Rob Wiebusch: There’s no question that content ranks high on consumers’ want lists today. A good lifestyle video can capture the essence of a property and increase the interest factor, and free apps like MagicPlan let consumers create interactive floor plans. What we’re starting to see, and want to see more of, are apps that go across all platforms so we can all be on the same page no matter what device we use.
Sherry Chris: Tech tools have to be about simplicity and connectivity, which is what consumers want. And ease of sharing is key—using productivity tools to communicate with consumers the way they want us to, not by email necessarily, but through video and in person—and all of it must be mobile-enabled. We’re moving more and more away from our laptops and desktops. Mobile communication across all platforms is where we need to go.
JB: So a video—even the best lifestyle marketing video—isn’t, in itself, enough. We have to get it in the hands—and on the mobile screens—of more and more prospective buyers.
TS: Right. I did a video on one property that had an equestrian center attached to it, and I sent it to brokers in surrounding counties. What I didn’t know, until another agent told me, was that the video had gone viral in the horse community. As a result, the property sold quickly for just over full price.
RW: What we need to see now is integration and automation, everything handled over the wi-fi network, so we can all operate from anywhere…and programs that take us seamlessly from the digital world to the face to face. We need ways to leverage our digital proficiencies to get us face to face with consumers.
