Want to be successful in 2010?  80% of your business will most likely be referral based, so work that database.  Follow up with old clients to just say hello and remind them you are still in the business.  Do “Pop By’s” with an item of value (ala Brian Buffini).  Host informative events and become known as the “Area Expert”.  But what about that other 20%, or what if you have not been in the business long and your referral base is somewhat lacking? 

 

In that case you better go where the consumers are.  According to NAR, over 86% of all buyers start their search on the Internet.  Compile that with the fact that with more and more inventory on the market, sellers want to see exactly how an agent will market their home online. 

 

If you really want to excel as an agent online, then check out the following blog posts as your boot camp for online success.  Get in front of the curve NOW by adopting things such as full motion video, and Social Media as part of your marketing repertoire. 

 

It’s a new decade, and new media world where Generation X and Y will dominate your transactions.  Particularly Gen Y (as they will eventually out number baby boomers).  They grew up on the internet and would rather Text and Tweet then email and talk on the phone.  How do you embrace these Generations?  Read the following blog posts and you will be ready for the future NOW!

 

How To Do Your First Video of A Listing  – Get ready for video.  It’s already here, and your clients will be asking for it.  Don’t get caught off guard, or left behind.  A step by step turorial.

 

Twitter Made Easy for Business – A Video Series – The only video tutorial you’ll ever need to master using Twitter the RIGHT WAY!

 

The Secret to Managing Social Media – Quit whining and start Tweeting!

 

Twitter is Stupid, I don’t have time for Twitter  - It’s a pervasive attitude in the Real Estate Community – Here’s why it shouldn’t be.

 

The Importance of Good Real Estate Photography  - This is more of a demo then a “how to”, but the how to is just an email away.  Let me know how I can help you take better RE photos.

 

Goldilocks and The 3 Realtors – A Real Estate Photo (not so) Fairy Tale.  Same thought as the one above, please email me if I be of assistance to helping you take better RE photos.

 

1 Secret to Getting Photos Like A Pro Photographer – For your non Real Estate Photos

 

What’s So Social About Linkedin? Going Beyond just linking with people

 

Protect Those Expensive Lenses – A little investment goes a long way

 

What NOT to do with Embedded YouTube Videos on Your Blog

 

Advertising your Listings in Today’s Economy – The cheese has moved, have you?

 

 

Hope you find something of value in the list above.  Here’s another little nugget of Real Estate Tech that will MOST DEFINITELY help you get off to a great new year.  Get familiar with the term “Real Estate Bar Camp”.  Go to one, they are happening more and more in every major city in the country.  They are free, run by the participants, and better then most paid events.  More info at http://rebarcamp.com/

 

Happy New Year and all the best for your Real Estate Tech Success in 2010.

 

————- ©2010 – AmazingVideoTours.com – All Rights Reserved. Amazing Video Tours is Charlotte’s Premier Real Estate Home Video Provider for Realtors, and other individuals with property to sell, lease, or rent. A departure from the old fashion 360 Virtual Tour, Amazing Video Tours takes online property marketing to the next level.

We love the real estate agents we work with. We respect how hard they work – selling, negotiating, and closing deals. Inspections, repair requests and negotiations, loans, appraisals, surveys – we understand it. The stress they endure on a day to day basis is beyond that of most jobs. So, no one said they had to be great photographers on top of all that.

Photography is an art. One that is only learned with tons of practice. For real estate, you SHOULD shoot in manual mode. That means no point and shoot cameras allowed! One needs to be well versed in such things as aperture, shutter speed, and their relationship to one another. Furthermore, it is important to understand composition, white balance, ISO, and other photography aspects to get the best shots. All this doesn’t even scratch the surface of what can be done in post production.

Sure, you can go to a home and pull out an instant camera but you need to remember one thing. When it comes to real estate photography, you are marketing the single most expensive thing someone owns. Isn’t their investment worth more than the camera that happened to come with your cell phone?

Having said that, we at AVT would like to show you some of the photos we took at some recent listings:

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Now let’s see some examples of where we were able to help the agent improve on the photos they took of the house.

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Our Photo

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Agent Photo

Our Photo

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Agent Photo

Our Photo

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Agent Photo

Our Photo

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Agent Photo

Our Photo

So you can see the importance of understanding how to use light to your advantage when shooting real estate photography. All too often the sensor in the camera gets confused by the light coming in from outside resulting in what we jokingly refer to as “nuclear summer” photos.

It is so important to show the beauty of not only the room, but of the view outside with so many expensive water front, golf front, and other homes with beautiful views. Plus, it just makes for better photos.

Remember that the market has changed. The MLS is flooded with listings and you need to make your listings stand out. Take the time to learn how to take great photos, or hire a professional real estate photographer to do it for you.

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©2008 – AmazingVideoTours.com – All Rights Reserved. Any use of photos, including reproduction, modification, distribution or republication, without the prior written consent of Amazing Video Tours, is strictly prohibited. Amazing Video Tours offers photography and full motion video marketing solutions to Realtors, and other individuals with property to sell, lease, or rent. A departure from the old fashion 360 Virtual Tour, Amazing Video Tours takes online property marketing to the next level.