Friday, June 10, 2011
Flyers now being offered for your marketing plan.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Treat your Real Estate Photos like a Resumé
What does that mean? Real estate photos are real estate photos, right?? You click away, upload the photos, cross it off your ‘to do’ list and hope that the prospective buyer will find your listing attractive enough to visit. You may have not taken those exact same steps but probably something similar to it.
The next question I’ll throw out is, what’s the objective of a resume? Get the job! … no, not really. The objective of a resume is to get the interview. Yes, the interview. When writing a resume, the job seeker has to keep in mind that the person (viewer) screening the resumes will take notice of resumes that most meet his objectives: finding qualified candidates to interview. That’s it. The actual hiring is quite often done by someone else. Resumes have just a few seconds to make an impact, otherwise, it gets tossed in the ‘not what we’re looking for’ pile. Ugh! Get the viewer’s attention and you make their job fast and efficient when screening candidates. Most resume viewers and e-viewers, will search for skills, experience and good presentations. Remember, the objective is to find viable candidates to interview. A standout resume gets you an interview, the interview gets you the Job.
So what can we take from submitting a resume? Well, let’s ask the same question of your photos. What’s the objective of real estate photos? Get the house sold, right?? … No, not exactly. The objective of real estate photos is to get the buyer to visit the home, a showing. It's going to be difficult to get the job, if you don’t interview. It's going to be difficult to sell the home, if you don’t get foot traffic, 'Showings'. If you can get the buyer’s attention, they will want a showing.
How can you apply this to your listing photos?
Equate skills and experience to photo content. Highlight the best features and leave out anything that leaves a negative or doubts in the buyer’s mind, just like you would on a resume. For example, you don’t always list every single job/responsibility you’ve had because it looks like you’re a job hopper or unfocused. Your resume should focus on accomplishments. The viewer doesn’t know the reason for your numerous jobs but the job list does put a doubt in the viewer’s mind. 'Is this person restless, gets bored easily, etc.?' You're making their job difficult to screen. Most likely the viewer will move on to the next resume that doesn't leave doubts or negative questions. This concept can be used in real estate photos. For example – small rooms. The room functions just fine if you’re actually standing in it …. but in photos, no matter the quality, the room looks too small for the buyer’s imaginary use. The buyer has forgotten about the great kitchen, the big yard, etc. The buyer thinks it’s too small for their needs and suddenly your listing is in the ‘not what I was looking for' pile. This is just one example of doubting thoughts creeping into the buyer’s head but future blogs will discuss more. Words of advice, if in doubt, leave out. The room determination is best made with a showning. Let the buyer be surprized by the great use of this small functional room.
Presentation – Equate resume presentation to photo content. With a resume, the viewer wants to screen quickly and have the accomplishments highlighted and also, not get confused by irrelevant information. The same goes with your photos. Present high quality photos and highlight the home’s features. Don't invite questions or confusion with distracting elements such as blooming windows, leaning walls or dark, dingy rooms, etc. (Good topics for future blogs!) But for now, consider them distractions and will take away from the photos intent – showcasing the great home and getting that showing.
I’ve generalized and simplified this concept I use when I put a real estate photo shoot together but if you change or tweak your approach to your listing photos, you too can achieve ‘the showing’.
Topics for future blogs.
Quantity vs. Quality
Do I need a Photo Stylist?
Photo distractions
The Teepee House
Blooming windows
Anchoring a view with a design element.
The next question I’ll throw out is, what’s the objective of a resume? Get the job! … no, not really. The objective of a resume is to get the interview. Yes, the interview. When writing a resume, the job seeker has to keep in mind that the person (viewer) screening the resumes will take notice of resumes that most meet his objectives: finding qualified candidates to interview. That’s it. The actual hiring is quite often done by someone else. Resumes have just a few seconds to make an impact, otherwise, it gets tossed in the ‘not what we’re looking for’ pile. Ugh! Get the viewer’s attention and you make their job fast and efficient when screening candidates. Most resume viewers and e-viewers, will search for skills, experience and good presentations. Remember, the objective is to find viable candidates to interview. A standout resume gets you an interview, the interview gets you the Job.
So what can we take from submitting a resume? Well, let’s ask the same question of your photos. What’s the objective of real estate photos? Get the house sold, right?? … No, not exactly. The objective of real estate photos is to get the buyer to visit the home, a showing. It's going to be difficult to get the job, if you don’t interview. It's going to be difficult to sell the home, if you don’t get foot traffic, 'Showings'. If you can get the buyer’s attention, they will want a showing.
How can you apply this to your listing photos?
Equate skills and experience to photo content. Highlight the best features and leave out anything that leaves a negative or doubts in the buyer’s mind, just like you would on a resume. For example, you don’t always list every single job/responsibility you’ve had because it looks like you’re a job hopper or unfocused. Your resume should focus on accomplishments. The viewer doesn’t know the reason for your numerous jobs but the job list does put a doubt in the viewer’s mind. 'Is this person restless, gets bored easily, etc.?' You're making their job difficult to screen. Most likely the viewer will move on to the next resume that doesn't leave doubts or negative questions. This concept can be used in real estate photos. For example – small rooms. The room functions just fine if you’re actually standing in it …. but in photos, no matter the quality, the room looks too small for the buyer’s imaginary use. The buyer has forgotten about the great kitchen, the big yard, etc. The buyer thinks it’s too small for their needs and suddenly your listing is in the ‘not what I was looking for' pile. This is just one example of doubting thoughts creeping into the buyer’s head but future blogs will discuss more. Words of advice, if in doubt, leave out. The room determination is best made with a showning. Let the buyer be surprized by the great use of this small functional room.
Presentation – Equate resume presentation to photo content. With a resume, the viewer wants to screen quickly and have the accomplishments highlighted and also, not get confused by irrelevant information. The same goes with your photos. Present high quality photos and highlight the home’s features. Don't invite questions or confusion with distracting elements such as blooming windows, leaning walls or dark, dingy rooms, etc. (Good topics for future blogs!) But for now, consider them distractions and will take away from the photos intent – showcasing the great home and getting that showing.
I’ve generalized and simplified this concept I use when I put a real estate photo shoot together but if you change or tweak your approach to your listing photos, you too can achieve ‘the showing’.
Topics for future blogs.
Quantity vs. Quality
Do I need a Photo Stylist?
Photo distractions
The Teepee House
Blooming windows
Anchoring a view with a design element.
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