Multimedia Marketing Tools: Buyer's Guide: REALTOR® Magazine

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Multimedia Marketing Guide

Buyer's Guide: Multimedia Marketing Tools

From property tours to presentations, several top producers employ a full range of multimedia tools to convey the appeal of their listings and the strength of their services.

By Michael Antoniak June 2009

WHAT IT IS

Multimedia marketing describes any tour or presentation that includes some combination of text, graphics, photos, video, or sound to make a compelling case for a home, company, or real estate salesperson. There’s a good range of multimedia authoring tools and resources available to simplify the creative process. Even features such as a few animated transitions and background music can help make routine presentations more effective.

Software like Windows’ MovieMaker and iMovie on the Mac empower users to combine video, music, and text into professional-quality vignettes and video tours many buyers and sellers have come to expect. Advances in Flash technology and the abundance of hosting sites facilitate sharing and distribution of multimedia content across the Web.

When a multimedia presentation works, it comes across as a seamlessly integrated pitch or promo. Use videos and stills when each makes sense. Economize on usage of special effects and animated clips. On the Web, keep multimedia tours short—two minutes or less—and don't set them to launch automatically. In laptop presentations to prospects, at the first sign of boredom, pause the program, step up, and engage your audience.

DO YOU NEED IT?

Multimedia is a tool, not an end in itself. Too much content for content’s sake can undermine your goal. Ask yourself, “How much do buyers or sellers have to know to decide if they are interested?” It doesn’t take footage of every room to showcase a home’s appeal. Whatever the subject or medium, it’s important to make your key points and move on.

INSIDE THIS GUIDE

Many companies specialize in turnkey multimedia production services. Included in our guide are several vendors at multiple price points reaching for a national audience, but in every market, there’s probably a local provider eager to produce multimedia tours or presentations for a few hundred dollars. Here are several of the most popular multimedia marketing solutions available, some of the key concepts involved with these tools, and a few of the ways real estate pros have used them:

Michael Antoniak is a journalist and technology expert with a focus on real estate applications. Antoniak also writes about real estate technology at his blog, RealTechTools. He can be contacted at antoniak@dtccom.net.