Posts Tagged ‘differentiate’
How to Make a Smoothee Movie
Thursday, March 31st, 2011
With increasingly better cam phones and Flip-like video cameras it is easy to take crystal clear high definition videos anywhere, anytime. What’s not easy however is using these same devices to take videos that don’t give viewers headaches due to all the jerky movements. Until now anyway.
The super compact size that makes these cameras so popular, means it is pretty much impossible to shoot a smooth video by just holding them steady. While you could always put them on a tripod, that precludes the really interesting panning and walk-through shots. Now thanks to a company called Tiffen you can say goodbye to the jitters. Their new Smoothee accessory for iPhone, iPod, Flip HD, etc. camcorders is essentially a balanced steadycam (like the ones used in Hollywood, only smaller, lighter and much, much less expensive).
The way a steadcam platform works is that it allows you to mount your camera to freely moving gimbal that keeps its position due to a counterbalance. Once you mount your small camera on the device, you hold it like a pistol and walk around, up and down stairs, around objects, through rooms, etc. all while the Smoothee eliminates the jitters. The video below demonstrates just how smooth your videos can be.
Inexpensive is a relative term, however. At about $200 it’s dirt cheap from a professional videographer’s perspective but it is about the same price as a top of the line Flip HD. Here’s the thing. The videos you create (or have created for you) like it or not, reflect your professionalism (or lack of it). Since most of your competitors are way too parsimonious to consider using this kind of video enhancement tool, imagine how yours will stand out from the crowd (especially during a listing presentation). And let’s face it, it’s just plain cool walking around like your are a mini James Cameron :0)
This is one of these very cool tools that I would not want to be without if I were shooting my own listing and neighborhood videos. You decide if turning viewers “ugh!”s into “ahhhh!”s is worth the money.
NOTE: Mr. Internet®, RUSSER Communications, its staff and officers receive no compensation whatsoever from any third party vendors (unless he/they are directly involved with the creation and/or improvement of a vendor service or product), and make no recommendations as to the suitability of the products or services mentioned in this article. Always thoroughly investigate any product or service before trying or purchasing.
How to Sculpt Your Business Masterpiece
Sunday, February 27th, 2011
Michelangelo was asked how he could possibly create something as beautiful as the statue of David from a block of marble. His reply was as telling as the result of his work (paraphrasing): “I don’t sculpt, I simply release the art from its stone prison.” This is telling, because most businesses also start out as just a lump of potential.
You start by having a clear vision of what you want your business to look like. Every aspect including what you do during the day, who you work with and for, what you focus most of your time on and how all the other detail work gets accomplished. Imagine what would happen to that block of marble if old Mic didn’t have a clear vision of the final piece. He’d soon end up with a pile of useless chipped marble.
Armed with a crystal clear vision of what you want your business to look like, it’s time to start “releasing” its potential. You don’t start by indiscriminately hacking away with the chisel, otherwise you will end up destroying the very thing you are trying to create. Creating a viable business, just like creating a work of art, is a labor of love. It takes time, patience and a keen eye for what works and what doesn’t. Take small steps and stand back from time to time to make sure you are going in the right direction…
In the studio, I don’t do a lot of work that requires repetitive activity. I spend a lot of time looking and thinking and then try to find the most efficient way to get what I want, whether it’s making a drawing or a sculpture, or casting plaster or whatever.
Bruce Nauman
It really boils down to what you want from your business and what you are willing to give in time, effort, money, etc. to get it. True masterpieces are never created overnight. It takes the undying love of its creator to give it life and allow it to achieve its full potential. Anything less and you end up with a cheap knockoff that has very little intrinsic value.
Building Success One Block at a Time
Saturday, February 19th, 2011
Last week I spoke about how success in business is a marathon, not a sprint. Here are some perfect examples of just that…
Melinda Estridge is a long-time mega producer who wants to “own” the listing market in her hometown of Chevy Chase near D.C. So she created ChevyChaseLiving.com as a seller-focused site and set about engaging her community in very powerful ways. This week she is hosting a “Learn How to Maximize the Value of Your Chevy Chase Home” event that has already registered 60+ people. In March, she and the local Ralph Lauren store is doing a special event for just the residents of Chevy Chase. Melinda understands that a successful seller site doesn’t happen overnight. However, that doesn’t stop her from working on it tirelessly to make it so.
Chris Coveny is one of the very top producers in Ottawa, Canada. His focus is the military so he created a unique website for at least three different branches of the military, all tied to his incredibly in-depth OttawaMove.ca site. He has absolutely nailed the use of Facebook to drive hundreds of unique military visitors to his sites. Now his focus is optimizing the offers on his sites so they most effectively convert those visitors into closed transactions. Will he do it? —let’s just say that there is no way I’d bet against him…
High-performance business people consistently take action. Everyone else consistently just talk about doing so.
Mr. Internet
It’s easy to look at the success of top producers and think that a) their success happened overnight, and b) they never struggled. Both assumptions are incorrect. They are just as human as the next person in the desire for quick results. However, they never-ever wait around for them to just happen.
You Need Vision to See Where You Are Going…
Monday, January 31st, 2011
How strong of a “vision” do you have for your business? When asked, most people will say something like “I see myself making lots of money, having a nice home and my kids going to the best schools.” Here’s a news flash for you, that is the result of the vision, not the vision itself.
A true vision is very unique to the person who holds it, and in many (but not all) cases, it is not about them. And the intensity of the vision, how much fire is behind it, will determine how well you handle the inevitable setbacks that come along the way. Boulders (which are often opportunity in disguise) in the road to achieving your vision.
One of my students has a very intense and specific vision for a very unique kind of real estate Website. He had been planning for months prior to speaking to the designer (as he should). So you can imagine his surprise, and frankly tremendous disappointment, when the first design came it was nothing like he had in mind. Was he upset, you bet. Did he let it defeat him, no way. In fact, because he is so on fire about his vision, he was able to rally several very talented people around him and in short order hopefully fixed the design issue.
And that’s one of the big secrets of having a powerful vision, you attract others to help you realize it. Look at any big achievement throughout history and you will find example after example of one persons vision lighting its fire in the hearts of many others…
Most people are not really free. They are confined by the niche in the world that they carve out for themselves. They limit themselves to fewer possibilities by the narrowness of their vision.
V. S. Naipaul
Greatness is not so much a result of capability as it is the strength and heat of your vision. Even those blessed with an abundance of capability will see little in life if it is not driven by something bigger than themselves. And individuals with very modest talents can and do achieve awe-inspiring feats when their vision is bright enough to attract others to help them see it through.
Build Your Business One Stick At a Time…
Monday, January 24th, 2011
Have you ever seen a cathedral made of matchsticks? We never cease to be amazed at the beauty and intricacy of the final result. And admiringly consider the amount of time, patience and commitment it took to build that structure by gluing one matchstick at a time.
Remonstrations of the press and “silver bullet” vendors to the contrary, building a successful business is very much like building a matchstick cathedral. It always starts with a plan, a vision of the end result (otherwise you end up with a pile of gluey matchsticks :0). Then it takes patience, perseverance and determined commitment to build it piece by piece, day by day.
We live in a society where instant success is glorified and held on a pedestal. The reality is that’s not reality. Oh sure, there will always be outliers to whom it happens, just as there will always be someone who wins the lottery. The real winners however are the ones who built their success one stick at a time…
The person determined to achieve maximum success learns the principle that progress is made one step at a time. A house is built one brick at a time. Football games are won a play at a time. A department store grows bigger one customer at a time. Every big accomplishment is a series of little accomplishments.
David Joseph Schwartz
Everyone looks for shortcuts to success, it’s just human to do so. The difference between consistently successful top producers and everyone else however is they don’t wait for them to appear. They keep plugging one step at a time. This is the essential difference I see between those that have a 10 year “over night” success and those that just wish for it.
Embrace Your Inner Diversity to Stand Out From the Competition
Monday, January 17th, 2011
One of the things that has made our country so successful and indeed, the most powerful nation on earth, is our diversity. We are a nation of people that have many different ethnicities, cultures, beliefs and traditions. This results in the unending supply of fresh perspective that is the rocket fuel of innovation.
In business, embracing diversity is crucial to, well… standing out. Each and everyone of us is unique and has the ability to apply that innate inner diversity to great success in business. To do that effectively and consistently you need to let your inner diversity shine through without fear or concern about what others may think. Yet sadly, most people squelch that capability in their unrelenting effort to “fit in”, be like everyone else. If there ever was a sure-fire formula for mediocrity, this surely is it…
My darling girl, when are you going to understand that “normal” isn’t a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage.
Stockard Channing, from Practical Magic
Here’s a success exercise for you. Any time you consider implementing something unique, different or completely “out of the box”, listen for that silent voice inside your head that says it’s not a good idea to be “different”. Acknowledge it, then ignore it completely and courageously move forward. You will be amazed at just how freeing that will make you feel, and the vast opportunities it will provide.
Extend Your Brand Using Just a Tiny Image For Free
Saturday, January 1st, 2011You may not be consciously aware of it, but most of the time you go to a well-known Website the brand owner is doing something very subtle to boost the recognition of their brand in your mind. This is some that very few real estate professionals take advantage of for their own sites, yet is free and easy to do. Here’s what it it and how you implement it…
My Favorite Favicon
A favicon is a very special 16 x 16 pixel image that browsers use to display the site owners brand in the address bar and tab of the browser window that displays their site (see example below).
You can do this too and it starts with picking an image that when scaled to 16 x 16 pixels it is still recognizable. With this in mind it is best to use something relatively simple and with just a few colors. Avoid using photos as they will not scale well at all down to such a small size. Also, make sure the image you do choose is square (i.e. has equal sides).
For example, for Online Dominance student Linda Jefferson’s GoArmyHomes brand, we choose the distinctive army star
Then we used a very cool free online service called FavIcon from Pics that will convert any image into a favicon. Like some free online tools, it has lots of features you will probably never need which only tends to confuse the casual user (i.e. someone who wants to create a favicon for their own Website). So, I created a short video showing exactly what to do so that in less than 30 seconds you will have your Website’s favicon file ready to be installed on your site.
This may not seem like much yet it is just one more way you can extend your online brand and appear that much more professional and “established” than your less-wise competitors.
NOTE: Mr. Internet®, RUSSER Communications, its staff and officers receive no compensation whatsoever from any third party vendors (unless he/they are directly involved with the creation and/or improvement of a vendor service or product), and make no recommendations as to the suitability of the products or services mentioned in this article. Always thoroughly investigate any product or service before trying or purchasing.
Why Fitting In Can Kill Your Business
Monday, December 20th, 2010
How comfortable are you in being “different” from others? If you ask this question of someone still in high school they’d look at you like it was the worst possible thing that could happen. You’d think that most adults would grow out of the “I have to fit in!” phase of their life. Yet from my perspective as someone who deals with thousands in an industry that supposedly consists of independent contractors, I just don’t see it very often.
Take a look at their Websites, print marketing materials, even the way most real estate sales people dress. Stand back far enough and they look exactly alike. The herd mentality is alive and well in our industry. And that my friend is your window of opportunity. Effective marketing today, more than ever, is all about standing out, being different, getting people’s attention through all the noise and cacophony of the thousands of marketing messages that besiege us daily. In fact, if you want to have any chance at all of being a break-out producer, you have to strive to be perceived completely different from your competition.
One of the top producers near New York city is a coaching student of mine, part of my ULTRA eTEAM. When he came on board he said: “I want to have the UGLIEST Website in the industry!”He was dead serious from the standpoint of wanting a Web presence that completely stood out from all the “pretty” REALTOR sites that don’t do jack online. This guy really gets it…
Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.
Cecil Beaton
Without question every salesperson wants the benefits that come from being a “standout”. Yet most deep inside are frightened of being seen as such. That’s because to be “different” means a separating oneself from the perceived safety of the crowd, and a lot of people just can’t handle the personal responsibility that comes with that.
Well, here’s a little secret for you. Each and everyone one of us is already completely unique. And until you fully embrace, celebrate and shout it from the roof tops, you will never achieve your full potential.
Code to Your Online Success
Saturday, December 11th, 2010
In case you didn’t notice, there is a whole crop of young, willing and able real estate buyers that seem to have their head buried in their smartphones. Gen-Y prefers texting over talking and their phone IS their world. Here’s a way to get their attention and business —fast!
QR Codes to the Rescue
Think of QR (Quick Response) codes as a two dimensional bar code that can contain just about any kind of information and be read instantly from any number of free smartphone apps. The opportunities for real estate marketing are nearly endless since one of the main uses of QR codes is to embed URLS that when scanned will take the phone user to wherever the URL was pointing (i.e. your Website, listing detail information, etc.) They effectively turn anything (including paper) they are printed on into an active and trackable hyperlink.
QR codes were invented in Japan by a subsidiary of the Toyota Motor Corporation to help identify car parts. Once people recognized their flexibility of encoding links to the Web, they took off big time in Japan and other Asian countries. In fact, you will find QR codes plastered on billboards, signs, storefronts and just about any place you look in all the major Japanese cities.
Here is where you can find free QR Code Reader apps for your smartphone (by smartphone type):
- iPhone QR reader app search
- BlackBerry QR reader app search
- Droid QR reader app search
- iTunes
- BlackBerry App World
- Android Market
There really are only two issues to consider when incorporating QR codes into your marketing: a) how to create them, and b) where to place them for maximum exposure and impact.
Create QR Codes Instantly for Free
If you do a Google search on QR code generators you will find literally dozens of sites that will create them for you at no cost. My favorite is a site called BeeTagg QR Generator which allows you to create any number of QR codes in different formats for free. When you first land on this page you can enter the URL of the page you want your code to go to and choose the type of code it generates (make sure you have the QR Code selected and uncheck “Optimize size”). Then just hit the “Go” button and you will instantly see your code with download options like this:
Now this next part is very important. Of the six different download options shown, there are only two you will typically work with. Gif if you plan on placing the code on a Webpage or email and Eps if you plan on using it in print. Gif images are the smallest file sizes for this kind of image and are ideal for placement in Webpages. However, they are not good for print or other media because they don’t scale well. That is, they get blurry or pixelated if you try to blow them up beyond their original size and will become unreadable by the smartphone apps.
Eps file formats are ideal for print media because they can scale to any size (including 16 foot billboards) without any loss of fidelity. The key here is to use the appropriate QR code image type for the right kind of application.
GEEK TIP: here’s a quick shortcut you can use to place a QR code on any page of your Website (with the code pointing to that page) just by including the following Javascript in your HTML code where you want the QR code to show up on the page:
<script src=”http://s3.amazonaws.com/dakno-qr/qr.js”;font-size: 9pt; font-family: “Arial”,”sans-serif”; color: rgb(64, 64, 64);”>
The resulting QR code image will point to the page it is on. Unless you are comfortable working with HTML code it is probably better to give this to your Web designer to implement.
Where to Use QR Codes For Maximum Impact
In addition to placing a page-specific QR code on every page of your Website there are many innovative ways you can incorporate them into your marketing. Here are just some ideas that came out of a recent brainstorming exercise for QR code use:
- Put them on your sign riders pointing to your Website with the details for that listing (NOTE: make sure the QR code on the sign rider is at least 10” x 10” so it can be scanned from the comfort of a prospect’s car)
- Print ad with a QR pointing to a YouTube video of you walking thru your latest listing;
- Put a QR code decal on your car that points to your Website, or better yet, an irresistible offer on your Website (again, make sure it is at least 10” x 10” so it can be scanned easily by other drivers.);
- If it is winter, develop a QR code on the sign rider and link it to photos or a video of the house when the landscaping is in full bloom in spring;
- Sponsor a local team and put the QR code pointing to your Website on their uniforms;
- Give away t-shirts with QR code that points to your site;
- If send out calendars each year, put a QR code pointing to your Website on every page;
- QR code open house scavenger hunt. Put a QR code in ad or web ad of open house where the QR code on each house maps you to the next house. Have to read them all to get to the prize at the final house —great for brokers open tour;
- Put a QR code pointing to your Website on the back of your business card.
QR Code Best Practices
Now before you go hog-wild with QR codes and start plastering them on every available surface (digital or otherwise), here are some best practices that will help you get the most out of these cute little smudges:
- Tell them what it is – since QR codes are still very leading-edge in this country it is a good idea to provide additional info that explains to the less-techy consumers just what they are. Here’s an example of what shows up on every page of my Websites that include QR codes:
Just click on the link in the image at left and see how it takes you to a page that fully explains what QR codes are and their benefits to the consumer.
- Point to something worthwhile – make sure that whatever your QR code points to provides real value to the consumer. Ideally, the landing page has a specific call to action and lead capture mechanism.
- Make sure your QR codes are readable – make them big enough for the context they will be used. This means about 175 pixels x 175 pixels for Web pages and email, 10” x 10” for outdoor use (sign riders and car decals) and huge for billboards.
- Track your QR code traffic – you can easily track your Website traffic that is generated by people scanning QR codes. If you are using a Web analytics program like Google Analytics it is easy to track QR code traffic by adding just a bit of text after the URL you are pointing to before generating the code. For example:
http://www.myrealestatewebsite.com/?source=QR_printad
Where the highlighted part was added before generating the code. Your analytics package will show any traffic specifically coming from people scanning the QR codes in your print ads. There is nothing magic or special about the text that comes after “/?source=”, you can make it anything you want —just make sure there are no spaces and that it effectively describes where the code was embedded.
At this point you might be thinking: “Is this QR code thing really necessary for my business?” and the answer of course is no, it’s not. However, if you want to be a leader in your marketplace and really catch the attention and business of the up and coming Gen-Y buyers, then yes it is.
Implementing QR codes is not about being a geek, it’s about staying up with your customers and serving them in the way they expect. After all, that is what business is all about, isn’t it.
NOTE: Mr. Internet®, RUSSER Communications, its staff and officers receive no compensation whatsoever from any third party vendors (unless he/they are directly involved with the creation and/or improvement of a vendor service or product), and make no recommendations as to the suitability of the products or services mentioned in this article. Always thoroughly investigate any product or service before trying or purchasing.
Mr. Internet is the alter-ego of Michael J. Russer, an internationally recognized Internet speaker, trainer, author, and strategic consultant to the real estate industry. He’s dedicated to helping real estate professionals leverage their people skills into profit on the Internet. Send your Internet questions to help@askmrinternet.com or you can visit his Website at http://www.russer.com
This article is reprinted in its entirety from the December 2010 issue of REALTOR® Magazine by permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Copyright © 2010. All Rights Reserved other than mentioned above. Mr. Internet® is a registered trademark of RUSSER Communications.
Putting the “WOW!” Into Web Engagement
Monday, November 29th, 2010
When a prospect lands on your Website they are going to a) bounce right out; b) take your information and leave; c) become engaged. Only one of these outcomes is going to make you money from the Web. Clearly, the more engaging your site, the more likely it will turn casual visitors into closed transactions. Now there is an unbelievably easy way to make almost anything on your Website very engaging and unique.
MapsAlive is a very clever online service that let’s you take any kind of image (maps, photos, floor plans, diagrams, etc.) and turn them into highly interactive elements in just minutes without any technical knowledge. You really can’t appreciate the full breadth of what is possible until you view the recent Online Dominance Live Group Coaching session video (click image above) we had where MapsAlive co-founder Janice Kenyon do several live demonstrations. Also in this video you will see how incredibly versatile this service is and that its application to your business is limited only by your imagination.
Interactivity Challenge…
Here’s your chance to take this great new resource, try it out and set yourself apart without spending a dime and WIN —here’s how:
- View the video above for ideas.
- Sign up for the MapsAlive 30 Day Free Trial – no credit card required, and you have full functionality. Just go to http://www.mapsalive.com/User/SignUp.aspx
- Create something interactive using MapsAlive – it doesn’t need to be placed on your Website, just make note of its URL
- Post the link to your MapsAlive creation on Facebook – post your link on the Online Dominance Facebook page.
- Get your Facebook friends to “like” your post – send a request to all your real estate friends to “Like” your MapsAlive entry (they will thank you for turning them on to MapsAlive as well) CLICK HERE for an example of the request you can send them.
VERY IMPORTANT: the person with the most “likes” on their post (by Friday December 3rd at 9:00 pm EST) will win a full year’s worth of MapsAlive access via their Plus account (a $99 value!).
You know I share a lot of great ideas with you in this blog. Here’s your opportunity to try one out without risk or cost and very little time investment. The only ideas that have value are the ones that you put into practice —snooze you lose!
NOTE: Mr. Internet®, RUSSER Communications, its staff and officers receive no compensation whatsoever from any third party vendors (unless he/they are directly involved with the creation and/or improvement of a vendor service or product), and make no recommendations as to the suitability of the products or services mentioned in this article. Always thoroughly investigate any product or service before trying or purchasing.
