Sorry! But it’s true! And it’s not just about offending the marketing purists out there. Your real estate video may be losing you a tonne of potential buyers and vendors.
What we’re talking about specifically are the agent profile videos. The introduction to the flashy and glitzy local real estate agent that is becoming the norm across the country. And sorry if you feel targeted – it’s not your fault. The headline just gets everyone’s attention!
Don’t get us wrong (especially those videographers out there checking this out), the videos are well shot in 90% of cases and visually very appealing. And that is the first step in engaging the audience. But the content is often where it falls down.
I get sent a lot of business from Real Estate Agents. We work on major property development projects, and have been involved in the selection of agents. In fact, in my previous role, I’d personally selected a range of agents for a number of projects working in Property, and in my role as the Operations Manager for a Project Building Group.
I look at a lot of Real Estate Agent videos. In fact, it was one sent to me the other day that compelled me to write about it. I obviously won’t be outing that particular agent or agency. But it was one of the most prime example of a Real Estate Video missing the mark.
Where most are going wrong?
Let’s start by analysing the synopsis of the worst offenders. Flashy and trendy music, with drone shots and pieces to camera. The agent typically talks about how good they are, cut in with them getting in and out of a fancy car in a well fitted suit. Sometimes a piece to camera with the head of the agency, talking more about what they are good at. Things like working hard, why they have a passion for real estate and the like. Oh and buzzwords. Like ‘mastered the client experience’ or achieving top results’ or something similar to that.
Let’s break down those errors. Flashy and trendy music – lose that. Kanye West is great, but it’s not engaging to most of your target audience. Fancy car? That’s nice and all, but it’s very stereotypical and easily disenfranchises prospective customers.
Passion for real estate and working hard are cliche. They don’t engage customers in your target audience and are again cliche’d. You’ll find that in every video and in every second agent’s bio. And finally, the buzzwords. Again, cliche’d. And they don’t mean anything to prospective customers. If I threw the word synergy all throughout this article you’d probably close the tab too.
What should you be doing?
It’s important to go back to basic marketing theory. Think about your target audience. What do they relate with and relate to. Take the example of the music. Unless you happen to focus exclusively on an area with young, hip and trendy home owners, Kanye won’t be engaging. If you’re in a family area, a happy, light hearted tune will be more engaging.
Same with the way you describe yourself on camera. Think about what relates and makes them feel like they can trust you. Are you a local? Play on that concept and talk about the area you live in and why. Favourite haunts and cafes. Restaurants and parks. If you have a family talk about the connection with family life and what drives you to the area.
Why does that matter? People prefer to work with and contract services from people they feel they know and trust. Saying you have a passion for real estate doesn’t relate to them and make them trust you. It says you’re a real estate agent. But saying and talking about your passions for the suburb that you work in and live in, makes you more like a real person.
Buzzwords. Get rid of them. It means nothing at all. Talk about your successes, that makes sense. People are engaged with success as it’s relevant to the transaction they are looking to contract you for. But keep it humble enough. Nobody likes a bragger.
To summarise, just be real. Just be you. Focus on what gets your target market’s attention, and talk to them about those things. Family, lifestyle, whatever it is. Talk to them about that through the medium of your video. Engage with them and make them understand and know you. The real you.
These strategies aren’t new. It’s the same concepts that drive winning social media strategies and digital marketing campaigns. But what it does is make you stand out. You’re not just a Real Estate Agent with a fancy video. You’re a real person they feel they can trust.
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