Downtown Indianapolis Loft
Jun 6th
Take a look at this downtown Indianapolis Loft listed by Sheri Barnes at Remax Legends. pictureplan-it! Real Estate Marketing was pleased to have been a part of this marketing project. Take a look at the video below and contact Sheri Barnes at 317.590.1688 for more information on this property or to schedule an appt.
1900’s Log Cabin on 14+ Acres
May 8th
Take a look at this new video we created for one of our clients. It was a beautiful property to shoot. Enjoy the tour!
5th Annual Bag Event to Conquer Ovarian Cancer
Apr 16th
(Indianapolis, IN) – The 5th annual “Bag Event” to conquer Ovarian Cancer will be held April 29th, 2010 at the Renaissance Hotel, Carmel, Indiana. Tickets are $75 or a table of 10 can be purchased for $700. Tables may also be purchased in honor of loved ones and survivors who have experienced the wrath of ovarian cancer. Tickets can be purchased by calling 317.925.6643 or on-line at
http://www.ovarian-cancer.org/the-bag-event.htm.
The event is the premiere purse auction in Indiana, which was started 5 years ago to honor Indianapolis’s own Susie Hazelett. Susie’s legacy lives on through the lives of her friends, family and “The Bag Event”. A legacy “to use research about ovarian cancer to find a cure; to use education about ovarian cancer to save lives; to take time for ourselves and each other—to remember we are mothers and daughters, sisters and friends, and that together we can conquer ovarian cancer.”
Each year, the event sells out and it is expected that the 2010 event will be another sell-out in record breaking time. The past four years have far exceeded expectations of funds raised, and once again the bar has been raised for this year’s event. New and gently used designer handbags will be auctioned off at unbelievable prices; a meet and greet opportunity is available with one of the country’s premiere handbag designers, Diego Rocha; and new this year, the event will be “iced” off with a showing and auction featuring one-of-a-kind pieces by hot local designers—only available at The Bag Event. A special presentation about women and friends “doing life together” will also be presented.
Ovarian Cancer is the leading cause of gynecological cancer deaths among American women. Funds raised from The Bag Event will be put to use in the fields of education and research. By working to learn more about ovarian cancer, finding a cure and educating women about symptoms and early detection, Ovar’coming Together, Inc. can continue the mission to reduce the number of women who die from ovarian cancer each year.
Symptoms of ovarian cancer are more-often-than-not silent and can include bloating; pelvic or abdominal pain; difficulty eating or feeling full quickly; and urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency). Other symptoms may include unusual fatigue or gastrointestinal symptoms with no clear cause. Early detection is a must in the fight for a cure.
Please join The Bag Event for a fun night and become an active participant in this important fight.
Get Involved – make your efforts count
Apr 1st
As the real estate market gets worse by the day, realtors are scrambling to make sales to stay afloat. Today’s market is vastly different from 2004’s market. Real Estate Agents just stuck a sign on the property and it was sold. Now, realtors have to work five times as hard for the same amount of money. While the government is figuring out a solution to the real estate crisis, realtors have their sights set on marketing, sensing that this is the perfect time to brush up on their marketing strategy. When the market regains momentum, agents want to have the cutting edge to increase their sales. Here are some real estate marketing tips to use on a tight budget.
Online Presence
It sounds redundant but a real estate agent should have a website. This gives buyers and sellers an exclusive online path to the agent. Many real estate agents have websites but this is not enough exposure. Consumers will not look for homes on a company website. Rather, they will look at a website (www.yourname.com) with a realtor they trust or was referred to.
Real Estate Agents need to know how much online exposure they are receiving through their brokerage. Are their listings appearing on Trulia? Are their clients’ homes showing on Google Real Estate? Agents need to confirm that their clients are getting the most out of the online experience. If this is not so, then the realtor must re-evaluate how and where their marketing dollars are being spent. Most real estate magazines offer a online exposure package in addition to print advertising. With 80% of buyers doing their research on the Internet looking for their next home, having a unique online presence is the key to reaching potential clients. pictureplan-it Real Estate Marketing can help expose your listings syndicating them to a plethora of online real estate sites. Not only will your listings have a presence, but they will stand out with the featured floor plan virtual tour or video property tour.
Business Card Marketing
Are you making the most of your business cards? The purpose of business cards is to hand them out to everyone you know. You never know where your next referral will come from. Most real estate agents hoard their business cards as treasured gold. Think of your business cards as seeds for your business. The more seeds you plant, the greater the harvest. One must have this mindset when it comes to business cards. Don’t be afraid to slip one of your cards in the envelope that contains your car insurance bill. Why? Why not! Your car insurance agent could possibly be looking to buy or sell and most likely knows someone who is as well. When leaving the tip in a restaurant, leave a business card also. Display your business cards at places of business where your potential client likes to shop. Remember when handing out business cards to hand out two: one for the person to pass along to someone else and one to keep for themselves.
Community Involvement
Most real estate agents spend their time at the office, waiting for that phone call that will bring them a sale. This is not where you need to be. Take advantage of the slow market and get involved with your community. Sponsor a neighborhood garage sale, host a community bi-monthly affair, or volunteer for a community project. Not only is this a great opportunity for you to meet other people but to gain potential clients. If the community perceives you to be the dominant real estate agent in the area, you’ll get more listings and sales. By maintaining community involvement, you are keeping your name in front of the residents and that name will constantly be in their minds. Keep in mind that the brain needs many attempts before it can associate you and your business with your name on its own. So, stay involved!
Boone County MIBOR Bowl-a-thon
Mar 27th
St. Patricks Day 2010 has come and gone, but this video of the Boon County MIBOR Bowl-a-thon will linger on….
As one of many proud event sponsors, pictureplan-it! Real Estate Marketing had the opportunity to attend the event that raised funds to add to the Boone County MIBOR charitable fund. Below is the video that captured this fun-filled event.
You can Excel at Real Estate Marketing!
Mar 26th
The real estate industry is very competitive, especially in a slower market. There are countless realtors in the United States, which challenges your ability to stand out. Every real estate agent is unique, therefore, every real estate agent marketing plan must be personalized to fit its subject. It is important to be patient and employ the trial and error formula with various activities until you identify the correct real estate marketing tools for you.
Here are few ideas for you to consider as you strategize to stand out in your market. Many of these options are low-cost solutions as well, and at pictureplan-it! Real Estate Marketing, we will be happy to help you put together your strategic plan.
1.) Create a blog. A blog will assist you in growing your real estate business in numerous manners and is simple to administer, making it effortless to post interesting and relevant real estate content. More content means stronger on line presence which makes it easier for you to be found and stand out among your competition. A blog grants you the chance to mingle with your customers and allowing them to get to know you a little better.
2.) Incremental Internet presence. Your real estate marketing plan should aim to reach as many possible customers as you can. The world wide web is an amazing instrument that is far reaching. When you unite a site, a blog, on line news and real estate writings, you can be sure users will reach you. You will become the real estate expert that customers are looking for.
3.) Intensify your direct marketing plans. Try various direct marketing tools and research what is efficient, different and new; give added worth to your services by showing them why the tools you use are unique. pictureplan-it! interactive floorplans and virtual tour solutions are a good place to start.
4.) Implement a PR Strategy. Utilize it to boost your real estate agent marketing strategy and strengthen your brand. A piece in the local paper, a press release in the local business journal or a free public or on-line seminar/webinar, will go a long way to boost your image and branding to potential customers.
5.) Offer clients something to talk about. Word of mouth is your best weapon. Your business depends almost completely on recommendations, so, give your clients something to talk to others about: your outstanding personal service, your awesome team, an upcoming event, a charity that is important to you, your community involvement, free interior design ideas, free landscape tips or a tour around their new city. The sky is the limit. Give them a call to action; a reason to pick up the phone and call you.
A real estate agent marketing strategy is about imagination and, as in any other business, about putting yourself in your customers’ face and going beyond their expectations. Go for it!
What is a Virtual Tour?
Mar 16th
Have you ever thought about the actual definition of a virtual tour? Is it a bunch of pictures spinning around on the web? Is it video home tours? Is it a marketing tool for realtors?
Here are a few definitions found around the web:
- A virtual tour is a simulation of an existing location, usually composed of a sequence of video images
- A computer-generated tour in which the viewer gets the sense of actually walking through the space
- A visaul tour provided to anyone using the WWW to display the properties, individual features, and contents of any property.
Do any of these definitions actually fit what it is that you are trying to convey using the marketing tool called a "virtual tour"?
At pictureplan-it! we believe that we offer the best virtual tour tools, by definition, our definition: An online comprehensive walk-thru of a property that includes an accurately drawn floor plan; great photos taken from every angle without distortion; interactive tools; and the opportunity to syndicate ("send it") to all marketing outlets, both on and off line. Optional additions may include an actual ‘video’ walk through, and the ability to "furnish" or "fit-out" a 3D version of the floorplan.
This comprehensive definition may seem too good to be true, but the pictureplan-it! floorplan tour has it all, in an easy to order, cost-effective package, making it the best virtual tour software – service available.
Give us a try, take a look at our site, and let us know if you agree with our definition!
Are you a Socially Compatible Real Estate Agent?
Feb 22nd
There has been a lot of talk about social media networking over the past year or so. Hopefully you are a member of at least one network, and if you are reading this blog, you are already up on one of the most popular social networking phenomena, the weblog, affectionately known as the ‘blog.’
Social networks offer so many cost-effective ways to promote and grow your business. Most notably it is a way for real estate agents to promote your listings to a wider network of potential buyers. pictureplan-it! is the perfect tool to get you started on your quest for a more social listing. With online floor plans, virtual tour solutions, and several other realestate marketing tools, agents have a simple way to showcase their listings via social networks. And with round the web syndication, that social networking becomes far reaching.
If you aren’t already using these tools, you should start now. Here are a few important tips to get you going, or refresh your thought process.
Be Yourself (or someone like you)
This is a cardinal rule in any social interaction, on-line or in person. Insincerity will be just as obvious on-line as it is in person.
Be Honest (no, really)
Avoid even the appearance of dishonesty. Nothing will discredit you and your business faster than falsehood and exaggeration.
Be Relevant (leave the past behind)
Stay abreast of news and trends. Don’t post the same old stuff every day.
Be Clear (don’t mumble)
It’s hard to decipher the nuances of meaning on-line. All the vocal inflection and facial clues are stripped away. Leave no room for a misinterpretation of your posts.
Be Concise (and pithy)
Social media is a dialog, not a dissertation. Keep your posts short and to the point.
Be Respectful (it’s a given)
Even if you disagree, respect you fellow community members.
Be Active (and visible)
Regular use will keep you involved in a community. Sporadic postings won’t gain you fans or followers.
Be Interactive (it’s not just about you)
Give at least as much as you take. Interact with others; this is social media after all.
Be Polite (please)
Follow the golden rule here and do unto others online, as you would have done unto you.
Thing Are Rollin'…
Feb 3rd
Can you believe it’s already February? Well believe it. It’s the next decade. And everyone’s favorite groundhog just decreed that there shall be six more weeks of winter.
Insert audible groan here.
The good news:
The Colts are in the Big Game!
And pictureplan-it! is here for your real estate marketing needs!
Cruise on over to our website to get in on the action!
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Are Your Real Estate Listings Worldwide Travelers?
Feb 1st
Go Viral…it’s Catchy!
You’ve listed the house, now it’s time for that first showing. Imagine, you open the doors to not just one potential buyer, but to a hundred, thousand, million potential buyers. 
At pictureplan-it! Real Estate marketing, we believe that your first showing is the one that gets clicked on…online. With the creation of online floor plans, a property virtual tour is the first and best showing that you will have.
The increased exposure that you get online happens through the listing syndication process, and should be an important part of your real estate marketing.
Maximum exposure of real estate listings is important to buyers, sellers and the real estate agent. By syndicating each real estate listing online to some of the highest rated sites can gain a clear advantage for everyone involved. If you choose the right listing syndication service, it is often an advantage that puts you way ahead of the competition.
Our Tours Travel the World
While the benefits of listing syndication may be obvious, what you choose to present to the world about each listing may not be so obvious. Is it a picture of the house and a description? Is it a picture and agent contact info? Is it several pictures? What is it that todays buyers want to see?
They want to see it all….online and in the comfort of their own environment, they want to be in the drivers seat. That’s why pictureplan-it! Real Estate Marketing syndicates the actual virtual house tours complete with interactive floor plans. It is after all the first showing, and it should be the best first impression that is made. This will generate more leads and phonecalls from informed and educated potential buyers.
pictureplan-it! Real Estate marketing has the most complete listing syndication network available today.
