When you think of HouseLens, you probably think of our full-motion walk-through video tours, which is great. Our video tours are our signature product and certainly make up the bulk of our business.
But did you know that HouseLens also produces agent video bios and broker promotional videos? These can be a key part of your real estate marketing strategy and the way to establish an edge over your competition.
Just last month, HouseLens Creative Director Antony Boshier and Artist Trainer Ryan McLemore traveled to the Washington, D.C., area to shoot broker videos for 21 Coldwell Banker offices that are all part of the same brokerage group. Their trip highlights some key points for brokerages to keep in mind when approaching video marketing.
L-R: Ryan, Coldwell Banker brokerage VP Kim Caspari, Antony
Standardize it. Twenty-one Coldwell Banker offices did not just coincidentally decide to have broker videos made at the same time. The choice to use video marketing was made at the management level and handed down to all 21 offices. This means that all the offices will have standardized, professional-quality videos to display under the Coldwell Banker brand.
If you lead a brokerage group, follow the Coldwell Banker example. Include all your offices in your video marketing plan, and hire one company to shoot all the videos. That way, you’ll establish a cohesive look for your brand and communicate a consistent message to your audience. You’ll also ensure that all the videos will be of excellent quality, which reflects well on your brand.
Incorporate community footage. Antony and Ryan spent two full days, plus various odd hours, shooting community footage. They filmed at locations such as the Maryland waterfront, the National Mall, Ford’s Theatre, and Dulles Airport. All this will give viewers a sense of the D.C. area as a vibrant, accessible, beautiful, and entertaining community.
Ryan and Antony filming B-roll at the Washington Monument (L) and on the Maryland waterfront (R)
Coldwell Banker was very smart to include community footage in their videos. People want to know what it’s like to live in an area without having to visit it. In fact, community videos are the most popular kind of video among home buyers, with an 86% share of the audience. Follow the CB example by incorporating community footage into your broker or agent videos, or by producing standalone community videos to capture buyers’ attention.
Multi-task. In addition to shooting community footage and video tours of the brokerage offices, Antony and Ryan filmed dozens of CB agents talking about why they joined Coldwell Banker and why they love working in real estate. This means that Coldwell Banker’s finished videos can serve a dual purpose: they’ll appeal both to customers, who are attracted by community footage and agent bios, and to top-producing agents, who are attracted by office amenities and their colleagues’ positive experiences with CB.
Filming an agent bio/testimonial in one of the Coldwell Banker brokerage offices
Especially if your video budget is limited, the CB approach is the way to go. You want videos that can help you recruit both new customers and new agents. So work with a pro who knows how to script videos that will appeal to multiple audiences. Then distribute your videos on platforms that reach agents, buyers, and sellers alike. This will make the process efficient and give you the best possible return on investment.
If you’ve used broker videos to recruit new customers or new agents, what tips do you have for other brokers?
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