Effectively Using Video in Real Estate

Selling through storytelling is essential in today’s market. And while data tells the story of what’s happening in the market, it’s not enough.

“If you want to be memorable, you need to connect with emotions. You need to weave your story in with the facts,” said Steve Pacinelli, chief marketing officer for BombBomb, a company that assists businesses with communications through email, text and social media.

And video helps tell the story. “You’re less persuasive than you think in emails,” he said. “In fact, you’re 34% less persuasive in a text-only email.”

Pacinelli said video offers the “power of faces, which is your greatest selling asset.”

“People learn through story,” he added. “Thank about: who are they, what do they want and when do they want it?”

The use that information to frame telling a compelling story:

• Define the character – what does he want?
• Explain the problem – is it internal, external or philosophical?
• Introduce a guide – this person provides empathy, authority or experience.
• Develop a plan – what three steps will the character and the guide do to solve the problem?
• Create a call to action – how does this transition to the results?
• Highlight the success or failure – what are the results?

As an example, Pacinelli explained how Realtors® can use this framework to tell a story about buying or selling a home. The character is a homebuyer or seller and as the Realtor®, you act as the guide.

“You want to create video worth watching,” he added. “Will someone benefit from the video; does it enhance their experience? Does it provide the customer with value?”

When creating the video, Pacinelli advised making it personal. “Add detail and emotion to connect with the viewer. Do something unexpected and consider your surroundings. The background matters.”

He added that repetition is important. “Sometimes you tell the same story over and over again. That creates familiarity. And ask yourself, is the video personal and entertaining? Does it outline a problem and provide information to help solve the problem?”