Want to build your business by reaching customers through an exciting, visual medium? Videos may just be your answer. They can serve as the ideal medium to break through the clutter and help build your shop’s name and reputation in the community in a unique and visual manner.
Videos are an effective way to easily connect with an audience, with consumers being more electronically connected than ever before. So, whether you need a short clip that can be used on sites like YouTube, or a longer informational video for your website that details your shop’s services, tech certifications and expertise, consider leveraging a well-produced video to get the right message to your intended audience.
Joe Stephens, owner of Stephens Automotive, an independently owned and operated automotive repair business of Palatine, IL, did just that. Success with this venue was achieved as he proudly switched on his illuminated invitation to the community, “See us on YouTube at StephensAutomotive.” And the neighborhood responded with more than 200 views of his video in the first couple of weeks. Stephens wanted to elevate his business to “shout above the noise.” Noise? What noise? Why are we shouting?
Stephens Tells His Story
My shop has many competitors. Due to available space and city zoning restrictions, many of them are located within eyesite of each other over a stretch of a few city blocks. So what goes through your head if you’re driving down one of these commonly seen “automotive cluster avenues” with the intent to engage with one of these fine establishments? Drivers probably think that the one with the most cars in its lot or the one with the biggest sign must be the best one. Wrong! What you see isn’t always what you get.
What really lies inside of any of these shops? Do they have trained technicians? What will my service experience be like? Are they friendly? What specific types of automotive service do they provide? There are so many businesses from which to choose! Most customers take a blind stab at it or make a selection based on a referral from family or friends. But how can one obtain the “first-hand” customer experience so the decision is more fact based rather than a guess? The service shops need to “shout above the noise” to get customers’ attention and their business.
I concluded that I needed to communicate my shop’s exceptional “customer experience” via a short video. Potential clients could view the video on their home computers (and/or cell phones) and feel like they’ve visited my business before they ever step foot on the premises. This is really the most efficient way to attract first-time customers who usually make automotive service decisions based on the desire for trust and confidence. This is especially critical when similar and competing businesses are geographically located so close together or off the beaten path.
It all started about three months earlier when I contacted Scott Gibrich of Connect Pros Inc., located in the neighboring city of Hoffman Estates, IL (www.connectprosinc.com; 847-697-5678). I knew I needed to create a “customer experience” video, but wasn’t sure where to start. Scott and Connect Pros Inc. has been located in the Chicago area for about 15 years, creating small business videos primarily for websites, YouTube, DVD distribution and trade shows. I asked Scott, “Where should we start?”
Identifying Goals & Objectives
Scott and I went back to my office to compile a video checklist. He took notes as I identified areas of particular expertise that I’d like included in the video. We also met with my technical and reception staff. All along, Scott was scouting for the best angles to shoot the video to get the best-looking perspective of the operation. Lighting was also a big consideration.
Scott asked, “Who are your customers?” I explained we service all types of vehicles including consumer and commercial. I identified my most requested services and how they were performed. I also explained my service staff was ASE certified.
We quickly outlined what the customer experience looked like, which would be the theme of the video. We decided the video should tell the story of a client dropping off his/her vehicle, the service process and his/her return for pick up. It should highlight the most often-performed services. My staff and I would be the actors in this video, and everyone would get their chance to be a star!
Scott and I put together a scene-by-scene outline based on input from fellow service shop owners, including friend and “20 Group” associate Steve Louden, president of Louden Motorcar Services, Inc. in Dallas. A script was also compiled for the audio portion of the video. The next step was to start taping. Some of the video “takes” were done several times to ensure we had a variety of versions to choose from while editing. The videotaping process took about three hours.
Within a week, Scott had a video “rough draft.” With the rough draft assembled, we started polishing the product with the team’s input to create the final video. Scott returned a couple of days later to present the final video to my staff and me. Everyone at the shop was excited to see the finished product and was proud of their participation and input. The entire video ran just about four minutes. Emphasis was given to assembling the video in such a way so future updates and modifications could be implemented without overhauling the entire video.
The decision to put the video on YouTube was an exceptional way to ensure everyone could view the video, regardless of whether they watched it on a cell phone or a computer. In the next three years, 50% of all people who surf the Internet will do so from a cell phone. Many websites are not yet compatible with the different formats that cell phones use to allow users to view videos, but YouTube works on all of them. The video also appears on the homepage of the Stephens Automotive website, www.StephensAutomotive.com.
Stephens Automotive was now “shouting above the noise” as customers and potential clients, so far numbering more than 200, viewed the new video during the first couple of weeks. I also previewed the video to several people on my iPhone. Stephens Automotive offered the potential customer an experience that helped them to gain trust and confidence in the shop’s staff, appearance and services even before they stepped inside.
To view the video, go to www.StephensAutomotive.com and YouTube to see what it takes to shout above the noise, and envision your shop reaping the benefits.
Joe Stephens is the owner of Stephens Automotive in Palatine, IL, and a member of the ImportCar Advisory Board. A 25-year industry veteran, Joe has specialized in the repair of Toyota and Lexus vehicles since 1995 at his 6,000-sq.-ft. shop. You can contact him at [email protected].
