My father has many wise sayings but perhaps the one that has stuck with me most is “If you don’t ask the question, the answer is no”. This simple advice has been invaluable to me throughout my life and most importantly in my career in sales.
Living in the North Georgia mountains, we have decided to focus much of our initial prospecting for virtual tours on rental properties. There are scores of cabins, bed and breakfasts and other vacation get-aways for us who would benefit from our services. Getting started with a bang happened by chance.
I had run to the grocery store to pick up a few things and saw a truck for one of the local rental management companies. I tracked the owner of the truck down in the store and introduced myself and told him a little about Vision Quest Media. I asked if I could set up a time to talk to him about doing virtual tours on his properties. He mentioned that he and his wife had explored this in the past but it just never made it to the top of the to-do list. I got his card and put following up with him on top of my to-do list!
After doing a little research on their web site, we realized that this company has over 50 cabins in the North Georgia area which they manage and market. I got as much information as I could about their company from their web site and went in prepared to offer them an introductory price on 5 of the cabins just so that we could get started. Not far into my presentation, I asked which cabins they would like to have us start with. I managed to keep my composure when she said that she wanted us to do ALL OF THEM.
The logic makes perfect sense…if they see the value in having a virtual tour on one of their properties, they would want them on all the properties. But sometimes we set our expectations too low.
The lessons learned from this are priceless…
• We must walk into a sales presentation with a firm belief in the value of our services. At Vision Quest Media, we know that we provide the best virtual tours in the industry. Backed by RealTourVision, we have access to the premier technology available in our field. We were able to provide a package deal for them and will customize each tour based on the specifics of each individual property.
• While we offer a service, we must sell our service in order to make money. To quote from the movie “Glengarry Glen Ross” we must “Always Be Closing.” Look for opportunities everywhere you go.
• Never leave home unprepared. Have business cards handy at all times.
• Remember that you never get a chance to make a first impression. Realize that a professional image at the sales presentation won’t necessarily overcome an unprofessional image should you run into a prospective customer outside of a work environment.
To learn more about tour packages and pricing and for samples of our work, please visit our web site at www.vquestmedia.com.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The Importance of Professional Photography for Your Virtual Tour
There are two photographers in our house…I am the photographer who carries my digital camera everywhere I go just in case a Kodak moment might come along. Because I am an amateur, most of my Kodak moments turn out to take multiple takes and last much longer than a moment much to the chagrin of whomever else happens to be in the picture. Out of every 100 pictures I take, there may be ten worth keeping. Those ten are wonderful for scrapbooking and posting to Facebook but other than that, not so much. My degree is in Public Relations and my background is in real estate, marketing and sales. If you want ideas on how to stage your property or a critique of your website, I’m your woman.
Greg on the other hand has a degree in photography and has spent over a decade working as a professional photographer and owning his own photography studio. When he takes pictures, the picture has a purpose and a plan. If he takes 10 pictures, there will be 9 that are wonderful. And because he is a professional photographer, he rarely has to reshoot the same scene or subject to capture the image he wants. He can see what the final product will look like prior to ever touching the camera. His technical expertise extends behind the camera…he understands web marketing and analytics and stuff I just don’t have the patience to learn.
His pictures are enlarged by a professional lab and are framed on the walls of our house…my pictures are printed at a kiosk in Wal-Mart and are in a scrapbook on our coffee table. When it comes to YOUR virtual tour from Vision Quest Media, I think it’s pretty clear who you want behind the camera.
I suggest any small business owner read the book, “E-Myth Revisited” by Michael Gerber to gain a better understanding of this concept. We have decided to harness our respective strengths to create a force stronger than the sum of our parts. With enough tries, I could probably take photographs of your home for a virtual tour. But by focusing my time on MY strengths, I allow Greg to focus his time on HIS. The result is that our customers get a product that is far superior to most of our competitors. This seems so simple to me but it amazes me when a realtor tells me that they do their own virtual tours using some sort of photo stitching software provided for them by their company.
When choosing a virtual tour provider, realize that not all tours or tour providers are equal. Powered by Real Tour Vision, the leader in virtual tour technology, our tours are a truly interactive experience that provide your prospects a real feel of the property.
We would love to discuss your specific needs and show you the difference that professional photography makes in showcasing your property or business. Contact us at info@vquestmedia.com or give us a call at 770-503-4493.
Greg on the other hand has a degree in photography and has spent over a decade working as a professional photographer and owning his own photography studio. When he takes pictures, the picture has a purpose and a plan. If he takes 10 pictures, there will be 9 that are wonderful. And because he is a professional photographer, he rarely has to reshoot the same scene or subject to capture the image he wants. He can see what the final product will look like prior to ever touching the camera. His technical expertise extends behind the camera…he understands web marketing and analytics and stuff I just don’t have the patience to learn.
His pictures are enlarged by a professional lab and are framed on the walls of our house…my pictures are printed at a kiosk in Wal-Mart and are in a scrapbook on our coffee table. When it comes to YOUR virtual tour from Vision Quest Media, I think it’s pretty clear who you want behind the camera.
I suggest any small business owner read the book, “E-Myth Revisited” by Michael Gerber to gain a better understanding of this concept. We have decided to harness our respective strengths to create a force stronger than the sum of our parts. With enough tries, I could probably take photographs of your home for a virtual tour. But by focusing my time on MY strengths, I allow Greg to focus his time on HIS. The result is that our customers get a product that is far superior to most of our competitors. This seems so simple to me but it amazes me when a realtor tells me that they do their own virtual tours using some sort of photo stitching software provided for them by their company.
When choosing a virtual tour provider, realize that not all tours or tour providers are equal. Powered by Real Tour Vision, the leader in virtual tour technology, our tours are a truly interactive experience that provide your prospects a real feel of the property.
We would love to discuss your specific needs and show you the difference that professional photography makes in showcasing your property or business. Contact us at info@vquestmedia.com or give us a call at 770-503-4493.
Friday, January 8, 2010
What is a Virtual Tour…or Rather What Should It Be?
Both of my parents are tour guides in Charleston, SC. Charleston is among the tourism capitals of the world so perhaps it is there that I get my idea of what a “tour” should be. At Magnolia Plantation, it was my mother’s job to guide visitors through the home showing them from room to room and educating them about the history and features of the stately plantation house. Pretty much what you might expect if you paid to get a “tour”.
If you did an online search for the words “Virtual Tour”, you would find that there are many different ideas of what a virtual tour is. So called tours range anywhere from a series of still photographs put to music to a full fledged video walk through of the house. The still photographs are somewhat like trying to put a jigsaw puzzle together – you can see the pieces but are not exactly sure how they fit together. The videos are reminiscent of watching someone’s home movies -- you have no control over the viewing experience and they may not focus on what you want to see.
At Vision Quest Media, we feel that a virtual tour should provide the viewer as close to an actual tour as possible. Here are some ways we accomplish that goal:
• Interactive Panoramic Images – We provide 360º panoramic images which allow the viewer to visualize the details of the main rooms. The viewer controls the speed and can zoom in to see specific features of the area.
• Customized Hot Spots – Each image has embedded “hot spots” which allows the viewer to navigate from room to room. This allows for a real feel of the layout and flow of the property.
• Offline Tour Capabilities – It is our hope that after touring your property, the viewer will not want to look any further. Truth of the matter is that an internet shopper is likely going to create a “short list” of prospective places to go back to later. Your tour can be downloaded as well as emailed which will keep your property top-of-mind when it comes time to make a decision.
• Professional Photography – We have over 10 years of professional photography experience so our eye for detail will allow us to provide you the best possible images to showcase your home. Image editing and enhancements are included at no charge!
In this challenging market, the proper presentation of listings has become increasingly important. With 85% of home shoppers turning to the internet before they pick up the phone, it is vital that you maximize your window of opportunity to grab their interest.
For more information about how a virtual tour can increase your reach online and maximize your marketing efforts, please visit us online at www.vquestmedia.com.
If you did an online search for the words “Virtual Tour”, you would find that there are many different ideas of what a virtual tour is. So called tours range anywhere from a series of still photographs put to music to a full fledged video walk through of the house. The still photographs are somewhat like trying to put a jigsaw puzzle together – you can see the pieces but are not exactly sure how they fit together. The videos are reminiscent of watching someone’s home movies -- you have no control over the viewing experience and they may not focus on what you want to see.
At Vision Quest Media, we feel that a virtual tour should provide the viewer as close to an actual tour as possible. Here are some ways we accomplish that goal:
• Interactive Panoramic Images – We provide 360º panoramic images which allow the viewer to visualize the details of the main rooms. The viewer controls the speed and can zoom in to see specific features of the area.
• Customized Hot Spots – Each image has embedded “hot spots” which allows the viewer to navigate from room to room. This allows for a real feel of the layout and flow of the property.
• Offline Tour Capabilities – It is our hope that after touring your property, the viewer will not want to look any further. Truth of the matter is that an internet shopper is likely going to create a “short list” of prospective places to go back to later. Your tour can be downloaded as well as emailed which will keep your property top-of-mind when it comes time to make a decision.
• Professional Photography – We have over 10 years of professional photography experience so our eye for detail will allow us to provide you the best possible images to showcase your home. Image editing and enhancements are included at no charge!
In this challenging market, the proper presentation of listings has become increasingly important. With 85% of home shoppers turning to the internet before they pick up the phone, it is vital that you maximize your window of opportunity to grab their interest.
For more information about how a virtual tour can increase your reach online and maximize your marketing efforts, please visit us online at www.vquestmedia.com.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Preparing for your virtual tour
On a recent trip to Florida, we had dinner on the beach during a beautiful sunset. The sky looked like it was on fire as gorgeous shades of red and orange lit the horizon. Wanting to capture the moment, we asked a friend to take our picture. In the picture, you can see the sunset if you look hard enough but unfortunately, the first and potentially only thing you see is my pretty but very distracting pink and orange paisley shirt. Preparing for a virtual tour is just like preparing for any photo shoot…it’s vitally important that nothing distracts the viewer from the big picture. Virtual tours allow prospective buyers, renters or customers to step into your venue and literally take a look around. After you live in a space for a while, you often don’t see your own clutter or distractions. Problem is that someone who sees it for the first time often has a tough time seeing anything BUT the clutter and distractions. We recently shot a virtual tour where the homeowners had a large carousel horse. While it was beautiful and unique in person, in the 360º photographs it became a distraction from what was otherwise an elegant and classy living room. We understand you usually have to live in your home while it is for sale but keep in mine, once your house is on the market, you must view it as a commodity and not as “your” home. Take a look around your house and see what prospective buyers may see. Go to open houses in your neighborhood and see what stands out to you. Some of the things that can be visual stumbling blocks include: Personal photographs Office clutter Kitchen counter catch-alls Large or unique decorative pieces Bookshelf or built-in displays Refrigerator magnets and art Distinct wall colors and accent walls Remember that the objective is to showcase your home…not your stuff. If necessary, ask a friend to come over and objectively walk through your house. Chances are they will see things that you miss. For more tips on showcasing your home or business, please check our website at www.vquestmedia.com.
Paige LeFevre
Vision Quest Media
770-503-4493
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