11:07 am, April 17, 2026
Car dealers are increasingly turning themselves into the face of their businesses, as the personal touch and ‘branding’ becomes a powerful sales tool to changing consumer behaviour.
During the social media masterclass panel, sponsored by Impel, at this year’s Car Dealer Live, James McConville, director of Solo Car Sales, and director of DB Automotive Danny Bond explained how the shift to more ‘influencer-like’ social media is in response a new generation of customers who are far less comfortable with traditional showroom interactions.
‘I realised that we were getting to a point where consumers were a lot more shy than they’ve ever been, and the actual showroom experience wasn’t what they wanted,’ Bond explained to panel host Becca Chaplin.
Instead, buyers are gravitating towards more digital interactions, often preferring messaging platforms over phone calls. This has accelerated the importance of trust-building before any direct contact takes place.
For many dealers, that trust is now being built through social media – and crucially, through people rather than polished adverts.
James McConville, director of Solo Car Sales, said his business has leaned heavily into this approach over the past year.
‘I think genuine human connection and the feeling that you know someone seems to matter a lot more,’ he explained. ‘The rules have changed where people buy from people.’
Rather than relying on paid advertising, McConville creates personality-led videos that aren’t always about cars.
‘The truth is, if people have bought a car, they probably don’t want to see more videos on cars. It’s about keeping that person engaged until they want to buy a car,’ he said.
Bond agreed that visibility and familiarity are key, adding that repeated exposure builds confidence in the buyer.
‘It’s about that customer who sees you somewhere and then they see one of your posts. The algorithm the builds, and then that person is comfortable to pick up the phone,’ he said.
The approach reflects a broader shift in car retail, where the initial sales process is increasingly happening online, often without direct interaction.
The session can be watched by visiting the Car Dealer Live website where you can purchase a replay ticket. This will allow you to watch back each session in-full on video to watch back at your leisure.
You can hear all the highlights from Car Dealer Live 2026 in our special podcast, which can be listened to below:
