As Cinderella stories go, the tale of how Clancy’s Auto Body in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, went viral practically overnight is a true classic.
Hooman Rafiee—the owner of Clancy’s Auto Body—decided to hire a social media manager to strengthen his online presence. That social media manager — Joel Velazquez — had never managed a company’s social media before in an official capacity, but he was eager to learn and had great ideas.
Rafiee gave Velazquez creative freedom to start experimenting, and the result was something neither of them could have predicted…the very first video Velazquez posted on the company’s TikTok account went viral, in a big way.
“One day, we just kind of went for it,” says Velazquez. “Hooman gave me the parameters he wanted to stay in (keeping the videos wholesome, clean, and fun), and we just tried the cat…and things kind of got out of hand.”
“The cat” Velazquez is referring to is a popular internet meme he used to create a nine-second video that now has over 25 million views, 4 million “likes” and 15,000+ comments. The cat bobs back and forth to a catchy jingle behind the collision shop, overlaid with the text, “Guys I lied on my resume and got a job doing the social media of this body shop, please blow this up so I don’t get fired.”
Velazquez never actually lied on his resume—he was simply piggybacking on the popular TikTok trend where people make the claim to poke fun at themselves.
“I would be lying to you, though, if I said I expected that to happen,” laughed Velazquez, “and I'd also be lying if I said that I could replicate it every time. We were fortunate to be in the right place at the right time, in the social media sense.”
Every online metric for the shop shot up—website views, Instagram and Facebook views, and TikTok views (of course). People were Googling Clancy’s “left and right,” said Rafiee. The Sun Sentinel ran a front-page feature on the shop, and reporters started calling from around the country to write stories about “that cat video.” He even saw the shop mentioned on ESPN.
While all the attention has been great, they say, both men realize the need to capitalize on the moment in a strategic way for it to truly benefit the business long-term. The “big picture” plan has always been to make a positive impact on the collision industry—“the cat” just accelerated the timeline.
The Problem
“What people expect with social media—not just with social media, but a lot of things in life if we’re being honest—is overnight success,” says Velazquez. “Although that may have been true for Clancy's, for 99% of people, it’s not going to happen overnight. It's going to be a long process you invest time and effort in.”
According to Velazquez, one of the biggest mistakes collision shops make these days when it comes to their marketing is using social media channels to “sell” customers and push services.
“A lot of people think they have to use social media to sell, but I disagree with that approach—I think that’s a dated way to look at it,” he says. “People don't want to be sold anymore, they want to be entertained and educated. They want value. And it usually happens in that order—first you entertain people, then you have the opportunity to educate them.”
Building this kind of long-term relationship with potential customers is like planting a seed—you may not see the payoff immediately, but in time your business will reap the benefits. A social media following ensures that your business stays top of mind, so when people find themselves in need of a body shop they’re more likely to choose you for the work.
“At the end of the day, you have to damage your vehicle one way or another to come here,” says Rafiee. “We’re working to create awareness and trust, so that when you get in an accident, the first shop that pops in your head is Clancy's.”
The Solution
Running an honest, transparent business is the way to build the kind of trust and rapport that leads to a strong reputation…but posting regularly on social media provides an easy way to show people what you’re all about.
“When you’re open to letting people in—just being more personable with them—you can show them your true colors,” says Velazquez. “When you open that door, you show them firsthand that you have a good work environment and culture, and that you're a good body shop with great standards and nothing to hide.”
That’s exactly what Clancy’s has been able to do for their now millions of followers…but it only works if it’s built on a foundation of integrity.
“Speak the truth, don't just try to entertain people by throwing some lies out there,” adds Rafiee. “Be true to your company and be honest. That's important. There’s so many lies being spread around these days and so much nonsense. People want to see a shop that is not fake and not following the old norms. Don’t be afraid to show people who you truly are.”
“It might come off that I'm some genius in marketing to have made this viral video, like I pulled a rabbit out of a hat, but that's not true,” says Velazquez. “I did post that cat meme and it did get a lot of views and I did post some great videos after that…behind all that, though, is the foundation of sincerity and integrity that Clancy's puts out into the world.”
Each of the different social media sites—TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube—have their own benefit and value, in Velazquez’s opinion, but he believes TikTok has the most effective algorithm at the moment…so he thinks that’s a great place for shop owners to initiate their social media efforts. “If you start posting on TikTok about your business, you will find your people very fast,” he says.
Once you’re well established on TikTok, follow that up with Instagram and Facebook, then YouTube if you want to educate and post long-form content.
The Aftermath
“When Hooman hired me to do his social media, he 100% did not expect this crazy uptick and for him to become a viral sensation,” reflects Velazquez. “But now that we are, we want to provide value rather than just entertain people because entertaining people is so fleeting. But educating people could have a lasting effect on the industry.”
To do this, Velazquez says the plan is to create informative posts about insurance and auto body collision on all their social channels moving forward.
“We’ll keep throwing in a couple of cats every now and then and entertain people that way with a couple of funny jokes…but the end game for this is to educate people on how to deal with insurance and how to deal with accidents, because we understand those moments can be very stressful and traumatic in people's lives.”
Both Rafiee and Velazquez share the desire to bring truth and value to people’s lives through their work in a real way.
“We don't want to create a space where we're contributing to the discourse in society, but we want to contribute to the betterment and justice for all,” says Rafiee. “I don’t ever want to see people taken advantage of. Lots of people rely on getting their information online, and I want them to get the truth, not lies.”
The Takeaway
Given the nature of the collision business, social media—even a viral video—won’t necessarily bring more customers through the doors immediately…but it certainly helps build brand recognition and sets the stage for future success.
In addition to building trust, social media activity also signals Google that you’re a business they should rank. Having a strong social media presence with high-quality content and a modest amount of followers helps boost your ranking, Velazquez says, which in turn means more potential customers can find you through a Google search.
The lesson? Be proud of your shop and your work culture, share it with the world, and the work will come to you.
