Fixing Cars

The Designers of the GMC Granite Answer Your Questions

The GMC Granite Concept debuted at the 2010 NAIAS. The dash looks like the Starship Enterprise but I’m not seeing the “warp speed” button.

Read the entire press release from GM Media News after the jump.

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I am very excited that Zappos shared this information about their success using video as a way to market their products. Video adds another dimension. Text and images can only go so far.

Adding a video delivers in seconds what you couldn’t do within hours of reading, comparing, etc. Zappos has provided proof that video contains an experience you cannot get within other formats.

As mentioned in the Zappos interview video, they made a wise decision, to use people familiar in the different categories to speak about the products intelligently and with experience.

One of my biggest complaints about some horizontally focused how-to websites - some of them produce content internally using actors (so called experts) to create content across multiple categories. This left the viewer, in my opinion, somewhat less confident in the information. The same goes for product videos, you need enthusiasts and passionate individuals to create the content. Zappos is doing it in house, so they will suffer from being somewhat biased in the resulting video, but it still achieves the desired result, more sales.

I see the demand for video to sell products soaring in 2010, and by creating a network of individuals who are prepared to create this content for niche categories will be in high demand as large sites employ these principles.

Of course, content is not trivial to make, processes must be developed and quality must be maintained. Zappos is creating the content internally, and it makes sense because they have access to the inventory. Other sites which may rely on third parties to fulfill this need as they might have a more difficult time producing the content. They would be inclined to outsource the video content creation, so there will be demand in creating content in vertical categories.

When considering who to outsource the content creation to, it makes sense to find those who are capable of managing the process, finding the talent, controlling the quality and delivering consistently per contract. These providers should have existing relationships with manufacturers, an existing content library, and the means to develop the content on spec so the client can remain focused on the business requirements of the content.

Video specs that may be outlined could include:

1. Length of video in seconds.
2. The call to action to buy: overlay ad / pre-roll / post-roll
3. Product Demo vs. Product Install
4. Comparison of related products
5. Materials used in manufacturing of product
6. Short bio - why you should trust this person
7. Products various applications
8. Where the product is available / not available (specific countries)
9. Who the product was made for, describe the target audience
10. Explanation of Product warranty, exchange, manufacturer url

This is an exciting topic, one I’ve personally invested in substantially, great to see some numbers like that to support the theory.

TuneyFish shows up at Evergreen Ford in Issaquah WA to shoot a test drive of the new Taurus SHO.

Posted via email from DIY Car Repair Blog

Here is an example of a serpentine belt diagram you can find under the hood.

The diagram shows how to wrap around the accessories. A 1/2″ drive breaker bar works well to rotate the tensioner. The leverage helps because of the pressure it takes to overcome the tension place on the belt.

Traveling long distances and going on roadtrips is good reason to keep a spare belt in the trunk. This is mainly because of the many different sizes available and the chances that in an emergency you aren’t spending days trying to source new one.

A new serpentine belt will help the cars performance as it drives the accessories and the alternator. The vehicle’s computer system is calibrated and dependant on the voltage coming from the alternator. A worn out serpentine belt can reduce the output of the alternator, thus reducing the overall engine performance.

Sent from my iPhone

Posted via email from DIY Car Repair Blog

Davidsfarm is a youtube phenomenon and the story behind it is simple. Davidsfarm is a farm up in canada where David works on cars and video tapes the activities and shenanigans that occur. His videos are entertaining and informative, a mix that has been very popular in producing a big audience. Dave is amassing a huge following on youtube, with over 50,000 subscribers to his channel and over 8MM channel views. Checkout Davidsfarm on Youtube and the following describes his channel-

From Youtube:
David’sfarm is a 100% Canadian Interactive YouTube Channel where I produce raw videos of wild redneck influenced cars I collect and build !! We take them on the wildest Joydrides!! I own a huge 100 acre Farm ,with jumps and trails, that I maintain all year round. I also enjoy making “How-to” instructional videos teaching others unique and cheap alternatives in repairing automobiles, heavy equipment and appliances. I am a semi retired appliance technician/Jack of all trades! Sit down, grab a drink and enjoy yourself! You will Laugh and Learn endlessly!!

In addition to providing entertainment to his viewers he is also satisfying the desire to learn about cars in a fun way. His information on doing budget repairs is another reason why people are so receptive. In this economy, people are looking for any and all ways to save money and DIY.

David makes a good living from his channel too, as YouTube sends him a share of the revenue his channel brings in when people click on ads. I’d argue that given this size audience on an automotive specific site would generate higher CPM’s as more advertisers are willing to spend more to be seen on niche sites where the content is focused.

This is a big opportunity for people who are willing to put it all out there and be totally transparent. Gary Vaynerchuk, who has been extremely successful and is promoting his book Crush It relys on these types of concepts in being immeresed in the community.

There is really no magic to this, building a brand is a lot of hard work, but by simply having the willingness to put yourself out there regardless of what some people might think is what differentiates your brand. Even if it means making a mockery of others, these videos are drawing a huge audience.

People are curious, inquisitive and strive to obtain new information everyday - selling your products or services is as simple as an explanation, and some listening skills.  Imagine yourself as the person who’s car just broke down, before walking into a car repair shop you will do some online research to determine what happened.  Regardless if the person who walks in becomes a customer, its critical that they at least walk out having learning at least one or two things that will help them with their car.

I’ve been sending some proposals out to companies I think would be interested in video, mainly manufacturers in the automotive aftermarket.  I had a thought that perhaps I was missing out on some local business.  So I am revising this approach to gain some face to face reactions on what we provide.  Our core value proposition is in the use of video to provide those one or two little tidbits of information that explain a repair, a product, or a technical subject.

A simple 2-3 minute video will suffice, and give so much credibility instantly that people can engage and share with their friends online.  Our videos are not only available on our website, but soon, perhaps by the end of this week we’ll have our iPhone application approved which provides our audience with immediate access to video on their phone.  A series of videos on basic car skills, our first and only free application, will give a glimpse into how incredibly useful having access to video on your phone is going to be.  Not to mention our app doesn’t require you to be connected to the internet in order to watch the videos, make it a great app for air travel or places that connections are limited.

Back to the subject of how auto shops can embrace this new media.  So I walked into this small repair shop not far from where I live, explained a few things, and in a couple minutes walked out.  It was fortunate that the company’s president was right there and the first person I spoke to.  I explained what
we do with video, suggested that we do a case study with them, just to see how well we can get them to rank highly for some good keywords that they may either be paying for or their competition is paying for.  The hesistation is fine and although they didn’t agree to anything right away, sooner or later they’ll want to do this.   Being the competitive nature of auto dealers and shops, once one or two see their competition is doing it, they will follow suit.

Video seems to rank pretty good, so I told him a little about what we’d be able to do and let him think on it for a few.  He stated it might be a month or so because of the workload, but he’d like to know more.  The thing I’ve realized is that these conversations are extremely useful because it changes the way you think about your actions.  I walked out of their thinking how I’d be able to make it easier on them, and when I finally got to work it was so much more productive.

Just over the course of the last week I’ve spoken to numerous companies over the phone and the conversation is typically a good outcome if I can just make sure they know what I’m talking about.  I don’t expect every single one to turn into a paying customer, but the more I talk to them the more everything makes sense to me because I have to be sure it makes sense to them.  The use of videos in business is getting to be pretty standard, but just saying we do online video isn’t enough to make it click.  Fortunately I’m able to get them to click a lot faster, and I can definitely detect when they shift.

I’m serious about the local approach, I think its going to become very big with advertisers and its where the real money changes hands.  Its perhaps more a longtail, vertical play, but still you can almost smell it in the air.  The more the technology makes it easier for people to Twitter across the globe and find out what everyone is up to, the more they will then pull back into their local scene to get stuff done.  I see Twitter as more of a stream of consciousness, a way to gauge what is happening at 50,000 feet, and to learn about the ways other people are living.  But what goes up must come down, sort of like the servers do over at Twitter.

People prefer to buy things locally, provided they are able to get a good price, and its not terribly difficult to find what they need.  All customers, regardless of whether they work on cars or just want to know more about how their car should be maintained, should be welcomed and provided something of value before leaving.  So forget business cards, or a written proposal, give them something for free, an experience of some sort.  They will return in the future, and they will highly recommend your business.

Local businesses can compete with online retailers, though it doesn’t have to be differentiation based on price.  Online retailers are vunerable when it comes to the local merchant who understands social media, and has the tools and understanding of how it works.  Local businesses are very accessible, you can pick up the phone, you can drive to them, but typically their web presence is minimal.  A video that takes no more than a couple hours addresses that.