Browsing the archives for the Technology category

Social Networking for Business?

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Helpful Tips, News, Technology

Are social networking site worth advertising on? The premise of social networking is to unite individuals and expand their associations. Many people see it as a personal marketing opportunity. Large well branded companies have been effectively using this medium for years. Should businesses of all sizes use this forum to connect to their customer contacts?

Connecting consumers with other consumers means they can:

  • See who their contacts trust.
  • Endorse companies they like.
  • Easily discuss topics.
  • Quickly share information.

Social marketing creates a forum for mixed medium marketing combining audio, video, and text. Statistics show that businesses embracing social marketing effectively are reaping the rewards through sales, leads, or increased awareness.

Social marketing helps businesses:

  • Build customer relationships.
  • Acquire vital customer information.
  • Perform market research and customer qualification.
  • Direct and retain traffic in a cost effective, manageable way.
  • Create a community around customers.
  • Targeting specific groups.

Customers:

  • Are actively engaged.
  • Have a channel to voice opinions.
  • Join with a related community.
  • Tap into the collective wisdom.
  • Listen to their network.

Interacting with the social collective on Social Networking sites is very beneficial for businesses looking to increase and maintain their client base. Consider your audience and objectives when you evaluate if this is the right channel for your business’ branding.  So many consumers are out there searching for information. Are they finding yours?

Is Social Networking a useful tool for your business? Has your network expanded since marketing on Social Networking sites? What is working for your business?

Do you check your download stats?

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Helpful Tips, Services, Technology

We all want to maximize our marketing effectiveness. We have found it helps to understand the full results of your efforts by analyzing your download stats. Making decisions based on accurate information collected monthly has allowed us to react to trends quickly and get the most out of our budget. We regularly check our video and photo download stats, which are traceable on some sites. They provide valuable information. We then prepare monthly reports with the information to strategize for the next month.

Attracting multiple buyers is central in this real estate market. There are many types of web campaigns you can launch. Many people find it best to advertise a large variety of social networking, video and classified websites. A real estate transaction only really needs one buyer. It can be hard to tell where the candidate will come from or even where they do eventually come from.

Agents who send their listings over a variety of distribution channels are staying ahead of the crowd. This is a key time to make sure your listing get an extra edge. Initial spending during the listing process can reduce listing time while attracting multiple interested buyers.

So many buyers come via the internet, because of how well your listings show virtually. They come without being prompted by personal interaction, based on decisions made quickly. The houses that have been selling have been selling fast according to Dave Watt, Real Estate Board President. The efficiency of using professional quality video and photos and posting them across the largest network possible is well documented, although some types of properties are better served by target specific campaigns.

How are you making decisions regarding marketing your listings? Are you using your stats to guide you or are you taking direction from previous successes? Have you been extending your reach effectively? What has been working for you?

2009 Predictions

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News, Technology

How is the technology industry’s growth affected by the economy? Would many new products be released? Are companies holding back on launches waiting for consumer to feel confident? Deloitte is calling this the year of social networking, netbooks, smartphones and poor 3G connections. This sounds like more of the same from 2008.

Here are a few things we thought might happen:

1.    More Intellectual Property will be for sale on eBay.
2.    Release of Windows 7.
3.    DVD streaming expands.
4.    Blu-ray will be slow to catch on.
5.    New set-top boxes will be released.
6.    The economic downturn will boost bargain-hunting.
7.    Netbooks popularity will increase.
8.    The Fortune 500’s will catch on to Facebook.
9.    Mobile ads will start.
10.  Wireless devices will outsell mobile phones.
11.  Apple’s mobile share will continue to grow as others drop about.

What do you think? Are we out of touch? What are your ideas?

netb.jpg phone.jpgsmart.jpg

Watch Our Video Tours On Your iPhone or iTouch Using iTunes and YouTube

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News, Technology

Video Openhouse Tour on iTouch

For those of you still holding your breath waiting for the iPhone to immigrate, the rumours are always plentiful as to when or even if we can finally enjoy what our friends to the south take for granted. So far only Rogers has the necessary GSM network in place for the data, and they have yet to announce any official launch. Despite this, it hasn’t slowed the enthusiasm – or ingenuity – of true Canadian Apple fans. “Unlocked” iPhones – phones that are not tied to the mandatory AT&T network – can still be had for a premium price here through individual, erm, “dealers” but with no guarantee that the next upgrade won’t turn it into a useless puck.

For those of you who still covet the functionality of the iPhone but can live with the limitations of your current phone – take heart (and save money). The iPod Touch features much of the same drool-inducing technology minus some functionality like (of course) phone and email. With this technology comes the ability to view a few of our video tours. As long as you are within reach of a wireless network (and within Vancouver, an open network is never too far), you can use the stand-alone YouTube program for not only watching videos of talking cats but also showing off some of your favorite Video Openhouse clips to clients, other realtors, or anyone else. So if you are one of the early adopters and have your iPod Touch handy, open up YouTube and search for “Video Openhouse”. Or ask us about having some of your previous tours re-encoded which you can then drop directly into iTunes to watch directly through the Video utility on the iPod Touch.

Branding Your Video… Ian Watt did

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Helpful Tips, Real-Estate, Technology

Ian Watt, of Century 21 In Town Realty, recently visited our office regarding a special video we are producing for him (stay tuned, it’s not finished just yet).

While there, we started talking about his listing presentation and how his use of Professional Photography and Virtual Tours has gained him many listings. Always wanting to give Realtors more tools for their presentations, we suggested that he get branded video cases to show a tangible product during his presentation, not just relying on his clients seeing the product on their computers.

Now, not only does he get a souvenir DVD with the DVD and case branded just like the rest of the marketing that Ian does, but his videos look just like his website!

Branded:

ian video branded

Unbranded:

ian-video-unbraded.jpg

Which would you choose? It’s a one-time fee and you get branded video, DVD and case… let us know if you want yours!

Don’t have branding? Ask about our Graphics Design services… available for all ranges of need and budget.

Real Estate – breaking language barriers, it’s an international market! vTranslate that into sales!

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Helpful Tips, News, Real-Estate, Site Updates, Technology

We have been quite busy here at Video Openhouse, not too busy to launch the occasional new service. We have spoken before about how our videos have been seen around the world. Well, now we have a new service to help capture some of that larger global audience. vTranslate allows us to display property information in various languages.

Have a property in an area dominated by specific ethnic groups? Have a buyer who’s English is poor? or who has family back home they want to get approval from? How about trying to sign your next client by cross promoting in Korean? Chinese? Farsi? Impress your buyers and sellers now, their friends and family will find you later.

On a video we recently produced for Kasha Riddle at 1061 Blue Grouse Way. We tested our new vTranslate service. vTranslate allows us to use show a translated version of the property description in almost any language you choose. All of our translations are created by people, not error prone computer software. If you would prefer to write your own translation we will gladly enter it into the system for you.

Translate you words into sales!

Example showing the ability to change languages in Video Openhouse Property Tours

Widgets, Widgets, Widgets…

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Helpful Tips, News, Real-Estate, Technology

Ever wanted to show people some of your most recent videos, but don’t want the hassle of having to keep things up to date? We can help you set up a nice little customizable widget that will take care of it for you!

Here are some of Jim Noonan’s recent works!


Sorry it probably won’t work in email, you might have to come to the site for a visit!