2021 may be the year that new marketing methods are considered, the promises that lockdowns would resolve the issue of transmission have given way to a message that new variants are increasing the impact that the virus has on our lives and will continue to. Delivering the vaccine has demonstrated that many of us that have worked through the lockdowns will more than likely be low in this list for receiving the vaccination.
What does this mean for conducting business within the automotive aftermarket? We may see an increase of motorists who previously have been subjected to greater restrictions as they gain confidence. Communicating that services are available to them and how they are accessed may help not only in welcoming your returners but may also net new interest from new visitors who cannot gain the information they need from their previous provider.
Early in the first lockdown last year we quickly put together an information video, which has proved evergreen. This has highlighted an integration with technology borne from the enforced lockdown, which made access to almost all services only possible through digital means. The garage owner who worked through each lockdown may now find themselves at a disadvantage if they are not ready to give up to date information quickly, and that information must be contextualised within current government guidance. As each lockdown came to pass, I noticed our workshop was busier, and the same video content was deployed explaining how we keep a COVID-19 secure environment.
Social media is an easy vehicle to post up to date information, and most are familiar with the ease of simple text content stating facts. More visual posts can be easier to be picked out in a text heavy newsfeed, but when was the last text heavy feed that you saw? Videography can be daunting, not many are comfortable with talking to the camera, trying different methods, such as filming tasks and then using a text overlay, or even a voice over may be a more comfortable way to introduce this method into your marketing tool kit. Keeping messages short can assist in relaying key information as it is needed and there are many film making apps available to make a lot of media creation more user friendly. The pandemic will come to an end, but consumer expectation for content will not return to pre pandemic levels. Time for new marketing!
Top Tips
- If you plan to use voice over, a cheap microphone is a good investment.
- Record voice over when there is little background noise
- Keep content sincere, with a useful message and do not go for the blatant sell!
- If you use music, check you have permission and credit when appropriate
- Do not worry about it looking slick, but do pay attention to your background and make sure it is tidy