Part 2 of a 3 in a series on Video Using video is becoming so common place that we need to quickly incorporate it on our websites and in our marketing. So, what makes a good video? It needs to work for your brand so you deliver the same message with video as you do with all your other marketing. What a great opportunity because you can do it right, the first time . . . and every time. Here are some suggestions of videos that you can create and use on your website and send via email. • Welcome Video -Tell them what to expect on your site and invite them to look around. • Video of key personnel. We love to look at people! Think about all the star magazines at the local check out counter.

1. How about introducing them to your staff, your team, or experts.

Where does this video belong? On your “About us” Page of course. • Videos of products. This can go on your home page or on your products page. These are online commercials for subdivisions, communities, and special listings.

1. Why not create videos of services you offer?
2. First time buyer
3. Retirement communities
4. 1031 exchanges, etc.

Leverage existing video Do you have television commercials? Maximize the investment by putting them on your website. Have any footage of meetings, conventions, speeches by your CEO? Load them up. All these reinforce your branding messages and are important. If you had a Flip camera you could be taking these vides right now! Video of satisfied customers No one believes testimonials that you write on your website. They will believe someone looking into a camera and saying how great you are. Do you own a digital camera? No need to hire a professional for these. These can easily be taken with the video option on your digital camera. Just click away and upload to a video sharing site. Let’s discuss creating this video content. If you decide to hire a professional, this will take some planning on your part, and don’t forget the cost. One other item which I learned the hard way – a professional videographer creates a video in a format that is not easily uploaded on your website. Make sure you include in the price a formatted video that is easily embedded on your website.In the end a professional produced video goes a long way in establishing your brand. Free video services. Sites like YouTube are great in that anyone can create a video uploading on the video sharing site and give you the embed code to put our video on your website. Let’s consider what this means.

• Your video will now have an advertising logo (like YouTube)
• This video site includes other video options your prospects may wander off
• Not professional, need I say more? When are these sites valuable?

As a social networking experience, it allows people to get to know you through your video, profile and photo. Recently I received an email from a REALTOR who had in her email signature: View my listings on YouTube. Click here There she had loaded videos of her listings – quite impressive. But she also had videos of her company, communities she works in and testimonials. Awesome. Do it yourself! I think you need to consider a professional for certain videos, but be comfortable doing some of them yourself. If you are not into Youtube, – consider these sites as alternatives for loading videos

• Blip.tv
• Viddler.com
• Brightcove.com
• Aolvideo.com
• Googlevideo.com
• Tubemogul.com.(A Video syndicator)

Also check out Wellcomemat.com. This site has videographers – who can make videos for you. Samples of their work and pricing are all there. Whether you do it yourself or hire someone, here are quick tips • Short and sweet – 60 seconds to maximum of 3 minutes (I think more than 2 minutes is too long) • Use voice – videos with just pictures and music can’t sell – only your voice can help point out the features that make a house a home. • Call to action – As with all marketing, you need to include up a call to action. Give people various methods of contacting you. Consider: Email - Phone Number - Click her for more information. If you end up starring in your video, remember to represent your brand. Look professional. Sold colors work best and avoid white around your face. Next segment of this article and part 3 or 3 What video products can you use to create your own videos?

It is Friday Link of the Week!

I love research! Matthew Ferrara, the CEO of Matthew Ferrara & Co., my friend and colleague always seems to find amazing statistics. Because we are focusing on best practices on the web for marketing properties we always looking for information that proves that what we teach is right on!

This graph is in on article on VHT’s web site titled “Experienced Agents Spend more Money on Advertising”

Great article, here are some of the highlights:

• Agents spend an average of $600 per listing.
• Many are confused by the myriad of sources of what to spend their money on.
• Some STILL spend money on newspapers, and 20% think the medium is effective.
• 90% of respondents said they used brochures for marketing their listing; 88.8% used postcards; and 83.3% used newspapers. Some 41.1% stated that they purchased TV ads.
• Many find on line advertising very effective for promoting property. BUT they said they still have a hard time convincing sellers that newspapers ads DO NOT work.
• Onlne advertising’s top three slots according to this article were Realtor.com; Craigslist and Google were the top national sites.
• Many agents wish there was one stop distribution mechanism. Wonder why they haven’t heard of Nls.point2.com, Listhub.com, or Realestateshows.com?

OH MY! I am so excited. My good friend, Inman roommate, and fellow blogger was just hired by Trulia to be their Community manager. what is this? Find out by watching the video:

Recently I was writing a new course on email and came upon this graph from Pew Internet Life. Email still is the number one daily internet activities of today’s internet consumer.

So, I came up with the best practices of e-mail marketing. To keep it simple,

• Timely.
• Signature with links to everything.
• Business writing still works.

The typical net-savvy consumer participates in an average of two online digests, receiving daily and weekly messages on a variety of topics such as travel, weather, sales or topics of close personal interest. So, take advantage of this resource to reach and communicate with your members.

One effective way to do this is with an e-mail newsletter. Newsletters are a primary online communication tool, and can ultimately replace their direct mail counterpart.  They are more cost-effective and can be more target-specific.

Newsletters can carry imbedded photo tours and direct links to specific information. They can also be automated, and scheduled to be date-specific or sent in conjunction with some other event, like an open house.

Also, e-Newsletters tend to generate a second life when forwarded on by a primary recipient.  For all of these reasons, you always want a link on your web site where visitors can subscribe to your e-Newsletter.

In building a relationship between you and the prospect/past customer/sphere influence, the last thing you want is to flood him or her with unwanted e-mail. So be specific to ensure that your e-Newsletter is fresh, has valuable content and is market-specific.  Also make certain you comply with Anti-Spam legislation by including an opt-out mechanism, identify the newsletter as an ad, and include the physical address of the business.

More than 1/3 of all responses to direct e-mail come in the form of a purchase at a later date; e-mail direct marketing can drive future revenue.

Note that much direct e-mail is “permission based” and that of all permission based marketing, almost half pertains to home ownership/household issues.

E-mail Marketing Programs

If you’re worried you don’t have enough online experience to create an effective e-mail newsletter, choose from a range of products.

Some are turn-key, so you just pick the campaign, add your members and the system does it for you.

• Constant Contact
• Emma
• Vertical Response
• iContact
• Imprev

Make sure your product allows you to:

• Manage subscriptions automatically.
• Offer Unsubscribe feature.
• See who is reading your newsletter through Data and Analytics.
• Create a professional looking product using their predesigned templates.

Living the Code – The Can Spam Act

Enacted in 2004; stay on top of this and the Do-Not-Call Law. Visit the Field Guide to Do-Not-Call, Do-Not-Fax, and
Do-Not-E-mail Laws at Realtor.org at http://www.realtor.org/library/library/fg707

The Act requires all commercial emails to include:

• A legitimate return e-mail and physical postal address.
• A clear and conspicuous notice of the recipient’s opportunity to decline to receive any future messages.
• A mechanism that may be used or an e-mail address (active for at least 30 days after message transmission) to which a recipient may send a message requesting not to receive any future-e-mail messages from the sender.
• A clear and conspicuous notice that the message is an advertisement or solicitation.
• Clear notice in the subject heading if messages include pornographic or sexual content.

The best way to stay in compliance is:

• Ask permission to e-mail.

  Do not spam.

• Put opt-out language at the bottom of every e-mail you send. It can be included in your e-mail signature.

I have decided that every week i will do one post on a great blog post that I read . . . somewhere else. There are are some amazing minds out there. You will love this one.

I speak about Syndicating your listings in my advanced marketing class. I have a growing list of places that can help you do that. I also show you who has their listings on these sites. Here are the stats – real numbers that can help you decided where to list and who to list with.

Geekestateblog has created a wonderful spreadsheet with this information. Good reading! Check it out at www.geekestateblog and the post is Real Estate Listing Syndication Comparison for Technology Vendors and Brokerages.

Good reading.