The Ultimate Video Messaging Playbook
Published Date: February 27, 2025
Introduction
Despite the many – and often expensive – digital sales tools dealerships use to increase lead volume, it is often a struggle to mirror that increase in contact ratio and appointment set-to-show ratio. Why is this? In the current cultural climate, buyers love the comfort and ease of being able to shop from their homes or offices using their computers and mobile devices. Because of this, dealers are seeing more than 70% of their leads coming from the internet. The conundrum here is that while people enjoy shopping online, they still want to do business person-to-person, rather than device-to-device.
Enter personalized video messaging.
When a dealership incorporates video into its digital sales process, it increases contact ratio and drives more buyers into the dealership. Personalized video messaging allows auto, marine, RV, and motorsport vehicle dealers to:
Differentiate themselves from the competition
Provide best-in-class customer experience from the get-go
Build trust and rapport with prospective buyers and customers
Convert online leads to in-store buyers
Feed the funnel from sales to service
Generate more warm leads through reviews and referrals
In this ebook you’ll learn:
Why video is the go-to sales tool for dealers
Top use cases to make the greatest impact
Resources and scripts to help you get started with video
Next-level video tools to boost engagement
Read on to learn more, or click below to download the complete guide now! →
Why Personalized Video?
As a dealer, you have plenty of sales tools at your disposal, but personalized video is poised to make a huge impression on your buyers throughout the entire lifecycle of your relationship—from initial purchase to handing off the keys to the first (unfortunate) fender-bender to routine maintenance like oil changes.
But don’t take our word for it—let’s look at the research:
Dealers who include personalized videos in their messages typically see a 70-80% increase in converting online inquiries to in-store appointments.
Adding video to email and text communication boosts replies from buyers by up to 200%.
People remember 95% of a message when watching a video as opposed to just 10% of text.
Personalized video gives you a series of easy touchpoints with your buyers—even when they’re not seeing you in person. Because your audience is online-savvy, this is the best way to meet them from where they are. By planning ahead and even automating your outreach, you can ensure they keep coming back to you year after year with minimal effort on your part.
Personalized Video for Dealerships
While there is no limit to how a dealership can use video messaging, there are four primary ways it is generally used:
Sales: Incorporating video into the outreach process encourages customer engagement, builds trust, and differentiates a dealership from its competition. This increases contact ratios and drives more buyers into the dealership.
Business Development: A strong lead response is a dealership’s first opportunity to reconnect with an inbound buyer. Video gives the BDC rep the chance to leave a lasting impression, stand out from the competition, and build a positive customer experience from the very first interaction.
Service: Using video to highlight the current condition of a customer’s vehicle, boat, or RV builds transparency and creates a positive customer experience. Providing superior service maintains customers, fosters loyalty, and generates referrals.
Auto-Responders: Buyers are three times more likely to visit a dealership if a salesperson responds within 10-30 minutes. Convert online leads into showroom traffic by sending automatic, personalized videos through a CRM whether in or out of the office.
The Basics of Video Messaging
What is Video Messaging?
Video messaging is a modern approach to communication that allows you to record, edit, send, and track personalized videos to prospects and customers via email, text, or direct message on social media. Think of it as a video voicemail; the message doesn’t change, just the medium.
Video emails and texts are simple video messages recorded using a webcam or a smartphone used in place of a typical text-only message. The idea is to send a dynamic, hyper-personalized message that gets noticed and responded to at a significantly higher rate than a plain-text email. Video messaging lets customers put a face to a name and enables salespersons to build trust and stronger relationships.
Video messaging is not creating a single video to be viewed by many people on social media or a dealership website. Video messaging is one-on-one communication that is personalized and created for a specific individual.
The Psychology
Words only account for a fraction of human communication, while tone, inflection, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, and so on make up the bulk. Seeing another person and hearing their voice fires up neurons that help people recognize faces and understand their expressions. This emotional information is absorbed, and we respond by making micro decisions about whether we like and trust that person. You shouldn’t underestimate this emotional contagion. If a salesperson wants to get a customer excited about a new vehicle, for example, they are much better off conveying that excitement through video than text. In addition, body language and facial expressions help with information retention. Basically, it’s not what you say, but how you say it.
Top Reasons to Choose Video
Differentiate from the competition. Good salespeople are a dealership’s greatest asset and biggest differentiator, so it only makes sense to put them front and center, instead of hiding in an already-overcrowded inbox. A video message immediately differentiates a dealership from its competition and makes the message more memorable. 95% of a message is recalled when delivered via video, versus just 10% with text.
Increase customer engagement. Video increases engagement by 60% compared to plain-text communication. This is because buyers prefer video over text, so when drab, wordy emails and texts are transformed into personalized videos, it creates more meaningful experiences that spark more conversations and build stronger connections.
Build trust and rapport. By using video instead of just plain text to communicate with prospects and customers, a dealership can build trust and rapport more rapidly by connecting a face and voice with a name. A video also offers the advantage of tone, inflection, eye contact, and body language—all important elements of communication that are lacking in text communication. Building rapport with buyers in the digital world increases the likelihood they will engage in the real world and opt to visit the dealership in person.
Getting Started
Getting started with video messaging is relatively simple. A dealership can work with a provider such as Covideo, or venture out on their own with a few basic tools:
A way to record. A mobile device or webcam built into a desktop or laptop will work just fine. Don’t have a webcam? It is relatively inexpensive to buy an external webcam that will work with any computer.
A place to host and store videos. Platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo work; however, the easiest and fastest way is to use a video messaging tool that automatically saves, uploads, encodes, and hosts videos.
A way to send. It’s essential to host videos to share them with a link instead of trying to send the video file. Once a link is generated, there are any number of platforms that can be used to send it via email, CRM software, text, or social media DM.
A way to track. Using the do-it-yourself approach, tracking can be a bit of a guessing game. Most video hosting platforms show how many times a video has been viewed. However, you won’t be able to see who watched it, when they watched it, or for how long. Tracking for engagement and ROI is important, so at some point, you should consider a video messaging tool.
Creating a Winning Video Strategy
There are so many great ways to incorporate video into your dealership strategy, so where do you start? It’s important to start small: pick one or two key areas of your sales, service, or marketing strategy to address first, and then move on to other tactics. Follow our directions below to help hone in on your main areas of focus and begin developing your strategy.
How to Plan and Implement Your New Video Tactics
Create a Framework
Identify areas of your sales, service, or marketing cycle you would like to improve.
Note benchmarks for where you currently stand (close ratio, lead to meeting, average number of referrals each month, average sales cycle, etc.).
Pick 1-3 video tactics to help move the needle in those areas. While you may have many areas you wish to improve, instilling a new habit is easier when you start small!
Create a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Create an SOP to hold your team accountable. Example: When x happens, then send a video. This makes your changes measurable and easy to track.
Implement Your SOP
Stay consistent as you implement your new tactics. Think of it like trying to be healthier! You can get a gym membership, but if you don’t show up, you won’t get in better shape.
Review Your Impact
Review changes in your KPIs after 3-6 months of implementing a new tactic to see your results and decide on next steps.
How to Identify the Most Impactful Ways to Use Video Right Now
Look at your sales funnel. Identify what you’re doing well and what you can improve. Is it converting leads? Getting people to show up for your scheduled appointment? Is it hard to close sales or “fill the funnel” with new opportunities?
Note benchmarks for your key performance indicators (KPIs). If you’re looking to improve your metrics in certain areas, determine your current success rate. Once you’ve implemented your video tactic that relates to the KPI–and stayed consistent–then, reevaluate the rate and improvement after a period of at least 3-6 months. You’ll begin seeing results right away, but you want a large data set to measure the full results.
Once you’ve had time to review your KPIs, establish a framework, and consider your next steps, check out our “use cases” section for our top ten ways to incorporate video. You’re sure to find some ideas that fit your goals!
Tailoring Your Strategy to Auto, Marine, RV, or Motorsport Sales
Before we move on to our top video use cases for all dealerships, we wanted to highlight some tactics specific to the vehicle you’re selling–whether it be cars, boats, RVs, or other vehicles!
Automotive
Auto dealerships have a large volume of customers and often work to retain those customers over time as they need service or choose to upgrade their vehicle. Unfortunately, car salespeople may have to fight stereotypes or distrust from the people who walk into their doors. Personalization is important because your customers have many options to choose from, and you want to win over their loyalty. Video is an excellent medium to build trust and increase sales.
Marine
When someone is looking to buy a boat, they are typically looking for a white glove experience. They’re making a large investment in a luxury item, so they expect a high level of attention to detail. When you’re selling a marine vehicle, you’re also selling an experience. Video allows you to show off customers’ options, connect after shows, and ultimately help them feel valued and confident in their purchase.
RV
Much like marine customers, RV customers are purchasing a vehicle that is considered nice to have–not a necessity like a car. These customers tend to be adventurous and love the outdoors and traveling. Video allows RV dealerships to help them see how their vehicle can help them meet their travel goals and make lasting memories. Additionally, you can connect before and after shows, follow up with internet leads, thank customers for purchases, and ask for reviews and referrals.
Other Vehicles
If you’re selling motorsport vehicles like motorcycles or four-wheelers, you’re in a similar situation to RV and boat dealers: your customers are looking for someone who can sell them the experience, adventure, and lifestyle they’re after. You can use video in similar ways–walkarounds of vehicles they are interested in, reminders of service or appointments, and thank yous or follow-ups.
Top Use Cases for Personalized Video for Dealerships
In the next few pages, you’ll find some of our favorite ideas for incorporating video into your dealership sales strategy. We’ll cover how to use video messaging to:
Improve your First Quality Response
Create an After-Hours Autoresponder
Connect Before and After Shows
Record Vehicle Walkarounds
Set Appointment Reminders
Follow Up on Unsold Units
Thank for Purchase and Request Reviews and Referrals
Handoff from Sales to Service
Automate Your Marketing
Offer Trainings and Demonstrations
Top Tips for Video Messaging Success
Don’t send videos as attachments. Videos are generally large files that could appear suspicious or will be flagged and sent straight to the spam folder. Instead, use a video messaging platform or host the video and include a link in the email.
Include a clickable video thumbnail or animated GIF. Consumers are rightly wary of clicking on raw URLs and unknown links in emails. Instead, include a clickable thumbnail or animated GIF from the video and hyperlink it to where the video is hosted. This identifies the video for the recipient and makes for a more engaging email.
Add the word “video” to your subject line. Including the word “video” in the email subject line can help increase open rate by 19%. The subject line can even be personalized, such as “(Dealership name) video for (Customer name).”
Look at the camera when recording. When recording videos, the salesperson should fix their eyes on the camera of the computer or mobile device. This creates direct eye contact with the customer.
Work with the basics. Use the built-in webcams on a laptop or mobile device. Leave the fancy equipment and hefty budgets for marketing videos. Apps like Covideo make it extra easy to record and send high quality videos.
Keep it short. Most personalized videos should be around 30-45 seconds to make an impact while holding the attention of your viewer.
Capture all necessary content in the frame. If the video includes a vehicle, make sure to film in landscape for a wider angle. If it is just a salesperson talking, portrait mode is a great option.
Check your lighting. Before recording, find a well-lit location–ideally facing natural light or a ring light. Be sure there is no harsh light behind you to avoid shadows on your face.
Consider your setting. It’s best to record in front of an uncluttered, neutral background without any noises or distractions. Check out your environment before you hit record!
Don’t forget to smile. Smiling makes a person appear friendly, trustworthy, and approachable, and it also helps the speaker set the right tone in their voice.
Add lots of personalization. The message should be specific and relevant to the individual receiving it. Reference the customer by their name and their unique situation, and cover any questions they asked. You can even hold up a whiteboard with their name so it shows up in the video thumbnail.
Ditch the script. Using a starting script can be helpful, but reading word for word sounds rehearsed and impersonal. Instead, try delivering messages off the cuff, so it’s authentic and conversational.
Power through mistakes. Trying to get a perfect take will lead to lots of frustration and wasted time. Little imperfections show a person is human and relatable.
Include calls-to-action. Include clear next steps at the end of the video to encourage actions.
Maintain engagement. Discuss noteworthy information in a relevant amount of time. Aim to keep video vehicle walkarounds to less than two minutes and non-walk around videos to less than one minute.
Mistakes to Avoid in Your Videos
Creating video messaging for customers is not difficult, however there are three mistakes that dealerships commonly make:
Recording and re-recording videos to get the perfect take. Personalized video messages aren’t meant to be sleek and sexy marketing videos. They should be authentic, real, and off-the-cuff. This makes the videos more relatable and approachable, so the recipient can get a genuine sense of the salesperson and the dealership. Trying to get a perfect take usually results in the recording sounding scripted and robotic instead of honest and transparent. Trying to get the perfect take also eats up valuable time, causes frustration, and can discourage salespeople from continuing to use video in their process.
Not making it personalized. Some salespeople will be tempted to take a shortcut and just use one canned video over and over, instead of making it personalized for a specific customer. This approach completely defeats the entire purpose and power of video messaging. For those salespersons who have a ton of messages to churn out, it is possible to use a canned video as part of the message for situations that come up frequently, but it should be combined with a personalized introduction using the recipient's name or references to their unique situation.
Inconsistency. Like any good habit, sending personalized videos should be done consistently as part of a larger outreach strategy. Sending one video and giving up isn’t going to cut it. Video should be a daily practice, which will help a dealership’s salesforce improve its skills and yield positive results.
Advanced Video Tools
Increasing Engagement
Once you’ve mastered the best practices of creating and sending personalized videos, it’s time to make your recordings even more engaging. Here are a few of the tools we offer at Covideo that you can use to take your videos to the next level.
Video reply – Enable your contact to reply to your video with a video of their own
Reactions – Allow viewers to respond to different parts of your video with emojis
Comments – Contacts can respond to videos by typing in their own questions and comments
Customized CTAs – Viewers can click customized links on your video or landing page
Annotations – Include images, links, or words that appear directly over the top of your video
Polishing Your Videos
You can use various editing tools to make your video the best it can be. Here are a few of the most helpful and most popular tools we recommend you familiarize yourself with to have the greatest impact.
Trim – Edit out the beginning or end of a video to cut to the most important parts
Merge – Combine multiple videos together to cover multiple topics
Virtual backgrounds – Personalize the look of your videos by replacing your background with a custom image
Video voiceover – Record a voiceover that you can add over the top of a video, like a vehicle walkaround
Chapters – Breakup long videos (like trainings or demonstrations) into titled sections the viewer can jump between
Final Thoughts
Video has become one of the most powerful tools for marketing and selling vehicles. The great news is you don’t need fancy equipment, a full-time videographer, or expensive editing software to get started. You can begin incorporating video into your sales and communication process today and begin to see the results for yourself. After all, your customers love video!
40% of auto shoppers said video helped them discover a vehicle they weren’t aware of or considering
59% of consumers prefer watching a video about a product over text
The watch time of test drive videos on YouTube has grown by more than 65% during the past two years
72% of customers prefer video to reading text when researching their next vehicle purchase
Combining the power of video with the effectiveness of personalization is an unbeatable approach that has the potential to significantly impact a dealership’s ability to reach customers in meaningful ways that will increase both long- and short-term revenues.
For more information and examples of video messaging, check out the Covideo YouTube channel.
Or, maybe you’re ready to dive in and access all the best tools to record, send, and track personalized videos. Covideo is the #1 trusted personalized video software used by dealers across the country. Chat with our experts to start transforming your sales, service, or automation process with video.