Your Sites' Slideshows - Why Not More Personal?

[Gerry]

So many agents'/brokers' real estate sites have pretty slideshows dominating the pages.

I'm not here to talk about whether to nix the slideshows, though. I'm interested in knowing this:

Why don't more agents spend $700 to have a professional photographer follow them around for an afternoon, getting NICE shots of them:

• standing by homes
• talking to beautiful young people and likeable old people
• standing at a viewpoint with the city in the background
• playing with snot-nosed kids (my home life is stressful right now, don't mind me)

All of these slideshows with stock photography look nice - but why not shell out some dough for pictures that look nice, and which also simultaneously serve another function (promoting your personality/professionalism) ?

[webmaster]

Probably the same reason they (most anyways) do not hire a professional photographer to shoot their higher end listings.

(commission conservationism)

[rvolk75]

I'm not very photogenic.

[RESteve]

The quality of photos from a professional photographer vs. the average real estate agent isn't even on the same playing field (on average). Professional photos, of course, are way better.

I just think that most agents are reluctant to spend money on hiring professionals for 2 main reasons:

1) Entering a new business with the entrepreneurial mindset, in my experience, prevents a person from immediately leveraging things they could do themselves.

They enter this business thinking they can totally do what they want, how they want, without investigating the pros/cons to leveraging a qualified professional to do a much better job at tasks that aren't dollar productive.

I find this to be very common amongst newer agents.

2) They're like me and are very careful about spending money without holding it accountable. Hiring a professional photographer is one of those decisions that's hard to track (of your ROI). How do you know these pictures sealed the deal?

It's tough being in business for yourself; you wear all the hats (CFO, CEO, etc.). When it comes to decisions in spending, especially in the service department, it's not always as black/white as it seems.

I know for a fact that most consumers visiting a real estate site go there to see homes for sale. It's my belief that anything an agent does, besides getting consumers to see listings, gets in the way and lowers conversion ratios.

Taking pictures of yourself, to me, is borderline "getting in the way". Get the consumers the listings they're looking for, and if they want to contact the agent, or get to know one, they'll find you. I don't personally see the need to fill a real estate site with pictures of real estate agents.

[rvolk75]

No, but seriously, it's a good idea. I know there are some REW sites out there that show a nice picture of the agent and it looks really nice.

If you look good in pictures, it would be a great idea. It reminds of political ads on TV. Where a politician is walking around the public and shaking hands with everyone.

Good idea though.

[Lewi]

As was said previously the potential clients want to see homes, not an agent they don't know over and over. I imagine if I where to see what is originally described the reaction of most would be to think that he agent is full of himself/herself by putting in that many personal photos.

I believe a photo is a good idea on your website for a potential client to identify an agent and help in the process of building rapport, yet it doesn't take much to cross the line and over do it.

[Discover Davis Homes]

Hiring a professional photographer to take shots of the area is a good one but agree with the others - the website isn't about the agent - Photos with clients and testimonials might be another story - but again - I don't think most of our visitors even go to those pages. When they start getting serious they might look at the about page or google the agent/company - a lot of people don't really care who we are.

Personally I like what several people have done making the slideshow a how to use the website. Also like it if the slideshow can convey a sense of place - think this could be done better with a local photographer.

[Micheal Pannell Realtor]

Should i really put a picture of me on ,my site lol

[webmaster]

You would need a bigger site brother

Should i really put a picture of me on ,my site lol

[Gerry]

Hey Mike, is that you with the kid? I thought you said you were fat? That dude ain't scrawny, but you had me expecting something a little more dramatic.