How to send video emails your real estate prospects will love

As real estate agents, we’re constantly bombarded with advice about the “101 newest marketing hacks you need now” or “the top 10 must-have tech tools to grow your real estate business.”

It’s hard to know where the hype ends and the real advice begins.

And if you remember the headlines from mid-to-late 2017, you probably remember that much of the hype centered around the importance of video. According to Wyzowl’s 2017 State of Video Marketing Survey, 81% of businesses use, or planned to use, video as a marketing tool. And 99% of marketers who were already using video, said they’d continue using it in 2018.

But chances are, you knew that already. The question is, how can you get results like that by using video for your business?

The power of video in marketing and sales

As consumers, we all love video.

In fact, according to Cisco, global consumer internet video traffic will make up 80% of all consumer internet traffic by 2019 (up from 64% in 2014). So, yeah. Maybe “love” is an understatement.

But it’s not just the satisfying click of the play button that makes consumers go crazy for video. Research shows video can make your leads feel deeply connected to your brand.

The Wyzowl study also revealed that for “97% of marketers, video has helped increase user understanding of their product or service” and 76% say it helped them increase sales, too. Video brings more traffic to your website and keeps prospects there longer, which, as the numbers point to, can bring you better quality leads and a higher volume of sales.

But before you fire up your iPhone cam, it’s important to understand how going on camera can serve prospects and customers in a way your blog, text-only email or brochure can’t. And according to experts, it has everything to do with authenticity.

Today’s homebuyers and sellers love watching helpful content, especially when it’s delivered face-to-face by someone with a genuine personality. That’s what gives video its power. Rather than a passive, automated medium, you can build an experience around video — one that feels human, personal and engaged — without ever even shaking hands with your prospects.

How to use video emails to convert more real estate leads

We can all agree email isn’t the newest or sexiest marketing channel out there — but it’s still number one in terms of ROI. It’s also one of the most effective ways to keep your leads engaged. But here’s the thing:

Your emails aren’t as effective as they used to be.

Social media, internet ads, mobile apps — there are millions of messages competing for our attention. Even within our own inboxes, the competition is ruthless. People prefer video above all other marketing formats for the same reasons they prefer personalized emails over a generic “Hello {Name}.”

They want to be treated like a person.

In today’s world AI, robots and so much noise, video puts you back in the game. It helps rehumanize your sales process and creates an emotional connection that, let’s face it, most of us are starved for. And as a major bonus, it also puts you miles ahead of the competition. After all, it’s easy to forget a name, but how many of us can forget a face?

Here are some simple ways to get started with video emails:

• Shoot a quick video updating prospects on their local real estate market
• Record a personalized walkthrough for your top listings
• Repurpose social media live streams or links to a virtual open house
• Share personal insights about your life, family and hobbies

Video can transform your real estate business — but it’s hard to get it right. Here’s a little inspiration to help get you started.

5 real-world examples of how to use video emails to close more real estate deals

1. Warm up online leads by with an authentic hello

Jay Carden of RE/MAX Properties, Inc. doubled his real estate business after introducing videos in his emails to leads. Jay sends a personalized 30-second email as the first contact to online leads based on the area and price range they’re interested in. He also uses video in his “Congratulations” email to new customers to make a personal request for a Zillow review and a no-pressure call to send any referrals his way.

According to Jay, when his coach first pushed him to do video, he was anything but eager, “I was like, ‘I’m not putting this face on video. Are you crazy?'”

But getting over his stage fright definitely helped him reach the next level. By the end of 2017, he single-handedly closed 33 transactions. And if you ask him, it’s because “It’s something different. That’s the cool part about doing a video. It shows that you’re not just a robot.”

Check out BombBomb’s interview with Jay to watch his awesome videos!

2. Take leads from cold to hot with video

Peter Lorimer from PLG Estates regularly receives stellar feedback from prospects after hitting their inboxes with a video email.

For Peter, video emails are perfect for re-engaging a lead that’s dropped off the radar, “The novelty of sending a video email will sometimes just rise you above the noise so that they finally click. I’ve had people come back to me and say, ‘You know what? That was great. That was just what I needed. Let’s work together.'”

He also likes to use video emails to invite groups of people to an open house with a simple: “Hey, I’d like to personally invite you to my open house.” Peter suggests sending it to 10 people in a specific area, even sellers you’re trying to prospect. He also insists on the fact that you don’t have to be confident on camera from the beginning — according to Peter, getting better at video is just like riding a bike.

Source: YouTube

3. Use video to connect with leads one-on-one

Josh Rogers is the team leader of Florida-based 904House Hunters and a big part of the reason the team has earned its way into the top 1% of closed business in the Northeast Florida MLS.

Josh has a blast using video emails in three main ways:

• A quick welcome video email to help put and face (and smile) to his brand
• One-on-one follow ups and video email drips to educate prospects
• Building real relationships with leads

Check out all the details here.

4. Break through the noise, beat the competition

As BombBomb’s #1 Video Influencer for 2017, Kyle Whissel, knows a thing or two about winning with video.

The CEO and team leader of San Diego-based Whissel Realty published over 500 YouTube videos (with over 225,000 views!), 500 Facebook videos, and 100 BombBomb videos. Kyle uses video emails to share a variety of content, from market reports, educational content, listing videos, to local dining and powerful community videos.

And it’s had a massive impact on Kyle’s business. His team has been ranked #1 in San Diego County and #76 team in all of the US by The Wall Street Journal, Zillow and Trulia.

Watch Kyle’s presentation here.

5. Use video emails provide more value in less time

Taylor Hack is the Team Leader of HACK&Co. He’s also a BIG believer in video.

After getting started with video emails just over a year ago, he’s already sent around 1,200. “I think I’ve already done seven today.” When we asked Taylor how exactly he uses video emails, he did a classic Taylor thing and answered us…with a video. In it, he breaks down exactly how he offers awesome intel and valuable insider tips to leads.

Check out Taylor’s video here.

“Think of how many listings I could service at once if I was coming at them with this type of video. Raw, single take, ready with information,” says Taylor of the awesomely scalable power of video.

Like many of these success stories, Taylor didn’t start out with a celebrity camera presence. He practiced like crazy by recording voicemails every day. “I want to do micro-experience mastery and be able to talk people in a way that isn’t a whole bunch of ‘ums’ and ‘ahs.’ The main thing is just to be mindful and in the moment by making it super normal.”

Taylor loves video because it gives tone and warmth to his message. Most of his clients are couples, so he sends a video email to each one so that they can watch it on their own time and have their own emotional reaction before talking to each other and coming back to him. He loves it because it works like a charm for smoothing out the decision-making process. But that’s not the only benefit.

“By setting a frequency that’s realistic, I’m not just the man of negative news.” According to Taylor, many agents only contact listed sellers is to ask for a reduction. Video helps grow his know-like-trust factor and make delivering “bad news” a breeze.

BombBomb syncs directly to Follow Up Boss. Instantly record, preview and add a video straight into your next email without ever switching screens.

To Taylor, video is just the way tech — and the human race — is evolving. “They say that text is only 15% of communication. With video, you’re getting more body language, inflection and tone.” Plus, both his grandma and his 1-year old are into video, and that alone says something.

But like all things worth doing, it’s never easy in the beginning. Taylor recommends sending simple one-on-one videos to people you know and trust well before working your way up to recording to larger audiences. He also says it’s a good idea to get over yourself, “The illusion is that we can manipulate things we can’t change. So if you’ve ever seen yourself on video and thought, ‘Ugh, that’s not how I sound to me.’ Well, guess what? That’s how you sound.”

But don’t worry, it’s more “About how other people see you than how you see yourself.”

Video emails often feel like just another thing we “should” be doing for our prospects. But the right ideas, combined with the right tools, can make it simple to execute. Rockstars like Taylor use Follow Up Boss to seamlessly send awesome videos that turn leads into buyers.

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