Connecting with the real estate market?1003
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Dennis_N private msg quote post Address this user | |
| My first week trying to connect with the local market has been very grim. I only have 3 connections so far and they haven't led to anything at this point. I've called and left messages. I've sent emails with demo links. I've walked into businesses to no avail, only to collect business cards. Facebook advertising got me some likes but I can't pay my bills with facebook likes. If anyone has been an outsider to this market (no photographer, no real estate agent) please share your experiences. I'll much appreciate it. |
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 Blue-SketchFounder New Orleans, LA |
PetraSoderling private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Hi Dennis, I found that there are two kinds of realtors, those who are forward looking and embrace new ideas, and those that don't. Lucky for us, the first group will thrive and the second most likely won't  I decided not to spend my time educating the luddites but rather find the pioneers. Keep looking, I'm sure you'll find your clientele soon enough. Good luck! |
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StevenHattan private msg quote post Address this user | |
| You'll find that Realtors are CHEAP. What are your fees? When you're out asking around, one question might be to ask "What do you feel the value is for this?" When I bought my camera the sales guy says I can charge anywhere from 30 cents to 50 cents a square foot. Well, that's laughable. The listing agent of previous Chicago Bears Devin Hester called to see how much I'd charge for an 11k sf home. To get the business I said $900. She freaked out. Amazing...she'll pocket about $40k after sharing the commission and she is freaking out about $900. At 'regular' prices it would be close to $2,000. I have created a super cool business model and started to implement it. So far so good. I'm expecting to do 300 scans in 2016. It turns out that I'm in a great position. We'll see what happens. |
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Dennis_N private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by StevenHattan Steven, my fees are pretty decent for my area, if I include everything that goes into the business. I surely can't go around selling the service super cheap. I'll go under in a month. The problem with most businesses so far, is that I didn't have the chance to even sit on the table with them to talk pricing. I don't even have the chance to get one on one with the owner or the marketing director to show what I offer. I guess I aimed too high at large corporations, maybe I should go to small mom and pop businesses from now on. |
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Regina, Saskatchewan Canada |
Queen_City_3D private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Dennis_N I'd suggest using "introductory pricing"... let the early adopters know that they'll be saving $ by using you in the here and now as it'll be a time limited offer. This gets you additional exposure as people start using your services and other prospective clients find out about you. |
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Dennis_N private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Queen_City_3D Just to make it clear for everyone. My first hurdle isn't convincing them about the value of my service. My first hurdle is to actually getting to MEET them. Everyone is hiding behind a secretary who will toss me a business card, and I feel like I lost the game right there. All my email/phonecalls have hit a wall of silence. I don't know, I must be living in the only town where every business I go to is either a huge corporation who just don't care, or a franchise owned store owner who can't make marketing decisions. Seriously. I spend my day making a new price list to include retailers, just to find that there is next to nil chance I'll find a locally owned business by going door to door at the mall. I'll have to go to the chamber of commerce site now, and comb it through, to find the local businesses. |
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StevenHattan private msg quote post Address this user | |
| So...let me get this right. You're making an INITIAL contact and no one is doing business with you? How dare they?? Let me know when you've contacted them a minimum of five times. I sent a Realtor four emails over a two week period to offer their first scan for free. Four times so I can work for free. He told me the first and second email he didn't even look at. The third finally 'got his attention' and the fourth time he actually called to get one done. I've send four emails to 200 people for a total of 800 contacts and I received five responses. I guess this is where the men are separated from the boys. Hang in there, set a goal of a MINIMUM of five contacts to get a response (that response could be 'not interested') and keep going. :-) |
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Dennis_N private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by StevenHattan Steven I appreciate your honesty and your input. I'm not a boy in any sense of the word. Everyone has their reasons behind doing things the way they do, including the hoping and expectation that they'll start making some income at some point before the bank account dries up and things get overly complicated. That is all I can say. |
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Orange, California |
craigsauer private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I recommend really working your network. Ask all your friends and colleagues to personally introduce you to realtors they know. | ||
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als528 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Dennis, I've been a photographer for a long time. Monday is "sales" day. Contacting clients, potential clients,following up leads etc. Trying to speak to someone, getting by the watch dogs are part of the process. It is a numbers game. It is like a slot machine. Keep pulling the handle. Hopefully,with each "pull" you will learn what works and what doesn't. Today could be your lucky day! |
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RealEstateReadines private msg quote post Address this user | |
| As a Realtor, I can tell you I am constantly solicited by individuals/companies that tell me how much money they will make me or time they will save me. I fielded 6 cold calls on Monday alone from various sales people wanting to sell me something. If i listened to half of these calls or read any of these emails I would have no time for my clients. That is not to say that we are not interested in new things that make our job easier. However, I have little time for someone that cold calls me. I research industry news and explore these opportunities on my time. I studied and researched the Matterport camera for 9 months prior to buying one. I had to know how I could utilize it and more importantly leverage it to benefit my clients. There are a lot of ways to spend money in this business and to be successful you need to make smart business decisions. | ||
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srennick private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I could echo everything you have said @Dennis_N. The best response we have had was going into an office and showing them the technology on an ipad. I cold call and send follow-up emails all the while amassing an email list. Its tedious and time consuming. It seems like people love the product but don't want to pay for it. We have monthly specials and bring flyers into real estate offices and other businesses. Our hope right now is to get our name out there so that when they do want to use 3-d models, they will remember us first. I see many businesses being successful using this in other parts of the country and I hope to learn from them. @StevenHattan is right....get your name out there so people won't forget who you are. |
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 WGAN ForumFounder & WGAN-TV Podcast Host Atlanta, Georgia |
DanSmigrod private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Interesting real estate stats: http://www.inman.com/2016/01/04/3-real-estate-trends-watch-2016/?utm_source=20160116&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weeklyheadlines | ||
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Cindiewozniak private msg quote post Address this user | |
| One thing that worked for me was to join my local Realtor Board as an Affiliate member. This allowed me to attend the weekly meetings and get face time with the active Realtor members, those who understand they need to invest in order to be successful. It's a great networking platform and I've been able to pick up several really good clients this way. It does take time though...don't give up! | ||
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DoyleRealtor private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Cindiewozniak I agree with Cindie, being active in your local association, establishing relationships with agents, other vendors, and having a booth at the large events will have a positive impact on your business |
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Orange, California |
craigsauer private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Here's a breakdown I've been thinking about that might be helpful: In any market, there are the top tier most successful realtors. They don't need Matterport scans to get listings because at this point in their career they get listings just on their reputations. They have a list of marketing items they do (photography, brochures, open houses, advertisting) and it works for them (they are already huge successes!) It is tempting to go after these realtors because they have lots of listings, but they are unlikely to say yes. (Try anyway, though, but be prepared to be ignored.) There are also lots and lots of new and unsuccessful realtors that do it as a side gig, or are just getting started, etc. These people have lots of time to talk to you and are REALLY interested in new things they could do to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Unfortunately, they have no (or few) listings, and you are wasting your time with them. When they do manage to get their first listing, they are probably so in the hole with their real estate career that they'll opt not to do fancy Matterport tour marketing. What you have to aim for are younger, newly or almost successful full-time realtors. They have listings, but want more, and are more likely to see the value in using new technologies to market properties online. They also understand how buyers today want to shop and preview properties online. They also want to wow their potential sellers when they pitch them. Craig |
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fburch private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I agree with @StevenHattan about persistence; this link has some very interesting statistics that bear him out. I also agree with @PetraSoderling ; find people who believe what you believe and focus on them. This is one of the messages in Simon Sinek's excellent book Start With Why. Research potential customers on LinkedIn, evaluate their web presence; do they resonate with you, do you feel like you're part of the same tribe? If so, you have something to talk about; if not, move on. @Dennis_N thanks for posting this and everybody for commenting--I have the same problem, and this forum is a great source of solutions and support (Thanks Dan!!) |
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