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Should You Use Stock Images for Your Real Estate Business?

By
Education & Training with ReMax

 

Any business with genuine intentions for succeeding will at some point require the use of photos to further their image. Just how they use these photos and for what purposes will depend on the type of business or market that they cater to.

Real estate businesses looking to engage with their audience traditionally aimed to present a picture of how happy existing customers are (photos of bright-eyed and optimistic first-time buyers receiving their keys being an obvious example). The problem is that many of the images used by these companies are not fit for purpose or appear cheap and tacky. These days, companies such as focused collection are finding new solutions to these problems.

For many real estate businesses competing in a tough market, even the slightest margin can count. There is no doubt that word of mouth can be a fantastic means of garnering a larger customer base, but it is naive to think that a business can thrive on this alone.

Given the competition, advertising and presenting the right images to potential clients matters. In the modern age, social media presents businesses with an opportunity to really grab the attention of prospective buyers and sellers alike. Therefore, any forward-thinking business should invest as much time, effort, and resource into establishing their brand firmly into the consciousness of its audience.

How Using Stock Imagery Can Help

To be more precise, using the right stock imagery can help. In real estate, image can make for everything. We source properties on how they look and present ourselves as real estate professionals majorly on our own appearance. If we cannot appear well-groomed, professional, and as someone that is trustworthy enough to make major life-changing decisions for our clients, we will be soon looking for a new job.

The same goes for the business. When we invite someone into our office, if the place is in a bad state of repair, with paint peeling off the walls and stains on the carpet, we can kiss goodbye to any aspirations of developing a successful business in real estate.

As far as it goes, the right stock imagery is essentially an extension of these points. Using outdated and tacky stock imagery – just because it is free or cheap – will repulse rather than attract clients.

The Client Wants to Buy

Regardless of whether the client is looking to buy a new home or sell their existing property, they both have this thing in common: they want to buy what you are selling. Your services, your expertize, your words and ideas.

The average client wants to envisage themselves in the same position as the happy customers smiling from the social media ads, brochures, and marketing material. If they cannot relate to the actors in the stock imagery, they cannot transport themselves to the fantasy of landing their dream home or making a sizeable profit.

While the use of credible and vibrant stock imagery has been underestimated among some, there is no doubting its importance these days. Don’t be left behind.

 

Show All Comments Sort:
John Pusa
Glendale, CA

Welcome to the ActiveRain community. Congratulations on your first post.

Jun 27, 2018 03:26 PM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Stephen Jacobson welcome to ActiveRain and congratulations on successfully posting your first blog.

Jul 02, 2018 06:33 PM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Stock images can be very dangerous, it is best to be sure where they come from and who will be showing up later for a demand for payment.

Aug 28, 2018 09:05 PM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Welcome to Active Rain, looking forward to reading many more of your posts, let me know if there is anything that I can do to help as you get started here.
All the best of success to you.
Bob

Aug 28, 2018 09:05 PM