Drone Marketing Takes Flight
Some agents think the sky is not the limit when it comes to serving their clients. Those agents defy gravity with remote-controlled drones outfitted with cameras, which deliver stunning aerial photography ordinary marketing materials can’t offer.
Scott Gerami, a Hall of Famer with RE/MAX Professionals Select in Naperville, Ill., is among the early adopters of these small, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are commonly referred to as drones.
His drone soars 400 feet above clients’ homes, and its camera captures images of rooflines, aerial views of landscaping, neighboring properties and a bird’s-eye view of nearby landmarks.
“The drone provides amazing video and pictures other agents don’t have,” Gerami says. “Using it shows clients that I’m on top of the latest trends and technology to market their homes better.”
Client response has been “overwhelmingly positive,” Gerami says, but it’s still too early to say whether drones have had a tangible impact on his business.
“Up until this point, I used drone photography as a value-added service on select properties,” he says. “But I plan on promoting it heavily going forward.”
Drones come in all sizes and price ranges – some cost as little as $500 – but Gerami went the DIY route. He has designed and built his own drones.
In fact, Gerami is so excited about the technology that he’s working to set up a live, online video chat in collaboration with Mad Lab Industries, a local tech company that helped him build his drones. Now Gerami wants to partner with the company to teach other professionals how to get the most from these little marvels.
Broker/Owner Mark Cooper is also an avid fan of drones. He just started experimenting with the cutting-edge technology at his aptly named brokerage, RE/MAX Edge in O’Fallon, Mo. And like Gerami, he’s sold.
VIEW FROM THE TOP Mark Cooper’s aerial drone photography is his
newest, and most impressive, marketing tool.
He firmly believes drone photography will become a recruiting tool to attract innovative agents – and new clients.
“The client with the $2 million house to sell will look at my aerials and say, ‘Hey, I want that drone view, too,’ and give his business to me and not the competition,” Cooper says.
Using drones is a time and money commitment, Cooper notes. It can get pricy – Cooper says he’s invested about $2,000 so far – and producing drone videos can take up to eight hours for a single listing.
That’s why Cooper thinks he’ll use the drones to market luxury homes or large properties, which are harder to fully photograph. But he agrees with those who say that this technology and its real estate applications are here to stay.
“There are so many ways drones can be used in our industry,” Cooper says. “Roof inspections, property surveys and even up-to-date street views. If you’re selling a farm or a lot of acreage, you no longer have to trek a mile with a buyer to see the land. You can offer them an overview shot the day before – or maybe even live!”
Source: REMAX.com
Tags: edmonton real estate, Selling your home, showing your home
