Admin

Is Your Picture Really Worth A Thousand Words?

By
Real Estate Agent with Wine Trail Properties

April 20th, 2008 categories: Information - Other Areas

As Real Estate Agents, we became used to everyone handing you a business card with their picture on it, but did we really need to see all of the faces on those cards?  Well, maybe...just to remember who it was we networked with or worked on a deal with.  But come on now,  we see agents faces on "everything".  They are on sign riders, blogs and everything in between. Quite the overkill I would say.  Could it just be the sign of the times, where we all just become so vain, that it is us, the individuals that want to see our face out there? 

  • Do our clients choose us because we supply a photo?
  • Maybe they choose us because they like the way we look.
  • Does it make us more important?
  • Did we get the contract from the photo?
  • Does it make us more knowledgeable ?
  • Does it guarantee a sale or closing?

There are times when I am glad I have a photo to refer to, but it is less times than more.

What if everything we purchased came with a persons photo on it?  A can of corn that included the machinist best photo or a sofa with the upholsterer's best candid shot, where will it stop?  Or how about the agents that use photos from twenty years ago and then you get to meet them in person?  You look at them and think, you set the meeting up with the wrong person.

Yes, there is a place for our ugly mugs, but it does not include "everywhere".  How about a nice shot of your local area? or maybe an interesting graphic or logo to pique the interest of the viewer.  This maybe just my personal preference, but I don't feel comfortable with my photo on everything and I really get tired of seeing the same pictures over and over. 

There are many Realtors out there that are quite successful, that do not use their personal pictures on all the media they create.  Here in the Finger Lakes, lets promote the area views and not ourselves.  I welcome all agents comments and I am posting this for that purpose since I see humor in the subject.

Brian Luce
HomeStarr Realty Inc. - New Hope, PA
Associate Broker
I'm not one for "going crazy" with photos of myself everywhere.  However, it's been shown that a business card with a photo gets "held onto" longer than one without one.  I think it's a matter of branding / familiarity etc.  I won't do the photo on a sign rider etc.  Another thing that I see quite a bit around here is when an agent places and ad for a property with a caption of 4 Bedroom, 2 Bath, Garage etc and then inserts a photo of themselves and NOT THE HOUSE!  This is think is a bit silly.
Apr 20, 2008 08:23 AM
Sharon Simms
Coastal Properties Group International - Christie's International - Saint Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg FL - CRS CIPS CLHMS RSPS
While I don't put my photo "everywhere" - not on sign riders, not on bus benches, not even in the comments to your post - I do think it's important to have my photo on my business card, my profiles, and in my ads. People want to "know" who they're dealing with, and it's hard to deal with someone you can't see.
Apr 20, 2008 09:17 AM
Jimmy McCall
JimmyMcCall.com - Cunningham, TN
The Ex-Mortgage Consultant
Mary,  I think a photo is more endearing.  People are more likely to trust you or read your blog (here on the Rain) when they see a photo.  It holds a person accountable and it give a prospect a person to associate the solicitation.  When people see a logo or a photo of your area they instantly put up their sales guard.  I must admit some Realtors do go overboard with their photo on everything, but I think it is better than not using a your photo.   
Apr 20, 2008 03:16 PM