In challenging times, it’s a smart idea to revisit the fundamentals of good business. This spring, go Back to Basics with Inman.
When it comes time to launch a new listing and keep the home top-of-mind with potential buyers and the broker community, you have to get creative. Sellers want to see that you can offer something strategic, creative and unique when launching their property on the market, and buyers will be intrigued if you can distinguish the home from the competition.
Knowing this, the first thing we do when it comes time to launch a new property is have an all-hands-on-deck team meeting where we determine the buyer demographic. Then, we devise a plan to showcase the property to the desired audience in a unique way.
Here are three initiatives that are a far departure from the ordinary showing that we now use to launch and show our listings in today’s environment.
Social media
Utilizing social media has never been more important than it is today as we practice safety by staying at home. People do need the services of real estate agents as life progresses and people need to buy and sell. Last week, our team took to Instagram for an hour to consecutively tour four properties across Los Angeles.
We were each stationed at a listing and armed with masks, gloves and shoe protection as we gave our social media followers a tour through each home before passing it onto the next team member.
Doing a tour initiative as a team helped keep our audience engaged for a longer period of time and allowed us to show more than just one property.
To execute a progressive showing of this nature with your team, try and have a variety of properties and price points to show, and have a strict schedule. Viewers will want to know what they are seeing and when, and offering variety will help appeal to a broader audience.
Virtual streaming
Virtual showings can be easily conducted over video calls, FaceTime or other conferencing apps. We also recommend stepping up your virtual tours by using apps such as Zoom to set up a call and record the footage so clients can reference it later.
Prepare for the virtual showing as you normally would by turning on the lights throughout, opening sliding doors and curtains to let the light flow in and accent the property’s best features to make sure they will show well.
Once you’re ready and you’ve ensured you have a strong, secure connection, walk your client through the home, point out important features, and answer any questions as you tour. Our team always brings extra portable chargers to make sure we have enough juice from start to finish.
Pro tip: Help the buyers feel an emotional connection by pointing out three features that they’ve expressed are important to them as you go through the property. This will help heighten the excitement and connection for buyers, especially if they might be feeling lost in the process.
Video
Video marketing is another great way to virtually show a home. Today, creating a well-produced video for your listing is just as important as having professional photographs taken.
A video will allow a client to essentially walk through the home and view all of the great features and amenities in a matter of minutes, as well as get a bird’s-eye view of the neighborhood and layout of the home via drone shots. You might even wish to create a storyline for the video or have a member of the team give a narrated walk-through of the property.
Keep videos entertaining, informational, engaging and fun. And don’t make them longer than need be. Think of it as a preview and not the whole movie.
Although these are just a few ways to show a home, there are many other options that require varying financial commitment. There’s no better way to start the marketing process than coming together as a team to decide what works best and delegate tasks involved to get the job done.
We have written in the past about identifying the strengths of team members and utilizing skills to their best advantage, and this is especially true when it comes to thinking outside of the box to launch and show a listing.
David Parnes is a director at The Agency in Los Angeles. Connect with him on Instagram. James Harris is a director at The Agency in Los Angeles. Connect with him on Instagram.
After 25 years, Inman Connect is coming to you. We’re transcending our legendary events in a live digital event, Inman Connect Now. Get ready for the top industry leaders plotting the path forward, new business ideas and opportunities, networking like you’ve never imagined it, and tons of exciting new magic, all straight to you. It’s all part of an epic new Inman experience, Connect Now, June 2-4, 2020. Click here to save your seat.
