Here’s one way you can use video in your real estate blog
August 14, 2008 | 9 Comments
Next month, I’ll be speaking at RE Blogworld. I’ll be speaking with Mike Price and Morgan Brown about using video in your real estate business. As most of you know, I do quite a bit of video here on the blog, but the way I use here it isn’t necessarily the same way I would use it in my real estate business.
One question I get from folks is, “how can I use video?” Well, the first thing I would say is– Don’t do video tours of your listings unless you are getting a professional to put it together. We tried doing our own listing tours in our brokerage, and it was a colossal waste of time and effort. The folks at REShows and MLBroadcast are able to put together a much better presentation of your listing using photos and music than you are able to make with video (unless you are a videographer).
So, if I shouldn’t do listing tours, what should I do?
Well, for starters, video is a great way to show people what a neighborhood is like. People can see houses through photos. Neighborhoods and points of interest are much more difficult, and you don’t usually find pictures of that type of thing in the MLS. Video might be perfect for showing folks around town.
Another great use of video is to expose people to the flavor of the area. When you are out and about going to community events, shoot some video. Give people a taste of what it is like to actually LIVE somewhere. People don’t just move into a house and become hermits. They move in and go to restaurants, they go to malls, they go to community events, they go to fairs. . .
My Example
Here is a little video I put together after our trip to the local Albemarle County fair. I took video, and I took a bunch of pictures. I put it to some music, and VOILA! We now have a video that we can share with customers and clients that shows them what the fair was like (and it also gives them a taste of the area):
From the time I sat down at the computer until I had a finished video, it took just over 1 hour. I try to shoot the type of video that doesn’t require a whole lot of editing. Keep it simple– that helps. It actually took longer to get the pictures ready than it did to get the video together. The end result is about 2 minutes long. I think that should be your target end time for just about anything you do. Going much longer than that can be tough on folks, unless it is really interesting.
So that’s just one example of how you might want to use video in your real estate business. There are plenty of others, and I hope to be able to share more examples of things we are doing in the future. If you have your own examples, or examples from others, let me know, I would love to share them with everyone!
Change is good, if you let people know about it
August 13, 2008 | 2 Comments
Someone once said, “the only constant is change.” I guess this is true. Things are always changing, including business. As real estate agents, we are always out there looking for the next strategy, technique, or practice that will make our business better and improve the experience for our clients and customers.
Problem is, sometimes we get so anxious to change, that we forget that people who put us in the position to change (our clients and customers) might not be as eager to change as we are. That’s not to say that they wouldn’t welcome change, or that they don’t think that it is good, just that, well, not everyone likes surprises.
If you are going to make a change to the way you do business, or the way you organize your website, anything that involves your clients and customers, keep them in the loop. Let them know what is going on. Heck, it might even be a good idea to get their input on the change.
After all, the reason we change is to benefit not only ourselves, but our clients and customers as well. Don’t they deserve to know what is going on?
A real world example. . .
This was a lesson of which I was reminded when I went to my local grocery store, Food Lion. It has been in desperate need of renovation. Now, not only are they renovating the store, but they have completely reorganized the entire inventory. The problem is, there is no way of knowing where stuff has gone. There is no sign describing the changes to folks, no way of knowing what is done, and what is still being done. This is a very frequently traveled local grocery store. I, and most of the people I know, have been going to that store multiple times a week for years. Despite its inadequacies, it was comfortable. Now, it feels awkward and strange. I guess I’ll get used to it, but I think that Food Lion could have done a little bit better job letting people know what is going on. Maybe just a few temporary signs when you enter the store, describing the changes and why they are necessary, etc. That would be good, and it would make me feel a lot better about what is going on. Just a thought. . .
What you can learn when I make a fool of myself
August 6, 2008 | 18 Comments
I recently went to the Albemarle County Fair with Kari, my brother Bryan, and my mother-in-law Patsy. We all like fairs, and one of the great things about living in an area that is as rural as ours is that during this time of year, there is a county fair close by just about every week.
One of the things I did while at the fair was try out this really interesting ladder game. Basically, it was a rope ladder strung out across an inflatable platform. At one end of the ladder was a bell. The object was to climb the ladder and ring the bell. Sounds simple. It is, except for the fact that the ladder is attached to one point at the end that rotates freely. This means that the ladder very easily flips over, knocking you off.
My brother went first. He didn’t make it. Being a brother, he challenged me, of course. I gave it a shot. Before I did, however, we asked the guy who was operating the game how many people actually do it. He promptly jumped on the ladder, climbed right up, and rung the bell. It looked pretty easy he did it.
So then, I got on. Here is the result:
How does this matter to you?
Aside from the fact that you probably got a good chuckle out of watching me repeatedly fall over, this whole experience relates to business as well.
When a lot of folks look at technology, they look at it like most folks would look at the ladder game– impossible. They watch others try and give up, or try and fail, and they think that it must be too hard for them, too. Then, someone comes along and makes it all look easy, and it gives them confidence. Enough confidence to try it out, at least.
So, they do what I did. They try to duplicate what they have seen others do, and maybe it doesn’t work out just right. Maybe they fall down a few times, and then they just give up.
Don’t just give up
The fact of the matter is, though, that I know the ladder can be climbed; just as I know that technology can benefit real estate professionals. I watched the carnival guy climb right up that ladder, and I have watched more than one real estate agent reap the benefits of things like blogging, twitter, Facebook, etc.
I am sure that the carnival guy didn’t climb that ladder on his first try. I couldn’t do it in four tries. But, if I could put in more time and effort, I’m sure I could do it. The same is true of technology.
Because one of the professed benefits of technology is that it will make your life easier, people expect it to be easy. That isn’t always true. It usually takes some combination of effort and time for you to really see the benefit of using any given technology. It certainly takes time for you to appreciate the benefits.
So, give it a try, and don’t give up on it. I mean really, what’s the worst that could happen? It’s not like your family is going to stand around with dozens of strangers and laugh at you. 
(If you want to see some of the photos from our fair experience, they are on my Flickr page.)
Focus is everything
July 8, 2008 | 1 Comment
In the real estate business, there are a lot of different things that can demand our focus at any given time. There are clients to respond to, inquiries to answer, agents and vendors to speak with, and that list doesn’t even include the various aspects of the actual business that need attention (marketing, service, lead generation, etc.)
Even though knowing where to apply your focus will change from time-to-time, focusing in the right place at the right time can often spell the difference between success and failure. This is a lesson of which I was very vividly reminded during my recent time at officiating camp. . .
Learning About Focus the Hard Way
It was just after 8:30 am on Sunday, the last of the three full days of basketball games. The early morning time, coupled with the mental and physical fatigue of constant officiating was bound to take a toll at some point, and boy did it ever.
About 3 minutes into the game, my crew and I were a bit off. We just weren’t working together as smoothly was we would have liked. Fatigue will do that. One one trip down the floor, I missed a rotation, meaning that I was out of position. I noticed it, and then I broke a cardinal rule of officiating– I took my eye off the player with the ball, who was MY responsibility. I shifted my focus from where it should have been. Instead, I took a glance at my partners so that I could figure out what the heck I was doing and get myself where I was supposed to be.
In the instant I shifted my focus, it happened– the player who I should have been watching hit the floor, holding the ball.
THAT got my attention. I caught just the last instant of the play, and when he hit the floor, the whole place went silent. It went silent because everyone was waiting on my to blow my whistle.
I blew the whistle. I had NO idea what to call. None. Completely blank.
I did the only thing I could think of that quickly– I called a jump ball and went to the possession arrow. In that situation, it was the least of many potential evils.
The coach, who was standing right behind me and did see the whole thing (just my luck), almost went apoplectic. Had it not been 8:30 on a Sunday morning, he probably would have, and I would have deserved it.
I did the only thing I could with the coach. I went to him and said, “Coach, I missed that one. You saw it. I didn’t. I lost focus. My fault.” Luckily, my admission diffused him as much as I could hope for, and the game went on. It could have been much worse. My momentary lack of focus could have really messed up the game for myself and my entire crew.
Focus is Everything
Just as in officiating, focus can mean everything in business. Where you direct your time and attention can have a tremendous impact on how the rest of the game plays itself out. As business people, we have to carefully consider what activities require our focus at any given time and concentrate on those activities 100%.
Sometimes, our focus must be on improving our marketing, other times on improving our service or education, and other times on meeting the immediate needs of our clients and customers. It is a good idea to take stock of your business on a frequent basis so that you can help determine what area might need your focus at any given moment. If I would have done that on the basketball court, I would have realized that my focus needed to be on the play in front of me, and not on the position of my partners.
Taking stock might mean that you review and prioritize your tasks for the day. It might mean that you review your business plan quarterly or even monthly to track your goal progress. Try to get in the habit of self-evaluation so that you can easily determine where your focus needs to be at any given point. Once you have done that, all that’s left is to FOCUS. CONCENTRATE. Give it 100%. You’ll be surprised how much more motivated you feel when you know that the work you are doing is the most important work to be done.
My momentary lack of focus had ramifications that lasted only minutes. In a different situation, it might have determined the outcome of a game or a team’s entire season. Like I said, I got lucky.
You don’t want to rely on luck. Focus now. Develop the focus necessary to lead you to your goals. Learn to direct your focus appropriately. I know that basketball coaches appreciate it; and so will your bottom line.
Be Movitated, but Be Thankful, too
June 25, 2008 | 2 Comments
I had a great time at my referee camp. I always come back with VERY tired legs and a head VERY full of new officiating info that I can use during the upcoming season. I told you before I left that I would give you a little glimpse of what it is like to go to officiating camp. I didn’t get to take as much video as I would have liked (at least 3 games per day will do that), but I did spend a few minutes one morning making this:
There has been quite a movement in officiating to hire not only good referees, but good people, too. One aspect of that is humility. Being a successful referee is one of the few things that I have ever done that simultaneously requires a huge ego and ultimate humility. It is a delicate balance that all refrees strive for. Some are able to do it. Some don’t.
For the ones whose ego gets a bit too large, it is important to remember that nothing is guaranteed. As quickly as the success came, it can be taken away. The most important game is always the next one, and be thankful that it is on your schedule.
Real estate is the same way. We are all independent contractors, running our own businesses. We are our own bosses. This does not, however, mean that we answer to no one. There are still responsibilities, to clients, to collegues, to family.
The one true path to success in this business requires that you remain motivated, but that you also remain thankful. Take nothing for granted, and remember that you are owed nothing.
It is a delicate balance, but one that I was reminded of this past weekend every time I put on the stripes.
Want to Know What Someone Means? Ask!
April 30, 2008 | 11 Comments
You may remember when I introduced the concept of the Listing Conversation, as opposed to the traditional Listing Presentation. I hope that you have been conscientious about trying to engage your potential clients more, and not just talking at them.
You may be wondering, “Well, I want to have more conversation with my clients, but they just won’t talk to me. They won’t tell me what they really mean. If I could only get them to tell me what they really mean, then both our lives would be much better. How do I get them to tell me what they really mean?
I’m glad you asked. . .
Referees are Trained to Be Brief and Meaningful
As a basketball referee, interactions with coaches are entirely unavoidable. I know that, at some point during a game, I am going to have at least one interaction with each coach. Sometimes, these interactions are emotional (go figure).
When it comes to interaction with coaches, referees are trained to always keep two things in mind– Don’t initiate an exchange, and be brief when you do have to have one. As a basketball referee, the LAST thing I want to do is get into some sort of protracted conversation with a coach. The reasons for this are many, but most of them have to do with my own self-preservation.
I can almost hear you thinking, “So if referees are trained not to have conversations, how are you supposed to help me have more conversations with my clients?”
Glad you asked. While, on the one hand, referees are trained to be brief, they are also trained to be very meaningful. When you are forced to be brief, you don’t have time to waste trying to figure things out. You need to know what the coach means so that you can properly address it.
The Question is the Best Weapon in a Conversation
One the most valuable lessons I have ever learned in officiating is to use the question to my advantage. Here’s a very common example that has saved my butt on more than one occasion:
COACH: C’mon ref, the foul count is 6-1 against us. What’s going on?
(This is a very common exchange between referees and coaches. Coaches always notice the foul count when it is not in their favor, especially when the spread is 3 or more fouls. NO ANSWER IN THE WORLD is going to satisfy the coach. In fact, the coach usually doesn’t want a response to this question, he is really just trying to vent frustration. Here is where the question is powerful. . .)
REF: What do you mean, coach?
(The response to THIS question determines how I would handle the situation. Without the answer to this question, I have no idea what the coach is after, so I have no idea how to appropriately respond. The coach might say this:)
COACH: They are killing us on that end, and we aren’t getting any calls.
(Such a response is common, and it is merely a show of frustration at a perceived lack of officiating consistency. No problem, I can just say. . .)
REF: I hear you coach, we’ll make sure we watch that action.
(Short, sweet, and everyone goes on their merry way. He has vented, and I have acknowledged it. End of story. A different answer from the coach would require a different response on my behalf. . .)
COACH: You guys have been missing calls all night! You’re terrible!
(The response to this one is easy. . .)
REF: TWEEEEET! Technical foul.
Without asking the coach for that initial explanation, there is no way to know what his true motives are, so you run the risk of acting inappropriately to the situation. Acting inappropriately can cause a lot of problems that are completely unavoidable. Had I reacted with an immediate technical foul, the coach would have every right to be upset, and so would my supervisor.
The simple act of asking another question can make a world of difference.
Applying the Lessons from Roundball to Real Estate
So now you know how referees use one simple question to get meaning out of their interactions with coaches. Obviously, this same technique can be applied to your interactions with potential clients, buyers or sellers.
I’m going to share with you how I think this technique can be used in another post on Friday. I would like to be able to use your input and suggestions in that post; it would be more beneficial if we could all learn from the experiences of each other.
So let’s all help each other out. Leave a comment on this post on how you might use a question to find out how to better meet the needs of your potential clients. Better yet, if you have a story you can share as to how you have approached these situations, let us know! If you don’t want to leave a comment, you can even email your suggestions or stories to me at Daniel [at] StrongTeamRealtors.com. I would love to be able to share YOUR input and insight.
So. . .what would YOU do? What questions would YOU ask, and WHY?
More Conversation, Less Presentation
April 1, 2008 | 3 Comments
In my last episode of Real Estate in Black and White, I introduced the idea of the “listing conversation.” This would be different from what every real estate professional currently knows as the “listing presentation.”
The listing presentation is part of the core competency of every REALTOR. Well, I guess that’s not completely true, there are those who work exclusively for buyers. If you are one of those people, then just insert the word, “buyer” for the words “listing,” and “seller.” The same concepts still apply.
What We Know About Listing Presentations, and Why It’s a Problem
Very early on in our real estate careers, we are either taught explicitly, or we learn through example, to “get the listing.” Typically, this means that a potential seller contacts us about listing the home. We go over to the person’s home, CMA (or BPO or whatever you want to call it) in hand, and we “present” to the seller the reasons why they should list the home with us. There are a million variations to this dog and pony show, but all of them have as their focus the same end game– getting the listing.
The problem with that is that it ignores the fundamental reason why the seller called us in the first place– the seller wants our help.
Huh? What? I thought that the seller wanted to sell the house. True– sort of.
The seller might want to sell the house, the seller might just want you to come in and offer your price opinion so that they can go and list with their friend or sell it as a FSBO. Heck, there are dozens of reasons why the seller might have called you, but they all boil done to one simple thing– the seller wants our help.
We Can Help Ourselves by Helping Our Clients
I hear REALTORS complain (I’ve done it myself), about being duped by a potential seller who, after a listing presentation and a hollow promise, went out and listed the home with a friend or relative, or did a FSBO. The reality is that we blame the seller because it is easier than putting the blame where it squarely belongs– on ourselves.
The reason why we are so easily fooled, and the reason that sellers know we can be easily fooled, is that the people know that REALTORS have a tendency to be quite self-absorbed. That comes as a byproduct of a life and work-style in which we are Kings and Queens of our own castles. How often have you been told– “You are your brand. You are selling yourself.” We tend to focus on ourselves A LOT.
That’s okay, sometimes. There are times, however, when our attention should be turned outward. Interaction with clients is one of those times, and interaction with potential clients is most certainly one of those times.
How to Solve the Listing Presentation Problem
The problem with the listing presentation, is that it is all about the agent, not about the seller. The whole idea of a presentation is that it is one person telling another person information. There is little or no dialogue, there isn’t even any thought given to dialogue. We get so wrapped up in presentation and “getting the listing” that we forget that the seller invited us. The seller asked us to be there. Don’t we owe it to ourselves, and especially to the seller, to find out why? How are we ever going to achieve anyone’s goals, or meet anyone’s needs, without knowing what they are?
In order to determine what the seller’s objective is, we need to engage in a meaningful conversation, not just our standard presentation. Ask questions, don’t just spew answers. Above all– listen.
There are a few strategies and techniques you can implement to move from the listing presentation to the listing conversation. I’ll share these in another post. For now, I want you to consider the change in philosophy that is require to make it possible. That philosophy comes down to three easy to remember points.
1) I’m not here to “get” a listing. I am here to help.
2) Listen and ask. Don’t just tell.
3) More conversation, less presentation.
Remember those 3 things, and you will be well on your way to having more meaningful interactions with your clients and customers.
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Disclaimer
My name is Daniel Rothamel. I am a licensed real estate agent in the Commonwealth of Virginia and a member of the National Association of REALTORS. As such, I adhere to a strict code of ethics and all laws with regard to equal housing, which is reflected in the content of this blog. My broker is Strong Team REALTORS, 86 Joshua Lane, Palmyra, VA 22963; (434) 589-5800. My VA Real Estate License number is 0225 077325. All of the opinions in this blog are mine, unless otherwise noted.
