YouTube Fun

Does Your Broker Get It?

Dawn of a New Era?

Did you ever stop to think just how much our industry has changes over the past fifteen years or so?  True, probably a question nearly every industry can ask themselves, but think how much information a consumer has access to in the real estate world today compared to just fifteen or even ten years ago.  What makes this really interesting (well for us real estate geeks anyway), is the majority of Realtor's® started their career when we controlled the information with listing books, map books, etc.  Imagine, the consumer came to us to find out all the information!  We’re talking BZ time (Before Zillow).

Well, obviously times have changed, but what is staggering is the number of Realtors® that have not changed with the times.  This represents an enormous opportunity for those that embrace the change and learn to grow their business (dare we say it).  Consumers can see and feel the different between those that have not only accepted the change and those that have failed to progress.

For starters, when working with your seller’s it is critical to discuss the importance of technology.  Remember, any consumer who has not been in the market to buy or sell over the past fifteen years or so, never really heard the term “buyer agency” and certainly didn’t set-up their own search on a website complete with daily property updates emailed right to them.  Think and discuss with your client what you do to increase page views.  With the quantity and quality of pictures and virtual tours, the first showing actually occurs online.  By the time a buyer walks through the home, they are on their second showing.  Want a shameless plug?  Call us for more ideas to help tweak your listing presentation to stay ahead of the technology!

We're Going Viral

How Would You Describe Your Office?

We asked our agents this very question, with one caveat...

Check Out Their Answers!

Do You YouTube? 5 Things to Consider

With all the choices out there today to market ourselves and our business, one of the most popular and successful avenues of late has been the creation short, information rich  videos.

Since we started producing these videos in 2010, our online sales leads have doubled.  As with any new undertaking, we had a learning curve, but now we have a system that helps us keep our video content fresh. 

And Google rewards us for our regular updates by boosting our placement in search results.

Below are a few keys we wanted to pass along:

Simple is better - Don't concern yourself with purchasing expensive equipment and editing software. All you need is a Flip Video Camera or similar product, a stage against a branded or colored wall, and a desk lamp shining on the set. If the lamp creates a glare, simply cover the end of the lamp with a white piece of paper. Visitors aren't expecting Hollywood-quality production; they just want the information. As viewership improves, your comfort level creating the clips will improve too.

Be relevant and focused - Focus your segments on very narrow topics, such as three tips for first-time buyers, current interest rates, or  what it means to work with an agent who has a team. The topics should be based on general Realtor knowledge, trends in your market, or client situations that agents are confronting.

Keep them short - RE/MAX QuickHits are a great model of how long viral videos should be.  Being the long-winded guy I am, some of our early clips were as long as 10 minutes. Now we understand two or three minutes is all the consumer will hang in for.

Film several clips at once - Record five or six segments at a time so that you can steadily roll out new content, which Google looks for. When only two remain in the queue, plan a new time to shoot the next half-dozen videos.

Broadcast them - On your office's YouTube channel, social media networks, blogs.  Wherever you think it would make sense.  The beauty of the multiple channels, is that the exposure can grab more consumer traffic for your videos outside your market and even internationally.

What's in Your Toolbox?

Trust me, this is not about SEO, Social Networking, Web 2.0, or any of those other catchy marketing phrases. This is about the tools available to you at the office.

The first step is to analyze the technologies available in your office and from your Broker/Manager. What are they providing that will help enhance your productivity without giving up more of that precious commodity called time.

Here are a few core technologies to consider;

• Web based software allowing you to access critical office docs, contracts, leads, etc. from any computer in the world
• Office Intranet
• Wireless at all offices for you and your clients
• Sales meetings available LIVE via the web
• On-demand training videos
• VOIP phone system


In today's day and age it is quite easy to get caught-up in the latest and greatest technological advancement. We can lose sight of how it relates to our production. Frankly, the same thing can happen to an office.

Your office and the support you get from it should be real and easily understood. You should measure the strength by what you get on a daily and monthly basis. How is it helping you reach your goals. It should include a strong commitment to today's relevant tools, a proven and real lead generation system, and the willingness to work with you personally to push your business forward.