In step one, you worked with the homeowner to get their home prepped and staged for photos and showings.

In step two, you brought in a professional photographer that specializes in architectural and interiors photography.

Here at step three is where you get those photos where potential buyers can see them. If you aren’t already a member, sign up at Trulia, Zillow and Realtor.com for an agent account. This will allow you to post much higher resolution/larger pictures of your listings. Compared to GAVAR, CRISNET and CRMLS, the difference is a huge jump in quality. The displays in modern phones, tablets, laptops and computers are getting better fast. Apple’s Retina display is an example of a premium display that people are gobbling up. If you have seen what 4K video looks like, you’ll understand what it means when I say that the camera I use takes 5.7K images at full resolution and the next time I buy a new body, it will be even higher. Since I’ve already captured a higher resolution image than can be reproduced on most displays, it makes a lot of sense to leverage that with the maximum resolution images that can be submitted to real estate listing sites.

Being able to hand a prospective buyer a physical brochure can be a great advantage in them remembering your listing at an open house or private showing. Flyers generated automatically from the MLS are junk and represent your marketing efforts as sub-standard. To really grab attention, you need to use the high resolution images you have had made with a pleasing layout that highlights the best selling features of the home. Not only has digital photography added another dimension to visual marketing, the same technology has made it less expensive to print eye-popping color brochures on heavyweight paper. Turn around can be as little as one day. Why waste money on expensive ink-jet replacement cartridges when the best quality can be had for just a little more? (BTW, printed and coated brochures don’t run when they get wet.)

Quality marketing isn’t just for your highest priced listings. Your marketing is what advertises you as a brand more than it advertises your listings. The key to making good money in real estate is to have as much inventory as you can handle no matter the market. When you show a prospective client professional photo galleries of the homes you have sold and hand them copies of quality brochures you have for your current listings, you are going to get more signatures on listing contracts than the bulk of agents in the AV. Many agents don’t even roll down the car window to take the mandatory front exterior picture and print brochures with an inkjet printer that isn’t printing one of its colors. It’s true! I’ve seen it with my own eyes.

©2015, Kenneth Brown. All rights reserved.