Uncategorized Archives - Synergy Marketing

Mar 11

What is holding you back from a video marketing strategy?

By matt Uncategorized, Video Marketing, Videos No Comments

So we have to know, what is holding you back from a video marketing strategy? Video marketing is one of the most effective marketing strategies that require proper planning and implementation. Before using video marketing to promote your business, there are several things that you need to do. Remember that you will be distributing the video even on social media platforms. Therefore the most important things about video marketing are to understand what you want to achieve and how you will achieve it. This means that you need to use sufficient time to plan before implementing.

The following are the most important questions that any business should ask itself before getting started with video marketing:

What do you want to achieve with your video? This is definitely the most important question because it will give you a general guidance on how to go about video marketing. Write down exactly the goal you want to achieve for your business from the video marketing strategy. These goals are what will guide you in creating a video that will help in achieving them
How will you create your video? You need to know if you will create the videos on your own or if you will hire professional services. This will depend on whether you have the necessary video recording equipment, expertise and crew. Quality of the videos created is very crucial
How will you measure results obtained? It is very important to measure results obtained from your videos because it is the only way you will know whether you are achieving your goals or not. For example, if your goal was to increase the number of followers on social media through video marketing then you need to monitor the number of new followers.

For a complete review and a strategy that will produce visits to your website, call us for a video review and brainstorm session. Fill out our FREE consultation and get answers!

Feb 23

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3 Instagram Video Marketing Tips

By matt Uncategorized No Comments

1.Make videos that will encourage the next step for more info. For example show something that you are doing and end the video with you holding a sign that says to see the final product go to www.yourdomain.com

2.Make videos that are shareable. Things that are funny, interesting or just plain awesome footage is shareable. The audio should be interesting but it has to be visually appealing!!

3.Use your hashtags wisely. Think about what people are searching for that might include your business. Market your business to the right people by showing up in the right searches.

With Instagram launching video style options and the partnership with Facebook, video is no joke. A good marketing strategy will have a combination of appealing video with a call to action, shareable content and show up in the right searches. This is true for any marketing strategy, not just a social one. With video ads coming to Facebook this summer, your small business can be competitive on a social level all while being cost effective. For more information on a cost effective video strategy contact us for a free consultation. gosynergymc.com/video

May 25

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3 Ways To Make Killer Video

By matt Uncategorized, Video Marketing, Videos No Comments

3 Ways To Make Killer Video

With video engagement on the rise and marketing budgets on the decline it is important to look at where you can get the most bang for your buck. Video is an extremely effective way to drive a message home, drive traffic to your website or Facebook page, or just increase awareness of your brand. We encourage and incorporate video into each of our clients and they love it! In fact, we just completed a project with a local mortgage loan officer’s website that we designed and incorporated video onto each page. Not just video, but walk-out video where he is engaging you and talking directly to you. Pretty slick! Check it out here www.kylecanclose.com
I am going to give you 3 ways that you can make a killer video to accomplish whatever message you are trying to get across.
1. Don’t go cheap! Hire a professional with a good camera and lighting. You are trying to come off professional and drive the value of your product or service home, so show the value by having a good quality video. Flip videos are great for car dealers doing a walk around on a car, but not for someone sitting behind a desk or in their store talking about new product and services. With so many HD screens (even on phones) you and your surroundings should look good! You can usually find a production crew that will give you a break if you commit to several videos with them.
2. Use graphics! Incorporate your logo, website, phone number, twitter handle, whatever you can think of to use in the video whether on the bottom or at then end screen, but this is just another opportunity for people to contact you. Don’t have your entire video be dancing graphics while you are talking, just incorporate them in any way you can. It increases brand awareness and adds a level of professionalism you competition probably isn’t doing.
3. Be human! You shouldn’t worry about scripting the entire thing; people want to engage with people, not politicians. Don’t sound like you are running for office in your video, sound like you are having a genuine conversation with your prospects or customers. If you make a little blunder, keep going and keep eye contact with the camera. I have seen so many videos that look like a 30 second political commercial and I just don’t get it. Think about what your customers or potential customers want to hear from a real person they are talking to, not someone who is trying to sell them something. Society has become so desensitized to the “Sham-wow” type selling that it just isn’t effective anymore.

I hope these help and you feel comfortable venturing into the world of video. Stay tuned for my next blog about where to put these awesome videos you just filmed! Till next time!

Synergy Marketing Consultants

May 10

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Drones in Real Estate

By matt Uncategorized No Comments

“Drones are everywhere in the media today. Amazon is testing drones to deliver packages. Real estate agents are using drones to take aerial video. The military has been using drones for the past decade. Like it or not, the drone revolution is coming. With the potential to become an estimated $82 billion industry by 2025, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the topic is not something to take lightly.

Considering the potential economic impact of the drone industry in the coming years, I find it hard to believe to government and FAA will ban the use of commercial drones. To note, paying someone to fly a drone is illegal right now, according to the FAA rules on commercial drone use. However, that does not seem to be stopping people from becoming an aerial photographer. Pretty soon there will be thousands of “new” aerial photographers across the country.

The benefits drones provide in real estate are clear. Drones are essentially a camera tripod in the sky allowing real estate agents to capture virtually any shot they want from any angle and elevation. Combine that with a drone flying through the inside of the house, creating a whole new viewing experience for potential buyers and sellers. With this new technology there are several important things to know before you hire your next drone pilot.

1. Drone pilots are not created equal

Just because you are able to find someone who has a drone with a GoPro mounted to it does not mean that he or she is particularly good at flying the drone. The last thing you need is a drone crashing into the neighbor’s house. Make sure you ask for a testimonial, see previous examples of their work, and ask if they carry general liability insurance. The risk is too high to hire a pilot without these qualifications.

2. Video editing is everything

Even if the person you hire is a professional drone pilot, it does not mean that person is particularly good at editing video. To create a drone experience that wows, it is vital to ensure a professional edits the video. Video editing is an art, and it will be clear if the pilot chopped up the video and threw clips together. With the proliferation of real estate drone videos popping up, the bar for professionally edited video will only be set higher.

3. Fly indoors

Flying a drone around the outside of a listing is cool. Fly the same drone through the middle of the house — WOW! This is the most innovative virtual tour you can provide. A drone floating through different rooms of the house and straight out the door over the neighborhood is an experience worth talking about. This will make even the most mundane house look extraordinary.”

Will Caldwell is the CEO and co-founder at Rivolix, a mobile real estate tech company that helps Realtors generate more word-of-mouth leads. He is a passionate entrepreneur and recent college graduate living in San Diego.

Our Production Manager, Joe Jones contributes the following:

I agree with Mr. Caldwell on most everything in his article. I really like the fact that he feels that drones are so important in real estate. The sample video, he uses, shows the drone flying through a large house (mansion). That would certainly make an impact and make video house tours even more unique and appealing to the viewer. Displaying a home in a more dynamic way is a very positive thing for the agent and seller. Smaller homes (3000 sq. ft. and less) would not benefit as much from the effort of flying the drone inside, unless the house had a large high-ceiling main living area. A large house, like the one in the sample video, would be a great choice for inside drone shots. I like the fact that the drone flies into the house, showing the main living area, and then flies out through an exit to the outside. I think what’s missing, though, was a more extensive look at the inside with a standard camera and motion equipment. Motion technology equipment like a slider, jib crane, and camera stabilization device would have completed the house tour. The drone, along with the motion technology devices, can provide a smooth flow of visuals that are appealing, professional, and engaging to the viewer.

Three important things are prevalent in this article:

1. Employing a good dependable and experienced pilot is extremely important for both safety and quality.

2. Involving a good editor is very important. Note: A good editor would have avoided showing the copter blades and should have provided some additional motion stabilization and color correction.

3. And the fact that drones are used more and more in our society and are definitely here to stay.

This article is very positive toward what can be done for the real estate industry and what’s revolutionizing how homes can be advertised.

For more information on how Synergy Marketing can provide your real estate business with innovative home tours, call 970-639-9225.

Quoted from Inman News article : http://www.inman.com/next/3-things-to-know-before-you-hire-your-next-drone-pilot/

Apr 22

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Got Killer Video- Now What????

By matt Uncategorized No Comments

A while ago I wrote a blog about making killer video. Remember- Don’t go cheap, Use graphics, and Be Human? Now you have listened and make a great video about your product or service; where do you put it? This is just as important as the video itself. I mean why would you have a beautiful car and put it on a dirt lot in the middle of no where? You wouldn’t. Video is most effective when it can be linked to other things, so we always encourage our clients to put any video they have on YouTube. There are a couple of reasons with the biggest one being it is partnered with Google. Being partnered with Google will actually help you if you tag your videos correctly because when someone searches for something you offer, if your video is tagged correctly you show up in the search engine. It is sort of like SEO without the small fortune you could spend on it. Now don’t get me wrong this will not cure all your search engine problems, but it will help your videos be relevant and seen. Another reason to post on YouTube is the creation of a custom YouTube Channel. Don’t know what I am talking about check these out:
www.youtube.com/SynergyMarketingCO
www.youtube.com/JDCav24
www.youtube.com/expertvillage

See how those are completely different with the brand and brand message? That is way more effective than having me watch your video surrounded by ads and other videos. Another reason to use YouTube; it is universal! You can upload or share a YouTube video almost anywhere and guess what happens then? You can go viral, the more people see your video, the more people you can touch and influence. The social game is all about influence right?

How much of your product or service will you sell with just video? That depends; is it a good video and did anyone see it? If you answered yes, then you will make connections and sales will increase. The power of video isn’t going anywhere, but how can you as a business owner harness the power of video and increase your bottom line? I hope I gave you some tips to get you started in the video world. Please feel free to comment or leave your questions for me to answer in future posts! Till next time!

Synergy Marketing Consultants

Feb 17

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6 Questions We Asked Our Videographer

By matt Uncategorized, Videos, Virtual Tour No Comments

6 Questions to Ask a Videographer was a great article posted by the much respected Inman News recently. After reading it we felt pretty good about the service we were offering to realtors in our video department and we decided to have our resident video guru Joe Jones answer the questions that you are supposed to ask your videographer before doing a home tour. Below are his answers with a link to our YouTube channel to check out his work!

Six questions we asked our videographer

1. What do you mean by “video”?

Having a video tour of a house and property means just that; using actual video. Some consider video as having still photos put together with music and some animation of the photos. However, this isn’t true video! A real video tour means using actual video footage from a good quality video camera, not a smart phone. Using real HD quality video footage replicates what it would actually be like to walk through the house and view the house from a human perspective. Make sure your videographer and you have all this clear upfront before you begin.

2. What areas will you shoot?

A typical home video tour includes a home’s interior, exterior, other outside buildings, and whatever views might be available of the house, or from the house. You can choose which rooms to include or not. You should have the flexibility in choosing which parts of the house or property to include, or not include, without having to pay any additional costs. If aerial footage is an option it can provide a great perspective for some of the outside video.

3. Who will shoot my video?

Make sure your video will be shot by a professional. Someone that just acquired a decent camera and stabilizer may not provide the most dramatic footage that will capture the viewer’s attention. The video tour production should be “cinematic” enough, to the viewer, to retain their attention throughout the entire video. The video tour should be comprehensive enough to give the viewer the feeling that they are truly familiar with this home after watching the video.

Always ask for samples of the videographer’s work regarding home video tours. Ask how long they’ve been doing home video tours and how long they’ve been doing video production. Will they provide agent branding without extra charge? Will they upload your video to a Youtube site and not charge extra? Make sure they have a definitive price structure and give you this price upfront.

4. What’s your timeline?

Will your videographer be able to work with your timeline? Once a home is ready to show you want to have your video done quickly. Look for someone who can be available within a few days of when the home is ready. When the house is staged and ready you don’t want to have to wait too long to have the video footage shot. Companies that work a lot with real estate companies understand this and make every effort to accommodate. They should be able to provide a finished product within 72 hours of the actual filming.

5. What’s your cancellation policy?

Things happen that may cause the decision to cancel a shoot: bad weather, the homeowners not having the house ready, the owners changing their decision to sell, etc. A videographer should make every effort to work with you on your circumstances. Most videographers would want at least a 24 hour notification if a cancellation has to take place. Some may charge a rebooking fee if the videographer arrives to see the property isn’t ready yet.

6. What else do you do?

You may want to consider other types of videos than just video home tours. At some point you may want to produce videos for your website; a real estate team video, a bio, or even a commercial. If you find a professional videographer who can do these other things it will make your entire marketing process much simpler by using one entity for all your video projects. Also, there’s the process that develops from a client/videographer’s relationship that enables the videographer to understand what that particular agent expects.

Jun 17

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24 Hours to a Better Mobile Strategy

By matt Mobile Websites, Uncategorized, web design No Comments

Mobile technology has changed human behavior in a very short time like no other. A mobile strategy is imperative. Today, the mobile is the number one platform used by businesses to communicate with their customers; what makes this possible is the fact that more than 91% of mobile users keep their devices within reach all the time. The apps are also following close to mobile strategy and by 2020, cars, assisted living, medical or clinical remote monitoring, pay as you drive insurance as well as building and home security are expected to be connected.

Mobile strategies help businesses to inform, engage and even create new opportunities with their partners, clients and workers. According to a study carried out by mobile enterprises by the IBM Business Value Institute, more than 90% firms based globally are planning to either improve or sustain their mobile technology investments for at least the next one year. Apart from investing in mobile technologies, it takes work and effort to be a mobile leader.

According to the same study, firms with mobile strategies that are well defined are less than half of all existing firms globally. When planning to implement mobile strategies in your company, here are the 3 main areas in IT and business to give the first priority.

Data Insight Transformation

Volumes of data are generated by mobile phone users on a daily basis and thus producing business insights that are not just valuable, but also renewable. On the path to becoming mobile leaders, firms should develop interoperable systems, share information across devices and systems in addition to leveraging APIs for data sourced either via cloud services or externally.

Future mobile data accessibility, insights and analysis will enable businesses to interact better with clients and unlock new opportunities. Executive supply chain and inventory decision making processes in real time is eased and made less complex through interactive and transactional mobile data insights.

Mature mobile strategies feature data that are based on sensors and machines. When coupled with contextual data and preferences of users, businesses will be able to make great offers to retailers, clients and other service providers in real time. With these capabilities that are advanced, businesses gain the power to find employees that match the demands of their clients effectively and even track their shopping patterns. As a result, data and insights of mobile devices help businesses realize enhanced user experiences and retailers get to find new business models and streams of revenue.

The Art of Mobile Design

The art of mobile design entails an improved and customized user experience, not just tailoring of desktop apps for access through mobile gadgets. App developers create programs for accomplishing specific tasks, adapting them for interaction-based data presentation and defining or differentiating experiences of users through the integration of audio and touch into the apps. By comprehending the business processes to be interactive and engaging to users, the art of mobile design or development of apps should be based on user experience, functionality and design cognition, in addition to being iterative and very fast.

Security

The fact that mobile strategies have evolved to become interactive and transactional makes them very risky, especially if outside parties, like clients and partners, are involved. Therefore, there is a need to secure mobile devices, data, applications as well as the networks they are linked to. Enterprise and personal data should always be separated for the protection of information that is confidential and sensitive. Guidelines and policies should be put in place to help protect mobile devices and information stored or transmitted through them. Just like any other business asset, mobile devices should be managed well and workers offered mobile experiences tailored to meet their specific roles in the firm.

The Future

Becoming a mobile leader involves continual mobile strategy evolution to cater for new security threats, new designs as well as data. And, firms with the ability to utilize network, mobile and user generated data can effectively compete in the fast-paced tech-savvy global market.

Apr 09

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Winning with Mobile

By matt Uncategorized No Comments

Winning, we all love it, but winning with mobile is even better! This is a strategy that is sure to please your customers, they want you on mobile, they want you to win. C’mon, give the people what they want!

The use of mobile marketing is increasing rapidly all over the world. Every online business is using mobile marketing strategy to give its customers better services. But for the mobile strategy to be effective and efficient, there are certain things that a mobile website must have. These are:

Optimization tools: these will enable your mobile website users to optimize images and pages before downloading them so as to reduce their data usage.

Easy access: your business mobile website should enable users to access the contact information by a click of buttons. Your address should also be located in a place that is easy to access

Systematic content: every mobile user wants to access information from a mobile website as quick and easy as possible. Your business mobile website content should be well organized, precise and complete to make it easy for users to find it very quickly

Large buttons: remember that users will not be using mouse clicks but finger clicks to navigate through the mobile website. Therefore your buttons and links on your mobile website should be large enough to be clicked without having to zoom.

Provide links to full websites: all mobile users want to get complete information on their mobiles. Therefore you should add a link that will allow user to switch to your full website for comprehensive resources.

Thus as a mobile strategy, you need to consider the above mentioned items when developing or running your business mobile website for better results. If applied correctly, mobile marketing is a very essential business marketing tool. Take the advantage of the increasing number of mobile users to use your mobile website as a marketing strategy for your business.

To learn more or build your own mobile website, visit our sister company Synergy Mobile Sites and build your mobile site in minutes!

Apr 02

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3 Free Social Media Resources

By matt Uncategorized No Comments

We all love free, so here are 3 free social media resources you can all use.

Social media has become one of the most reliable marketing platforms for different types of business. As a result of this, several free social media resources have been developed to enable businesses promote their businesses to social media users and improve social engagements between companies and customers.

The following are 3 free social media resources that have remain outstanding in promoting different types of online business. Most importantly is that these resources are free:

Piktochart: this is a social media resource that allows you to share different types of pictures on social media platforms. With Piktochart, you can customize and upload pictures by a click of buttons. It makes it easier for you to share high quality pictures of your business that will give a good impression of it
Hootsuite free account: this is one of the social media resources specifically for scheduling. It helps you develop a plan for your business on when to engage with your social media users. As a matter of fact, being active on social media is very essential for the success of any business but planning time for it is also important. With hootsuite, you will be able to schedule when to meet your customers depending on their availability
Google alerts: google has been merged into social media networks and its results are remarkable. The google alerts is a social media resource mainly for content. Through this resource, a business can send alerts automatically to its social media users on any new content available on its website. It is also beneficial for businesses because it helps them in monitoring the number of clicks, posts, shares, comments or likes they receive on the updated content

By using these 3 free social media resources, your business performance on social media will improve.

Mar 25

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Quit Ignoring Mobile Marketing

By matt Uncategorized No Comments

Quit ignoring mobile marketing!! I literally want to scream this every day. No matter what business you are in, if you aren’t taking advantage of mobile marketing you are missing out! Let’s talk about mobile marketing and why you can’t ignore it anymore.

There is no doubt that the use of technology is increasing every day. This, among other reasons, is making it difficult for any business to ignore mobile marketing. Therefore for the purposes of improving the performance of your business, you need to consider developing a mobile website.

There are several reasons as to why mobile marketing can no longer be ignored. Some of these include:

More mobile users: the number of people using mobile devices to surf the internet is increasing rapidly. As a business marketing strategy, you should develop a mobile website so as to make it easier for your customers to access information on their mobiles.
Reduced surfing cost: surfing on a mobile website is cost effective when compared with accessing the internet on other devices. As a result of this, mobile strategy is important because more people are using mobiles to access websites of different businesses
Development of mobile apps: new mobile applications are being developed everyday which make navigating through mobile websites easier and interesting. This means that more people are expected to continue using mobiles to access the internet. The apps enable mobile website content to be optimized and make it easier for users to navigate through the sites and access the information they need

Therefore if you have a business or planning to start one, mobile strategy should be one of the most important considerations. Businesses are nowadays competing for customers and leads through the internet. For your business to be competitive enough, a good mobile website is necessary.

For your free mobile website builder to be a part of the mobile revolution call us now! Or click here and visit our mobile division and get your website mobile in less than 15 minutes.

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