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Lifestyle Real Estate Video |The 3 L’s | Lifestyle, Lifestyle, Lifestyle

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lifestyle real estate videoWhen it comes to real estate it used to be all about Location, Location, Location. And while this may still be true, there is another word that has become just as important if not MORE important than a home’s location, it’s the other “L” – LIFESTYLE.

If you think about it, where we live has everything to do with lifestyle. Some of us live where we do because of its proximity to our employer – lifestyle. Some choose homes in locations close to a lake or the mountains because of the lifestyle they offer. Some choose based upon an area like the Biltmore or Paradise Valley, Old Town or North Scottsdale because of its – lifestyle.

Lifestyle is a big selling point in real estate but especially important in luxury real estate. The buyer is not plunking down $500,000, $1 Million or even $30 million for a piece of land with a pool and a view, no, they are really purchasing a lifestyle.

Real estate agents that understand how important lifestyle can be in the marketing and selling process have started to leverage it with the power of real estate video – lifestyle real estate videos that is. A lifestyle real estate video not only shows what a home looks like, its amenities or location – a real estate lifestyle video shows how a home could be lived IN as well. A good real estate lifestyle will create an emotional connection with a buyer, helping them mentally move in to a property. Below are two lifestyle videos we recently created.

Broadstone Camelback (Phoenix Arizona)

Watermark At Ocotillo (Chandler Arizona)

A lifestyle video can be as simple as using the home owners like the Watermark video or as complex as actors and extras like the Broadstone Camelback video. The only requirement of a a good real estate lifestyle video, in my mind anyway, is that it tell a compelling story. With a lifestyle video you are only limited by your imagination.

Would you like to bring your next luxury listing to life with a real estate lifestyle video? Please tell us all about it below.

**UPDATE** The Watermark At Ocotillo home SOLD in 3 days for FULL PRICE. The buyer and the buyers agent – saw the video.

Contact Us

Thank you for your interest in HMC. We provide the highest quality business, commercial, event video productions, classes and services. We look forward to meeting you. Please fill out the form below or call 480.223.8113

Real Estate Video Marketing: The 3 Types Of Real Estate Agents

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real estate video production phoenixEverywhere you look someone is talking about real estate video. Video is to 2014 what “short sale” was to 2008. Video is everywhere. And for good reason – it works.

Video is a forward thinking real estate agents best friend. There are so many benefits of using video in your real estate business.

I’ve been producing real estate videos in Phoenix since 2008, first for my personal marketing and then – my clients. Over the years I’ve noticed there are 3 types of real estate agents when it comes to using video to sell homes.

Types Of Real Estate Agents

The Forward Thinker

The forward thinking real estate agent is just that – forward. These are the types of real estate agents and real estate teams that are always looking beyond the horizon for the next trend, for the next tool they can employ to help their business and their clients. These are the agents that you see all over facebook – posting their latest HD property video or green screen video designed to educate and inform the consumer.

The Competitive Real Estate Agent

The competitive real estate agent in regards to video marketing is one looking for a competitive edge. This is the real estate agent interviewing for a listing that KNOWS they are competing against other agents or teams that may have a better reputation or do more business than them. This is the type of agent that wants to WOW the seller so they offer something that they know the seller will love – an HD video of their home.

The Reluctant Real Estate Agent

The reluctant agent is late to the party. This is the agent that is technology challenged. The agent that misses the days where all he/she had to do was enter a listing into MLS for it to eventually sell. This is the agent that will do the minimum to market their listings. Probably took pictures with their iPhone or iPad, maybe even created black and white flyers made in Microsoft Publisher. This is the agent that will reluctantly offer video to their seller when the days on market start to creep north of 90 days. This is the agent that will reluctantly offer video when the seller starts getting anxious about activity on their home or lack thereof.

Which Type Of Real Estate Agent Are You?

So, which type of real estate agent are you? Regardless of what type of agent you are, you have an opportunity to leverage real estate video in your business to extend your reach, brand yourself and/or your team, get found online, convey value and yes – sell more homes. We shoot for some of the top real estate agents and title companies in the valley and would love to shoot for you too. From HD tours and lifestyle to green screen and screencast we’ve got you covered. All you have to do is fill out the form below. We can help you create a video strategy, a strategy that can be weaved into your current marketing plan or take the place of it, even if your plan consists of 100% direct mail. Yes, video works with direct mail too. Click here to view our portfolio

Contact Us

Thank you for your interest in HMC. We provide the highest quality business, commercial, event video productions, classes and services. We look forward to meeting you. Please fill out the form below or call 480.223.8113

FUNNY REAL ESTATE BLOOPERS | STEALTH MARKETING

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funny real estate videos
Real Estate Bloopers
A blooper, also known as an outtake or gag reel, is a short clip of a video production, typically a deleted clip, containing a mistake made by a member of the cast or crew.

Common blooper examples include forgotten lines, hysterical laughter and unanticipated incidents. Bloopers take place everywhere – TV, radio, news reports to name a few. Often the blooper is a mistaken word or word taken out of context.

We LOVE bloopers. There are entire TV shows, YouTube channels and websites dedicated to bloopers. Many are hysterical. Watching someone make a mistake, not just the mistake but what comes after it – the reaction to the mistake is highly entertaining.

Over the years I have created, literally over 1000 real estate videos. Listing videos, green screen, lifestyle, documentary. Shooting that many real estate videos, I experience a lot of bloopers. Some merit a chuckle, others have literally make me cry in laughter.

Many videographers delete these bloopers in post production, I don’t. Some bloopers were so EPIC, I started creating blooper reels for my real estate clients. I encourage the real estate agent or loan officer to share the videos with their sphere of influence through their social media channels (facebook, twitter, Pinterest, Instagram) and email. I call these real estate blooper videos – Stealth Marketing. The blooper reel helps a real estate agents or loan officers network to see them not just as a sales person, but a PERSON. They say business IS business but it doesn’t always have to be.

An interesting thing about the real estate agents and loan officers that have shared their bloopers with their past, present clients, friends and family – there are typically 5 to 10 x’s MORE views and comments on my clients blooper videos than other types of videos. This activity is engagement. It’s time they are spending watching YOU. Identifying with YOU.

This engagement, this interaction is time your past and present clients are watching you. Time they are laughing WITH you. Time that you are top of mind. This is stealth marketing. So the next time you create a real estate video for your listing (and you should be), if and when you make a funny mistake – and you will – save them, share them with your social network, You’ll be glad you did.

Want more? Check out some of the other blooper reels I’ve created in the playlist below.


Contact Us

Thank you for your interest in HMC. We provide the highest quality business, commercial, event video productions, classes and services. We look forward to meeting you. Please fill out the form below or call 480.223.8113

REALTOR® Falls In Pool | Importance Of Insurance

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REALTOR Falls In PoolOne of the most effective ways for a REALTOR®/real estate agent to market a new listing is by creating a real estate video of the property. The listing video or property tour is one of the most effective types of real estate video. The listing video highlights the features and benefits of the home in a visual way. The consumer can see where the couch is and where theirs could go. They can see how big the rooms are relative to the bathrooms relative to the home itself. This is detail consumers care about that is hard to convey in pictures or text. Video helps the consumer mentally move in to a property.

Making a real estate video of a new listing is important but what’s just as imperative is the REALTOR® or real estate agent introducing the property to the consumer. This is priceless marketing, what I call stealth marketing, as the real estate agent is in front of the consumer at the moment they are most interested in hearing what they have to say.

I have always encouraged my clients to be in front of the camera. There are many benefits to using video in real estate, one of them is the relationship the REALTOR® can begin to build with the consumer – through video as 80% of what we say is conveyed through our body language.

When I shoot the video introductions I typically look for the most interesting area of the home, something visually pleasing the viewer would be interested in. Sometimes that is in front of the house, sometimes it’s in back or at the community entrance and sometimes it’s next to the pool.

On Friday I was working with Amy Jones of The Amy Jones Group at RE/MAX Infinity. Amy is without a doubt one of the most popular REALTORS using video in their business.  We’ve shot well over 100 real estate videos together, on Friday I was at the right place at the right time to see her, rather video her – falling in the pool. As luck would have it, I recently purchased a new camera in Canon’s Cinema line so I used my DSLR (now my “B” camera to capture a 2nd angle of the intros). Amy’s dip in the pool was well documented 🙂

 

Amy likes to demonstrate in her videos. On Friday she chose the backyard. It was over 110 degrees out – stupid hot. As she bent over the pool she was supposed to dip her hand in the water, splash it on her face as she said “so refreshing!”. Only one problem, well actually two – she lost her balance and fell in the pool!  People say LOL all the time, you see it thousands of times on facebook, twitter etc. I literally did LOL, until I realized (and this is the 2nd problem) she was wearing a $650 Sennheiser lav mic.  Not so funny.

Luckily I have 2 sets of everything and a business insurance policy that covers all of my video and photography equipment regardless of why the loss occurred – theft, drop and yes – falling in a pool. Note: if you choose to get into real estate video, get a good insurance policy and stay away from the pool!

Contact Us

Thank you for your interest in HMC. We provide the highest quality business, commercial, event video productions, classes and services. We look forward to meeting you. Please fill out the form below or call 480.223.8113

Community Real Estate Video Benefits | Become The AREA EXPERT

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Community Real Estate Video
Become The Area Expert

Imagine this. You are in the market for a new home. So, like over 90% of consumers you head to the internet, to start your home search.

You realize immediately – I need some help. You have narrowed down your home search to subdivisions or communities that are in your child’s school district and in close proximity to your job. You are not familiar with all the neighborhoods, at this point, reaching out to a real estate agent or REALTOR® is your next step.

If YOU were the consumer in the scenario above would you prefer to work with a real estate agent that works the general area you want to buy in (Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe)  or a real estate agent that works the subdivision you want to buy in (Val Vista Lakes, Ocotillo, Clemente Ranch, DC Ranch)?

If you’re like me, you would select the areal estate gent that knows the most about the subdivisions you’re  interested in. You’d want someone familiar with the builders, local market trends, things to do, floor plans, lot sizes, lifestyle, etc.

But how do you find a real estate agent like that? Even better – how can you, the real estate agent, be that expert? How can you have buyers coming to you? Asking for your help?

The answer – Community Real Estate Videos.

She Found It

The house I live in now – my wife found it. We lived in an adjacent community, but she (the wife) always, unbenounced to me, wanted to live in the gated community we now call home. It was on the way to and from the grocery store. A store she visited at least 2 times per week.

On her way to the grocery store, if the gates to the community were open, she would drive in. She did this over and over again until one day she drove by, gates were open, she drove through and found an exclusive listing. We now call it home.

Google Is Your Friend

Today, consumers don’t need to drive a subdivision they are interested in. They can simply Google it. (Fellas, ask your wife what community she wants to live in next – I bet she knows) This is a great way for you to get found online at the mount the consumer most wants to hear from you. While Zillow, Trulia and Realtor dot com are sure to take up the 1st page of Google for homes for sale, there is a way you can leapfrog them and get the attention of consumers most interested in the communities you market – with a community video. Below is a community video we made for Amy Jones of The Amy Jones Group at RE/MAX Infinity,  for the master planned active adult community of Sun Lakes in Sun Lakes Arizona.

Personal Branding

Community videos are what I call “stealth marketing”. Community videos are excellent for tying your personal brand to the community. If done correctly, the residents of the community will identify with the community video and share it with their friends and family, further extending the reach  of the real estate agent. From the video above you can certainly tell Amy Jones knows the community of Sun Lakes  like the back of her hand.  Note: YOU MUST BE IN THE VIDEO! Video is a very powerful tool for building trust. Check to the many benefits of video in real estate.

Community Real Estate Video Suggestions

The best community videos will be an advertisement for the community, not the real estate agent. The community video MUST be professional. By “professional” I mean, not a shaky video of a real estate agent holding their iPhone or iPad as they drive a community. Not a video with bad lighting (over or under exposed) or bad audio (weak or full of echo’s). The community video should be edited to point out the features and benefits of the community from the consumers perspective. The video should also include music, not any music though, not all music is created the same.  If you are intimidated by being on camera you can elect to do a voiceover instead. NAR reports 73% of sellers would list with a real estate agent that would use video to market their property.

Do ou have a community of subdivision you would like to put on video? Our community videos can (and should) be shared through social media channels like facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, embedded into your real estate website and used in your email marketing.  Please fill out the form below to get started.

Contact Us

Thank you for your interest in HMC. We provide the highest quality business, commercial, event video productions, classes and services. We look forward to meeting you. Please fill out the form below or call 480.223.8113

9 Reasons EVERY LISTING Should Have A Real Estate Video

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real estate video phoenix
Reasons Every Listing Should Have A Video

I got a call the other day from a real estate agent in Florida. His question:

should I bother making real estate videos for my lower end listings?

I used to get questions from real estate agents like “should I use video for my listings?”, I don’t get those so much anymore which tells me the real estate community is FINALLY catching on regarding video and how important it is for a visual and emotional industry like real estate.

VIDEO NOT ONLY FOR LUXURY PROPERTIES

What I told him and what I will tell you is YES! Absolutely, For Sure. I would suggest every real estate agent make a video for every one of their listings (the large teams I work with already do)
.
I’m not sure where it came from but for some reason there is a notion that real estate video is only for LUXURY properties.

I’ve been using video in my business since 2008. When I was a title rep, I developed my own USP (Unique Selling Proposition) by shooting listing videos for my clients. I’ve shot luxury properties, from Scottsdale to Paradise Valley, Cave Creek to Chandler and north to Payson. If I helped to further that myth, real estate video is only for luxury properties I apologize, as nothing could be further from the truth. Real estate video should be used on ALL of your real estate listings.

Here’s why.

MUST BE OF VALUE

Back when I started using video in my business it used to be good enough to just “do” video, there were not many of us using video back then. Those days are over. With more competition entering the space, your videos now need to have some VALUE for the consumer. What a property looks like, what a property FEELS like, the floor plan are all of value- to the consumer.

If I was a real estate agent I would make a video for EVERY listing, regardless of price. Below are 9 reasons why.

9 REASONS TO USE VIDEO ON EVERY LISTING

  1. IMAGINE THAT. Regardless of the price range, the real estate video will help a buyer mentally move into the property. They can see where the couch is and where theirs would go as well. This will increase the likelihood of a call, a showing and ultimately a sale.
  2. MORE VISIBILITY. The real estate video will increase the likelihood of not just the home but also THE REAL ESTATE AGENT getting found online. According to Forrester Research – Video is 53 TIMES more likely to appear on page 1 of Google compared to text alone.
  3. PORTAL COMPETITION. Video will help the real estate agent compete with 3rd party aggregators like the soon to be “Zulia” and REALTOR dot com). This is your TRUE competition online, not the agent in your office or even a competing brokerage. These are HUGE real estate websites (portals) that divert most if not all of your website traffic and ultimately your leads. These portals don’t really have an answer for video. Not good video anyway. (those templates with the same old distant robotic voice won’t cut it)
  4. STAND OUT. Video will differentiate the real estate agent from their competition. Let the other guys do their standard postcards and flyers, sports schedules and door hangers – savvy real estate agents can use them to drive traffic to the video on THEIR websites.
  5. PERSONABLE. Video will help the real estate agent appear as more of a PERSON instead of a SALES PERSON. The old adage “People do business with people they LIKE and TRUST” is true, I’ve seen it first hand in my business. Video can show my personality because the consumer can SEE my body language which convert almost 80% of what we say. They can SEE the agent knows their stuff. That the agent is passionate about the home, the area and their clients.
  6. BRANDING. Video will help the real estate agent build their own personal brand. Remember, brand is in the eyes of the consumer.
  7. SPEED. Because video is FAST, real estate agents can convey more information in a shorter period of time, keeping the consumer engaged.
  8. WEBSITE TRAFFIC. The FASTEST way to rank a website is with the use of video. Google LOVES video. The more videos the real estate agent has in their real estate website the more traffic (consumers) Google can send to them.
  9.  EMOTIONS. Video uses more of our emotions. Emotions are imperative in any sales process. Haven’t you noticed all these retailers trying to appeal to us through our desire to be someone else? Like someone else?
    Take a look at the video below then answer the questions.

Take a look at the video below then answer the questions.

Questions:
What community was the property located in? Was the property a villa, condo or single family home? Where was it in relation to the community pool? What color was the door? 
Are there wood floors? What about granite? What color? 
 How many floors does the property have? What was the real estate agents name? What color was her hair? What brokerage or team is the agent with?

The fact that you can answer any of these questions proves my point. The real estate agents that are using video in their business CORRECTLY are literally killing it. They are walking out of listing appointments victorious, even in the face of better known agents. They are getting found online. Their phones are ringing. So can yours. We create many different types of real estate video.

Let us bring your next listing to life. We can help you build your personal brand – with video. Fill out the form below to get started.

Contact Us

Thank you for your interest in HMC. We provide the highest quality business, commercial, event video productions, classes and services. We look forward to meeting you. Please fill out the form below or call 480.223.8113

Marketing To Real Estate Agents | Marketing Strategies For Loan Officers

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marketing for loan officers

Marketing Strategies For Loan Officers. Loan officers, are you sick of calling the top agents in the valley only to hear they are “happy” with who they use now? That they have a “strong relationship” with a competitor? Wouldn’t it be great to devise a plan to market to real estate agents that would work – if you work it? Allow me to introduce you to my loan officer marketing strategy.

Since 2008 I have used video in my business. Video clearly set me apart from my competition. Many real estate agents and lenders are now starting to realize what I have always known and taught to real estate agents and loan officers literally around the world  – video is a medium perfectly suited for the real estate industry.  I have written extensively, in some national publications, on the benefits of video in real estate ,  below are some reasons video should be part of your loan officer marketing strategy as well.

 6 BENEFITS OF VIDEO FOR LOAN OFFICERS

  1. Video is fast. Loan officers can convey a message in a shorter amount of time to the real estate agent and consumer with video than text. It could take loan officer 20 minutes to convey their value through text whereas that same message can be conveyed almost instantly through video. This is especially important given the immediate gratification, world we live in. As consumers attention spans get smaller loan officers need to grab and keep attention immediately. Video does that.
  2. Video builds trust and rapport. Studies have shown people are more likely to like and trust people they have seen in person – even in video marketing – than people they have only spoken to on the phone or through email.
  3. Video is believable. The consumer is more likely to believe a video message than one comprised of text or pictures.
  4. Video uses more of our senses. We naturally believe in what we can hear and see. It is easier for our brains to process. These visual cues in a video can convince the consumer of the appeal of a home for sale, a loan officers knowledge and experience,  a sales person or brand.
  5.  Video Is Purple Cow. Some loan officers have a website. Many real estate agents have multiple and some real estate companies have hundreds or even thousands of them. That is a lot of competition. Everyone has a website but few loan officers and real estate agents are using video in their real estate or lending businesses. Nationally, less than 2% of real estate agents are using video. Video is different. In a sea of links on the 1st page of Google, video sticks out like a sore thumb. Video is Purple Cow.
  6. Video Gets Found. Forrester Research reports “Video is 53 x’s more likely to make it on the 1st page of Google than text alone”. I have multiple videos on the 1st page of Google and YouTube. If you were looking for information about Phoenix, the lending process, FHA vs VA which is better and why, mortgage rates, the lending process, a home for sale, etc – would you click one of the 9 links that all look the same or the video?

THE COMMODITY OF LENDING

Most loan officers do not know how to properly market themselves to the real estate agent. They come at the agent with the same messaging as everyone else. “We have great rates” “We table fund” “We are the largest lender in the US, Arizona” “I give great service” “our processors are awesome” “I always answer the phone”. The problem is, none of this is really measurable or tangible nor offers any true value to the real estate agent. SERVICE is an EXPECTATION not a BENEFIT. Without the presence of a clear Unique Selling Proposition, the loan offer appears like everyone else and is therefor reduced to being a commodity.  Real estate agents will not care about you until you give them a reason to.

It’s A RELATIONSHIP THING

I hear real estate professionals say “THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS WILL ALWAYS BE ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS!” And while this may be true, with the advent of the internet and its role in search, there is now another factor, a HUGE one in growing your lending business, Content. Content is what the consumer is looking for when they ask a search engine like Google, Yahoo, Bing or YouTube a question (Yes YouTube is a search engine, the 2nd largest in fact). Many of these questions the consumer asks are geared towards lending.

Savvy loan officers should be creating regular video content for the internet. Content that educates and informs the consumer, content that helps them solve a problem, content that makes them smarter. This content will not only help the loan officer get found online (where the consumer not only starts their home search but in many cases the lending process as well),  the loan officer can then provide this valuable video content for free (if your state allows) to their real estate clients.

WHERE DOES IT GO?

The real estate agent can use this educational video content, created by and branded to the loan officer,  on their real estate websites and social media platforms. This content can not only draw traffic (consumers) to the real estate agents website but also, help answer the questions many consumers have about the lending process. These are often questions most real estate agents do not or can not answer. This video content also helps the real estate agent “bundle” their services to the consumer by aligning with a loan officer that appears to be part of their team.  Everyone loves a bundle – ask COX Communications and Century Link.

WHAT VIDEO CONTENT SHOULD LOAN OFFICERS CREATE?

  • The lending process for purchases
  • The lending process for refinances
  • What is an FHA, VA, JUMBO, USDA, Conventional Loan
  • Why should I choose an FHA, VA, JUMBO, USDA, or Conventional Loan over another?
  • Credit scores. What are they and what is the lowest acceptable score?
  • What is Debt To Income Ratio?
  • 3 ways to increase your credit score
  • The pre qualification. What is it and why should I get one?
  • How much home can you afford?
  • The loan application process
  • The loan officers background and value proposition for the consumer
  • The lenders or banks background and value proposition for the consumer
  • Mortgage broker vs Bank, which is better and why?
  • Closing Costs. What are they?
  • The escrow process (get with your favorite EO or title rep to help with this one)
  • Gift funds. What are they? Where can I quality?
  • Concessions who pays what?
  • Origination fees and points
  • Questions past clients have asked you in the past around the lending process
  • and so, so, so much more (really, it’s silly how much more there is)

BE A PROFESSIONAL

Some of this video content should be created in professional manner. Not the LO sitting at their desk with a boring background (some times this is acceptable), bad audio and horrible florescent lighting, but in a studio environment. Only one thing is more important than the quality of a video  and the overall message, and that is the quality of the audio. Bad audio (tin like, echo, echo, hallow, too loud etc) will chase most consumers away immediately. All of these factors  and many more can be controlled in a video studio environment.  Another benefit of using a studio is time. Professional videos can literally be created 24/7/365. Another benefit is branding. Establishing a brand rely’s not only on a valuable message but also on consistent messaging with a consistent look and feel. This can easily be created on a green screen in our studio. Backgrounds can be changed to the loan officers preference, logos, lower thirds, colors and yes – music as well.

TAKEAWAY

We can help you set up and execute your loan officer marketing strategy. We use state of the art cameras and microphones, (many of your favorite movies, TV shows and commercials use the same exact equipment) TelePrompTers (you won’t need to remember anything, you can simply read like your favorite newscaster). Your video will be created by a professional and skilled editor in our professional video studio. Ready to get started? Please fill out the form below to learn more about our content marketing packages for loan officers.

Contact Us

Thank you for your interest in HMC. We provide the highest quality business, commercial, event video productions, classes and services. We look forward to meeting you. Please fill out the form below or call 480.223.8113

Real Estate Branding Strategy | Why Many Agents Fail At Personal Branding

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real estate branding It’s a joke. A BIG FAT Giant JOKE. A joke that someone forgot to tell most real estate agents about. I’m talking about personal real estate branding, or real estate branding strategy, the way many real estate agents try and brand themselves and why most ultimately FAIL.

Changing Markets

I was a title rep for 13 years. I tell you this not to pat my self on the back but to show  I have weathered some storms. By “storms” I mean real estate markets. Let’s see… there was the traditional market, where there is an equilibrium between buyers and sellers also known as a “healthy” market. We saw this pre 2001 in Phoenix.

There’s the sellers market, that’s where you better come correct or don’t come at all. You know, where the seller dictates the price. Where the seller won’t pay closing costs or any other form of concession, where earnest money is “hard”, we saw this market in 2005 & 2006 here in Phoenix.

There’s the REO market, where all those mom and pop real estate investors, the ones that cashed in their 401K after investing in a $15,000 real estate course, got their butt’s handed to them. Where it wasn’t the buyer runnin thangs but the seller –  the BANK. We saw this in 2008,2009,2010,2011, and 2012 in Phoenix.

There’s the short sale market. Where sellers that found themselves “upside down” or “underwater” because of declining property values, asked the bank to accept less than was owed. We saw this is 2007,2008,2009,2010, 2011, 2012 in Phoenix.

Yes, I have seen my fair share of markets, and all through them I have heard real estate agents and real estate brokers talk about personal real estate branding.

Real Estate Branding Strategy

Over the years, I’ve had real estate agents contact me, asking questions about special business cards, flyers, single property websites, pictures, logos, shirts, wrapped HUMMERS etc to reinforce their “brand”. I laugh every time I hear it and for a while there the talk of personal brand disappeared, but now that we are again in a normal market, the push for personal branding has reappeared.

One thing I’ve noticed when talking to real estate agents about personal branding is many think they are their own brand. That they are somehow in charge of their brand, the protector of the brand and just because they say it or put it out there – it is so.

NOthing could be further from the truth.

If brand was in the hands of the real estate agent they would all be – “the best”. They would all be “top producers” they would all be “area experts” or “the best negotiators”, they would all be – RICH.

You can say you are this or that. You can have it printed on T-shirts and Polo’s, postcards and flyers, HUMMERS and Mini’s, coffee mugs or shopping carts, you can have it on EVERYTHING and it still means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

Why?

Because brand is in the eyes of the CONSUMER. Not YOU.

In fact, you have little control over your brand. Even with unlimited amounts of money, it’s hard to establish the brand you desire. Don’t believe me? Ask BP. British Petroleum or “BP” is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to improve its image after the train wreck that is the Gulf Oil Spill of 2010. They are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on prime TV spots, radio, banner internet ads, direct mail, public relations, they are leveraging EVERY method available to convince you, the American consumer, that BP cares about the Gulf. They are spending HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS and yet when you hear the initials B and P you immediately think of – OIL SPILL.

Brand Is DEMONSTRATED

You can’t just say you are the expert at this and that and have it stick. It’s not that simple. Brand is demonstrated not said. It’s hard to brand yourself in the real estate space where there are so many competitors, thousands of them,  that all appear to do and be the same thing – as you. In the eyes of the consumer, the real estate agent is a commodity.

Most real estate agents fail at establishing a real estate branding strategy not only because they say the same things as their competitors but they also try to serve the same markets as well. You can’t be a jack of all trades and succeed – not in real estate. If you want to build a successful personal brand you need to carve out a niche, in a specific geographic area, or process, and master it. Not condos but condos in central Phoenix. Not luxury properties but luxury properties in Arcadia. Not Investors buying in Arizona but Canadian Investors buying in Phoenix.

Real Estate Branding Strategy With VIDEO

Real estate agents that want to brand themselves should not only be talking about the brand they want to convey to the consumer, but also backing it up in their marketing with information the consumer would find value in. Statistics, facts, images, etc that don’t just support what the agent is saying but that clearly sets them apart as the expert in this area. One of the most effective ways to build a brand in real estate is to use non traditional mediums – like real estate VIDEO. What is different stands out – Purple Cow. With less that 2% of real estate agents {nationally} using video in their real estate business, and less than 1% doing it right, real estate VIDEO is an effective way to begin building a personal brand.

When it comes to branding there is another thing real estate agents can do,  it’s one of the easiest and hardest things most will ever do, especially in today’s hyper “I’m awesome” “all about me” “immediate gratification”  world we live in. – Be yourself.  In the great words of the great Oscar Wilde,  “Be yourself…everyone else is already taken.”

Being yourself is a guaranteed way to be different from your competition. Get personal. Open up. Ask questions.  It seems like many are afraid to be who they really are. Don’t be afraid, be you. Demonstrate your expertise, demonstrate your skills – negotiation or otherwise, demonstrate your abilities and the consumer will begin to brand you – as the expert in Chandler luxury properties, as the “Go To” real estate agent in central phoenix loft or condos, in the expert in commercial property . Real estate video can help you stick out from your competitors. Real estate video can help you DEMONSTRATE  your brand. Stop saying the same things other real estate agents say “search the MLS like a REALTOR®”, “Call for a FREE CMA” “Everything I Touch Turns To SOLD!”etc.

Start building your personal brand with listing videos of YOU introducing a property to the viewer. Start establishing your expertise by creating community or subdivision videos that talk not about you, like other real estate agents, but the community and why it is such a great place to live. Start demonstrating your brand with video by creating “How To” real estate videos that explain the buying or selling process, the mortgage process, the final walk-through, contract to close.  At HMC, we help real estate agents like you stand out from their competition, get found online, through the use of video. You ready to start building your personal brand? Fill out the form below or call us today.

 

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Thank you for your interest in HMC. We provide the highest quality business, commercial, event video productions, classes and services. We look forward to meeting you. Please fill out the form below or call 480.223.8113