While the real estate industry is often viewed as innovative, many agencies are wary of using video as part of their marketing strategies.
Unfortunately these agencies are missing out on a golden opportunity and risk falling behind their video-leveraging competition. Looking at the real estate industry through the prism of a video marketer, I see endless and largely untapped opportunities to leverage video beyond the simple photomontage property video on listings sites.
Let’s be honest: in an industry not always held in the highest regard, the key value I see in a video strategy is inspiring trust. Video is the leading communication tool to break the ice so that your clients – buyers and sellers – quickly get to know an agent and/or agency, building a high level of faith and trust.
There are an unlimited number of video opportunities available. Here are 16 ideas to get you thinking about the possibilities:
- Personal agent bio video published on social media and the website
- Agency code of ethics/mission statement
- Agency meet-the-team videos
- Hyper-local knowledge broadcast via social media and email every Friday
- YouTube channel dedicated to educating buyers and sellers
- Seasonal video reviews on the latest trends and data
- Happy client testimonials – this is an easy win strategy with big benefits
- Personalised property marketing video that inspires purchasing a lifestyle
- Monthly RBA rate review updates broadcast via social media and email
- Personalised ‘thank you for listing’ video emails
- Personalised ‘thank you for purchasing’ video emails
- Weekly property wrap – new listings, sold properties, auction results
- Sponsorship stories
- Suburb analysis for investors
- A guide to first home buyers to demystify the process
- A three-part guide to subdivision to demonstrate knowledge
With so many opportunities to leverage video and with so few agencies taking full advantage, I find myself speculating about what is holding the industry back. I feel it is the same reason video ends up in the too-hard basket in so many other industries.
What holds people back from embracing video is fear. Even though being an agent involves a certain amount of the public spotlight, there is a fear of what you will look like on camera, fear of what you will sound like, fear of what other people will think of you when they see you on video and so on. The fear of stepping up to the stage and into the limelight simply puts people off.
I’m going to let you into a secret. After 10 years of being behind the camera it took a great deal of courage for me to step in front of the camera recently. I did so because in order to take my business to the next level, I knew I had to – and so do you. Even though I hated seeing myself on camera, I persisted and got over it through practice.
As the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, « a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step ». The first steps are always the hardest to take, but trust me: as you make more videos, it becomes easier.
Is it too late to start, you might ask? If you are not currently using video in your business then don’t worry, it’s not too late. Video is still a developing marketing tool and you will find that not all of your competitors are using it effectively – and some, not at all. However, don’t delay! In the not-too-distant future you will find that your competitors use video, and very effectively. If nothing else, you will need to use video just to stay competitive.
You have a great opportunity today to leverage the power of video and get ahead of your competition and sell more property. You can stand out among your competitors and get an unfair advantage with video. Go on, give it a try and you will be pleasantly surprised by the results.