The biggest mistake that most make when defining the purpose of their video is simply not knowing their audience, or ignoring the needs of their audience. Inman News recently released an article focused on creating content that consumers want. To quickly summarize the articles main message, too many real estate professionals are worried about selling themselves as an individual, or the image of their brand, over providing any real content that their viewers can take away. They are focused on the persuade portion of the Media Purpose Triad, and I can promise you that there is no consumer that is looking for a Real Estate Video for the purpose of being told who the best agent or team is.

What the Real Estate Audience is looking for is information. Potential buyers want to know what makes that featured listing on your website so awesome. Potential sellers want to know how the market is doing right in their own neighborhood. No one is interested in a bullet list of qualifiers and credentials. They are looking for knowledge, and, more and more, they will seek it out online before reaching out via any other method.

Putting yourself, or your brand, out there as a source of this information presents you as an expert in your field. A great example of how to accomplish this is a Community Profile or Lifestyle Video covering the areas you serve. Show potential clients the amenities and resources that a particular neighborhood or town will offer them. Introduce them to community leaders, small business owners, even the principal of the local elementary school.

Attract the attention of sellers with a monthly video newsletter that focuses directly on the market performance and conditions right inside their neighborhood.

Presenting the Information consumers want in a way that Entertains their minds and senses will only succeed in Persuading them you are the right expert to help them in their next real estate transaction. Our team of professionals at The Hickman Group work with our clients at every step of production on their videos to ensure we are meeting those goals.

Please, Contact Us to find out more about our Real Estate Photography and Video services.

I love info graphics. Instead of having to read large amounts of data in a MS Excel type table, graphics make it so much easier to get a grasp on the overall relationships and connections that are not always apparent in raw data. This highly informative little graphic comes our way from Mashable.com and it tells us a lot about how the real estate profesional is using social media. Click the thumbnail below to view full size in a new tab.

Earlier this week, we told you about YouTube and how easy it was to create an account, start your very own channel, fill it with content and start building an audience. According to the above graphic with data from Postling.com, only 12% of real estate professionals are taking advantage of this great tool. That means that there is still a huge opportunity for anyone in the industry to differentiate themselves from the remaining 88% that are not using video. Consider further that a poll found that 73% of homeowners would be more likely to list their home with a real estate profesional that uses video as a way to market a home.

As we have said before, video is perhaps the most efficient way to grab and hold a potential homebuyer’s attention as they swim through a sea of mediocre online listings. With 73% of homeowners more willing to list their home, and the attention it generates from homebuyers, video is definitely a smart investment the majority of real estate professionals are not cashing in on.

The proof is in the numbers and our experience tells us that a professionally produced video home tour is a great way to make that investment. A clear, crisp high-definition video tour will make any property stand out and generate a lot of interest.

To find out more about the Video services provided by The Hickman Group, or any of our other services, Contact Us.

When it comes to the real estate market, the average homebuyer starting their search online is inundated with hundreds of properties with dull lists of comparables and thousands of small photos. Video not only makes a property stand out to a potential buyer, it is the most effective way to engage and capture their interest because it clearly presents information in a way that stimulates the mind and senses.

The experienced team at The Hickman Group prides ourselves in creating a final product that reaches out to your potential clients and connects with them on a personal level. The three most popular types of videos we provide to real estate professionals are:

• Home Tours – Professionally narrated, or led by the seller or seller’s agent, these videos go beyond features and benefits to tell the unique story of what makes just any other dwelling the perfect home.
  
• Community Lifestyle Video – Community videos take your Real Estate Marketing to the next level. Don’t just tell potential clients about an area, show them the amenities and lifestyle a new zip code could afford them with high-definition profile videos that take them inside the communities you serve.
  
• Branding / Marketing Video – Every Real Estate Professional, or Group of Professionals, brings a unique set of skills and business practices that sets them apart from anyone else in the industry. Video opens the door to a profound first impression of the commitment and passion you have for your business by allowing potential clients to get to know your strengths, values and personality. Whether it’s a short introduction to your personal brand or an ongoing monthly video series that showcases your vast knowledge, we strongly believe that making yourself stand out is the first step in getting a client to reach out.
  

If you’d like to learn more, or have questions about The Hickman Group’s Video Production services, please Contact Us for more information.

The winner will get a $50 certificate for sharing the celebration about our launch with their Facebook friends or Twitter followers. But, if the winner tells their friends and followers from both Facebook and Twitter about us, they will win a $125 Certificate!

We are taking entries via Facebook and Twitter until Midnight on Monday, August 29th, 2011. (Pacific Time) The drawing for the winner will be held at Noon the same day.

Here is how to enter. Remember, to be eligible to win the $125 certificate, you must enter via both Facebook and Twitter.

Facebook:

• Simply click the ‘Recommend’ button below to recommend our page to your Facebook contacts.

Twitter

• Simply click the ‘Tweet’ button below and tweet the message provided.
• Then click the ‘Follow’ button that appears after.
• You must complete both steps to be entered in the raffle.

Tweet

Details of The Drawing:

One winner will be selected at random from a database of entries received between Midnight on Monday August 15th, 2011 and Midnight on Monday August 29th, 2011. The drawing for the prize will be held on Monday August 29th, 2011 at 12:00pm. The winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter and our Blog. All times are Pacific Daylight Time.

If the contestant chosen has entered the contest from both Facebook AND Twitter, they will receive a certificate worth $125 towards Real Estate Photography or Real Estate Video services offered by The Hickman Group.

If the contestant chosen has entered the contest from only one service, Facebook OR Twitter, but not both, they will receive a certificate worth $50 towards Real Estate Photography or Real Estate Video services offered by The Hickman Group.

Certificate is good towards the standard rate for any Photo or Video service. Not valid towards travel, material and/or any other expenses not covered in the standard service rate. Certificate has no cash value. Contest open to residents of the United States only.

YouTube is free to set up an account and easy to post as many videos as you want. You can create your own channel that people can subscribe to and be updated whenever you post a new video. You can also integrate the videos into your website as part of an existing blog. Clients and viewers are able to leave comments that are invaluable feedback and insight to what real estate consumers are thinking. There is no quicker way to establish an audience and integrate them into your social media strategy. If you don’t have a social media strategy, video is a great way to start one.

A popular and engaging way for professionals to reach out is a video newsletter. Every real estate professional has and area of expertise that sets them appart from everyone else. It is a chance to showcase your knowledge and your personality while further setting yourself appart from competitors in the eyes of potential clients.

Whether releasing one video a month or one per quarter, we help our clients produce a video series that establishes credibility and showcases their expertise. There are no midnight used car lot ads here. We ensure top production value, crisp HD video and clear audio make sure that you are seen and heard in the most flattering light.

To learn more about producing a Video Newsletter, or any or our other services provided by The Hickman Group, please Contact Us.

The article supports an assertion about real estate marketing that we’ve been shouting high and low about for years: The higher the quality of the imagery, the more likely a home is to sell and sell for more.

Specifically, it references a study by Redfin that concluded that listings with photos shot by DSLR cameras were more likely to sell and sell for up to $116,000 more than homes shot with simple point and shoot cameras.

The numbers make sense. High-quality images that are clear and crisp attract more online attention from prospective home buyers, leading to more showings and, in turn, more offers. More offers almost always means higher offers through competition, further proving that pro photography isn’t just a luxury for real estate listings. It’s a smart investment.

The article goes on to further lament: “Even better, ask your broker to bring in a professional photographer.”

A true professional photographer brings experience and know-how that gets that clear, crisp image every time. They will also have extensive knowledge about lighting, framing and juxtaposition, using these aspects to convey the essence and feel of a listing through the final image.

Real Estate Professionals owe it to themselves to make the investment in high quality images for their listings. Professional photography is an inexpensive investment to ensure you get the best image every time, and the returns are proven to be worth it.

To find out more about the professional Photography and Video services offered by The Hickman Group, please contact us.

Our mission at The Hickman Group is to work with our clients to provide them the best solutions to support their branding and marketing campaigns. We hope that this new site and blog will be a gateway to reach out and share our passion with Real Estate Professionals in Southern California and The World.

We invite you to follow us on Twitter and Facebook to keep track of our latest updates.

Keep an eye open as we’ll be holding a special drawing in conjunction with the launch of our new site and social media campaign. Details about the prize and how to enter the drawing will be posted in the next few days.

Welcome.