Car Dealerships: How To Compete With Online Car Buying Sites like Carvana

Car buying sites and apps like Carvana, Carmax, and TrueCar are changing the way that people are buying and selling cars. The trend of buying things online has grown tremendously over the past 10 years; a convenience that’s no longer limited to clothes, furniture, or anything small enough to fit in a box. Now because you can make a purchase as big as a car from the comfort of your own home, the automotive industry is experiencing a major shift in the way that cars are bought and sold.

If you own or operate a dealership, you know how frustrating it can be to lose customers to an online retailer. Fortunately, there are certain measures you can take, and new technology to consider that can help strengthen customer retention, and even generate new business.

See:The Top 6 Dealership TV Systems: Comparing Custom TV Offerings.

The Rising Threat of Car Buying Sites

At the time this article is being written, many businesses- dealerships included, are closed because of the Coronavirus. Due to the fact that many customers are stuck at home, or practicing social distancing; if someone is in the market for a new vehicle, chances are that they’re going to explore car buying sites in order to limit contact with others. Because of this, services like Carvana are thriving more than ever before. Stocks in Carvana, specifically, went up a whopping 68% since last March.

Additionally, an article published by Forbes labels car buying sites as “The Best Way to Buy a Car in the Age of Coronavirus.”

Virus or not, car buying services didn’t need a worldwide pandemic to get ahead of the game; their success was inevitable. Competing against these alternative means of buying and/or selling cars isn’t impossible, but it’ll take some clever strategizing and forward-thinking.

3 Key Steps to Competing Against Car Buying Sites

Step 1.) Make Your Dealership Shine! If the Coronavirus left any sort of lasting impact on the way that business is conducted, it’s CLEANLINESS. Even after the country gets the ALL-CLEAR, you can count on folks practicing social distancing, or even wearing masks in public. The anxiety isn’t going to go away overnight. In fact, the bar for what constitutes as “a clean establishment” is likely going to be set high. Do what you can to keep surfaces and waiting areas clean. Offer sanitizer; a small, but meaningful gesture. You want your customers to be comfortable and stress-free when they visit your dealership.

See:Top 5 Ways to Prepare Your Business for Reopening Post-Coronavirus.

Step 2.) Revisit Your Social Media Pages

If your dealership isn’t on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram; consider getting it on social media- especially Facebook. If you do have a presence, but your pages  aren’t up-to-date, blow the dust off and make an effort to craft regularly-scheduled posts. Dedicate a member of your staff to make a daily, or even bi-weekly posts to ping your loyal followers. The more active your are, the more likely your posts are to get shared. The more your posts are shared, the more likely you are to generate more followers on social media. Followers are generally the best folks to market to since they’re already following you; and  they’re more likely to make a purchase with you.

Related Article: “Social Media on TV: Businesses Become More Social with their Customers” & “Top 3 Reasons to Get Social Media TV Software for your Business.”

Step 3.) Brush Up on the Latest Waiting Room Technology

Waiting room technology is ever-growing. In the past, if you had a TV in your waiting area, you’d put cable on it and call it a day; whereas today, you have your choice of cable TV alternatives to pick from. Alternatives that not only tend to be more cost-effective than cable or satellite TV, but are a lot safer, and come with all kinds of features made with your business in mind. The elements that make up the best car dealership TV vary based on your dealership’s specific needs; however, the following article should give you a good idea in terms of what to look for: Car Dealership TV Systems – The Top 5 Most Important Elements.

Car dealerships are among the best users of custom TV networks; having no shortage of videos, promotions, and marketing messages to entice customers with. Deciding between a cable TV subscription that doesn’t block out ads from “Bob’s Better Automobiles,” vs a custom TV network that promotes your own brand is an easy choice.

Related Article:Should I Cancel Cable? A Better Cable Alternative for Businesses.

Interested in a Custom TV Network for your Car Dealership? Start Here

Whether you’re new to waiting room TV technology, or you’re switching from a service like Spectrio, or Automotive Broadcasting Network (ABN); the best TV solution for car dealerships is It’s Relevant TV. Featured in an article published by Automotive News, It’s Relevant stands out from its competitors by having the lowest cost, whilst being the most feature-rich.

It’s Relevant TV for Car Dealerships features the world’s largest library of licensed, short-form content at over half-a-million videos. Additionally, it’s the only service that features live social media integration; displaying your most recent Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram posts for visitors to enjoy alonside IRTV’s fun and engaging content. See what’s out there, but don’t settle for less than what IRTV delivers.

READ:What’s the Best Dealership TV Service for Waiting Rooms?

Using Hulu in Your Business: Don’t Put Yourself at Risk

Starting at just $5.99 – $11.99 per month for great movies and TV shows, using Hulu in your business seems like a no-brainer. But, it’s actually against copyright terms, and could put you in legal jeopardy. Streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, or Disney+ are for personal use only. Hulu’s Terms & Conditions, if you read them, clearly state that your subscription is NOT for commercial use. Therefore, you cannot use it in a public setting.

“I certify that I have read and understand the Terms & Conditions of this service.”

You probably recognize that phrase. It’s more than just a box you have to check-off in order to start watching. It’s there for a reason; which is to ensure that you’re not using the service in a way that puts you at legal risk. Companies take these sorts of things very seriously. If you’re not careful your business could get slapped with a heavy fine.

Is There a Hulu Subscription for Businesses?

No. But there are other options that are even betters fits for businesses than Hulu, Netflix or Disney+. And Cable TV, while legal to play in a business with a business subscription, is a step backwards as you can see in this article: Top 10 Reasons to Cancel Cable TV in your Business.” Unless you’re a sports bar playing ESPN, it just isn’t a fit.

The best TV solution isn’t cable. It’s a custom TV network.

Your business’ TV is not a commodity. You should be getting the most out of it;  however that starts with finding the right custom TV software for your business.

Consider It’s Relevant TV for your Business’ TV

It’s Relevant TV is the go-to for restaurants, medical offices, and businesses in general that are looking to do more with their TVs. Cost-effective, easy-to-use, and featuring a growing library of over half-a-million videos, It’s Relevant is the best cable replacement on the market.

Whether you’re looking to improve visitor experience, get your marketing messages noticed more, or generate more followers on social media; It’s Relevant TV delivers it all. If you’re interested in learning more about a streaming TV service built for businesses, visit itsrelevant.com.

What’s The Best Cable TV Replacement For Your Waiting Room?

Finding the best cable TV replacement for your waiting room starts with identifying your goals for the TV itself. Many business owners are cutting the cord because they would rather showcase their own content. Others want better programming for their visitors, or the ability to promote their own services on the TV. Some business owners are simply looking for something that costs less than cable for their waiting room. These are all good reasons to get rid of cable.

The best waiting room TV will do all of the above, and more.

The trick is finding one that can do it all. If you’re shopping for an alternative to  cable TV for your lobby or waiting area, add It’s Relevant TV to your list of considerations. For the reasons explained below, It’s Relevant is the best replacement for business cable TV subscriptions.

It’s Relevant TV ranks as the Best Cable TV Replacement for Waiting Rooms

1.) It Includes the Best Content:
The key to the success of television is content. Without great content no one will watch your TV. With over half-a-million videos spread across 50 categories, It’s Relevant features one of the world’s largest libraries of short-form content.

Simply pick and choose which categories your visitors will enjoy most, and the system handles the rest. With It’s Relevant, you remain in control of what appears on your TV, while being backed by an automated, ever-changing lineup of family friendly content that keeps within your preferences.

2.) It Turns your TV into a Promotional Tool:
It’s Relevant helps you get more milage out of your business’ videos by displaying them directly on the TV. Whether it’s a YouTube video, TV commercial, image ads, or even some simple text, your messages become far more effective when they’re played on the TV.

This is something cable TV cannot do. In fact, cable does the exact opposite– letting anyone other than you place commercials on your TV.

3.) It Generates more Social Media Followers for you:
Is your business on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram? If so, It’s Relevant is able to safely, and effortlessly, display your most recent posts right on the TV. It’s a great way for visitors to see what they’re missing, and follow you on social media.

4.) It is Cost-Effective:
The cost of cable is constantly on the rise. It’s Relevant TV has fixed subscription rates that are built to fit any budget. More importantly, It’s Relevant isn’t designed to cost you any money; it’s designed to help you generate more revenue for your business.

You can take a look at the differences for yourself and schedule a free demo at this site: Compare Business Cable & Satellite TV to It’s Relevant TV

Top Places to Put Your TV Advertisement and Business Ads

So you’ve created a TV advertisement for your business, but you aren’t sure how to get the most mileage out of it.

With TVs all over the place; in homes, restaurants, doctor’s offices, car dealerships, and even at gas pumps nowadays; figuring out where exactly to play your message can prove to be a real challenge. Fortunately, this article will provide you with some useful insight, and cost effective resources to help get you going and settle on the best options for delivering your business’ messaging.

Before we begin, I recommend checking out the following article: Top 5 Things to Consider When Advertising Your Brand – things like knowing who your target audience is, where they go, etc. are important starting points for the best ad strategy.

The Best Platform for your Business’ TV Advertisement is Closer than you Think

Cutting right to the chase; the best platform for your business’ TV advertisement may be the television(s) inside your business itself. Often overlooked, there’s no better, and more cost effective space to showcase your services than within your own walls. Likewise, there’s no better audience to advertise to than people who are already familiar with your brand, are loyal to your business, and might be interested in any new goods, services, or specials you have to offer them.

When it comes to marketing, one thing is true; it’s easier to get an existing customer to come back, than it is to attract a new one.

Whether you’re a restaurant getting customers hooked on your new seasonal sandwich, a car dealership getting word out about new lease rates, or a dentist showcasing specific products like Invisalign; you’re likely to generate more success by showing these promos to your visitors instead of the general public.

The Downside to Traditional TV Advertising

Traditional TV advertising is very expensive and is harder than ever to reach target audiences with. The increase in the number of cable/satellite channels combined with DVR and streaming services has increased the number of places you can put an ad, while making each less concentrated. If you are a big brand with an endless budget than standard TV advertising is likely still part of your marketing mix, but it’s likely not your most effective avenue to reach customers anymore.

Out-of-home advertising has its place, and marketing to new customers is important; but if you’re trying to make your marketing dollars count, you might not have the budget to spring for anything expensive. Digital billboards, one of the more common platforms, can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $30,000 a month. That’s a lot to set aside for marketing, especially if you’re a small business. It’s far more cost-effective, and practical, to run your own messaging on your own TV.

How to Put Your TV Advertisement on Your Television

Having a TV in your business and deciding to play your own TV ads on it is a step in the right direction; however, doing so is easier said than done.

The last thing you want is a repetitive loop of your commercials; that’s boring, and it will do more harm than good for your message.

The key to success with any TV solution is having a robust library of content. A blend of your personal videos mixed with other engaging content is the best way to deliver your messaging to visitors. The secret is getting access to licensed TV content.

Unfortunately, you can’t simply build a playlist of entertaining videos you’ve found on the internet to mix in with your TV ads; you’d need permission to play those videos in your business. As such, building a custom TV network from scratch can be very time-consuming and costly in the long run. It’s much easier, and economic, to find a service provider that builds custom TV networks as a service.

It’s Relevant TV is the go-to for businesses ranging from family-owned medical offices to 10,000-seat sports arenas that are looking to do more with their TVs. Featuring a library of over half-a-million, licensed TV programs; It’s Relevant feels like real TV that’s working for your business. The best part of utilizing their service is that your messaging will reach visitors in the best possible fashion; by playing alongside, and in between, the engaging TV programming,

IRTV is the best way to deliver important marketing messages to your customers, generate repeat business. Get them excited about your brand in a unique way!

Alternatives to Spectrio & Automotive Broadcasting Network (ABN) for Dealership TV

Looking for an alternative to your dealership TV system? Are your customers bored by it? Does it cost too much? Are you not getting what you want to out of it?

If you’re using a service like Spectrio, or Automotive Broadcasting Network (ABN), and it just isn’t working; this article is for you. Keep reading to see the reasons how your dealership’s custom TV software might be failing you, and your car business. If you’re fed up, not thrilled, or just simply disappointed with your current provider, we recommend that you start your search for a better dealership TV here.

Your Dealership TV System: What Went Wrong?

Custom TV networks for car dealerships have been around for years. While the technology has grown in the world, most of the car TV services have not. As a result, a number of the older “pioneer services” are being left in the dust by alternative providers delivering a lot more, for a lot less. Innovative ideas and technologies have transformed the dealership TV systems of 5-10 years ago into new, forward-thinking tools that are better at delivering your marketing messages, and better at entertaining your customers. If you’re browsing automotive TV solutions in today’s day and age, hone your selection by finding one that is feature-rich, and cost-effective.

A Feature-Rich Dealership TV System

If you are currently using a dealership TV system, chances are you probably liked the features that came with it, hence why you originally got it. If those features failed to live up to your expectations, or got dull over time, then you’re doing the right thing by going online and seeing what else is out there.

So what should you expect from your TV? The best TV for your dealership’s lobby is one that gets your messaging across, and provides entertaining content for customers who might be waiting for longer periods of time. It should be customizable. You should have control over more than just your own videos, but the content you’re paying for as well. More importantly; managing that paid content, as well as your own personal ads/videos should be easy, and able to be done on most smart devices. From anywhere. Lastly, your dealership TV system should integrate with your social media accounts.

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are often the best ways to keep in touch with your customers, generate repeat business, and get referrals. If your brand is on one, or more of these platforms – get your TV integrated! Display those posts right on your TV for visitors who aren’t following you, and give them a reason to check out your pages. If you’re interested in this feature in particular, visit click here to learn more about the automotive TV software that does it best.

A Cost-Effective Dealership TV System

Dealerships are playing HUGE amounts of money each month for services that barely include half of the features listed above. A more in-depth article comparing the top 6 dealership TV systems worth checking out can be found at the link above. But if you are currently using Spectrio or Automotive Broadcasting Network (ABN) you are likely paying way too much.

The big takeaway is that car businesses are paying upwards of $500, to $1,000+/month for their TVs. What’s truly interesting, is what those dealerships are often getting in return for that cost. The answer: A playlist.

Looping playlists, in general, are bad news. Avoid any dealership TV service that mentions the word “playlist”. Avoid them like the plague, or a live-action movie remake. A playlist is simply a list of pre-loaded videos. And whether it’s 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour long, a playlist is not creating a quality waiting experience.

Neither are clips from top TV networks like NBC or CBS. Be wary of TV providers who claim to have content from those big networks. Most often, they’re just short promotional segments– a.k.a. commercials, designed to market the networks and have your customers go home and watch the full shows on their own time.

Dealership wait-time is a little longer than the average waiting room wait when looking across industries. That being said, you don’t want your customers watching a looping playlist of the same videos over and over again. It’s maddening, and creates a bad impression of your brand. Good, quality content goes a long way. Additionally, car videos showing outdated models that you no longer sell have no place being on your TV. When it comes to videos, up to date content is the best way to deliver programming to your dealership.

It’s Relevant TV: A Feature-Rich & Cost-Effective Dealership TV System

There’s only one automotive TV service that has every feature that was listed up above, and won’t burn a hole in your pocket; It’s Relevant TV. It’s Relevant has everything from the ability to upload and easily manage your own videos, access to one of the world’s largest library of licensed short-form content, and perhaps most importantly; real-time social media integration.

This is the automotive TV service you were waiting for. Partnering with brands across the spectrum, from Toyota, Ford and Subaru to Lexus and Mercedes-Benz, It’s Relevant is providing car businesses across the country with the best choice in dealership TV.

 

Your Business’ TV is NOT a Commodity: Make the Most Out of Your TV

Your business’ TV is more than just a box on your wall, in your waiting room, or over your bar. Depending on how you utilize it, your TV can be a key player when it comes to generating repeat visits, promoting your marketing messages, and gaining more followers on social media. However, most business owners treat TVs as commodities because they can’t achieve these successes though cable. In order to get the most out of your business’ TV, you need to do some exploring. Specifically, you’ll want to start by searching online for custom TV networks, or digital signage solutions for businesses.

Commodity or Not? Knowing the Difference

When you think of the word “commodity,” what sorts of things come to mind? The coffee you might have had this morning is a commodity. Commodities are basic goods that are bought and sold for convenience, and consumption. That being said, it’s more accurate to label a “television set” as a commodity – but what’s playing on the TV itself is an entirely different story.

Let’s compare your TV to your morning cup of coffee.

That coffee you had this morning, was it generic? Or was it from somewhere like Starbucks? When a commodity stands out amongst its competition, it becomes a luxury; meaning that it’s higher-priced for its quality, or popularity. Cable TV is the generic “coffee in this case; whereas custom TV networks that are tailored to your business become the name-brand coffee.

When it comes to a business’ TV, the brand of the television doesn’t matter so much as what’s playing on it. For most people, it doesn’t matter if the TV is a Samsung, or Sony; it’s a TV – what’s important for your business is what you decide to put on it.

Your Business’ TV can do More

No longer treating your TV as a commodity is the first step; getting rid of cable, if you have it, is the second. The third, and final step, is investing in a TV service that works for your business. A simple online-search will land you a long list of options to choose from. However if you’re looking for a feature-rich TV solution with the best content, start your search with It’s Relevant TV.

 

Best Channel For Your Business TV is NOT on Cable

Looking for the best channel for your waiting room or lobby TV? Cable TV is starting to move away from Business TV; making room for other companies with more compelling, and less expensive, products to come to the forefront. If you’re still using cable in your business, it’s time to consider alternatives to cable TV; especially if your business is one with a waiting room.

Read:What’s the Best Cable TV Replacement for your Waiting Room?

Settling on the Best Channel for your Waiting Room TV

For starters, it isn’t Spectrum’s Business TV. Shoveling out an additional pile of cash each month in order to turn your cable + phone package into a Triple-Play bundle might seem convenient and cost effective at first, but these packages have a tendency to jack-up in price after the initial trial period ends. Then what are you stuck with? Just hope that you’re not under contract if this happens. If you can, call up your provider and cancel if the surprise increased rates are too much for your budget.

Settling on the best channel for your waiting room TV means finding the best waiting room TV software for your business. For a more in-depth look at the elements that make up a great business TV, check out the following article: Top 3 Things To Look For In Your Business TV Software.” In the end, you want a solution that is engaging/entertaining, easy-to-use, and most importantly, inexpensive.

Unbundling Your Cable TV Triple Play

Cable companies are moving away from TV. They still offer TV services; but the major companies, like Spectrum for instance, are offering up really attarctive internet and phone bundles to businesses for the first time. The telecom company that boasts superior internet, phone, and TV services, has launched a cable + phone package for businesses that’s under $69.00. Compared to how much you might spend on other media bundles from other companies, $69/mo is actually really good.

What many business cable customers don’t realize is that the TV portion of their cable bill was likely the largest part of it. With these new offers, you can remove the TV and keep cable for your internet and landline phones.

This is great news because there are much better TV services out there for businesses that can run off the internet connection. They cost less than cable and do a lot more for visitors and the business itself. What you choose to put on your business TV is important, as is budgeting your monthly spending. The best waiting room TV solution is one that is cost effective; but also and one that satisfies the role of entertaining visitors-in-waiting.

The Best Waiting Room TV Software is It’s Relevant TV

The best business TV solution on the market is It’s Relevant TV. It’s Relevant provides you with the best combination of channels your marketing dollars can buy; one that lets you effortlessly control what’s on your TV. The software transforms your TV into a fully-customizable, personally-branded marketing tool that continues to feature TV programs while also highlighting promotions for your business.

It’s Relevant TV is the way to go if you want a cable alternative that is tailored to you business, and one that serves your customers. When it comes to medical office waiting rooms, bars and restaurants, car dealerships – or any business with a television; using cable TV is a thing of the past. Explore what’s out there, but start your search here.

Auto Show Marketing: What Dealerships Can Learn From Auto Expos

Auto Shows are a grand affair. Top brands from all corners of the US gather together to show off new models, talk about new technology, and explore new trends in the industry with experts, innovators, and car enthusiasts alike. With so much coverage and exposure, it’s no surprise that brands have taken auto show marketing seriously. But should they?

This article will go on to explore the declining trend in car shows, take a closer look at why so many major carmakers are bailing-out, and even suggest a better way to invest those marketing dollars.

Auto Show Marketing: A Fading Trend

At the time of this article’s release, the New York International Auto Show is just beginning. It is just one of many big annual car shows that, like the NAIAS or The Chicago Auto Show; attract hundreds of thousands of visitors, and feature hundreds of new models each year. Usually, those numbers are nothing to scoff at – however for the first time ever some major car brands are thinking twice about attending.

It’s not because of cost, but rather practicality.

Some of these larger automotive shows really push marketing budgets. Cost of attendance at these things can cost upwards of millions for a single week! Bigger brands don’t have trouble putting forth the money, but regardless of whether or not they can afford it, the question becomes “is it really worth it?”

The Growing Problem with Car Shows

The people who purchase spaces at these events spare no expense. It’s go big, or go home- So of course it’s going to cost millions for the space, the stage, and all of the lights, carpeting, and furniture – all of which are brandedbrand-consistent, and designed to stand out and steal the splotlight. The problem? So is everyone else’s space.

Some of the major carmakers who are backing out of these grand auto shows are citing the presence of competition on the show floor as being the reason for calling it quits. It just isn’t worth it – not when they could be getting better mileage out of those millions outside of the show. As a result? The major brands are looking for new ways to invest their money, and achieve true ROI.

A Better Use for your Auto Show Marketing Budget

The same energy, flare, and attention that goes into sprucing up your space at one of these big auto shows could go a long way at your brand’s dealership locations. Making sure the people you have attracted to the door enjoy their visits, and ultimately decide to purchase from you is of the utmost importance. And it’s something you can likely achieve for much less.

By investing that time and money into improving your waiting areas, show floor, and amenities, you’re improving the things that really make a lasting impression on the people who are visiting your dealerships – which are really the people you want to impress, and please, to get them to purchase. Customers are the ones driving your product around, they’re the ones who will buy from you again, and they’re the ones who will talk positively about your brand, for free, and recommend you to friends and family. The right approach, and the right message, go a long way.

Getting the Message Across with It’s Relevant TV

If you’re investing some of your marketing budget on branding and enhancing visitor experience, the TV is a great place to start. How you get your message across to visitors is just as important as the message itself. TVs are effective at getting people’s attention. If you put something on a TV people are watching, 9 times out of 10 someone is going to see it.

It’s Relevant TV is a television service that more and more dealerships are switching to. It doesn’t come with the high monthly cost, lack of control, or risk of competitor ads that cable does. It replaces all of those things with a custom channel that’s easy to manage, is fully customizable, and allows you to showcase your own personal videos, messaging, social media and brand. It’s a great way to get all the things you want noticed, and all the content that comes with it is designed to keep people entertained, and informed. All while keeping brand consistency across the board.

Replace the DVD Player In Your Business

If you’re a business owner with a TV in your business, it goes without saying that at some point in time you sat down to consider what to have playing on it. Whether it’s basic cable, a DVD player or Netflix, an Amazon Firestick, or even a regular old USB drive with pictures and a slideshow, sometimes it’s time to revisit old tech and consider newer alternatives.

People say “Don’t fix what isn’t broken.” And this is true – no one should fritter away money on a whim. But at the same time, there’s a risk in the comfort of long standing familiarity. People who are happy with what they have seldom consider alternatives – less out of alternatives being better and more out of avoiding the hassle of change.

Out With The Old

It’s not unusual to want to get the most mileage out something, but it’s also important to recognize when something is worth revisiting. Even if it isn’t necessarily old. DVD players, services like Netflix, and external devices such as Amazon Firestick and USB Drives have broadened the options for ways you can put things on your TV.

DVD Players Are Outdated For Businesses

DVD players are great – at home. When it comes to DVD players in businesses, two common uses rise to the surface: DVDs, and looping slideshows. Regarding the former, playing a commercially available DVD, like a movie or TV show can result in a heavy fine. The reason is that even though you own the copy of the DVD, you don’t own the license to play it in public. The following article delves deeper into the risks involved when choosing to display content in your business without the rights: “Using Netflix in your Business, Don’t Put your Business at Risk!”

Legality aside, throwing a movie or the latest Disney Pixar flick up on the TV still isn’t that great of a solution. Feature-length movies can be as long as 90-120 minutes – built around characters and storytelling. Unless you’re waiting for a car to be serviced, there are few instances where putting something like a movie on for the enjoyment of visitors is going to be relevant. People don’t have the same focus to devote to a movie in a waiting room, restaurant or retailer as they do at home – and there’s no guarantee that people won’t arrive in the middle of story, or walk in on spoilers of a movie they were waiting to see. It just isn’t a good fit for businesses, and it carries the risk of disappointing visitors.

Movies aren’t the only thing that a DVD player is good for. Business owners who know that it’s illegal to show unlicensed videos, or don’t believe in playing videos in general, lean towards another option when it comes to what’s on their TVs – and that’s custom DVDs.

Custom DVDs & Slideshows Get Old Quick

It’s not uncommon for business owners to put together personal videos or collections of pictures for their TVs. While this alternative is certainly cheaper than basic cable, it isn’t without its flaws.

Custom videos loop constantly. Unless the business owner has a dedicated staff member with a lot of free time on their hands to put together a large library of content, people visiting are likely going to see the same things again and again. This can get boring, and depending on the setting in which people are waiting, the comfort of your visitors can have a large impact on their satisfaction and overall opinion of your business.

DVDs and USBs packed with videos and pictures plugged into your Smart TV lack a crutial level of customization. In order to update or make changes to either of those platforms, the devices need to be manually removed – and in the case of DVDs, new ones need to be made or switched out by hand. This is inconvenient, and in an age of innovative technology, shouldn’t be an option you have to settle for.

Another heavy loss at the cost of using custom DVDs or slideshows is the lack of live intergrations onto your TV. Features such as the local news, weather updates, and even recent posts from social media, aren’t able to be streamed and put where people are going to see it. So what else is there?

It’s Relevant TV is the Next Generation, Here Today

It’s Relevant TV is a custom TV service made for businesses. It gives you access to a vast library of short-form content to be played alongside your own videos to get people interested, and engaged. All of the content is licensed for public display, so you can avoid legal issues of playing commercial DVDs. Everything is divided into set categories for you to pick and choose from to keep the programming “relevant”.

The platform is easy to use and fully customizable – you can easily upload videos and images from your phone or computer straight to your TV. And best of all, it’s always fresh. Without you doing a thing, IRTV constantly changes the programming to keep it all interesting for your visitors.

Do away with the old, and embrace the new. It’s Relevant TV will provide your business with so much more than a DVD player can. IRTV is constantly evolving and provides business owners with the control they desire.

Car Dealership TV Systems – The Top 5 Most Important Elements

What do you need to consider when putting a TV service into your car dealership sales department or service department? Car dealership marketing extends beyond billboards and TV commercials. Using the dealership TV is one of the cheapest ways to get your ads seen, while bringing life to your waiting room.

Here are the top 5 elements to a quality TV system for car dealership waiting areas and lobbies:

1. Interesting TV Programming

Customers could be waiting minutes or hours. Regardless of how long they are waiting, you want to provide them with something entertaining or informative to watch. Just having videos about serving their vehicle or commercials about your dealership aren’t going to cut it.

2. Block Out Ads from Your Competitors

The time your customers are waiting for their vehicles to be serviced is the absolute worst moment for them to see an attractive message from a competing dealership. Block out the competition with Competitive Ad Block®. The service automatically blocks any outside car commercials from appearing on the TV. Instead, you get more quality programming and your own promotions for your customers to engage with.

3. Ability to Share Custom Messages

The time your customers spend waiting is an opportunity for you to tell them you care about them. Educate them about your inventory, policies and what sets your dealership apart. They are going to be watching the TVs for at least a portion of the time they wait so it’s a great opportunity to put your own messaging in front of them.

4. Real-Time Social Media

If customers leave without buying you need a gentle way to bring them back. Social media is a great way to connect with repeat customers and prospects alike. Get them interested in your dealership. Showcase your most recent posts on the TV and gently entice them to follow your accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Showcasing multiple accounts is great because it allows them to follow on the platform they use the most.

5. Showcase your Dealership’s Videos and Commercials

You’ve spent time and money making videos, why not get more mileage out of them? So many dealerships produce videos that just end up on YouTube or for a limited time on local cable. You can use these same videos inside your dealership to increase customer awareness of your promotions, inventory, and specials.

What are you using in your dealership today? If it’s Cable or satellite, you are missing a great opportunity to both spread your own messaging and to block out messages from your competition. If it’s a custom solution you may not be showing enough interesting content, and/or might be paying too much for it. See what It’s Relevant TV for Car Dealerships has to offer. For less than most dealerships pay for a basic cable service, It’s Relevant is able to achieve all 5 goals above, with a unique non-looping platform.

You can speak to a TV consultant about dealer TV options by calling toll free: 855-ITS-RELE or by emailing: sales@itsrelevant.com.