Can we shoot every other week or once a month instead of weekly?+
The short answer is that the platforms don't reward inconsistency — they penalize it. If we shoot once a month and try to spread content across four weeks of posting, we have no ability to respond to trends, no deal-response capability, and the content bank depletes immediately if anything comes up. The weekly shoot is what makes the whole model work. Three hours a week is a small ask for what it produces. That said, if budget is the conversation, let's have that conversation — there may be a structure that works for both of us.
We already have someone posting for us internally.+
That's actually one of the most common situations we walk into. The question isn't whether someone is posting — it's whether what's being posted is working. Is it consistent? Is it getting engagement? Is it platform-native video or repurposed photos and graphics? If it's working, great — you don't need us. If the results aren't there, the issue is almost never effort. It's approach. And that person you have posting still has a full-time job that isn't social media. We're built for this specifically.
We tried social media before and it didn't work.+
We hear this constantly — and we understand why. Most dealership social media efforts fail the same way: inconsistent posting, inventory photos instead of people, no platform strategy, and nobody responding to comments. That's not a social media problem. That's an execution problem. What we do is fundamentally different in approach — people-first content, consistent weekly production, platform-native formats, and active engagement. The dealerships that tried and quit were doing it the wrong way. We do it the right way.
How long before we see results?+
We're going to be straight with you: social media is a compounding asset, not a light switch. Months one and two are foundational — we're finding your voice, building your content library, establishing consistency. Months three and four you start to see real follower growth and the algorithm begins pushing your content further. Months five and six is where it gets interesting — inbound leads, direct messages, buyers who found you on TikTok before they ever called. By month six you have a social presence that functions as a genuine sales channel. We put this in writing in our agreement so there are no surprises.
What if we don't like a video and don't want to post it?+
Simple — we don't post it. Every video comes to you for approval before it goes anywhere. You review it, you approve it, then it goes live. If you don't like it, it goes into the content bank or gets scrapped entirely. Your brand is your brand. We never post anything without your explicit sign-off. That's not a courtesy — it's built into how we operate.
What if you get sick or can't make a shoot day?+
This is exactly why we build the content bank from day one. We're always shooting more than we post, which means we maintain a reserve of approved content ready to go. If a shoot day gets missed for any reason — illness, weather, scheduling — posting never stops. Your audience never sees a gap. The bank is our insurance policy and yours.
Do we own the content?+
Yes. All published content created under your agreement becomes your property upon payment of fees for that period. You can use it anywhere — your website, other marketing materials, paid ads. The only content that remains ours is footage that was shot but never posted. That's spelled out clearly in the client agreement.
Why not just run paid ads instead?+
Paid ads and organic content do different things. Paid ads reach people who weren't looking for you — which has value. But they stop the moment you stop paying, and buyers increasingly scroll past anything that feels like an ad. Organic content builds trust over time. A buyer who has watched six of your videos over three months walks onto your lot already knowing your team, your inventory, and your culture. That buyer is easier to close and more likely to refer friends. The average dealership spends $60,030 a year on paid social ads according to NADA 2024 — and every dollar of that stops working the moment they stop paying. First Pencil content keeps working indefinitely at $750 a week.
What makes this different from other social media agencies?+
Most agencies manage your accounts remotely and repurpose content across dozens of clients. We show up. In person. On your lot. Every week. We know the dealership floor, we know what content works in this market, and we're a phone call away — not a ticket in a support queue. The content we produce is built specifically for your store, your team, and your inventory. Not templated. Not recycled. Yours.
My staff isn't going to want to be on camera.+
We've never walked into a dealership that didn't have at least one person who lights up in front of a camera. We find that person in week one and build around them. We never force anyone. The ones who are reluctant usually come around on their own once they see a coworker getting attention and engagement from customers. You don't need everyone on camera. You need the right one or two people — and they exist in every store.
Are you going to be in the way on the floor?+
Not a chance. We've spent years working on dealership floors and the number one thing we learned early is that your sales people and their day come first. If someone's working a deal, we wait. If we're in the way, we move. We get in, get what we need, and get out — because our goal is for you to sell more cars. If that means sitting back for a few minutes while your team does what they do, that's exactly what we do. You'll forget we're there.