and distribution platform to automotive and other inventory-based industries. The platform delivers automated, integrated and rule/behavior-based, including geo-targeted, video content in real-time, across multiple touchpoints and throughout the entire purchase cycle.
FlickFusion makes it easy for dealers to create desktop and mobile-friendly vehicle inventory videos, video email and customer engagement videos such as testimonials, service department overviews and more. Videos are proven to capture more buyers' attention, advance organic SEO rankings, generate leads and increase conversion rates. The FlickFusion system builds emotional value and customer loyalty for more than 3,500 brands and preferred partners.
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Flick Fusion Video Marketing
How Do Consumers Use Video In the Buying Process?
Dealerships sell more than just vehicles. They also sell accessories, parts, and swag. Consumers may not be interested in these other items at the time of purchase (or may not have been presented with any of these options). However, once they get home, or at some point decide they want to get their windows tinted, a bed liner for their truck, or need to upgrade a part on their vehicle -- Now what? Well, that is where providing an amazing video experience comes in!
An article on MultiBriefs.com shares that there are three key stages where video is extraordinarily powerful in the buying process -- no matter what a consumer wants to buy.
The three stages are Awareness, Consideration, and Decision, and they work as follows:
- 1. Awareness: When a consumer decides they want to purchase any product, most go online and research it. This is when a video experience shines. Whether it be describing the benefits of this year’s newest model, or an educational video on the best bed-liners for their new truck, followed by testimonial videos to back up the claims, video will get the most information to a consumer in the most emotional way possible. By utilizing video high in the buying cycle, dealerships can present themselves as a guide for their customers, building trust and showing a shopper they are a resource to help throughout the car purchasing process.
But a curated video experience does so much more than just give the shopper the most information about inventory possible; it also gives the dealership the most information about a shopper possible. When a dealership gets a notification that a returning customer is looking at accessories, they know it is probably for a new vehicle and can target them with value proposition videos.
A customer is looking at parts and repairs? Target them with specials, lease offers, and new model test drive videos that show why the consumer needs to ditch their worn-out vehicle and get into something safer, more reliable. Providing this experience puts the dealership a cut above the competition.
- 2. Consideration: Now that a consumer has decided they need or want one or more of these things (including parts), they then start looking where to buy them. My advice is to be that resource by providing explainer videos about the benefits of buying those items and getting them installed at your dealership. Many consumers find other retailers online or, even worse, a competing dealership where they purchase and have these items installed.
Use your explainer videos to clearly illustrate to customers the benefits of conducting the transaction at your dealership. This could include facts such as your dealership will know exactly what the consumer needs based on the make and model of the vehicle, and that installation at the dealership is done by factory-trained technicians rather than the independent down the street.
- 3. Decision - The consumer has now moved down the funnel and is ready to purchase. In this stage, videos such as customer testimonials, FAQs, and personalized video communication can convince a customer to choose your dealership rather than the competition. Customer testimonial videos are powerful. Most dealerships focus on testimonials in sales but having them in parts, accessories and service can be just as powerful when it comes to gaining trust and establishing rapport.
FAQ videos can be used to answer common questions about products, such as “How long will it take to get the bed liner?” “How long will it take to install?” “Will I be out of my vehicle for a day or two?” -- You get the point. By providing this information upfront via video, you end up with an educated customer and no longer need to explain these things to the customer. The easy way to figure out which questions to focus on when making these videos is to simply ask your service or parts department about the most common questions they get from customers. Then make videos answering those questions.
Finally, personalized video emails and texts help establish your sales team and dealership as a trusted source. People buy from people they like, and whether they are purchasing a new car or a new set of tires, video communication is the best possible way to get consumers to trust you and buy into the fact that your dealership is the best place they can go for anything they might need regarding a vehicle.
Dealerships can sell more than just cars, and they can sell everything in a more impactful way by giving their shoppers a high-quality video experience. Consider taking your video marketing strategy to the next level with your entire inventory, from cars to bike racks and repairs, by providing the best online shopping experience to your shoppers.
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Flick Fusion Video Marketing
8 Quick & Easy Video Email Marketing Best Practices to Boost your Results
Most consumers have a built-in fear of communicating with automotive sales professionals. Many of the "new age" automotive retailers are trying to play on this fear by running negative ads that make automotive dealerships (and sales professionals) look like high-pressure evil people.
When a consumer does finally reach out to your dealership, using video content in your initial communications can be your opportunity to show them that they will have a GREAT experience working with you and your dealership. People buy from people they like, and video is the best way to show your potential customers why they should like you. It can be one of the most effective ways to humanize your dealership and establish trust with shoppers.
Here are some quick tips for making the most of your video email campaigns that will increase your click-through and response rates.
1. Include the Word “Video” in the Subject Line & Avoid SPAM “Trigger Words.”
The simple act of adding “video” to an email subject line can increase open rates by 7% and can improve your click-through rate by 96%. Put it in brackets [VIDEO] at the end or beginning of your subject line to make it clear to your audience. People are more curious to see what is inside your email when it includes video and perceive the information displayed in the video to be more valuable.
In addition, the word “video” can help you avoid SPAM filters, which can be triggered for a variety of reasons, causing your email to skip recipients' inboxes and land straight in their SPAM box. By avoiding trigger words in your email subject lines, you can dramatically increase your chances of getting beyond SPAM filters.
2. Link to the Video (or video landing page)
Unfortunately, some email providers have not started using the latest technology and this can play a significant role when you select a provider. As several email clients cannot play embedded videos, it can be better to provide a link to your video or landing page, rather than embedding it in your email.
3. Place Video Below the Email Message
Adding videos into your email will boost open rates but don’t let the video distract from your main message. An engaged audience will drop what they’re doing to watch a new video, so be sure to add it at the end of the email. By so doing, consumers will read your brief message before watching the video. Keep the text message above the video brief, as the main focus of the email should be the video.
4. Do not Send an Image Only Email
Do not send an image only email, and do not say too much in your email either. Video emails that keep it short and to the point with a word count of 50 words or less receive up to a 52% higher response rate than the same video sent with a long wordy message.
5. Include a Call to Action
All forms of digital marketing should invite the audience to do something specific, especially when it comes to an unsolicited email or text. Make sure your videos in your emails offer value for the customer and include that critical CTA. The whole point of any message sent to a consumer is to lead them on the path that you want them to follow. Make sure the CTA is easy to understand and clearly directs them. Then ensure you take them where you promised.
6. Be Professional.
Include some basic best practices when taking your video. Have good lighting and a clean and pleasant space to stage your video. It is best to turn your phone to the side and capture the video in landscape mode. And be friendly and enthusiastic in the video (Smile).
7. Have a Variety of Video Content on Your Landing Page.
Now that the consumer has engaged with your email to watch your video message, this is the perfect opportunity for you to provide them with easy access to additional video content that really shows them that “YOU are the good guys,” and they can trust you. Rather than making the consumer search for “where should I buy it” content later in the buying cycle, present it to them now. Move the consumer along in YOUR buying cycle by including Value Proposition, Testimonial, a Personal Introduction, additional Inventory, Promotional, and New Model Test Drive videos on the same landing page as your initial video message. Let the shopper know that they can LIKE and TRUST both you and your dealership before they’ve even decided which vehicle they want to purchase.
8. Leverage the Shopper’s Data
A large number of consumers can disappear after your initial contact with them. How many times have you wondered what happened to that person that you just spoke to (who isn’t calling you back or answering your emails now)? Using a hosting company for your videos that offers detailed insights and data can make it easier to track your video success rates while allowing you to track the actions consumers take. Also, using the right video host can allow you to receive real-time notifications when your other video content (such as your inventory videos) are viewed by these same consumers. This gives you greater insight into which of your leads are still in the market and actively shopping on your website (or the popular marketplaces like AutoTrader, Cars.com, etc.), and provides you with a notification the second that they click to watch your inventory videos on these touch-points, allowing you to follow up with them at the most relevant time.
Video in email is no longer some gimmick. Consumers consistently state that video is their preference. Video has fast become a key factor in running more effective email campaigns. Adding video will breathe new life into your email marketing and is an engaging way to bring compelling content to shoppers, resulting in more appointments for your BDC and sales teams, more up-sell of recommended services for your service department, and higher CSI Scores across your entire store.
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Flick Fusion Video Marketing
Who You Gonna Video Call?
According to Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom, the “working-from-home” economy is likely to exist far beyond the pandemic. Employers are enjoying decreased expense in office space and increased employee productivity, while employees have more freedom with the luxury of no longer having to commute. A whopping 42 percent of U.S. employees are now working from home.
How are they able to do that? Via Video, of course.
Statistics increasingly show video as the preferred choice for consumers when it comes to media due to its viability and multiple benefits across all platforms and channels. And, during the pandemic, video has become the most used method of communication on all fronts.
Almost every company outside of essential workers is utilizing video services to efficiently continue their operations and stay in business. Video conference calls have become the norm, rather than the exception and video conferences or person-to-person video calls have exploded out of necessity.
According to Forbes, this digital pivot may become permanent – in all walks of life. Many students are having to do in-home learning and the only way some employees can continue professional development is via video. Trade shows and conferences are opting to hold virtual events First, because it is safer during a pandemic, second because it is much less expensive than in-person events, and third because viewers can choose to watch an event live, or later at a more convenient time.
Video is not going away and is certainly not losing any ground. Its popularity has exploded faster than was expected! When this pandemic eventually goes away, consumers and businesses alike will be fundamentally transformed.
As a marketing and sales tool, video will allow your team to inspire more emotion from a consumer than a text, email, or chat could ever get close to accomplishing. Think about this -- when are your sales associates at their best? When they are face-to-face with a consumer, of course. An effective video marketing strategy embraces that understanding and puts your sales associates face-to-face with the consumer, even when the consumer is still at home.
Your dealership would be wise to have a video-first marketing strategy to place you in a position of dominance over your competition who may only use video as a stopgap out of necessity.
Be sure to embrace video now more than ever to take advantage of this extreme acceleration in video adoption by consumers. This will put your dealership ahead of the game and build a sound foundation from which your dealership will benefit for decades to come.
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Flick Fusion Video Marketing
Why Hosting Videos on YouTube Is a Mistake
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Flick Fusion Video Marketing
How Video Can Increase Service Revenue
Evan Riley shares how using video can help dealers increase service recommendation acceptance in this video.
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Flick Fusion Video Marketing
Three Tips for Great Live Video Conversations with Customers
During these times, consumers are becoming more comfortable with online transactions and are much savvier about how they chose to communicate with businesses. As a result, dealers are having to utilize technologies they may not have previously embraced
Video, in and of itself, has proven to be a necessity for successful marketing for dealers. In today’s world, live video is even more important. But not everybody does it as well as they could!
A great article on Business2Community lays out some simple best practices dealerships can use while performing a live video for a prospective car buyer. These tips are great for salespeople or BDC agents who communicate with your customers.
Here are three of the top tips:
Pause! - When you are having a conversation with someone and they do all the talking – that quickly gets old, right? A one-sided conversation is not something many people enjoy which leads to the first tip in the article, Pause!
You have the customer’s attention. You have them on a live stream and, just like selling a car in person, you need to listen to their needs and wants. You have to listen to tailor that walkaround and your conversation to supply the information they requested. Listening is also how you find out what is important to them so that you can tailor your conversation to that specific customer.
It is much more effective to listen to your customers, answer their questions, and proceed to the sale than to dominate the conversation. Take a breath. Don’t worry about the uncomfortable pause. As long as the customer is still with you, you don’t need to fill the gap with conversation. They may be digesting what you have already told them and considering their next questions. If they don’t ask any questions, you can easily prompt them by saying something along the lines of, “Should I proceed with the other features I was going to show you or did you have specific things you would like to see?” -- just like you would if they were physically on your lot.
Engage – The customer didn't agree to a live video engagement because they weren't interested in the vehicle. The very reason that they are on a live video call with you is that they are VERY low funnel and in the market RIGHT NOW! Think about all the Internet leads your dealership gets and how hard it is to contact the majority of these opportunities. Here you not only have a customer that engaged with you but one that agreed (or requested) to do a live video call about a specific vehicle.
Perhaps something about the vehicle which they inquired about doesn’t suit their needs. Since you have them live, you can easily ask them if you could show them similar vehicles you have in stock and, essentially, show them multiple vehicles.
What’s the other option? The customer doesn’t like the one you showed them and disengages simply to move on to the next dealership. Don’t waste the opportunity to show them more inventory. You only need to ask them -- just like you would if they were physically on your lot.
Eye Contact – While you may not be able to see the customer, the customer can see you. If you aren’t looking into the camera while engaging, you lose the opportunity to build rapport. Most of our communication is physical. We typically read expressions and interpret answers by how someone is looking and/or physically gesturing. In a live video, the customer can see you. By making eye contact with them, it is much more personal.
How do you do that? By looking into the camera, itself. Not just at the phone. You can practice with another salesperson beforehand to get the hang of it. When you are talking to the customer, look directly into the camera. To them, it will seem as if you are talking to them rather than seeing your eyes focused elsewhere. -- just like you would if they were physically on your lot.
Bonus Tip:
Smile – There’s magic in your smile and smiling while engaging in a video call can be one of the most important strategies for success. Smiling while on the video call will not only help you relax and improve your mood and energy, it will also help the consumer relax. Remember, it’s not only “what you say,” but “how you say it” that matters. The video call is your opportunity to build a personal relationship with the consumer and get them to truly like you. We all know that people buy from people they like, and a simple smile while engaging the consumer is scientifically proven to improve your chances of being liked -- just like you would if they were physically on your lot.
Live video has never been more important in the sales world. Buying a car is a big decision for most customers, typically the second-largest purchase any consumer makes. Regardless of whether you are open for business completely, or only online, consumers are getting more comfortable with online shopping. If you are a veteran in the automotive industry, think about how different your communication strategy was in 2010 versus 2020. Now imagine how different it will be in 2030. Trust me, the next ten years are going to fly by, so make sure you stay ahead of the competition and are prepared for the acceleration and adoption of this technology by consumers. Great conversations certainly lead to more sales. And live video is a highly effective way to have great conversations with your customers.
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