Adding Employees To 360 Virtuals

Hey Guys,

Well I'm not sure if this is going to work or not but thought I would leave it for the experts to see if I'm heading in the right direction.

As many of you know the U.S economy is pretty much in the toilet right now. Two weeks before Christmas my wifes company informed her that they would no longer need her services after the month of May. My wife over her 10 years there, went from starting at the bottom to managing nearly 20 people. When May came around the doors closed and my wife has now grown to like staying at home with our 18 month old daughter.

So here we are now in August and her severance package last till the end of January. She has informed me that I could do so much more business with her selling my services. Do any of you guys have any one other than yourself working with or for you?

Once we added up the potential of what she could sale and with what I could keep up with, it makes pretty good sense really. So while she is still getting paid over the next few months we thought we would give it a try. I'll keep you guys posted with results.

The only form of advertising that I now have is my website. I am ranked third on google with a search of "charlotte virtual tours". Let's face it, would you rather purchase my virtual tour service from my site or from my wife

Thanks for looking and any feedback or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

pixel

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Pixel,

You nailed this one right on the nose yourself... People want to do business with people, not a website and not a corporate entity. If your wife can sell, let her do it.

My best advice is this. You need to make sure your pricing is high enough to pay for an employee. Do the math - If your wife works for you for a year and you grow to depend on her for your business, you need to make sure that you can afford to hire someone to work in her place should things change down the road.

When I started doing tours and floor plans for the real estate industry, I set my pricing too low. The pricing was great for me until I needed to hire help. So just think for the future!

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Will Best
Virtual Impressions Inc.
Real Estate Virtual Tours and Floor Plans

Quote: Originally posted by Vince on August-14-2008

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Also, in the U.S., the "letter box" is officially property of the U.S. Postal Service.

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OK, you have to make allowances for each country, in Australia the home owner owns the letter box on their property. But the method only needs slight adjustment.

Quote: Originally posted by realtor jerry on August-14-2008

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Great advice for the Pixels Smooth. Unfortunately I can't do that being a Realtor.

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You already have the inside running then Jerry!

Quote: Originally posted by realtor jerry on August-15-2008

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At the price of gas today I think a stamp would be cheaper than taking it to the house our business, unless you plan on hand delivering it.

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Whatever method gets the job done. Car, Bike, On Foot, Mail, Kids doing paper rounds, Fire the things into the house on a rocket etc. Without making your services known to "targeted motivated" sellers/customers you will never progress. At least if they are aware of your services and you don't get the job you have tried your best. The trick is to win your fair share and make a dollar.

Regards, Smooth

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Ok, I'm going to give you one of the best/easiest marketing tips for the real estate photo/tour business.  I've been a realtor for over 14 years.  I started my photo/tour business in 2000.  My business was so so for the first couple of years until I came up with this idea.  First, create quality tours with quality images. If you do this you'll be well ahead of other real estate tour providers.  Now here's what you do to let others know about your business and your quality work.

Create an email for the agent introducing thier new listing.  It doesn't have to be super complicated.  I inclued the agent's info, a photo of the home, link to the tour, link to the MLS data page, address and price - at the bottom of the email is my logo, contact info, web address, etc...  You get the picture.  I'm giving the agent a free email advertising the new listing, and in return I get free advertising showing my work.  Most of my agent/clients work of real estate companies that allow them to send out global emails to the entire company, so now you have just been exposed to several hundred agents.  Once I did this, my bussiness increased about 20 to 30 percent each of the next 3 years.

Give it a try.  Hope it helps.

Robert

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Kind of ON/ Off topic

If you are a business operating as a business,  price of gas and vehicle operation is a business Tax write off.   IRS tax write off is about $0.50 a mile on your "Self Employer"  milage income tax.   If you are charging your client for milage to go out to the job site and return... then again writing off the milage on your Self Employement income tax revenue,  you might be charged for an accounting violation called 'double recovery'.  I don't think you can get it " double "

I am not a tax advisor.. but you might check with your accountant.

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/s/
Dave
Forum Moderator for
EasyPano - Panoweaver
Pano2VR


Visit 360texas.com

Hi Robert,

 

Thank you for the marketing tips.  I agree with the quality tours and images.  Great idea with the email, but I am not a Realtor so that won't work for me.   I may try Smooth's idea with the rockets.   That would surely get their attention!

 

We have been working on brocures and pricing.  Hope to have it all completed by weeks end.  Pricing will be ala cart which will allow the customer to customize their virtual tour and allow the customer to choose quality or quantity.  They will have two options.  1-RAW format and 2-JPG format with a minimum of 5 scenes/rooms which will include outdoors as well.  I hope this works!

 

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360virtuals.com

Hi Mrs. Pixel and again welcome to the forum. For what Robert is suggesting you don't have to be a Realtor. All you would need to do is create a brochure type email with all the information/pictures and link to the tour. Send the email to the agent and they in turn have it sent out as a blast to all agents introducing their new listing.

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Nikon D300, D3s, Nikon 10.5 lens, RingT105N+Footplate+MrotatorTCPs, Giottos MT9261 Tripod, Manfrotto 410 Jr geared head.

If you know the "secret" then everyday is a good day!

Exactly Jerry.  My Realor clients love this.  They get to introduce their new listing and I get some free advertising in living color, without having to waste paper printing out flyers and the like.  Those that want to look at the email can take their time viewing the tour, or they can simply delete it.  No wasting paper... :-)

Robert

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Jerry or Robert,

Could you send us an example ?

email is
look (at) 360virtuals.com

Thanks
Pixel

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...or even share with all of us.
Would be great!

Thanks, Martin

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I have never actually made one because I mostly shoot for in house agents. But it would be very simple to just set up an email with images of the listing with some info of the house and a link to the tour. Then all the agent has to do is forward it to his/her contacts.

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Nikon D300, D3s, Nikon 10.5 lens, RingT105N+Footplate+MrotatorTCPs, Giottos MT9261 Tripod, Manfrotto 410 Jr geared head.

If you know the "secret" then everyday is a good day!