Smile & Say, “Cheesy!”

Susie: Nicole, can you come read this blog and tell me if it’s too snippy?
Nicole: Sure ..…………. yeah, it’s a little snippy. Especially since you don’t even know how to hold a camera.
Susie: I know how to hold a camera. The button’s on top, the round glass thing’s in front and you point it at what you wanna take a picture of.
Nicole: Very impressive. You must be taking lessons. Honestly, maybe you should take out the part about Associates not brushing their teeth.
Susie: You make it sound way worse than it really is. Completely out of context. I’m gonna leave all of it and see what happens. If I get a bunch of negative comments, I’ll know I went too far. Here goes…

If it’s possible to have an intelligent discussion about stupid photos, that’s what I want. I don’t understand the concept behind getting a listing of a beautiful house and then submitting a yucky photo to advertise it.

I won’t name names or even tell you whether I talked to an Associate or an Assistant, but the other day someone asked for premium placement of an ad in the EWM Mailer. I said no problem…and there wouldn’t have been except what they submitted for print was a fuzzy, extremely small, low-res photo taken on a gloomy day. Not very attractive. Also not worthy of a premium position anywhere. When I called the Associate/Assistant, they said they’d send me a better photo. I suggested they use EWM’s Photo Manager to upload the better photo so everyone — the Muses and the public — would see it. Here’s the part that slays me. The Associate/Assistant said there was no need to do that because the Mailer was the only publication they were advertising in that would be using a photo of the property. Since their original intent was to run the junky photo, that means they were willing to squander the one and only chance they had to present the house in a display ad. Like I said, I don’t understand.

If you were running to the store for a loaf of bread and thought there was even the slightest chance of bumping into a client, I bet you’d get yourself presentable. You know – comb your hair and brush your teeth. Same goes for your listings. Move cars out of the driveway, get help figuring out how to adjust your camera to a larger format and higher resolution setting, get rid of the date and time stamp in the lower right corner of the photo, be mindful of what time of day is most flattering to the house. Even the most basic changes in your technique can translate into vast improvements in your photos.

Besides, every ad you place for a listing you already have is also an ad for you personally. Well written copy and a good photo may bring calls from new sellers-to-be looking for a great Associate like you. Sloppy copy and crummy photos are just one big turn off.

Does anyone have a ladder? I need to get off my soapbox now.