Investing in an in-house video department can help auto dealers save costs, sell cars and control their own messaging, according to former NADA Chairman Rhett Ricart and his nephew and fellow dealer, Rick Ricart.
“Being a dealer is like a street fight. If you’ve got the first punch in, you’re probably going to win,” Rhett said during his Live Stage session on Jan. 26 at NADA Show 2023.
Ricart Automotive Group has had its own in-house video production team since 1981. This gives the dealership a competitive advantage over other dealerships who work with a separate advertising or video production agency, Rhett said.
“If you work with an agency, you might not be their number one customer. With an in-house video department, you can be up and advertising while your competitor is waiting in line with an ad agency.”
Video is the best way to tell potential customers a story about your dealership, everything from community involvement to employee profiles, Rick said. “It’s the best medium to create trust. Video is very believable.”
Rhett said his dealership uses video to communicate more frequently and on a more personal level with his 750 employees across seven dealerships. “It helps them feel connected,” Rhett said about his weekly videos for employees.
And the number of platforms that dealers have self-control over continue to expand, the Ricarts noted. “The biggest transition has been going from a few TV stations to thousands of cable channels to millions of places to serve videos on social media TikTok and Instagram,” Rick said.
Which is why dealers should consider investing in a full-time video department to create, shape and disseminate those videos, the Ricarts said, even sourcing talent within the dealership itself.
“Don’t be afraid to post an internal job opening,” Rick said. “There is usually someone who is already posting content on YouTube.”
Watch the Livestream from the Live Stage at NADA Show 2023.
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