Many moons ago when I found a really cool guy on line named Jack in Huntington Beach, CA to build my first website we talked at length for hours about what I wanted to accomplish with a website. What I wanted to say and the calls to action and the look. Over the years since I lost Jack (he passed away in 2002) I ultimately learned how to do it myself because no one else I ever hired could make my vision come to life.
When I fist discussed my site with Jack back in 1998 what I said to him was that I wanted it to make people want to visit Lake Sinclair and call me. He told me to email him some photos of the lake and he'd do that. So I took a cruise in the boat on the lake and took a couple of rolls of film (I know, right?). I went to the one hour photo place and had them developed and overnight mailed them to Jack. I asked him... what would bring you to the lake? He picked a sunset photo. Jack said when he was looking at the photos and I was looking at the photos on the other side of the country "so that's why you love your lake, that's so calming and relaxing and so vibrant".
I don't use "that" sunset photo any longer, but I still use a sunset photo of my lake. I'm on photo #4. New cameras over the years have lead to new photos. September 2012 was the last time I did a retake and I no longer had to wait an hour at the fast photo place, I just pop my SD card out of the camera and choose. I also now am smart enough to file a registration with the copyright office prior to publication. (thank you ActiveRain).
Since that first publication date right after I filed... I've used it every where.
As you can see that photo is on the wall in my office lobby, it's right in front of you when you open the door. Than on the coffee table you can see some examples of our marketing ... a map that shows my branding photo, a couple of glossy magazines (no, not real estate magazines and even on the back of my business cards. It's on both my sites, on my blogs, on my email signature oh and I've sold the house with that view twice in my career.
It's also been stolen a few times. I've had successful settlement agreements a few times too. ;)
Before I show you my branding photo... sit back and close your eyes and relax for about a minute. That relaxed feeling is what lake living can give you at the end tough days and tough weeks.
