A New Way to Sell the Dealership

2010 // May

The car salesman: predator of the naïve showroom browser. Instinctively ruthless and armed with the "best deal in town" quip, he has a chameleon's demeanor. Wit: the charm to open you up. Humility: for a "maybe he's not so bad after all" ruse. Trickery: his waving pen is actually a wand, weaving a spell that ties you into a four-year, 22-percent APR agreement with - "to be on the safe side" - windshield insurance. Not bad for a ‘98 Mazda with an odometer reading 275,000.

"Yeah, we get a pretty bad rap," said Shay Bailey, a sales manager for Willett Honda in McDonough, Ga. "Some people think we wear plaid jackets, cowboy hats and make low-budget commercials about ‘bringing down the price.'"

Even though car dealerships have evolved business habits, the slick salesman image remains. And more bad news for them, they've lost a monopoly in recent years. Web sites like Craigslist and Ebay have opened up the market for private sellers, meaning dealerships are no longer the only game in town.

"Sure, the Internet's changed things," said Bailey. "The challenge is making it work for you."

A "beefed up" website with detailed automobile listings and a newsletter form the basis of Bailey's online thrust. It's "helped a little," he said. 

But according to Darren Starr of Realview TV, these efforts do nothing more than keep up with the times. "We've found that when auto dealerships add well-constructed content with impressive multimedia, the results are transforming," he said.

He gives the example of an Atlanta area client, Hennessy Porsche. "They approached us last year with the idea of reimaging the experience of visiting their dealership," he said, noting that the project coincided with the recession's peak. "Their sales went up after the launch."

Hennessy's streaming video package, hosted through its website, focused heavily on the advantages of its plush interior and hands-off approach toward visitors.

"Anyone watching got a clear message: Hennessy specializes in building long-lasting relationships, not the hard sell," said Starr.

Also within the package is an interactive map, allowing visitors to jump to points of interest on the vast property, such as the showroom and client lounge. Each point had an accompanying video clip, which could be paused or skimmed at the viewer's discretion.

Videos showcase clients gushing about their experience and sales people who stressed a company culture of respect - obviously aimed at addressing stigmas.

However, some would argue that such standards would be expected at any luxury auto dealership. So could the same formula work for a more modest-priced market?

"Absolutely, no doubt," said Starr. "Remember, the objective is selling an experience. If anything, it could be of more use; the lower a car's value, the greater the stigma.

The same rule applies to competition from private sellers.

"An important aspect of the messaging content would be to point out that dealerships can provide assurances, warranties and maintenance that private sellers can't match," said Starr. "So by adding a stronger positive image with these advantages, viewers will be much more comfortable doing business."                   
To see a dealership that has successfully incorporated video, click here.