You’re ready to start using video at your dealership, and there are lots of vendors to choose from, and you’re not sure who does what and what you should really be paying attention to. Here’s how to figure it out. 

Sending personalized videos to new leads, shoppers, and customers is a great way to communicate. 

Use Your Own Phone
Your first option for doing that is to use your own phone’s camera and no other software. This is great because it’s basically free, but is overall a lousy approach because 1) there’s no tracking of who has sent what 2) you’re eating up storage on your phone 3) you can’t tell when someone has viewed your video 4) it’s really hard to edit 5) it doesn’t sync with your CRM…the list goes on. Please, whatever you do, don’t do this.

One-Size-Fits All Video Providers
The second option is the video providers that do video for lots of industries, not just automotive. They’re a good option if you’re looking for cheap. The downside is that many times they’ll lack the features that make “doing video” really user friendly for an automotive sales team. And if something is not easy to use, you could be spending more time getting them to use it than they actually use it.

Video as a Feature Inside the CRM
The third option is using a video feature integrated directly into a CRM. This can simplify a lot of your data entry, but because it’s a feature as a part of a much larger product, video in a CRM sometimes lacks the helpful features that sales people really love, like being able to customize your video landing page, or to guide people into next steps like valuing their trade-in or seeing how much they can afford.  And don’t believe anyone if they tell you it’s free or included. If you really look at that invoice you’ll see a line item for video that is anything but free. 

Automotive Specific Video Tools
The fourth and final option for using video in your dealership is the tools built specifically for automotive professionals. They’re going to cost more than the free or basic options, but they’re much easier to use, get higher adoption rates, and provide a lot more feature options that sales people love. 

Yes, TradePending’s video platform falls into this last bucket. Options 2, 3 and 4 are all valid approaches, and we’d love to show you how we do it. You know where to find us. See you next time.

FAQs

What are some key features that differentiate video tools built specifically for automotive professionals from those designed for multiple industries, and how do these features enhance the user experience for sales teams?

Video tools built specifically for automotive professionals offer distinct features that cater to the unique needs of the industry. These features may include advanced customization options for video landing pages, integration with trade-in valuation tools, and the ability to guide customers through various stages of the purchasing journey, such as exploring financing options. By focusing on the specific requirements of automotive sales teams, these tools enhance the user experience, improve efficiency, and increase the likelihood of adoption among sales staff.

What is the car dealership video app?

While there are a few companies that build car dealership video apps, TradePending’s Video products are the only video app built specifically for dealerships. The article above outlines various options for using video in a dealership, including using your own phone, using a one-size-fits-all platform, using a video feature embedded in a CRM, and a tool built specifically for dealers.