Let’s look at the recent markets in Phoenix. In 2004 there was the refi market, 2005 was the investor market, 2006 thru 2012 were the REO market and 2007 to {oh let’s say 2016} will likely be the short sale market.

I was a title rep in Phoenix. My job is to get REALTORS, Investors, Builders, Buyers, Sellers, FSBO’s to use my Gilbert title company over one of the other 60+ in the Phoenix Metro area. I go where the business is. In 2004 the business was with banks and mortgage brokers, in 2005 the business was with REALTORS and Builders, in 2006 – 2012 the business was with Banks and REO Real Estate Agents.

I go where the business is.

I called REO real estate agents here in Phoenix. I called, emailed, facebook chatted, tweeted, I did everything [I could] to get in front of them. My message was simple. I wasn’t looking for business, no – this was not a one way relationship, I was looking for a trade. The trade: Use my title company and I will help you get ready for the next change in the market. You see marketing had changed considerably from 2005 to 2007. From direct mail to websites, seo, social media, video. From chasing consumers down to having them find you online.

Many REO Real Estate Agents met my trade with disbelief “this market is going to go on forever!”, another REO real estate agent pulled out a list of the top 250 REALTORS in Maricopa County to show me where he was [thank you for that!]. Others didn’t even return my phone calls.

I tried.

This was a very frustrating time in my title business. For as long as I have been in the title industry, I have been one of the top performers. I built my business on relationships and value. For the 1st time in my career it was not about me or the value that I could provide. Business was being directed and decided by asset managers, REO real estate agents, people that I didn’t know that didn’t know me.

This was a very disheartening time for me. Rather than sit and do nothing I studied marketing. WordPress, Video, SEO, Optimization, Content Creation, What Consumers Want, Search and more.

I found an outlet. Video.

The real estate market has changed again. in 2007 there were over 25,000 REO listings in the Phoenix Metro area. Last year at this time there were over 10,000 REO listing in Metro Phoenix, today there are only 1,500 REO listings. As REO real estate agents, the former kings of the Phoenix real estate market, do everything they can to remain relevant, to remain in business – calling old databases – [Hi Bill, Hi, it's me Stephen, I sold you a home back in 2005, how are you? Long time no talk, how is your [CLICK!] I wish many of the REO real estate agents would have taken heed and realized real estate markets do change. You will not be the top dog forever.

I always knew this real estate market would change, but even I did not know it would be this drastic or occur this fast. This is what I said back in 2010.

The market has changed, its not too late. If you are one of the REO agents you have a few choices. You can keep riding this REO train off into the sunset or you can shift your business from REO to Short Sale and Resale. The way you get business has changed. Instead of banks handing you listings you now have to help consumers find you on the Internet. You need to provide value they would look for when they finally have a need to buy or sell. While many of your vendors cannot help you make this change, I can. I can because I made it myself 3 years ago. I don’t walk into real estate offices anymore and ask for business, I don’t cold call or send mass emails, I create content for my ideal client to find me when they have a need. Lawyers Title will teach you HOW with our Phoenix Real Estate Marketing Classes Do you have a need? I can help. You buy the coffee and I will do the talking.

Speak On It

She came into my office, sat down and said “You’re MyTitleGuy. . . I’ve heard of you, I read your blog!”

You’re MyTitleGuy!

I am smiling as I write this because it’s funny to me. I am not used to it – since high school anyway – someone who has “heard of me”. I know I know, it’s so 90′s but it is yet another benefit of Blogging For Real Estate, speaking your mind and being you  - or rather me – when you create content. Speak On It.

Blogging For Real Estate

I have a certain amount of respect for people that speak their mind. Many people think New Yorker’s or East Coaster’s are “mean”, me personally – I think there is something admirable about someone that cares enough to say “you are annoying” or “I don’t like you” or “get away from me”. Hey, at least you know where you stand right? The REALTOR that said “You’re MyTitleGuy. . . I’ve heard of you, I read your blog!” knows my blog because of the content I create. What kind of content do you create?

I know my ideal client [REALTORS], I know what they go through on a daily basis, I know what it’s like to make cold calls, knock on doors, send SPAM emails and draft flyers and postcards – my ideal client is REALTORS – I know what that is like because I used to do it too! I took those feelings of “I hope this works” or “I better get a lead from this” – as I licked stamps – and turned those feelings into content to get found by others that [like me] are looking for a better way! Blogging For Real Estate Is A Better Way!

Eyeballs go to the best everything. The best car, the best ad, the best girl, the best guy, the best life – why should content be any different?

Be Authentic

If you can’t be you – who can you be? I was watching a special on Steve Jobs the other day, as awesome as I thought that man was, as amazing as he was at finding the right people to create his dream, as amazing as the products Apple created are, . . . it’s not the iPhone, iPad, iMac, Macbook Pro, Apple TV, Time Capsule or any other Apple product that I own that I keep thinking of when I think of Apple, it’s Steve Jobs – the man. Specifically it’s Steve Jobs 2005 Stanford commencement speech he gave that I can’t get out of my head. It’s always with me. Whenever I start writing something on MyTitleGuy.com that is the real me, that could be construed as a little risque I remember what he said:

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

Don’t Be Vanilla

It is so true. Think about all the people you know that could of, should of and would of been this or that of it wasn’t for this or that. They are vanilla. Vanilla is the kiss of death. No one goes out of their way for vanilla. Vanilla is average. In the world of real estate marketing vanilla is a death sentence. In Phoenix there are over 20,000 of you – REALTORS. You all appear to do the same thing in the same way, you appear that way because your marketing is [in many cases] exactly like everyone else’s.

I see so many examples of vanilla real estate marketing that it literally makes me dizzy. Dizzy from shaking my head in a side to side motion as I tisk, tisk, tisk. Consumers want to work with the best. Don’t you? The best REALTOR®, the best LENDER, the best BUILDER the best everything but so many of you appear to be scared to jump up and say that it’s you! Why? Eyeballs go to the best content on the internet and the best content is often the slightly risque, controversial, say it like it is, who cares, this is me now deal with it tone.

Speak From Experience

You see so many things go wrong in real estate transactions, speak on it! You know what a good REALTOR® looks like – speak on it! You know where the best places to live in Phoenix are and why. . .speak on it! You know why a short sale is better than a foreclosure, yep – speak on it. Speaking on it will get you and your message found online, speaking on it will clearly state your value and knowledge without you having to say it yourself.

Be True To Your Audience And Yourself

Back to that REALTOR®. . . . she said she loves how I write, how I speak my mind, how, many of the things I say simply make sense [notice I didn't say all?]. I asked her how many other blogs and websites she reads or follows from other title peeps, he answer was telling – she said NONE.

MARKETING TAKEAWAY:
Don’t be afraid to be yourself. You want your unfair share of deals? You need to get found online, you need to be you, you need to say something. Something online consumers are looking for you even though they don’t know you exist. You need to stop caring what other REALTORS will think, what your broker will think, what “OTHERS” will think. You need to Speak On It!

Once you are done Blogging For Real Estate, tweeting, facebooking, Google + ing, Linkedin ing you are still not done, do it again – on Video. Speak On It

She Knows

You know. Video Marketing Real Estate. Well maybe you don’t know but your wife does. Regardless of where you live now – she knows where she wants to live – next.  I betcha.

I grew up in Upstate New York, if someone asked me where I lived when I was growing up I would say “Midland and Ballentyne” [the cross streets of my home] we didn’t and still don’t have subdivisions in Syracuse. Today I live in Chandler, Arizona – if someone asked me where I live today I would not say the cross streets – Dobson and Germann – I would say “Germann Country Estates”.

We Identify With Subdivisions

I would say Germann Country Estates because it gives the person asking “where do you live” an exact answer. Here in Phoenix, we may not know our intersections but we certainly know our subdivisions. If I said “Dobson and Germann” I would likely need to explain further, “no, not Pecos Ranch Estates or Stonebridge, no not the apartment complex, but the northwest corner – Germann Country Estates”.

The fact that we identify with our subdivisions can help you grow your real estate business – rather easily. Let me explain. If you have visited MyTitleGuy.com before you know that I believe “the best marketers tell stories”, stories are engaging, interesting and allow your readers [you in my case] to participate and identify with me. So – let me tell you a story:

10 years ago my wife and I moved from Scottsdale to Chandler. We went from Scottsdale Ranch to Brittany Heights [notice the use of subdivisions?]. We moved because we decided we wanted to have kids – yep, it’s that time in every guys life where you realize there is no going back! We would have liked to stay in Scottsdale but buying a bigger home in Scottsdale was well outside of our price range, so we headed south east – 21 miles southeast to Chandler.

She Was Happy – But Not Really

We bought a 3,000 square feet 4 bedroom, 2 bath home in the Brittany Heights subdivision. Over time we made it our own, we added a pool, landscaping, paint, new appliances etc. Life was good. New baby, new house, new job – I had just started in the title industry. There is a grocery store – Fry’s – 2 miles east of my house. When I was at work my wife did the shopping, Fry’s is where she went. Fast forward 4 years and the wife says “I’m going to the grocery store, do you need anything?” I said Nope, told here to be careful and went back to watching TV.

She Knew Where She Wanted To Live

30 minutes later, there is a screech in my driveway. I look up and see it is my wife running in the house “Stephen!, Stephen!” she screamed – I got up and immediately thought the worse, “WHAT! What’s WRONG?” I screamed, she said – get in the car, I found it”. As I got in the car, my wife explained, “I found IT, and it’s PERFECT!”. She made a left on Germann, drove half a mile to the east and made a left turn into a gated community – Germann Country Estates.

I come to find out this: over the years, my wife would make a left out of Brittany Heights and head east towards Fry’s grocery store, as she passed Germann Country Estates, she would look to see if the gate was open. If the gate was open, she would drive in. She did this week after week, year after year – she always knew she wanted to live in that subdivision – I HAD NO CLUE.

Needless to say, we bought the house.

How Consumers Search For Homes Has Changed

This was years ago. Before we used the internet to search for homes – we drove by them. Fellas, ask your wife what subdivision she wants to live in next and she will likely tell you the name of a subdivision – she already knows. You can capitalize on this and help home buyers and sellers find you online by creating Video Marketing Real Estate content about specific subdivisions you want to own. I say OWN on purpose because with over 94% of consumers starting their home search online, they will find you IF you know HOW to create Video Marketing Real Estate content they would look for when they have a need. The ladies don’t drive in a subdivision so much anymore, today they simply do a Google search, this is what they would find.

HELLO

Video Marketing Real Estate

I have been in title for over 10 years. Over the years I have helped countless REALTORS with their real estate marketing. Real estate marketing has changed. The 1st rule of sales and or marketing [mine anyway] is: be where the fish are. The fish, consumers, are online. More and more of your business is going to depend on them finding you when they finally have a need for your real estate services, you can get your phone to ring if you understand the new reality of real estate marketing: WordPress, SEO, Video, Video Editing, Video Optimization, Video Syndication, Twitter, Content Creation, Video Marketing Real Estate and more. As luck would have it, I teach classes and help clients of Lawyers Title with all of them  I created the below Video Marketing Real Estate video myself. I used a DSLR Camera, Final Cut Pro X, Camera mounts, 50mm and 18-55mm lens. I teach Video Marketing Real Estate classes around the valley for Lawyers Title. I will show you the HOW TO. Creating a video is one thing, getting it to rank on the 1st page of Google and YouTube is another. I know how to do both.

If you are a Phoenix Real Estate Professional that wants help growing your business, please fill out the form below. Many title companies SAY they can help you grow your business – Lawyers Title Can.

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Go HERE DO THIS For This VALUE

Imagine for a moment you are a consumer. Let’s say you are in the market for a new home, not necessarily NEW but, new to you. Maybe you live in an apartment, or are renting a home – you have heard on the news it’s time to buy “prices are going up!”, so what do you do? Well if you are like 94% of consumers [and I am betting you are] you will go to the internet, not just the Internet – Google, Yahoo, Bing, YouTube, Craigslist. You are looking for homes for sale in your area, not just homes for sale but homes within a specific price range, with the amenities you want: 4 bedroom, 2 bath, pool, 3 car garage, below 200,000, in Phoenix. You search online and visit multiple websites, one after another after another, and you are still searching.

I teach real estate marketing classes in Phoenix. I start every class by asking one question: “Can I Be Honest With You?”. My blog is no different so – Can I Be Honest With You?

You All Look The Same To Me

Let me start by telling you consumers do not necessarily see a difference [ a distinction] between you [REALTOR A] and your competition [REALTOR B]. How could they? They don’t even know you, your value, the service you provide, your knowledge level, past performance, etc. What they are looking for is information of value – homes for sale.

No Real Estate Call To Action

With the exception of REALTOR dot com, Zillow, Trulia [3rd Party Aggregators where the information on their websites is often not accurate] – the homes for sale on your website are the same as the next REALTOR® as the NEXT. So WHY do consumers leave one website and go to another? Why do consumers leave one real estate marketing video or craigslist ad and go to another? The answer could be quite simple, [assuming your website is as useful as the next REALTORS and you are not forcing consumers to register for information they can get anywhere else - and I do mean anywhere] – NO REAL ESTATE CALL TO ACTION

Business Dictionary

Creating A Strong Real Estate Call To Action

They say sales people make a lot of money. Let me rephrase that – GOOD SALES PEOPLE make a lot of money, if the 80/20 rule is true in any industry, it’s sales – only it’s not 80/20, its more like 93/7 – many people in sales, frankly – shouldn’t be. It’s not for everyone and it’s not easy. You need to understand how to identify the need, build a relationship, be willing to learn, have a positive attitude, be self motivated, quick thinking, patient, sincere, have empathy and more. All of these qualities can be used to create a strong real estate call to action.

Examples of Real Estate Call To Action

• Search For Homes In Phoenix
• Search My Featured Homes For Sale
• Get Local Market Information
• Ask Me A Question [ I use this one at least 3 times in every class, face to face appointment or phone call]
• Get A List Of Bank Owned Homes In Phoenix
• Get A List Of Stephen’s [I'm Stephen] 5 Best Investor Deals
• Get A List Of Short Sale Homes For Sale In Phoenix
• See How TO Get 1% Back At Closing
• Call Me Today At 480-223-8113
• Fill Out The Form Below To Find Out What Your Home Is Worth In Todays Market
• Get A List Of The 10 Short Sale Mistakes Sellers Make
• Get A List Of The 10 Short Sale Mistakes Buyers Make
• Learn How To Buy A Home With 0 Down
• Find Out WHY REALTORS are switching to Lawyers Title
• See WHAT REALTORS are saying about our Real Estate Marketing Classes
• and many many more

Traffic And Conversion

Real Estate Marketing is about 2 things: Traffic and Conversion. You can have tons of Traffic coming to your website but without a good strong Real Estate Call To Action, it could be all for not. You should use a real estate call to action to tell consumers exactly what to do and exactly how to do it and exactly what value they will receive from you for doing it. It;s not enough to say : “Call Me” – For What?  Or Email Me – WHY Should I?

I find that the best Real Estate Calls To Action are in the form of a button or BAB – Big Ass Button – Big buttons get noticed, they stand out and they can help you turn your web visitors into customers – if you use a strong Real Estate Call To Action.

I use calls to action all over my website, in Buttons, HyperLinks, SideBars and in my Gravity Forms. Here is my Real Estate Call To Action 

You Did Everything You Could

You did everything right. When the problems started, you called your bank – you told them you were having trouble, you told them about your illness, disability, the divorce, job loss, reduction in hours – you told them, yet they really didn’t have any answer when you asked “what are my options?”. You didn’t qualify for a loan modification, or any of the other government programs that might actually help you avoid the “F” word – Foreclosure.

Ironically, while your bank is seemingly unwilling to help you, it seems like everyone else wants to, the phone won’t stop ringing from investors that swear they have a solution or REALTORS that contact you about the possibility of a short sale. It’s not just the phone either, your mailbox is full with letters, postcards, newsletters from everyone and seemingly anyone that says they have a solution to your problem.

Banks Pay Delinquent Homeowners To Avoid Foreclosure

Just when you think all hope is lost you get a letter in the mail from your bank – the same bank that didn’t have an answer for you a few months ago is now offering you money to sell your home and avoid foreclosure. Not just money but big money – 5 figures, to sell. You read the letter from your bank with enthusiasm, but that enthusiasm is quickly overcome with skepticism, is this a scam? The kind of scam you have heard about on the local and/or national news? You pick up the phone and promptly call your bank, turns out, it’s not a scam – it’s real!

Short Sale Better For Banks And Homeowners

Banks all over the country are learning what any seasoned REALTOR® could have told and/or showed them – short sale is a much better option for homeowners, and let’s face it – the banks bottom line – it makes more financial sense to allow struggling homeowners to complete a short sale than it does to foreclose. When a homeowner falls on tough times many stop paying their mortgages, not just their mortgages, many stop paying their property taxes, homeowners insurance and maintenance as well – landscaping, plumbing, roof and pool maintenance, painting etc. This property deterioration leads to further reduction in property value. By the time banks take possession through foreclosure, they’re out thousands of dollars in attorneys fees, lost mortgage payments, property taxes, HOA fees and more.

Foreclosure Costs Banks More Than Short Sale

In many areas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Florida [those states hit hardest by the foreclosure epidemic], foreclosures end up costing the bank a lot more than the 5 figure payment the bank is offering homeowners to complete a short sale. Short sale is a better option for all involved as short sales generally sell for more than foreclosed homes, which slows the decline in property value of neighboring properties or entire subdivisions/neighborhoods. According to the National Association of Realtors [NAR],

in December 2011, foreclosed properties sold for an average of 22% less than conventional sales, while the discount for short sales was only 14%.

The incentives to short sale over foreclosure were recently reported on by Bloomberg

No Silver Bullet For All Homeowners

While this is not a silver bullet for all homeowners [some have 2nd mortgages that may demand all or part of the payment from the 1st mortgage] I don’t think you will find many that wouldn’t agree this is a step in the right direction.

What should you do? Contact your favorite REALTOR®, REALTORS that work short sales – most do, at least they do here in the Phoenix Metro area – and ask him/her to keep you abreast of changes as they occur that could help you avoid the “F” word, foreclosure.

Get Help

As the director of sales technology for one of Arizona’s largest title companies, I work with some of the most knowledgeable REALTORS in the Phoenix Metro area. Fill out the form below and I will make sure you are partnered with a real estate professional that can not only keep your abreast of any changes in policy and procedure related to short sale but help you explore any and all options to avoid the “F” word.

I hate SEO or search engine optimization because it implies that it’s all about the search engine, Google, Yahoo, Bing etc] it’s not – it’s about creating content for the CONSUMER. Write for search engines and you will likely hear: Do this and don’t do THAT. Put your keywords here but under no circumstances – HERE, write your tags like this but never and I mean NEVER should you do it like THIS. Don’t worry about the Custom Post/Page Meta Keywords,  because Google doesn’t read it anymore but just incase – don’t over load it because well – ya never know.  And that’s just one person, talk to another SEO expert [and they are all experts aren't they] and you will hear the compete opposite. Not only will you hear the opposite, the new expert will likely throw in the “who ever told you that doesn’t know what he/she is talking about”. Who should you listen to? WHO should you trust?

Instead of SEO it should be called CO or consumer optimization, that’s what it’s really about any way right, not the search engine but the consumer. Consumers want information, valuable information but they don’t want to be served boring content either. I don’t even know you but I know that YOU, like ME hate boring content, ya know that monotone – level never changes, matter of fact text. Consumers want to be engaged, to be asked questions, to reflect and analyze, at least I know I do. I have read enough matter of fact boring real estate content to know what the good stuff looks and sounds like, you can actually tell who is passionate about what they are saying and who is only writing for search engines by keyword stuffing:

this is a 4 bedroom 2 bath Gilbert home for sale in Val Vista Lakes, this Gilbert home for sale is beautiful, it will be hard to find such a beautiful Gilbert Home For Sale anywhere else….

When it comes to getting found online, which is all SEO is [darnit I said it again] many REALTORS® are looking for an edge, a way to get more leads than their competitors, to do more deals to make some list to win some award or designation to include it on a business card {can you tell I have been doing this for awhile?}, one of the best ways to get found online, to get more leads, to do more deals is with video. Not only is video more engaging than text, if used properly, video can demonstrate how awesome you are without you actually having to say it.

There is an added benefit to video, one that I teach in my Phoenix real estate marketing classes: video can rank on the 1st page of Google and YouTube IF you know how. Call it Video SEO. I teach a 3 part video series to REALTORS here in Phoenix, part 1 is all about equipment needed: camera, editing software, screen capture, wired and wireless microphones, what to make videos about, optimal length, optimization, annotations, calls to action and more. Part 2 is where I make a video in the class using the principles the REALTORS learned in part 1, we pick a REALTOR® from the class and make a video – of whatever they want, screen capture, listing, IDX, the agent speaking, whatever they want. Part 3 is the REALTORS turn, they have to make a video in class and using the information the learned in class 1 and class 2.

The other day we had a part 2 class. The agent that volunteered first was Dan Mullarkey with West USA Realty. Dan chose to have me make a video of one of his listings. I shot him introducing the home, then the conclusion and call to action then cut to screen capture of the home where he navigated his listing, telling a “story” through the pictures. I edited it, optimized it for consumers, added annotations and I embedded the video into his WordPress real estate website. I was not logged into my gmail account when I did the search but the extension I am using automatically logs me in

search results

Ya know what? His video and his blog post ranked on the 1st page of Google for the property address, even better, he ranked better than the nemises of other REALTORS, Zillow, REALTOR dot com, Sawbuck, Movado. Dan was able to rank on the 1st page of Google in large part because of his video. Google LOVES video, while it can take days to get something indexed on a typical real estate website [static, flash, not updated regularly etc] video can be indexed in minutes. This makes video the ultimate SEO [darnit, I said it again].

The takeaway here is this: over 94% of consumers start their home search online, they search by city, price range, subdivision, location, amenities, address and more. If you are not getting found online you are losing out on leads. Looking at the above search results, if you googled this address and came up with these search results, which link would you select? And that my friends is the power of using video in your real estate marketing. Now you just need to learn HOW TO…. Fill out the form below.

Sweet!

Title reps across the country go from office to office, appointment to appointment trying to convince their ideal client, REALTORS, to use their title company. Not me. I simply create the content I believe they would look for when they have a need – why chase REALTORS around when you can help them find you online?

I have been teaching video classes across the valley, in my short time with Lawyers Title hundreds of REALTORS and brokers have been to my classes – they are all HOW TO, no theory, no WHY TO but the nuts and bolts of HOW to do something. I know because I do the work. Check out the class testimonials!

When it comes to video it starts with creating videos that your ideal client wants to see. Did you get that? What THEY want to see, not necessarily what YOU want to make videos about. I have talked long enough about videos of value, videos of value educate, inform and [if done well] entertain your ideal client. If they are done right you can show your knowledge, competence and marketing ability without having to resort to “I’m the best REALTOR in Arizona or my office or the UNIVERSE – SE – SE – SE – SE [echo]. I have talked about it long enough and now – because talk is cheap, I started doing it – myself.

I’ve made city videos, videos that serve to educate consumers about Phoenix, Chandler, Gilbert, videos that touch on things to do and subdivisions, employers and more. I’ve made subdivision videos, I’ve strapped the Delkin Fat Gecko to my car with the Canon T3i and made a video of my subdivision, Germann Country Estates and today I made a time lapse video.

Today I went to the REALTOR dot com event here in Phoenix. Rather than just drive there and listen to my ipod or the [dear I say it - radio] I took the opportunity to create a time lapse video that showed my journey. I broke out the GOPro HD Hero 2 and strapped it to my car. I set it to take a picture every 2 seconds. My drive – from Chandler to the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. All said and done I had about 1537 images. Time lapse videos are pretty cool, they are different and if you have read “Purple Cow” you already know that different is good, different is noticeable and different will get you found online.

How many times has a buyer called you and asked abut proximity of one of your listings to a landmark like the airport or school or doggie park or mall, or maybe they wanted information about a home they saw on REALTOR dot com, Trulia or Zillow? Many REALTORS will try and explain in miles “well, its about 20 minutes or it’s close to this or that”, while it’s great to give consumers the info they want, I would submit that anyone can give them information, that my friends is NOT Purple Cow. I teach our clients to SHOW them, with video. Video can distinguish YOU from your COMPETITION without you having to say a word – cool huh.

Below is the time lapse video I made to document my journey, now if you are a REALTOR in Phoenix, you may work with one of the other 60+ title companies here in the valley, sure I could say “I am the best” and “I have the best escrow officers” and “We have mobile signers!” but what you want is help growing your real estate business. I don’t have to tell you that I can help you grow your real estate business, how many times have you heard that from a title rep or company? I can just show you this video as an example of another marketing method you maybe hadn’t even considered. I don’t have to tell you I can help you because while you watch it you will be comparing me to your existing title rep – Lawyers Title to your existing title company. Comparison is a beautiful thing – without further adieu, here is the time lapse video.

SPECS:

Camera: GoPRO HD Hero 2
Computer: Macbook Pro 15
Editing Software: iMovie
Frame Rate; 2 seconds
Frames: 1537
Being different: PRICELESS.

Want help with your real estate marketing? From WordPress to Video, Screen Capture to Content Creation, Twitter to YouTube, I can help you grow your real estate business. Check out the Phoenix Real Estate Estate Marketing Classes and the Schedule of classes around the valley.

Change is good. Shouldn’t YOU be working with Lawyers Title?

Real Estate Vanity Marketing

If there is one thing about real estate marketing that makes me cringe, it’s this kind of VANITY marketing, the ME, ME, ME, ME and I’m THIS and I’m THAT, and I sell more houses than anyone else, and I’m #1 in my office and EVERYONE loves me and yada, yada, yada. It makes me cringe because I know it is not about YOU, it is about ME, the consumer and HOW you can help me buy or sell my next home.

Why should I choose you

Take a look around folks, here in Arizona there are over 20,000 licensed real estate agents, what separates YOU from your competition? Why should a consumer choose you? What VALUE do you provide? Do you have access to information other real estate agents do not? Do you have more knowledge than other real estate agents? What is SOOO special about you? This may come as a shock to you but the general public, does not necessarily see a difference between real estate agent A and real estate agent B. How else can you explain a brand new agent sitting a multi million dollar open house – and selling it? It’s all about VALUE to the consumer and sometimes that VALUE is WHO is THERE when they finally need you.

Using Video To Convey Value

In a field of Gray, of Vanilla real estate marketing, there is a way to stand out from your competitors, a way to convey your value without having to resort to that ME, ME, ME real estate marketing. HOW? Video. Last month, Jay Thompson, Scott Cook and I were recognized by Techsmith, the makers of Camtasia, Jing and Snagit for the way we use their screen capture products to convey value. You don’t have to talk about how AWESOME you are, you can let the consumer realize it in how you use tools like VIDEO to convey value, educate and inform, to make their lives easier.

Here are some awesome examples of video, used not to talk about how AMAZING the real estate agent is but to help, educate and inform the consumer. When you watch these, take your REALTOR® hat off and watch them as a consumer, would you want to work with these agents? My answer – ABSOLUTELY.

Jay Thompson, PhoenixRealEstateGuy.com

Scott Cook, MyShortSaleGuy.com

I could tell you how “awesome” I am or that I am the best at this and that but what YOU want is help growing your real estate business – with Video, WordPress, SEO and more. I think this video says more that I could say myself, and THAT my friends, is the power of using VIDEO in your real estate marketing

Stephen Garner, MyTitleGuy.com

Video is the future of real estate marketing, it is not only visual, its also emotional. YouTube has come out on record saying 90% of all web traffic will be VIDEO. I teach real estate marketing classes for Lawyers Title, I will teach you the HOW TO, no theory, no speculation, what I do to grow my business. Almost 50% of my leads come from my videos, the other 50%? This Blog – WordPress. Fill out the form below to learn the HOW TO.

As the Director Of Sales Technology for Lawyers Title, I have been on a mission to get as many of my clients, of Lawyers Title’s clients to embrace video, video is not just cool, it is also expected by your ideal client: THE CONSUMER. If you were in the market for a home would you prefer pictures [with little context] or a real estate video? Beginning to see the picture?

It’s not only buyers, it’s sellers too. Sellers want the BEST REAL ESTATE MARKETING available to sell their homes, and the best real estate marketing encompasses video. More and more consumers are searching YouTube for homes for sale which makes sense, would you prefer to read an article about something you are interested in or watch a short video? That picture is getting BIGGER huh?

So I teach real estate marketing classes around the valley for Lawyers Title, ask anyone that has been to one and they will tell you, my classes are “STOOPID”. What does “STOOPID” mean? Well if you are a title rep in Phoenix, not with Lawyers Title – they are horrible, don’t bother trying to sneak into a class [some have tried], they are horrible and boring classes. 

If you are a REALTOR® in Phoenix, “STOOPID” is SICK and SICK is GOOD – it’s a NY thing. I will show you all you need to know about making real estate videos of value. Equipment needed, editing software, music, transitions, annotations, images, screen capture, HOW TO get your videos ranked in Google, YouTube and YouTube’s Related Search, what to make videos about and so much more. I know because I have over 200 videos on YouTube [100 private or unlisted], you will learn HOW TO drive your ideal client from Google or YouTube to your WordPress Real Estate Website – Did I mention we offer discounts on WordPress Real Estate Websites too?

When it comes to real estate video marketing, they need to be of value, not to you but to your ideal client. Your videos need to be about something CONSUMERS would look online for when they are attempting to gather information or solve a problem.

As I said, I have been on a mission to get my clients, clients of Lawyers Title to embrace real estate video marketing. It is certainly taking effect. Today I had lunch with Jeff Gritzmacher and Jason Spitler, REALTORS® with Realty One Group in Tempe. Jeff, Jason and I go way back – great guys. After lunch we started talking about the housing market, I asked Jeff, as many consumers surely have, “How Is The Market?” His answer: “Dude [he calls me dude] there is no inventory!” He went on to explain “there is less than 90 days worth of inventory, I am having a hard time finding properties for my clients!”

You know what I said?  Yep….. let’s make a video.

Jeff “Hollywood” Gritzmacher, was in there like swimwear, he said “OK!”, and off we went to make his video of value, not just value, but a video with information consumers would look for when they are trying to gather information or solve a problem. Take a look.

Jeff did a great job. The words are all his, no help from me, other than the camera, screen capture and editing.  Jeff can now use this real estate marketing video on his website, facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, StumbleUpon, Google + and all the other tools I teach on in our “Hub Marketing” class to drive traffic [CONSUMERS] to his website. There, consumers can find out more about Jeff, search for homes for sale, gather information about the market, read his testimonials and best of all – HE DOESN’T HAVE TO DO THE TRADITIONAL REALTOR MARKETING BY TALKING ABOUT HOW “AWESOME” HE IS, his video shows it without him having to say a word about himself. For those of you that have been to my video classes, message me for the equipment I used. For those of you that haven’t, what are you waiting for? Lawyers Title just started a 3 part video series and believe me, it is STOOPID. Take a look at the Phoenix Real Estate Marketing Classes we offer and the schedule of Lawyers Title Real Estate Marketing Classes in your area.

As the Director of Sales Technology for Lawyers Title, I help Lawyers Title clients grow their business, that includes video’s like this. So, are you ready to work with Lawyers Title? Fill out the form below. Lets talk. Oh and the video, it’s going on Jeff’s website, great content for consumers to find him with. Think he will give us the escrow?