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by RMLS Communication Department | Jun 19, 2013
This is a guest blog post by Joanne McCall, a publicist and strategist who frequently works with REALTORS®.
It is no big trick for anyone in real estate to stand up anymore. Never in the history of humankind has it been so easy to build a platform and put yourself out there.
The trick is, how are you going to stand out?!
It is a busy, noisy, crowded world with far too many people just copying one another because they don’t know what to do. They know they need to do something, so they copy others. It’s pretty hard to be unique under those conditions, and being different is exactly what’s needed. But how?
What if you had a plan? What if you had a direction? What if you knew how you want to come across and what your important key messages are? What if you tapped into current trends, your knowledge, and in addition to that you had the confidence that you can use these new technologies to market yourself and your business in a way that gets results? Wow! You would be hot!
There is one trend happening now that is not going to go away. Are you ready for this?
It’s video.
Video is king (and queen) now.
And because this is the wave of the present and future, I am going to give you some media polishing secrets that will help you get noticed through your videos.
1. Get to the Point. Don’t take time to lay the groundwork. Don’t try to warm things up and eventually get to what it is you want to say. And whatever you do, don’t start your videos with “Hi, my name is…” Start with the hook. Start with the climax of your message, and then fill in the gaps.
2. Get to the Point Quickly.
You may think I made the point above, but the truth is, this is so fundamental that it is worth saying again. Get to the point and make it quick. No one is going to take the time to figure out your message.
3. Create and Use Soundbites.
Soundbites are quick little phrases that easily explain a concept. I heard an interview not long ago—the guest was a relationship expert and she was making a point about finding the “perfect” person to marry or get involved with. She said, “perfection=pure fiction.” That is a soundbite, and a memorable one at that. Here I am sharing it months after actually hearing it. So when it comes to your real estate business, come up with some quips and then practice them so they roll off your tongue. You can pepper these into your videos for much added interest!
4. Know Your Market And Who You’re Talking To.
I find far too often that many people have a problem zeroing in on a target market because they’re afraid of leaving someone out. The best advise is to pick a market and speak directly to them. You can expand out later, but initially, start with your key clients or customers. Otherwise, you may find yourself waiting, and waiting, and waiting to get those videos done.
Want to know more about using video in your marketing and looking great doing it? Join me and host Becki Saltzman, author of the upcoming book Arousing the Buy Curious: Real Estate Pillow Talk for Patrons and Professionals, for “Media Polishing for Real Estate Agents,” a free webinar on Tuesday, June 25th at 4:00pm Pacific. Learn how to develop content and make it compelling and fascinating to your potential clients and customers. Learn to create fantastic videos for more sales, more media, and more mojo! Click the link above for a complimentary ticket to this webinar.
![Using Video to Stand Out in Real Estate]()
by RMLS Communication Department | Apr 3, 2013
Chances are, by now you’ve heard of Twitter, even if you haven’t the faintest idea of what it actually does. If you’re not familiar with Twitter, you may find that it benefits you—and your real estate business—to take the time to get to know the service.
Basic Tips to Get Started:
1. Choose a name with relevance to real estate.
This way you may gain followers you don’t even know, simply from people who are searching for new people in the industry to connect with. You might want to think about making a second account with your name or something similar, if you want to be on Twitter for personal use. (Although, knowing REALTORS®, you probably won’t be able to keep your real estate updates separate from your personal account!)
2. Make sure you upload a personal photo. Much like when listing a home, uploading a photo of yourself or an image of your company’s logo to your Twitter account makes your page more appealing.
3. Add location information and a bio. Write a short bio of yourself and make sure you fill out the “location” field, to let people know what you do and where you are.
3. Change your notification settings. To ensure you don’t go crazy from non-stop emails, make sure you go into the “Email notifications” tab of the settings page and modify your settings. If you’re active on Twitter, you should start receiving lots of new followers, and getting an email every time a new person decides to follow you will simply overflow your inbox. You may want to leave the “Direct Text Email” box checked, to ensure that when someone sends you a direct message, you’re made aware of it.
4. Follow people! Start following people! Find other REALTORS® or people in the industry, and begin to connect with them. They may follow you back as a courtesy, which will enable you to better converse with them.
What Should You Tweet About?
1. Open houses. This both serves to advertise your open houses to potential buyers who are following you, but also just lets people know that you’re active in the market, so they know they can come to you in the future if they need help.
2. Don’t be afraid to brag. Celebrate your sales! If people see you having success, they’ll feel more comfortable coming to you if they need someone to get things done for them in the future. Just don’t brag too much, of course.
3. Market updates. Link to interesting news reports and stories about what’s happening in the national and local markets! People love using Twitter as a news source, and posting information like this is a great way to gain followers. It also boosts your image as a trusted source who keeps up with current trends. (An important tool is Bit.ly, which is a free service that allows you to shorten links to fit into Twitter’s 140-character limit, as well as allowing you to track how many people are clicking on your links.) If you see someone you follow posting something interesting, don’t be afraid to retweet them – they may even return the favor in the future!
4. Converse! Ask people questions, answer questions asked of you, and interact with your virtual neighbors. Twitter is great for conversations, so don’t be afraid to get more personable with your tweets.
5. Local events. As a REALTOR®, you’ll probably have a majority of local followers. You don’t have to make everything about real estate: You can update them on fun events happening in the area, such as concerts, festivals, or farmers’ markets.
6. Use Foursquare. Foursquare is a service where people “check in” to different locations. The person with the most check-ins at a given location is the “mayor” of that location. Sometimes businesses offer bonuses to the mayor (example: discounted coffee to the mayor of a coffee shop), but even if there are no real-world perks, it’s a great tool for meeting people in the real world. It also has interesting real estate opportunities. One example: If you become the mayor of a location, visitors who check in will see your information listed as the mayor, as well as a tip from you. As a tip, you could provide links to some of your listings in the area, to possibly attract people in the area who are looking for homes and like the neighborhood!
As you’re hopefully beginning to see, Twitter offers a lot of exciting possibilities for REALTORS® to get more active in the social media community, and is a vital resource for connecting with other people in the industry, as well as potential clients. Twitter is easy to use, and as long as you schedule out a few set times a day to catch up on your tweets so it doesn’t distract you from all your work (the same way you may do with emails), it’s a very non-intrusive way to boost your personal brand and hopefully bring in some new business!
And don’t forget to follow us @RMLSweb!
by RMLS Communication Department | Sep 27, 2012
There are many ways to use video in your business. This article, reprinted with permission from the REALTOR®Mag, has some pointers on getting started with video.
Let’s Get Reel | By Stefanie Hahn
With millions of people watching online videos every month, it’s time for real estate professionals to consider how they’re adapting this resource in their marketing plans. Here are some tips for getting started.
As a society, we are consuming video like mad. A look at the current YouTube statistics shows that as of September 2012, more than 800 million people come to YouTube each month and watch more than 4 billion hours of video. Last year, traffic from mobile devices tripled. Now wrap your head around this: 500 years worth of YouTube videos are watched on Facebook every day and more than 700 videos are shared on Twitter every minute.
More importantly, people are interacting with video content — YouTube reports that 100 million people take a social action on YouTube (likes, shares, comments, etc.) every week.
Don’t think your clients have caught on to the profound impact of video? In April 2011, Mashable released an infographic by Postling stating that, “73 percent of home owners are more likely to list with a REALTOR® offering to do video.”
Based on these statistics, there’s never been a more compelling time to add video to your marketing plan. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Equipment
You probably have multiple devices that can shoot decent video these days — smartphone, digital camera, and tablets, for example. Try your digital camera with a tripod first, as it helps avoid the “shaking” effect of the picture and give you a smoother plane upon which to move your shots. Tripods are cheap, but they can make a big difference in the quality of your video. Always carry extra batteries and/or a battery charger just in case you run out of juice.
Shooting
Here are a few quick tips for capturing video:
1. Turn on every available light if you are shooting inside. Also, avoid shooting for a length of time toward a window or anything that will reflect.
2. Write a script, even if you think you don’t need one. Scripts will keep you on track and give a bit of confidence. For added security, create a full-blown storyboard with each video shot and the words that should be spoken over top.
3. Speak louder and slower than normal. Don’t emphasize your words to the point of silliness, but enough so you are easily understood.
4. Keep it short. If you don’t capture the viewer in the first 10 seconds, you will lose them. Limit your video to less than two minutes whenever possible.
5. Practice. When you make a mistake, laugh at yourself. Then, try it again.
Content
Sure, you could parrot your listing description and film the house room-by-room, but I would encourage you to be bolder than that. Try something different. Instead, ask your sellers two questions:
1. What attracted you to this neighborhood?
2. What will you miss most when you move?
Really, any variations of those two questions will work. If your sellers do not wish to be on video but are willing answer the questions, you might be able to record their answers in a voiceover while filming their favorite part of the house or what they love about the neighborhood. Your goal should always be to make the buyer feel something and (hopefully) get attached to the property.
If you don’t have a listing to shoot video in, don’t use that as an excuse. Start building a video channel with a variety of content that can help you market your services to potential clients.
Here are more content ideas to consider:
1. Vendor tips: Get your favorite loan officer in front of the camera to explain mortgage terms, the application process, and what’s happening in the market. Do this with your insurance rep, title people, and home warranty reps. Keep the videos consumer-focused, helpful, and short.
2. Market statistics: Answer that famous question, “How is the market?” Get local and you can attack one area within your market each week with statistics and analysis from your MLS reports.
3. Community information: Show off the communities where you work (or wish you worked). Ask shop owners to wave hello and maybe even grab a “man on the street” interview with a local.
4. Testimonials: A video testimonial is a powerful public endorsement of your work — these videos are your best self-marketing pieces.
5. Profile: If you have somehow managed to keep your face out of all the other videos so far, this is the one to showcase you and how you work. Try to keep your video focused on what you will do for the consumer.
Editing
There are many options when it comes to editing your video. Consider trying the editing tools on YouTube.com if you are planning to upload there already. For beginner video editing, I would go with iMovie (Apple) or Windows Movie Maker (Windows).
SEO
You can use the same search-engine optimization (SEO) principles that you employ on your Web site to your videos. Know your keywords beforehand and use them in your video title, description, and tags.
The title of your video should be descriptive yet short. And don’t jam it up with keywords — use the video description to tell the world what they are about to watch. Each video should be “tagged” with your name, the word “video,” and relevant keywords. Don’t over-tag your videos and always use your name (or team name) as the first tag. This will help with your “related video results” down the line.
Marketing
Once you have a video or two ready, you will need to set up a channel. Think of your video channel as your own little station packed with the content you upload. You can share videos from here and/or get embed code for your Web site or blog. YouTube is the giant in this space, but don’t rule out other viable options like Vimeo or Flickr. Do some research and determine which option is best for you. Here are a few more promotional tips:
1. Set up your video channel with all of your real estate and contact information. Remember to link the channel back to your Web site and use your keywords wherever they make sense.
2. Add a title, description, and tags to uploaded videos. If your video is listing-specific, upload it with your listing anywhere you are able to add a video.
3. Share your video with the listing, use the built-in social shares, and embed the video on your Web site or blog.
Conclusion
Remember: You can do this! Video is easier than ever to record, edit, and upload. The investment on your part is mostly time. Like anything else, you have to be consistent to see real results, but video will give you a marketing piece that lives online and works in your favor long after you’ve uploaded. It’s time to get reel.
Stefanie Hahn is the education director for Coldwell Banker Hearthside, REALTORS® in Collegeville, Pa. Visit her Web site: www.StefanieHahn.com.
Reprinted from REALTOR® Magazine Online (http://realtormag.realtor.org), September 2012, with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
by RMLS Communication Department | Sep 7, 2012
We’ve put together a list of the questions that our subscribers may have about the Listing Load enhancements that will be out in mid-September. This article is updated as we receive additional questions and comments from our subscribers.
**New Question**
Is there a character counter in this release? Will there be an increase to the character count in Public Remarks?
There is a character counter for the remarks sections included with the new release. A request for additional characters in Public Remarks will be submitted to our Forms Committee, brokers who gather each year to assess the data we collect on our listing forms. Don’t forget that there is additional room for remarks on the Supplement Forms, if any of those are appropriate for your listing.
**New Question**
Will Listing Load now work in the Chrome browser?
Listing load will still not work with Chrome at this time. We are maintaining the IE and Firefox whitelisting currently in place. Our goal is to include Chrome in that group, but testing with that browser is not complete.
How will the changes to Listing Load affect me?
Although some of the pages may look different, the basic work flow has not changed dramatically. The enhancements we’ve added should make your ultimate experience more streamlined and productive.
If I have problems using the new Listing Load, what can I do?
RMLS™ trainers and Help Desk are here to answer any questions you have. You can reach us by phone at 877-256-2169 or email helpdesk@rmls.com. In case you need to get started when our offices and Help Desk are closed, we have also prepared an on-line tutorial available 24/7.
Why are you changing Listing Load? I know how to use it and it works.
We compiled many subscriber comments and requests about listing load over the last few years, and the upcoming changes reflect those requests. The result is a new detail view of the listing load search results with quick access to listing reports (agent full, tax full, history, photos and map) directly from the listing load screen. However, if you prefer, there is still a list view that looks very much like the old results screen. You can choose your experience.
What feature am I going to love the most?
We don’t really know, but it could be the Auto-save function, if you have ever lost work.
Where can I go to get information about the changes?
We’ve put together a summary about the changes that you can read here. You can also plan ahead and sign-up for a class in late September or find out how to set-up a training in your own office for Listing Load Enhancements by contacting training@rmls.com or 503-236-7657.
by RMLS Communication Department | Jul 25, 2012
Is a full tank of gas a Realtors® best friend? Maybe not, but with all the driving they do getting a good deal on gas prices probably does make life a little easier. And you guessed it—there’s an app for that. Find gas stations close to wherever you happen to be with the best prices by trying one of these free apps for either iPhone or Android.
GasBuddy
Perhaps the most popular of gas apps, GasBuddy helps you locate gas stations near you and see their current gas prices with one click. The app creates a community of real time gas price “reporters” by awarding points toward prize giveaways to users. The app breaks gas prices down by gas types—regular, mid-grade, premium and diesel. You can search for gas stations based on either price or distance from where you’re located. It also provides a link to get directions to the station you choose.
GasGuru
Developed by Yellowpages.com GasGuru is only a month old so the jury is still out about the accuracy of its gas prices. However, in addition to gas prices this app also lets you search for nearby restaurants, coffee, auto repair, ATMs and roadside assistance—all of which can come in handy. This app rates gas prices as either “Best” meaning it’s in the top 20 percent of the cheapest gas available, or “Good” meaning it’s in the top 50 percent, or other, which is any price not falling in the first two categories.
Do you have a favorite gas app, please comment and let us know what works for you!
by RMLS Communication Department | Jul 6, 2012
When it comes to promoting your business you’ve probably heard a lot about creating a Facebook profile, tweeting or posting photos to Pinterest. It can be easy to jump on to one of these social networks and hope it will help market your work to potential clients. Any one of these platforms can be a great tool if you have a marketing plan in place and understand your brand.
It’s important to think about your image or brand because it’s actually the first step in figuring out how to effectively promote yourself. If you haven’t already, or if it’s been a while, set aside some time to define your brand.
What is a brand?
Seth Godin defines it as:
The set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another. If the consumer (whether it’s a business, a buyer, a voter or a donor) doesn’t pay a premium, make a selection or spread the word, then no brand value exists for that consumer.
Defining your brand can feel a little overwhelming so here are a couple of steps to help you get started.
What do you offer?
Think about the services you offer and what makes you unique. Do you focus on a particular area or community? Do you target a certain demographic? Are you an expert in a particular area of your field? What do you offer a client that’s different than your competitors? What kind of positive comments do you get from your clients? Take some time to write down a list of your services and think about what makes you different or unique.
Your 30-second Bio
Develop a 15-30 second “elevator pitch.” You’re in an elevator with someone and they ask you what you do for a living. You have 30 seconds to answer and pique their interest. So, it would be great if you had an answer beyond, “I’m a realtor” or “I’m in real estate.” Use the list you’ve put together about your services and what makes you different to come up with a concise, interesting pitch.
Here are a couple of sample elevator pitches:
“You know how stressful buying a home can be? I manage that stress for my clients by being at their side every step of the way. I love to make the process as easy as possible. My goal is to create a fantastic experience for every one of my clients.”
“I love the Northeast area. I’m really involved with the neighborhood associations and I’m a market expert in five different neighborhoods. Anything you want to know about real estate in a Northeast neighborhood I can tell you.”
Once you’ve honed in on your strengths and expertise you will be in a much better position to figure out who your potential clients are and how to reach them.
Next up: How defining your brand helps you develop a marketing plan.
Photo Credit
1. Get to the Point. Don’t take time to lay the groundwork. Don’t try to warm things up and eventually get to what it is you want to say. And whatever you do, don’t start your videos with “Hi, my name is…” Start with the hook. Start with the climax of your message, and then fill in the gaps.