Rob McClurkin, General Sales Manager at Germain Honda of Beavercreek, has been leveraging video at his Dayton, Ohio dealership for over two years.

Being a manager in Ohio’s competitive market of almost one-thousand dealerships means you’re laser-focused on the tools and techniques that work.

So, here’s what Rob had to say about using video and why his customers love it.

Uses & Process

We use video for the initial customer contact and introduction, and then for a vehicle walkaround. We send walkarounds to show the vehicle and its features, and how to use everything. We also use video for our Day Campaigns, asking the customer if they are still shopping for a vehicle.

So, the average internet lead ends up with no less than three videos.

Using video via email and text is an expectation here. It’s embedded so deep in our process that if you chose not to do it, then you choose not to receive the leads. That’s how important it is.

Customer Reaction

The first thing we noticed after implementing video was the response. That’s where it made a difference for us – the fact that people were saying thank you for the video and response time, and that it’s what moved them to purchase. It works best when the response time is immediate, they can see the car they’re interested in immediately. How much the clients appreciated the walkaround video is the first thing we noticed.

80% of our customers, whether they buy or not, say thank you for the video.

It’s not always about buying, but that they engage with us and remember us as a dealership that takes that extra step for them.

Communication Is Different Now

In this day and age consumers have an expectation for what they expect us to provide. The internet lead often wants to remain anonymous, and video provides that comfort in communicating with us. A customer that may have taken 5 days to close or come in? They’re now closing sooner because they’ve already seen the car.

It’s the way our clients are asking us to do business now.

Trust and transparency are also two very important things video offers. Customers can see there are no games or gimmicks, and that creates a lot of trust.

Germain Automotive has 15 dealerships in Michigan, Ohio and Florida, selling about 25,000 new and used vehicles a year.

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