Latest / The Spiro Podcast: Managing your Real Estate Photography & Videography Business / The Top 5 Things to do in Slow Season

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The Top 5 Things to do in Slow Season · The Spiro Podcast: Managing your Real Estate Photography & Videography Business

0:00
Coming up on this episode of The Spiro podcast.
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But it does communicate that.
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Yeah.
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You took time out of your day to do this and you were thinking of them.
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And that thought really does matter.
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Hi and welcome to this Spiro podcast,
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Managing your Real estate, photography and videography business.
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Spiro is a software platform designed by real estate photographers
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for real estate photographers, and it's designed to help you manage
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your day to day business but really help you grow it and scale it as well.
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Welcome back!
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If you're a returning viewer or listener, if this is your first time.
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I'm Craig Magrum, host of the podcast.
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Thanks so much for joining us.
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Our our joy in doing this podcast is to help you build a strong business.
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We've said it once, we'll say it again and we'll say it probably 100 times more.
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There's tons of great resources out there on the technical and creative side
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of what we do is, as creatives within the real estate media space.
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But the goal of this podcast is really to help you build some sound
1:12
business principles and, help you build a solid business that can last
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you through your entire career, if that's your goal.
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So welcome. We're glad to have you.
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This week,
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conspicuously missing from the podcast, Todd Kivimaki
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But we're going to have some fun with, you know her you love her, Shannon Landers
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Welcome to the Spiro podcast.
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Thank you. Craig.
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You know, I just realize I'm wearing pink today, and so you can't even my name
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if you're if you're not viewing this, you don't understand.
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Like I have a little name.
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I it's in pink on the screen, but I'm wearing pink.
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And I just realized you can barely see Shannon there.
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So it is.
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It is me, Shannon Landers. And in the flesh.
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And excited to be with you today, Craig.
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As Todd reached out to me yesterday and was like, hey, can you do the podcast?
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last munite and I said, of course I can.
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It's it's it'll be a lot of fun.
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We've got a great topic for, for people, and it's somewhat related to an episode
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we just did a few weeks ago, but we're going to go
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in a slightly different direction.
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And I'm looking forward to having seeing what you have to share.
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Shannon.
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But before we do that, is there any announcements for Spiro
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or anything you'd like to go over? What?
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The floor is yours.
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Oh, well, thank you, thank you, I appreciate that.
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You know, I think everybody's excited about the next update we're doing.
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We've been talking a lot about it with Titus and our,
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you know, episode last week with Nick from Titus.
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We've been getting just lots of questions.
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So, I am getting a post out there.
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So by the time this comes out, it should be out.
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We, I think are down to about 20 more spots left open to get on the waitlist.
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So we that's kind of fun and exciting.
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And we are going to start migrating, about 20 in at a time.
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So just know that, if you've signed up on that waitlist, you're going to start
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to get reached out to and we're going to kind of get you onboarded with Titus.
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So that then as the integration comes online,
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it's just very easy push of a button.
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So that'll be happening.
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And then the other really big thing coming out of this cycle update
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that I think everybody's going to love is just the optimization from mobile,
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on your phone.
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with Spiro and the property website editor.
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So I think that is really going to help the especially our solo guys
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that are out there.
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And maybe they need to do something really quickly from their phone.
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And right now they find frustration in that.
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And we feel your frustration.
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And so we're getting that, optimized and updated.
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And those will be the really two big updates
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until we get into the really good stuff at the end of the year.
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Craig, that
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oh yeah, I'm sure Todd's alluded to, but I'm just going to keep it shut today.
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That's kind of a teaser, folks.
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It is for you. All right.
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And coming up in January,
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Spiro sync. Spiro sync in January. Yeah.
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We should be getting registration actually out for that, next week.
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So that also out finalizing just a few more sponsors.
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Again, we're trying to make this event affordable as possible.
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So I just wanted to nail down my sponsors.
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So I kind of knew what money we had
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rolling in because this this event isn't about us making money.
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It is about, getting the community together and in the community helping us
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and telling us what we're going to do next year.
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Like, how fun is that?
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It's going to be in Dayton, Ohio. Welcome.
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Welcome to the frozen North.
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Well, that is not is not is north
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is Minnesota or, you know, North Dakota, things like that.
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But it could be 60 when they come.
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We don't know.
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It could it could be like we I feel like every January we got one week
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and that ends up being 60 degrees, 55 degrees.
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So I've played golf in January.
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Yeah.
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See I mean, you just never know.
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Or you could need your parka.
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I mean, okay, well, we'll just see how it rolls.
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But, you know, people are talking to me a lot about it.
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They're really excited about it.
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I, I'm almost worried because, you know, this first venue we're doing,
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we can only have 150 people and oh, yeah, I know,
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but we are going to have and I don't know if we've really talked about this.
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So this is fun I guess. Okay.
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We're going to have an online portion of this and they're awesome.
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Yeah.
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So Lovie and her team is going to be teaching classes online too.
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And then so we're we're trying to bring it,
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you know, on your screen or give you the ability to come.
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And then from this event
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that will drive our next venue that we get that obviously,
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we'll allow more people, but we're actually very I'm so humbled.
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I, I'm so humbled by the amount of people
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that want to come join us and be with us for a couple days.
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And this is a fun event for me to put on.
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I kind of I like to come at things from a training perspective,
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and essentially that's what this is going to be.
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It's going to be a bunch of great minds together and workshopping and, and,
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you know, bringing their best ideas together to help everybody.
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So absolutely, it's going to be a great time.
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So keep posted.
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We'll have more details as we get closer to that date.
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All right.
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Well, Shannon, I don't know about you, but in the last let's see,
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in the month of August, things, not unexpectedly,
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but things slowed way down for me in terms of number of shoots.
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Yeah.
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ofcourse school getting back in last minute vacations.
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Yeah, I kind of expected it always happens, right when we see that
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little dip, you know, August, from people getting busy with the other with life.
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Right. Like so. Yep.
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And then, you know, I September kind of trend the same way.
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And then for especially those of us then the northern part of the United States,
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you know, October can be very busy because it can be kind of get those last,
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you know, in the year listings in, in, get them shot at least maybe.
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And that's actually one topic we'll talk about with this topic.
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Topic about the topic, Craig. Right.
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And so it does become interesting this time of year.
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You know. Right.
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No matter where you're at, it's a little seasonal, right?
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Real estate is seasonal to some degree.
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Always just because we get holidays.
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Nobody wants to move right? Things like that happen.
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So although I, I did have a shoot one time scheduled on Christmas
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Eve and I'm like, see, are you kidding?
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Who wants to do that anyway? Yeah.
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And anyway, every year though. And it does.
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Those are when you get salary,
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you know people there's always situations where people have to move.
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Right.
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So that's true.
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Does happen. Yeah. Yeah.
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So a few weeks ago Todd and I talked a little bit about this topic of
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what do you do?
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You know, when your shoots kind of dry up and you've got now this slow down season.
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And so we talked about some different ideas,
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especially in the terms of, in regards to owners that maybe are still shooting,
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you know, my business that I
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had before joining the Wow team, I was owner slash principal photographer.
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Right.
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So I had this downtime and we talked a lot about, you know, sales development
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and coffee meetings and presentations and all of that good stuff.
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But we thought we'd kind of take a different, a slightly different
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tack on it.
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But, but talk about this, this topic
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a little bit more about what do you do, during the slow season.
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But this time, Shannon, you've got some great, like a top five.
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We're going to call it top five things to do in slow season.
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For owners that maybe are not,
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out there in the field doing the shoots or not
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doing very many of them because you've got a team of photographers.
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So, I'm looking forward to what
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I almost feel like this is a David Letterman, you know, top five.
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I know we’re gonna start at no five. Right.
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So number five is right. Yeah.
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It kind of call.
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We're going to call it this called the fall five to that guy
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I kind of like it I like the alliteration on the the letters.
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Right. A fall five.
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So yeah, we can absolutely. You know,
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and and as we talk about this stuff,
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Craig, like these are things you could be doing all the time.
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Right?
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But what happens this time of year, we all get time to do them.
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And agents actually have more time to hear them or listen to them, or.
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That is true.
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And that's really the focus of this fall.
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Five for me in my brain, thinking of it like an agent, like,
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you know, what happens this time of year?
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An agent goes into,
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honestly, spring planning mode for them and agents doing the same thing.
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They're planting the seeds now in fall for a good spring market, right.
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So that if we kind of fall in line
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with what's happening there, it's the same thing for us, right?
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Because again, we're all in business.
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And we're all our own businesses
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when it comes to real estate agents and then photographers.
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Right.
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So I'm going to say we're going to start at number five here.
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Okay. And I honestly didn't put this in any order.
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But now that we're doing this I kind of like this.
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And we're going to kind of put this in an order okay okay.
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All right I like it.
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So number five super easy super simple.
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Thank you cards.
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Absolutely handwritten
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thank you cards.
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You could call them a Thanksgiving cards.
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Maybe it's Thanksgiving cards that you do right.
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I've done that before. Yes.
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The reaction was awesome.
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I got multiple comments from Realtors
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because they're expecting the Christmas card.
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They're not expecting the Thanksgiving.
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They're not expecting the Thanksgiving card. Right.
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And what is Thanksgiving about exactly?
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Being thankful for?
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Thankful especially for their business.
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That's right.
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And when you give, give them that moment.
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Acknowledge. Hey, without you I'm not here.
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So I thank you for using me, being loyal to me.
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And I'm looking forward to a great next year.
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Right.
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And yeah, you're breaking through the noise.
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And again, if you don't have agents addresses, right.
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Because, you know, I get so some of the limiting mindset
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things I would say I wouldn't hear back. Well I don't have their address.
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It's fine.
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Drop them off at their office.
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They're going to get them.
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You know, every agent has a mailbox at their office.
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So, you know, and shoot him a text.
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Hey, I left you a card,
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you know, hope you hope you're having a great, you know, fall.
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Hope things are going well for you.
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Right? Just shoot him a quick text. So, so number five.
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Just simple handwritten thank you cards.
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Like I said, this time of year you can roll with Thanksgiving cards.
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Whatever works. Well, and don't discount it.
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Don't don't do that to just your top clients. You know,
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maybe there's some clients you really wish
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you had some more business from, but you can't seem to get there, right?
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Send them. Send them to those people. Right.
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Take that time and do those thank you cards.
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But to your point, Craig, it's the those little things you know, go a long way.
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We do, and we tell agents to do it.
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So this is something we tell agents to do.
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We tell agents. All right. Thank you. Cards.
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Personalized thank you cards to their sphere and to their client.
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So again, they're going to recognize that you're doing
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your due diligence and keeping that relationship going.
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Absolutely.
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You know it seems old school to send a handwritten note.
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But it does communicate that.
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Yeah.
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You took time out of your day to do this and you were thinking of them.
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And that thought really does matter.
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I mean, yes, it's business related, but I guarantee you
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it will cut like you said, it'll cut through noise.
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It will cut through noise.
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So if they're thinking, wow, I got two photographers, I like that
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next listing who's whose name is going to be top of mind.
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Right? Right.
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Who you know, this is where some of that level
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of reciprocity kicks in, right?
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Where somebody does something nice for you.
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And so that law
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of reciprocity is that you you give something back to them naturally.
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You know, you do it almost, you know, without thought.
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Right? You go, oh, so and so did this for me.
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So I really want to do something back. Right.
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So that, that kicks in there too.
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So yeah. Again simple. Easy.
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Thank you cards.
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Nothing.
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Nothing I'm not none of these five are going to be mind blowing.
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I don't think anyway.
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But maybe they could be good reminders though.
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Good reminders. Yes.
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All right, all right.
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Number four. Number four.
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I wish I could talk
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like Letterman and have like, two, but we can't have like so many famous
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on like, the Gronk right now or you know, that was doing like.
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Yeah.
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So anyway, and I know Letterman always had jokes with these two.
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I don't think I can come up with anything, but we'll see.
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Okay. Don't count on me for jokes. Yes.
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So number four is
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going to go kind of in line with number five a little bit.
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Okay.
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But just VIP calls.
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Pick up the phone if you're not,
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watching me right now, I, I'm holding my my cell phone up to my ear.
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Okay, just pick this sucker up and make a phone call.
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Yeah, they might not answer that.
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That's okay. Right.
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But your top client give them a quick call.
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And this script is easy.
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Hey, top client, how are you doing as we head into this fall season?
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Are you.
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Do you need more listings? Right.
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What is the answer going to be to need more listings?
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Craig.
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Yes, yes.
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Me right.
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I love asking questions I already know the answers to.
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Right. Because they're going to say yes.
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Well, is there anything I can do to help with that?
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Is there any videos you want to create?
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Is there anything again, it's you're not trying to sell yourself so crazy.
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It's just, hey, is there anything I can do to help you with that?
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Right.
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And all you're going to do is open up a conversation, okay?
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And if they don't answer, just leave them a quick message.
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Hey, just wanted to thank you for this year's business.
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Hope you're doing well.
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Would love to touch base with you and see if I can help you.
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Done again.
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It's simple. It's easy.
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And these I say these are your VIPs, right?
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These are your top clients.
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This might be ten calls.
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This might be 20 calls.
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It might be 30 calls.
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Take the time.
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Call these client.
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Say hello.
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If you want to follow up with the text.
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If they didn't answer, great.
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Hey, I just left you a message.
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I'm just checking in with you.
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No need to call me back.
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But if you have a minute and you can,
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I would love to see if there's anything I can help you do to wrap up your year.
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I especially like what you said.
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No need to call me back.
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That's a very.
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It's not a high pressure thing.
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They know you're not trying to.
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Yes, we're trying to earn more business, but it's not a hard sell.
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It's not a hard sell. Right.
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You honestly are just checking in.
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You've been busy with with business.
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You know, during the during the busy season.
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But at least that's my mentality.
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I get so busy with shoots Shannon, that I don't get a lot of time
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to talk with my VIPs, and so I just, you know, and I tell them that and I,
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I honestly tell them, you know, I feel guilty that I haven't been able
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to keep up with you during the busy season because of my unique role.
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But I want you to know, I don't we don't take you for granted,
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and we really do appreciate that. And that
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that will ring true with them.
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And it goes a long way, right?
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Yeah.
16:37
Especially, you know, this time of year, especially your big time listing agents.
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You know, they're getting tired.
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They're they're kind of getting.
16:47
They're kind of ready for December, right?
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They're ready for the slowdown.
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But they're also, again, thinking about their spring market.
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So they're kind of like,
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okay, they know because you can't take your foot off the gas ever.
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And so they know they're going to get a little breather,
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but that they got to do their smart things and have them in place
17:05
so that they can have their spring market. So.
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So yeah, again, these aren't mind blowing things, but just put it in your calendar.
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If it's one hour a day until you get them on call and get them in
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your calendar, do time blocking one hour a day.
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Boom.
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Get your calls in.
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Get the pulse of your clients.
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You know this has happened to where I've.
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I've done this in the past and and said hello to a top client.
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And they gave us a great product idea and we ended up rolling with it.
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So you just you don't you never know where the best,
17:38
the next best idea is going to come from.
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And the more you have those open talks with your clients,
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the more they'll feel like they're a part of of your business too.
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So I'll and well they're good and let's stress pick up the phone and call them.
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Don't shoot a text.
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Have an actual phone conversation.
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Yes, the text is the follow up if you want to do that.
17:59
Right. But no, I agree.
18:01
Like pick, I do it again.
18:03
I'm picking up my phone and I'm shaking it at the at the screen.
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Okay guys, pick up the phone.
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It's not a scary thing I promise.
18:11
It's not it.
18:13
And it does more than just texting.
18:14
It has a lot of buttons.
18:16
It looks like a phone and you hit it and it calls people
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sorry
18:21
I get it, a conversation can can lead to so many more things.
18:27
I had a client this morning that I'm shooting for for the first time,
18:30
and she hasn't booked for two years.
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But it's coming back to us
18:35
because she hasn't been satisfied with other photographers,
18:38
and she's and I don't think she should based on what she said.
18:41
She said, I didn't realize
18:43
basically she was saying, I didn't realize you were back.
18:44
But when I heard you were back, I wanted to get you on my schedule.
18:48
And it just it all I was doing was calling to say thank you.
18:51
Holly, it's great to see you on my schedule again.
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And that led to a conversation about,
18:58
another
18:58
photographer potentially joining our team that she knows.
19:01
I mean, just a simple conversation could lead so many things.
19:05
So many things.
19:06
And especially when you've built relationship with with a client,
19:10
those conversations are just so much easier.
19:12
Yes, absolutely.
19:14
You know what it also helps with, too, if I'm just thinking this all the way
19:17
through this building, this relationship, and I know this,
19:20
the things we talk about all the time, but just a good reminder is that way
19:24
if something goes wrong because things happen, things go wrong.
19:29
You have way more of an ability
19:32
to let that not be a big deal, right?
19:36
When you have a good relationship with there's grace,
19:39
there's grace that they'll give you.
19:41
Yeah. Yes.
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And you know what, Craig? No. No problem.
19:45
You take care of me 99.9 times out of 100, I get it thing.
19:51
You know, crap happens at the end of the day
19:54
and they will give you that grace.
19:56
So, yeah, that all of this leads up to just easier
20:00
problem solving, easier schedule, easier everything, right?
20:03
Right. Yeah.
20:04
No, we're going to have the pain in the box, guys.
20:06
They're all out there. We all have them.
20:09
We've all have.
20:10
Until we've all fired him and let him come back, and we've all fired him again.
20:13
Okay, so those will exist.
20:15
I'm not telling you to call them, right?
20:17
You not to call them to call your VIPs.
20:21
All right, all right.
20:23
So five is right. Thank you.
20:25
Number four, call your VIP's.
20:28
Number three,
20:28
Number three.
20:31
This is pretty simple.
20:32
It can be very simple.
20:33
So when I say it don't make it big.
20:35
Host a fall networking event.
20:41
Okay.
20:42
Right.
20:43
This can be as simple as your all's favorite coffee shop.
20:48
And you
20:48
host a little content and coffee hour
20:52
and you reach out and invite some of your top agents.
20:55
Tell them to bring a friend if they want.
20:58
But you also hook up with your vendors because again, I'm not trying
21:01
to give you things that you have to spend a lot of money on either. Right?
21:04
You know, I'm to spend too much money on thank you cards.
21:06
You don't spend any money, just time on phone calls.
21:09
So this you spend a little bit of money, right?
21:12
Buying some coffee, but hook up with some vendors because
21:15
lenders and title companies and all these other vendors want is the agents to.
21:21
And they'll be happy.
21:23
I bet you you could do this and you not pay for it at all.
21:26
I bet you can get a title company, a lender, a moving company,
21:31
electrical company, and hvac company and a home inspector.
21:34
I could just keep going here, Craig.
21:37
And all these vendors that you just get 2 or 3 of you and say,
21:40
hey, we're having this awesome content and coffee hour.
21:44
We're going to talk about just the top trends and real estate media right now.
21:48
We'd love to learn from you guys and have this little hour.
21:51
Just do a little networking event.
21:53
Again, nothing, nothing crazy gives you something to invite these people
21:57
to in town to bring a friend. So you meet some new agents.
22:01
Let me
22:02
I is I'm listening to you say this I I'm thinking man I,
22:06
I don't in my role have a ton of time really to organize all of that.
22:10
So I don't honestly, just to be completely transparent,
22:13
I don't really do any networking events that I organize.
22:18
However, Joy in our, on our Charlotte market,
22:22
who she is all business development.
22:24
She's like the Queen of event planning.
22:27
We have awesome events in Charlotte.
22:31
But the reason for me saying this would be a huge event either.
22:35
Craig. So that's true.
22:37
Like, this could literally be you find a coffee shop, you say, hey,
22:40
can I have the room for an hour?
22:42
Okay, great.
22:43
All right.
22:44
Reach out to two vendors. They know you. Are you.
22:46
I know photographers know the title companies.
22:49
And the more you know.
22:51
And you should, because they might need services too.
22:53
So you should know those people, right?
22:55
You get to and say, hey, I'm gonna host this really quick coffee hour this day.
22:58
Are you available? Do you want to come?
22:59
Do you want to split the bill with me?
23:01
Yeah, sure. No problem. Right.
23:03
Then you just draft a text out and say,
23:06
hey, we're going to be at this networking event.
23:08
Come on in. We'd love to see you.
23:10
So again, it can be simple.
23:12
It doesn't mean it can be bigger.
23:13
You can make it fancier if you got a Joy in your life right.
23:16
If you're if you're a media company and you got a Joy, you got a sales person
23:21
or you just have more time, is the owner now because you're not shooting,
23:24
then this is again right for you.
23:27
Craig. You're shooting.
23:28
You're you're wearing so some hats.
23:30
Right? Right.
23:31
That was my point.
23:32
This is a great idea for owners not in the field. Yes.
23:36
So perfect. Awesome, perfect.
23:39
And again the coffee shop might even go in on it with you
23:41
because they might want to get some people to their shop.
23:43
Maybe, maybe it's even a newer business.
23:45
Maybe it's a new breakfast spot, you know, or a new a new bar.
23:50
And so maybe you do it as a content happy hour, right?
23:53
Yeah.
23:54
Take the idea and make it work for you, too.
23:56
That's the other thing with these ideas, right?
23:59
They do have to work for you.
24:01
And and you can change it up a little bit.
24:04
So it does work for you.
24:07
Absolutely.
24:08
Number two.
24:09
Number two.
24:11
We'll go a little bit hand in hand with the networking idea.
24:15
And this is actually something I've been telling people to do just period.
24:19
But if you are a media talent
24:22
that can do headshots or a little few branding reels,
24:28
then do a little
24:28
brand event again, this will be a bigger event.
24:31
So this is so your little coffee hour would be simple and easy.
24:35
So if you wanted to go maybe a little level up, then you do a brand event.
24:40
You know get was one of your top agency.
24:42
If they have a listing that would be great to shoot at
24:45
or again, another cool local vendor that's opened up
24:47
and they've got a cool space and you could set up cameras and lights
24:51
and you can run some reels or do some headshots.
24:53
Right.
24:55
All right. This is a great way.
24:57
These are these are events
24:58
that if you are a photographer, not having to work in your
25:01
like as a photographer and you're working on your business,
25:05
these are events that you should be doing anyway.
25:07
Agents more and more where they're understanding video
25:12
matters is in branding.
25:15
So let's stop fighting the beast, right?
25:17
We we've been fighting this for years.
25:19
Use video, use video, use video.
25:22
We'll lean into the video they want, right?
25:24
They want a quick reel.
25:26
They want a quick this.
25:28
It might even not need to have them in it per se.
25:31
Maybe it's just a headshot
25:32
and then it's just some other B-roll content that, you know, that's happened.
25:37
Now I understand you.
25:38
I have some editors to be able to edit this stuff.
25:40
So there's some pieces at play here, right?
25:44
But if you do have the team and you can offer a brand event,
25:48
do a two hour, three hour brand event, let the agent sign up for their spots.
25:53
Host like a little party.
25:55
This is probably things like joy as joy doing.
25:57
I think this is what Joy is doing some of this stuff right?
26:00
Yep. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.
26:02
So it is a beautiful way.
26:04
Again, these are when you're offering something
26:07
that agents already feel that they super need.
26:09
It's easy
26:11
right
26:13
when you're trying to tell them that no for this list.
26:15
And you really said no to the basic package.
26:18
They struggle. How does that one right.
26:21
So make it a little bit easier.
26:23
You know it could just be headshot that that's easier for you.
26:25
And you could do headshots really quick.
26:27
Let them get one pose.
26:29
Again.
26:29
This is another event too that you could have the vendors help support you out.
26:33
This isn't this doesn't need to cost a lot of money.
26:36
The the money it should cost is your time in giving them a headshot.
26:40
And some of this you don't even have to do for free.
26:43
I've known people that do this for 50 bucks and an agent.
26:46
I'll happily pay 50 bucks to get a headshot and a reel right,
26:51
so you could
26:52
still make some money to pay for your cost,
26:55
but then have an A space for agents to come meet
27:01
you get to know you, and realize, oh my gosh,
27:04
I should really try you for your real estate, media, photography.
27:08
Okay, we're up to the big one.
27:10
Number one, number one.
27:13
I’n gonna preface number one
27:16
with this might not work in your area,
27:18
but we can pivot away to make it work in your area okay.
27:22
Because I think it could still work
27:24
because we all most of us celebrate Christmas.
27:27
Okay. Right. Most of us do.
27:28
Most of us decorate, most of us.
27:31
And if it's not Christmas, maybe it's your Hanukkah or your whatever,
27:34
whatever it is that you celebrate, right?
27:36
Sure. Yeah.
27:37
All right.
27:38
Fall media packages simple.
27:42
Okay, easy.
27:44
You create a very simple fall media package.
27:48
Why do we have fall media packages?
27:50
Well, for most of the United States, we lose.
27:53
What? In November?
27:55
Leaves.
27:56
Leaves? Yeah. They're gone.
27:59
They are out of here.
28:01
You know, come to think, I hate shooting in the winter
28:04
because, yeah, it's even with even with sky replacements.
28:08
Okay.
28:08
Yeah, we get blue skies,
28:09
but yeah, there's no green and there's just something about green.
28:14
It's.
28:14
Well, I think we correlate it almost to life.
28:17
At least I do. Right.
28:18
Like when I go look outside and like, again, spring's happening.
28:21
Things are birthing, right?
28:22
Leaves are coming out.
28:23
It's life.
28:24
Right. So the
28:25
for the majority of the United States, we do have the seasonal push.
28:28
Right.
28:29
And so you offering a fall media where you do the exteriors right.
28:33
And maybe it's maybe the media package is as simple as, hey,
28:37
we're going to come and we're going to do your exteriors now
28:40
and will allow you to book
28:41
that second appointment afterwards for a total value of X, right.
28:45
So you can kind of break it up, or maybe it's, hey, let's do the exteriors
28:51
for X amount of dollars and we'll get, do a Twilight with it too.
28:56
So you have all that exterior media when you're ready for us to come back
29:00
and do the inside.
29:01
So there's multiple ways you could do this.
29:03
There's fun things you can throw into this.
29:06
But again, even if you're in a market,
29:08
you know, where you've got palm trees and those palms always stay on there.
29:14
Agents are already thinking about Christmas and people not moving.
29:18
Right.
29:19
Or holidays, people not moving or decorating their house.
29:22
So you still have a full media package and you can say, hey,
29:26
let's get the exterior shot now.
29:29
So when you list that house in December, we're just shooting the inside
29:32
and you're ready to go,
29:33
you know? Or
29:34
somebody might even want the inside done now because they are going to decorate.
29:37
And that's just how it's going to be.
29:39
And so they want to go ahead and get the media without the decoration.
29:42
But it's a quick, easy offering Craig.
29:45
Super. Yeah.
29:46
And in the visuals, if, if you do live in a part of the world
29:49
or part of the US where you do have the fall colors,
29:53
you only get a brief window
29:55
where you get those peak colors and you could create some amazing content.
30:00
And during that time, especially drone, if you can really push well, we don't
30:05
we don't like to push, but really strongly suggest
30:08
your your realtor is say if you yeah, if you have this type of property
30:11
and it's got these, you know,
30:12
colorful trees, the aerial views will look incredible.
30:16
That's, you know, stuff that you can have in your in your portfolio
30:20
to show future potential sellers.
30:24
Yeah, it's a great, great time of the year and it really is.
30:27
And like I said again, you don't have to have leaves fall
30:30
off to offer a fall media package. Right.
30:34
We're still in fall. It's fall for everybody.
30:37
You know, and you can still offer
30:41
some sort of package that helps them to get that listing media done
30:45
before decorations go up, holidays start happening.
30:50
People don't want to deal with all that.
30:52
You know, and and honestly.
30:54
So I'm going to I'm going to add
30:56
I guess it would have been one a and one being okay.
31:00
All right okay.
31:02
Because this is another little thing you could kind of do with this.
31:06
And to the point of falling into the fall media package, you probably have
31:11
a lot of agents that there are listings sitting on the market.
31:14
Okay.
31:15
Listings are we're seeing days on market normalize
31:18
again normal 90 to 120 days
31:21
is a normal selling cycle in real estate.
31:25
Okay.
31:26
And as we all start to shift to this now again, northeast
31:29
Midwest, you're still seeing a lot of inventory issues now.
31:33
So not quite as much.
31:36
But imagine I'm an agent.
31:38
I've had a listing on the market for 90 days.
31:40
Well, I might want to refresh enough that listing
31:43
or maybe I should put myself on camera
31:47
and add to this and try to market this listing a little bit better, right?
31:52
So maybe it's looking at
31:54
what listings are still online that you've helped somebody shoot.
31:57
And again this is and I think some people would fear
32:00
well I took the media and it hasn't shown yet.
32:02
Well okay I'm gonna I'm going to tell you. All right.
32:05
Now there's one reason a house doesn't sell.
32:07
Do you know what it is, Craig?
32:10
I'm. I'm probably going to be wrong, but my guess is it's not priced right.
32:14
Price is always the
32:16
Problem. Craig, congratulations.
32:18
You are the winner today. And what you want?
32:20
I'm not sure.
32:21
T shirt. Craig I'll get you a Spiro t shirt.
32:24
There you go.
32:25
Okay. I'm so smart.
32:26
Smart, I mean, S.m.a.r.t.
32:28
It is like again, agents don't set the prices.
32:31
Guys. The market does the market.
32:33
What somebody is going to offer for the home
32:37
is what the home is worth.
32:39
Okay.
32:40
So it's not calling and saying, hey, I'm so sorry that media didn't help.
32:44
Now it's hey, I see that when things go on the market.
32:46
I can't believe it.
32:47
What a great house.
32:49
Is there anything I can help you do?
32:51
Do you want to do any more media?
32:53
Are you concerned I am running a fall package.
32:56
Do you want to get the exteriors just brightened up and shot again.
33:00
You know, again, maybe if it is a market where we lose trees, like,
33:04
you know, maybe you.
33:05
When I capture another shot of this before we, you know, lose all the greenery,
33:10
whatever it is.
33:10
But it just gives you, again, that touch point, like, hey, so sorry.
33:14
I can't believe this listing isn't sold.
33:15
But again, it's not your fault, right?
33:17
It's not even the agent's fault
33:18
because they probably have a seller that won't let him love the price.
33:22
That's probably the problem.
33:24
But again, to that seller that can help that agent say, hey, I'm doing more.
33:28
I'm trying to market, I'm trying to add on and get your home sold.
33:34
So I think they kind of
33:35
can go hand in hand there, take a peek at, you know, just what sell on the market
33:41
offer some sort of fall media package.
33:43
I loved what you said about aerial.
33:45
That could be the media package, right?
33:47
You could just do exteriors.
33:49
You could do, aerial shots
33:52
and that let me the fall media package, maybe throw Twilight in there.
33:57
That could be a nice little bundle. Right.
33:59
And what's nice about Spiro, too, if you're using Spiro,
34:01
I know we have people that listen to us that don't use Spiro.
34:04
So, but with Spiro, you can just add that additional appointment to that listing.
34:09
So you could do those exterior shots and then just book an additional
34:12
appointment from there for their interior shots
34:16
so you can still deliver everything in one listing.
34:19
Absolutely.
34:19
It's a great feature and I like what I like what you said too
34:23
about, you know, in talking about houses sitting on the market longer.
34:26
I literally had this conversation yesterday with a long time client
34:30
and she's she shared that one of the listings, it
34:35
it's been sitting on the market and they just lowered the price
34:38
to what the seller paid for it originally like 3 or 4 years ago.
34:42
And she said, Craig, it's it's crazy.
34:44
Now, this is an agent that she's she's done
34:47
photos and walkthrough video tours with us forever.
34:49
Okay.
34:50
So she she's at least on the walkthrough video tours.
34:53
Yeah.
34:54
I said just an idea.
34:56
I said zero pressure.
34:58
Have you thought about doing any more social and social media type videos
35:01
where you're actually on camera, and we can get you in front of people
35:06
and build that rapport, build that relationship relationship.
35:10
And she said, you know,
35:12
at the office, they've been saying that this is what we need to be doing.
35:15
I just hate being on camera.
35:16
I said, I did it, I said, I get it, that's why I'm behind the camera.
35:20
And, you know, it gets a little chuckle.
35:22
And but I didn't get, you know, a firm yes from her.
35:26
But the idea is planted that she knows she needs to do more.
35:30
It was again, low pressure.
35:32
I did mention that I just came from an appointment where we did
35:35
this type of video.
35:36
I said she, you know, she feels the same way.
35:39
She hates being on camera,
35:41
but she's done now, 3 or 4 of these and she's getting some good results.
35:45
She's seeing the positives to it.
35:48
And she's, well, good for her, you know,
35:52
but some of them really have a hard time, and and I get it.
35:55
I mean, I coached him for four years, right?
35:57
Like, I coached for four years and and even at wow.
36:01
And I was at wow and trying to tell them, hey, again, think of it.
36:05
Even just that intro outro can just huge and and intro outros really easy.
36:10
You know, it's a it's very short
36:14
content, very easily done.
36:17
And so getting them comfortable.
36:20
And that's why I kind of like some of those brand events too,
36:23
because they can get a little comfortable with some of those things.
36:27
But brokers are telling these guys, hey, this is I've been saying it forever.
36:32
Todd mimics me.
36:34
What is your brand?
36:35
It's your face and your name, right?
36:38
I've said that for years.
36:39
That Reno Shannon for that statement.
36:42
But it is.
36:43
It is any more to.
36:44
We live in this brand world, right?
36:46
Everything's brand and everything is about the brand.
36:50
So not only is a photographer a company, everything's about your brand.
36:53
For the agents, everything's about their brand.
36:56
And to the point of that agent, you know, that video
36:58
might not even help sell that house, but it might get.
37:00
Or another listing. Exactly.
37:03
But what it's going to do to the seller, it's going to make the seller feel
37:05
all warm and fuzzy. Right?
37:08
Because my realtor is doing more, my realtors doing more.
37:13
So you
37:13
guys have heard me talk about Rick Hevan before, who was,
37:17
just the most amazing man in the world, wonderful human being.
37:22
He was my general manager at a brokerage, my first brokerage.
37:24
I was that basically my coach.
37:26
We all called him coach, even,
37:29
and he taught me so much about real estate, but he always.
37:32
And there's Rickisms that we have, right, that we all still talk about and share.
37:37
And one of them is,
37:39
a seller.
37:41
Love you the most.
37:44
Right after you sign the listing paperwork.
37:46
And as you turn around and you walk and you start leaving that house
37:51
as your back is to them, they start to like you
37:54
a little less and less and less until you sell their house.
37:58
And he's right.
38:00
He's right.
38:02
Because if the houses and selling, they're going to lean on you
38:05
as the agent that you're not doing enough to market it.
38:08
It could be price.
38:09
It could be that they won't let you move the needle.
38:12
All of these things that could be that they didn't clean out the house
38:15
like you asked them to do. And,
38:17
1,000,001 things.
38:19
Right.
38:19
But essentially it will always come down to price.
38:23
And we're seeing some of these price corrections,
38:25
you know, to the point of that agent like the person, you know,
38:29
but maybe there's some updates that that person
38:32
needed to do to really help that house compete in this market.
38:36
Right.
38:37
And so all those things come into play.
38:39
So as us, as photographers, if we can help these agents
38:43
make things a little bit easier, and now is the time that these agents
38:47
actually have to do these videos.
38:48
That's the other thing, right?
38:50
They get yeah, they might be a little bit scared to get on camera,
38:53
but they're not busy and they need to get busy.
38:56
And so they're going to get over that fear. Right.
38:59
Because unfortunately fear you know, fear can drive us to to do a decision.
39:05
And fear can drive us to not make a decision.
39:09
And, and I think most often we're trying to teach these agents.
39:12
You tackle that fear.
39:13
Just like the phone.
39:14
Right tackle that phone.
39:16
Pick it up. Dial.
39:19
But, yeah, I think these five things can all correlate.
39:22
Really great.
39:24
Call in six with my one A and one B.
39:28
And as an owner, when you have the ability to work
39:31
on your business again, these are things you could do all year long.
39:36
But this time of year does get a little bit easier for all of us.
39:41
Exactly. Shannon.
39:43
Thank you.
39:43
Great ideas. And,
39:46
I have a topic idea rolling around in my head with
39:50
with you for a future episode that I think our listeners would really enjoy.
39:54
Well, we'll have to talk about it offline.
39:56
Okay.
39:57
But you know what?
39:58
I have somebody that potentially could join us next week.
40:01
And so I want your thoughts on that. Okay.
40:04
He is the director of marketing at my brokerage.
40:09
And he like it.
40:10
And he would love to come on and share with you and our listeners
40:15
what he's telling agents to do right now and what marketing trends.
40:20
So if you're good with that, we can book him for next Friday, he said.
40:24
He's available and I would love to bring him on if you are good with that.
40:29
I think that's a fantastic idea.
40:32
Listeners, leave a comment if you would love to hear from a brokerage
40:36
and especially somebody that specializes in marketing within a real estate
40:39
brokerage, leave a comment.
40:41
We would love to hear from you.
40:42
Yeah.
40:43
You can also email us hello@spiro.media
40:47
Any ideas?
40:48
You have things that you do in the fall?
40:51
We'd love to hear from you, but it.
40:52
Shannon I love the idea. I think that'd be great. Great.
40:55
Well, I will send in his email address to get that, event invite.
41:00
Event invite.
41:02
That was kind of hard to say. Well,
41:05
but again, I appreciate being on the podcast.
41:07
I love being on it more and more.
41:09
Sales is where it's at.
41:11
We all know that, without growth, you know,
41:14
we can watch our expenses,
41:18
and we should watch our expenses.
41:20
But you cannot expense your way to profit.
41:23
Ooh, I like that.
41:25
You can't.
41:26
That's Todd, cause some of you are saying Shannonisms.
41:29
You cannot expense your way to profit.
41:32
I'm going to write that down, I like that, yeah, you can't do it.
41:35
You got to build revenue, right?
41:37
Yeah.
41:37
Again,
41:37
you got to make
41:37
sure your expenses aren't crazy and they're not out of whack and stick to,
41:41
you know, some of the percentages that Todd shared before and all those things.
41:44
But, yeah, you can't.
41:46
And an agent can't do that either.
41:48
Guys, this is these are things that that really that
41:51
you can't expense your way to profit. I can't really even own it.
41:53
That that's kind of comes from the Keller Williams world.
41:57
Because it's very true.
41:59
You just cannot do it.
42:01
You got to build revenue, you got to build sales.
42:06
And so just watch your limited mindset, guys, these five ideas I gave you today,
42:10
you can easily create a million reasons why you shouldn't do them.
42:15
Create the reasons why you should write the top fall five things
42:20
to do in the fall when the business is starting to slow down a little bit.
42:24
Shannon, thank you so much.
42:26
And, we're looking forward to next week's episode.
42:29
Hopefully next week's episode.
42:30
Yeah.
42:31
All right, guys, thank you for, joining us.
42:34
Make sure that you take time out of your day
42:36
to be thankful as we're getting towards November and Thanksgiving here in the US,
42:40
I know it's still a little ways away, but we can start doing this Intel.
42:44
I think Craig, it's going to disappear quickly.
42:46
Is it okay? Sorry, I'm just gonna throw it out there like so.
42:49
Once you know, the,
42:51
pumpkin spice comes out in August, like we're just in for it.
42:54
Okay, so I'm sorry.
42:55
Football started last night. Christmas is here, essentially.
42:58
Speaking of, we talked about the Buckeyes and the game against Texas. Yes.
43:03
Can you believe that?
43:05
I couldn't do you believe that?
43:07
I was sitting myself up for disappointment and I was not disappointed.
43:11
I was not either.
43:12
And I don't even think we did anything too fancy.
43:15
So I think I do think those two teams would look very different
43:19
at the end of the season.
43:20
Oh heck yeah.
43:21
And I honestly can I give some love to Arch Manning?
43:25
Yes, yes I mean these guys need to stop.
43:28
They hyped him up way too much. Yeah.
43:31
I mean, the pressure that guy is under I mean,
43:33
I actually kind of felt bad for him.
43:35
I did too.
43:37
Anyway, we could go on another ten minutes and this is going to be great.
43:40
So everybody out there just be a little nice.
43:43
Like right where arch Manning.
43:44
But no. Buckeyes let's go.
43:46
We play a great high school this weekend. So let's do it.
43:50
And let's see where, where we land.
43:53
There was great football last night.
43:54
I actually fell asleep and I haven't even looked to see who won.
43:58
But the game was really good, and I called the, field goal before half.
44:03
I made a bet with my husband.
44:04
I said they left too much time on that clock.
44:07
Field goal was scored.
44:08
So anyway, we talk football.
44:10
We'll love you. I'm going to be quiet now, Craig.
44:12
I'm gonna let you wrap us up.
44:14
All right?
44:14
Thank you again. Thank you, thank you.
44:17
It's always fun with Shannon. guys again.
44:20
Take time to be thankful.
44:21
Make sure you take some time to take a breath, especially as things slow down.
44:25
We appreciate you drop us a like, subscribe, share it with a friend.
44:30
If a friend in the in the industry,
44:32
if you think this is something that could benefit them.
44:34
And we just really do appreciate you and are thankful for you.
44:37
Have a great week. We'll talk to you next week. Take care.