In my previous post I wrote about how 2012 was going to be the year of video humanizing people, and advocated for it to become a part of a dedicated marketing plan. I have started with a few of my clients and I am excited to get more on the program as the year progresses.
Now people have touted video a million times so please don’t cut me off yet, I want to eliminate any association with gimmicky tactics and over produced videos that only appeal to the geeky-est of viewers. What I am a proponent of is, inbound video marketing.
People identify with other people for their similarities and for their imperfections.
This week I also made a video for a client that was marketing and planned, but still unscripted. The subject was a successful realtor who wanted to take it to the next level in 2012. The video was designed to allow the viewers to get to know him, to showcase his connection to the realty market of his community, the community itself, and to highlight a current listing.
What do these goals accomplish?
Good question, let’s take the realtor as an example and explain it further. As a realtor you compete with other realtors for listings, but what sets you apart? As a customer I am not impressed with some award the parent realty company gave a realtor, nor am I going to be swayed by seeing the same headshot for the past five years (or more) hanging on signs around my city. I want someone who knows what my home is worth, is ready to market it, and sell it by leveraging their experience and connections, as well as the technology that is revolutionizing the industry today.
These days people find homes, research agents, and make decisions online about who they are selling their home with.
If a realtor gets to go face to face with a prospective client they have most likely already done research on the realtor online.
Video allows those prospective clients to get to know you the way they want to… online before they meet you. I want my clients to make videos showing them in their natural element, going about their business, unscripted, real. A series of videos like that will be a welcoming greeting to those looking for services. Instead of static websites with old pictures, these prospective clients will get a clearly real chance to ride along with this realtor before they go to see him. That gives him a clear advantage, and that translates to more deals.
Here is what we made:
What are you doing to market your local business or professional practice in 2012 that promotes and fosters customers finding and contacting you?
Are you going to rely on the diminishing returns of outbound marketing or are you going to build your inbound marketing machine?
If you are, I suggest a creative video campaign that highlights you. Make it right, make it real.
More Realtor Marketing Ideas, and further Video Series Examples.
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