Do you ever have trouble connecting with leads? Most salespeople struggle with this on a regular basis. It’s amazing that some people take the time to contact you and ask some initial questions, then completely ignore your phone calls and emails.
Here’s the thing to remember: just because that person ignores your first phone call or email does not mean they are not interested.
The keys to customer engagement are:
• Trust the process
• Persistence — don’t give up after two attempts
• Personalization — tailor your message to each individual
• Differentiation — what separates you from the competition?
• Timing — they may be legitimately busy when you call and just not able to talk
We all know it’s hard to get more good-quality leads, so it’s critical to increase the connection and conversion rates for the leads you do have. Video is one of the best ways to accomplish this goal.
A personalized video is an effective way to differentiate both you as a salesperson and your dealership as a brand. Lead follow-up videos also create an element of surprise, because they are still novel enough to delight your prospects.
With an integrated video email strategy, you can receive immediate notifications any time one of your customers or leads watches one of your videos — any video, no matter what video or on what touch-point — so you’ll always know the perfect time to make that next call.
There are three ways to incorporate videos into your lead follow-up process: personalized videos, pre-recorded video or you can use both.
Personalized Videos
Follow up your phone calls (or if a lead only has an email address) with a quick, 30-second to one-minute video answering all the customers’ questions, and then email it to the prospect.
You don’t need to go out and buy a special camera for this. Use your mobile phone mounted onto a gimbal or tripod. Look for a small one that stands on your desk. Raise the camera to eye-level so you’re not looking down or up into the camera, and shoot your videos in landscape mode so your videos are horizontal.
If your workspace has ample natural light, you may not need additional lighting. If you are near a window, shoot yourself facing the window to take advantage of natural light. Never shoot with a window behind you, or you will see a dark silhouette.
If your desk is in a space that doesn’t have natural lighting, spring for a studio lamp or lightbox on Amazon; there are some available for under $20. Also, be sure to use daylight equivalent LED bulbs. These lighting kits mimic natural daylight and will bathe your face in a soft white, diffused light.
Second best would be to purchase a “selfie ring light” designed to attach to your mobile phone that accomplishes almost the same thing.
If you’re in a quiet area, your mobile phone’s built-in microphone is fine. If your videos are picking up background noise, use a lavalier or shotgun microphone designed to work with your cell phone. There are plenty of choices on Amazon.
In your video, greet the prospect by name and introduce yourself. Refer to the specific vehicle or questions that the person mentioned in their inquiry. Let them know that you’d like to help them further.
The goal here is to humanize yourself and your dealership. We all know that people buy from people they like and trust. Make sure you have a big smile on your face and speak slowly and clearly. If you have already talked to the lead on the phone and are sending a follow-up video, re-iterate some of the specifics and clarify anything that you feel was left needing clarification.
If you’re making a pre-recorded video, end it with a call to action. Your goal is to get the prospect to call you, so give them your phone number.
Pre-Recorded Videos
Though I prefer personalized videos, many dealerships utilize pre-recorded videos as their first (and sometimes second) video communication with a new lead. Your pre-recorded videos do not say the customer’s name or specific vehicle that they have inquired about; however, you can be very effective in making them feel personalized by referring to the type of event that motivated the video (phone call, email, chat, etc.) and the time of day (so you have multiple variations of each event).
Though they do miss some of the personal touch, they can still be very effective in humanizing yourself and your dealership and making the lead feel comfortable with engaging in additional conversation.
Live Streaming/Video Chat
Live streaming is another great way to utilize video to engage your leads. Your video message (personal or pre-recorded) can offer your lead the ability to simply click a button to engage with you in a live stream. This type of video communication is growing in popularity and is a preferred means of communication for the younger generations.
If you’re on a live-streaming video call, offer to do a live vehicle walkaround of their vehicle of interest.
Right before you send your video, prepare yourself for the live call. You may be surprised how quickly the person calls.
The bottom line is, video is the perfect medium for showcasing your personality, so it’s a powerful tool that can be used by salespeople to engage with customers and to ultimately increase lead connection and conversion rates.
Click here to view more solutions from Tim James and FlickFusion.
