CUSTOMER STORY · FORTRESS TRAILERS · TE AWAMUTU
FORTRESS TRAILERS:
SELLING BEYOND
THE SHOWROOM
Product walkthroughs help customers research before they call—so
Matt can spend less time demonstrating trailers and more time running his businesses.
THE CHALLENGE
GOOD SALES CONVERSATIONS TAKE TIME
Before someone buys a Fortress trailer, they need to picture how it will work for them. Will their gear fit? Which model suits the jobs they do?
Matt runs Fortress Trailers in Te Awamutu alongside The Hire Centre and Stihl Shop. Customers could be anywhere in New Zealand, and helping them choose often meant repeating explanations or travelling to demonstrate a trailer.
Those conversations mattered. But every demonstration trip took time away from his other businesses.
HEAR FROM MATT
Matt shares why he invested in video and how it has changed the way he helps customers buy.
LET CUSTOMERS EXPLORE BEFORE THEY ENQUIRE
When Archway first approached Matt about video, he saw a way to make those sales conversations available without having to be there himself.
He wanted buyers to get a proper virtual walkthrough while researching at home: see the features, find answers and work out which trailer suited them before getting in touch.
That became the brief for the project.
START WITH THE QUESTIONS BUYERS ARE ASKING
Planning started with conversations with Matt about the questions holding customers back from purchasing.
Different models suit different jobs. A builder, an electrician and a farmer may need to see different features before they can choose.
We built a library of ten core videos covering the Fortress business, individual trailer models and customer experiences, alongside shorter social reels.
Each product video follows a consistent walkthrough, showing features, dimensions, storage and practical uses. Customer stories show how the trailers work in everyday life.
The aim was to help someone who had never seen a Fortress trailer understand what it offered—and whether it suited their work.
FROM REPEATING ANSWERS TO MOVING THINGS FORWARD
Previously, an enquiry could mean another full explanation or a trip to show the trailer. Now, Matt can send a relevant walkthrough first.
Customers can research in their own time, compare options and come back with more informed questions.
Matt answers the final specific questions rather than starting from the beginning each time.
The library works across the Fortress website, YouTube, social media and Trade Me, and plays at field days and trade events.
Matt reports spending less time on demonstration trips and repeated explanations, freeing him up for buyers closer to a decision and the other businesses he runs.
50–60%
OF TRAILER SALES NOW HAPPEN WITHOUT A PHYSICAL VIEWING
Matt’s estimate · Fortress Trailers
MORE BUYERS READY TO CHOOSE
Matt reports increased enquiries and multiple purchases from customers who watched the videos.
He estimates that 50–60% of sales now happen without a physical viewing. Some customers have ordered by email or text without even needing a phone conversation.
He credits the videos with helping buyers understand the trailers and feel confident about their decision.
“For anyone selling an expensive product, having this kind of professional video content is invaluable.”
— Matt Hird, Fortress Trailers
YOUR EVERYDAY ANSWERS COULD HELP MORE CUSTOMERS
The starting point was the information Matt already shared every day. Capturing it gave customers across New Zealand a way to explore the trailers without him making every trip.
Your products and customers may be different. The useful place to begin is with the questions you hear most often.
What do your customers need to see or understand before they feel ready to buy?
