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Marketing On You Tube: Are You There?

Erik Bjorklund of EMit Mortgage, Duluth, GA, wrote an insightful and extensive post on the impact of YouTube. Lots of good examples of why YouTube has become a force in the areas of marketing and communication. I want to extend Erik's comments here to include something that I think is vital to all of us in the real estate industry: determining how to utilize YouTube to get the word out on our services (and your Web sites).

Many of my CyberStars(r) have discovered ways in which YouTube can expand their marketing. One example is that of CyberStars(r) Thomas & Sally Cook of Toronto, Canada. You can see their latest video here, taken while Thomas & Sally were attending a convention in Playa del Carma, Mexico. Thomas set up an interview with Joan Dal Bianco, vice president of Real Estate Secured Lending for TD Canada Trust. The video became the latest in their series on YouTube, "Thomas & Sally Cook's Real Estate Minute."

You can see a list of their videos that form the "Real Estate Minute" series for buyers and sellers here. Lots of information for consumers, and they promote the videos from their Web site, in their ads, etc.

BTW: Like most of the CyberStars(r), Thomas & Sally are not "techies." They have undergone a learning process over the years, and their latest video, taken in Mexico, was no exception. Thomas writes:

"Also I 'thought' I'd picked a nice quiet place outside the spa! However, there are noisy birds down south and a lane behind the wall where they ran a garbage dumpster back and forth. Moral... try to pick a quieter location for the interview. Live and learn. Progress not perfection, right?"

The point is: are you open to new Internet-based marketing methods. or are you hide-bound, locked into traditional methods? Why not get "out of the box," like the Cooks. It pays...just ask the Cooks!

It's a great (somewhat chilly) day here on the Lake in Reston...hope it's a great day wherever you are, too!

Posted by Allen F. Hainge, CRS on 05/03/2007 05:25 PM

Comments (6)

allen f hainge, cyberstars, branding, marketing, technology, technology tools, youtube, video

6 Comments on Marketing On You Tube: Are You There?

I think video is the next virtual tour. Especially since broadband Internet is so accessible. I have not used this to its fullest yet. This is one more marketing tool to add to your listing presentation...best part it's free...

05/03/2007 07:46 PM

by Bob Carney Licensed MD/PA Real Estate Agent (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.)

Hi Allen...thanks for the post. I'm going to look into YouTube soon. Certainly, there are a lot of videos out there these days. I have also started using video email for certain situations. Have you heard much about that? Let me know if you want me to send you one as an example. I think it is going to be huge in the future.

Regards...Jay

05/04/2007 07:28 AM

by Jay Burnham - The Coldwell Banker Guy (Coldwell Banker)

Jay:

Thanks for the post. Get in touch with your fellow CyberStar(r) Thomas Cook in Toronto and ask him about his experience on YouTube. He's got fine videos up there. Very useful marketing tool, I believe!

And yes....send me your example of video email. You know my direct email address, I presume?

It's a great day here on the lake in Reston...hope it's a great day there on the North Shore, too, my friend.

05/04/2007 03:57 PM

by Allen F. Hainge, CRS (AFH Seminars)

Video interviews are a great way to build relationships. We've done approx. 80 video interviews. Many of our interviewees report getting many new business leads as a result.

I'm not sold on YouTube - its a bit unfocused for my taste but if it works for you guys, great!

Tony

05/06/2007 01:38 AM

by A. Grey | Vidlisting.com| Real Estate Video Mentor (Vidlisting.com)

Just as a follow-up:

This morning we looked at every You Tube property video (excluded interviews, drivethrus, seminars, etc.) that was marked as 1 week ago. This means that the video had been posted between 7-13 ago.

I think that my use of term unfocused was born out by data. We found the following interesting results:

Number of Property Videos Posted To YouTube During This Period: 235

Total Number of Views of All 235 Videos: 3775

Average Number of Video Views after being posted more than one week and less than two: 16 views

Mean Number of Video Views (50% with views above and 50% below) during same: 8 views

I'll be wrapping up our finding into a blog post later today...(update: http://activerain.com/blogsview/92074/YouTube-Is-Not-A)

Tony

05/06/2007 10:34 AM

by A. Grey | Vidlisting.com| Real Estate Video Mentor (Vidlisting.com)

Thanks for the comment, "A."....and I appreciate your research. I looked at your in-depth blog post as well. Very good!

Like you, I don't think that YouTube is "there yet" in the minds of REALTORS. A few who are ahead of the curve have found it and are using it to their advantage. Like an agent Web site, the key in its effectiveness is personal promotion by the agent.

I'm continually amazed at my seminars around the country at the number of agents who 1) don't have an in-depth Web site and, for those who do have one, 2) who don't actively promote their site.

So...a fledgling tool, one whose usefulness will, I think, increase over time.

It's a great day here on the lake in Reston...hope it's a great day wherever you are, too!

05/06/2007 04:25 PM

by Allen F. Hainge, CRS (AFH Seminars)

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