I can't stand the cheesy looking photos that agents put on their cards and marketing stuff. I'm having a hard time making myself use a photo but I don't want to do something that hurts my marketing. Do you established agents think it is really necessary to put your photo on everything.

I know the theory is that you get your face known through your advertising but it seems to me that if every agent is doing it then how does it set me apart? I can see why it was a good idea years ago when the first agents started doing it but now it just seems like I'm another face on a card.

Instead of marketing my face/image, how about using a logo in that area that markets something else, like an idea. How about a for sale sign with a sold sticker across it. You would be marketing the idea that I get you the results you want, not marketing my smiling mug. You could have some catch phrase with it that stresses that you get people results.

Everything that I am reading about marketing says that you have to create an emotional response in your target market to get them to call you. I don't see how my face on a marketing piece would create an emotional response making someone want to call me about my service. But a logo and catch phrase that stress that I can fulfill a need that they have seems alot better.

This is the direction that I am thinking right now but I would love to hear some ideas from successful agents.

Thanks in advance,
Will Rose

Do you look hawt?

Thank you for your most insightfull reply. That was just the response I was looking for.

I don't think it really makes that much difference. All these glamour shots can't make a difference in their production.

I do have my photo on my card, but it isn't a cheesy glamour shot. The trend here is to have an extreme close up of the Agents face that is so large it takes up 75% of the front of the card. Not pretty.

I have been thinking along the same lines actually. Here is a link to an article that makes the case for not using a picture...

http://www.fredlight.com/pages/articles/nophoto.html

Don't shoot the messenger, haven't you heard that sex sells? If you look good, work it. Work everything you got: brains, personality, track-record of success, tender-heart, whatever. Use it all.

We had a good discussion a while back. Check it out:

http://www.agentsonline.net/forum/ultimatebb.php/topic/9/351.html

PS: I had a website that didnt have my picture on it. This time around, I have one.

Getting face to face with people and being caring and geniune in trying to help them.

People can spot new and old agents alike that are desperate or just after the commission.As soon as the ptoential buyer or seller feel that wat towards you they will put up a wall and you are then dead in the water.

Focus on helping people first and the deals and money will follow.

If you want to be at the top of your field don't follow the "herd mentality" be different in a good way.What are you doing that knowone else does?When you have that you create a commodity and are percieved as valuable by prospective clients.

I would put a performance guarantee on your card.With parts of florida being down i would require a year listing or i would require the homeowner to pay for advertising and have it reimbursed off of your commission when it sells.

This will keep from sellers draining you dry for thousands of dollars in advertising costs on an overprice listing in a down market.

good luck

Commercial agents do not suffer from the need to have our faces on our business cards. How many Doctors, Lawyers, Accountants or other professionals have pictures on their business cards. We deal with business professionals and is reflected in our cards.

I love residential agents who use old photos on their cards and other advertising? When you meet them in person for the first time you are thinking who is this person?

Oh Paul that happened to me today!

I met an agent out at a property who I had never met in real life before. I have talked to him on the phone many times, and he's shown my listings, so I've seen his photo on his cards. In his pictures he has a thick head of brown hair and looks around 30 and is wearing a leather jacket and looks kind of cool. I half expected him to come roaring up on a motorcycle.

So I'm waiting at the property today and up pulls this big white Mercury Grand Marquis (not the car I was expecting). This old man with a potbelly and white hair with a bald spot gets out and starts pacing and looking upset. I stayed in my car figuring he was another agent there to see the property too. Finally after about 5 minutes I got out, he introduced himself as Greg.

The same Greg I was there to meet.

I was floored.

That picture has to be 20 years old. He uses it on all of his marketing, and it's not like he just happens to have old signs and cards sitting around. He changed companies recently and is still using the same card.

I hate that! There are many females here that use pictures of them when they were like 20 years old. Now they're around 55 years old! It is so deceiving.

I use a photo on my business cards and everywhere else (even on craigslist listings). I've had a good response to it, but it's not your usual headshot - it's a headshot of me and one of my horses and it's my "logo".

There've even been people who've said they picked me initially out of the pack because of that photo. But I specialize in horse properties, so it was a deliberate marketing move on my part. (I have almost an entire box of the standard business cards with professional headshot photo left over from when my broker bought them for me when I started with them, because I just don't use those that much.)

I update mine once a year. I was out giving things around my farm area, and one lady said she recognized me from tthe postcards I send out each month. She said she was not selling soon, but will recommend me to anyone she knows who needs an agent. It does help.

For me, the hair style gives it away....I think its hilarious when I see a photo that is obviously from the 80s...big hair and all...NO ONE has that style today unless they are in a time warp! In my area, most of the women who have been in the business for years have a photo that is 20 years old...the men seem to have updated more..

The lesson? Men look distinguished as they age, women just look old - hence the 20-year old photo.

i think having a photo on your business cards is important though. if you dont have a face to go with your voice, then nobody will remember you. sex sells too. so if you are a hot female, then by all means, put your picture on your cards. you would be a fool not to.

So then how do people remember their Doctors, Attorneys, Accountants and other professional service providers? I have always been curious where this practice first began with Real Estate agents. The sexy female Realtor is not really going to be a big selling point to a married mans wife. I also believe that any seller or buyer that chooses an agent based on their physical appearance is definately not the smartest of consumers!

I think there are a ton of not so smart consumers out there. :-)

To me, the whole photo thing IS unprofessional. I'm a former academic, and was considered a professional. As such I had business cards. No one EVER expected a photograph to be on the card! In fact it would have seemed damned strange if I had had one. People remembered me for my WORK, not a picture on a card. The picture thing is just silly. Particularly when people are running around with 25 year-old photos. I think it only serves to bolster the conception by the public that agents aren't truly professional. By going picture crazy we have reduced our worth to the lowest common denominator - our looks.

Call me crazy, but I'm bucking the trend on this one - who knows, maybe some people will choose me because I didn't plaster my picture all over everything.

I haven't started in this yet but I'm in direct sales currently and I build websites and while my biz cards don't have my picture - my website most certainly does. People want to put a name to a face and see who they are working with - to them you aren't just a professional but the lady/guy who they need to like enough to sell their house.

Real estate agents' business consists of one entity - the agent - you must sell yourself and one of the easiest ways to do that on top of your other efforts is a pic on your card. It's certainly not the only thing that will bring you customers - but it should definitely help by being one of your advertising methods. And lets say it brings you even one or two clients who remember your face - then great - you just made thousands of dollars because of it!

just my 2 cents

Rae

I am talking about a whole different kind of profession though. Real Estate agents have to market out to consumers much more than doctors do. How often do doctors go door-knocking? If you notice the majority of attorney commercials on tv, they have their faces on there. Any profession that you must attract attention to the consumers usually has a visual aspect to it.

Politicians market their smiling faces all the time and it seems to work well for them. Even the ugly ones.

lol!

My husband and I were doing an open house about a month ago and had a woman stop by to take a look at the home. She said she and her husband drove by our listing the week before and saw our sign with our custom sign rider. The rider has our picture, phone number, and website. She said she liked us because we looked "nice". She also said that after seeing me in person she liked the fact that I didn't wear bright red lipstick with a low cut shirt showing cleavage and huge hair like many female agents! OK............Now, has that gotten us any real business? Well she didn't buy the house, but did give me her info. It sure can't hurt if people think you look "nice" and approachable, right? Get the best business card with a great updated picture and your logo. This is your image and your brand. Put it on EVERYTHING.

In sales, prospects buy the salesperson first. Buying and selling has an emotional aspect to it and people need to feel really comfortable with you. If you have a professional picture that looks like you, and a positive attitude to match, good things can happen.

Real estate sales IS about personal branding and marketing. WE are the brand, and it's not who you know, but who knows you. So get your name & picture out there enough and people will feel like they know you before they ever meet you. And that's a good thing. If they like you and trust you, and you seem to know what you're doing, more good things can happen.

I was talking strictly business cards. Have no problem putting a face to the other advertising media.

What I think is hot may be ugly to you. People judge you by your looks. It is human nature. I recommend not using a picture. I have avoided certain car dealerships just because I think the owner looks like a shyster in his marketing. Let your personality speak for you, not your looks. Now, that said, if your personality sucks and all you think you have going for you is looks, then use a pic....lol. I think the saying goes "six in one hand, half dozen in the other". I must add that I think the eighties photos are a huge laugh too!!

Hey Guys, hopefully we can be the answer to your question.

My Wife and I were getting bored of the same old realtor cards and have been working on getting agents an updated look.

If you are in Southern California, take a moment and check out our website.

www.artofhello.com

A&M

nice, but way too expensive.

It depends on the way that you want to build your business, the problem when you use your photo is then the business is built around you, where as if you build it around a brand, such as a domain name or a team name then your business is more saleable when you go to retire. I have built mine around www.IncomeHomes.com and noone nos me personally in my market but they do no my brand.

thanks for the compliment. i would love your opinion or any one else's opinion on what you think a fair price wwould be?

please do remember that we are a mobile service, we come out to you. therefore the convenience factor is something to consider.

also, our designs are fresh, a step away from the normal company template cards.

all feedback will be greatly appreciated.

I think it's highly important to market yourself at all times. Having a photo is essential. People might see you in the supermarket each week and know your face. They could come across your card and not be able to put your name with your face if you don't have a pic on your card. We, as humans are good with faces more than we are good with names. We are in a business where you are trying to be "top of mind". People need a face to remember.

People don't remember you for your photo.

They remember you for:

1. Taking genuine interest in their professionals lives (and personal lives, to an extent).

2. Provide helpful valuable information to them and their business. (competitive info, local applicable news, housing trendsetc.)

3. Inviting them to be a resource and share their knowledge (eg: as a guest speaker, invited expert, event moderator, conference call host)

4. Providing them with an experience with yourself and your own professional competencies.

Givers gain. Get some priority.

Seek ways to give to others, freely.

Givers gain.

So using your logic people would not be able to remember their Dr's, Attorneys, CPA's, Teachers, or other professionals since they do not put their pictures on their business cards. How is it the commercial agents do not put their pictures on their cards but have no problems with people remembering who they are?

the photo's on the cards serve two people;
when you are showing the home You are authorized to be let it, when you are prospecting at the door you are who you say you are.

I avoided photo cards for years as vain and self promoting but saw the (police) light when they called to verify who I was.

Realtor business cards with photos are very vain and in bad taste. I've asked many people and most agree with me, so I would never put my face on it.

Who wants to look at ugly???

haha

Okay test we all put our cards same with picture of ourselves on it and ask the potential client to "Pick" out the most valuable one.

The problem is they are all the same with someones picture they don't know.A few will know you but the masses won't.It's like Craig Proctor said when he first started out everyone knew him but wasn't using him in town because he didn't give them a "unique buying" or a "unique selling" proposition to do so.

Amuch more effective card would be to have bullet points ont he card.

.Beat out other buyers to hot new listings at
www.newlistings.com
.Love it or leave it Guarantee-House Buying Guarantee www.rightchoice.com

These are just examples but the point is contrary to popular belief people(potential clients) get bombarded with crap image business cards all week long every month of the year.

The cards that give them a "benefit" instead of a crappy pic of yourself will make them want ot call you because they see the value in what you can give them or do for them.


Most don't care what i look like.They care that i shut up and listen to them and then ask the right questions at the right time.It's not about what i want to tell them it's about being quiet and listening to what questions they feel are important or want to know more about.

Unless you are a big company and have really deep pockets to brand yourself you are wasting your time with image advertising.You will get way more exposure with community activites and charity events.

Are there any other professions that use photos on business cards?

I was reading through and found this one interesting. In our area I have seen a few agents that have a vinyl wrap that covers there whole SUV with there picture on it and other info. When you are in rush hour traffic does anyone actually think EWWW EWW thats who I want to sell my house. It shows stuck on themselves or desperation. And I can just see the phone ringing with you cut me off, you didnt use your turn signal! I think there are better ways to get your name recognized. I laugh at some agents photos on there cards. Some just have sheister looks.

I think about a quarter or so of the people at my office has their photo on their business cards. I didn't get my photo on them because you are allowed about 1000 free business cards a year from the company and you have to pay more for the cards.

On the brokerage's website is another story. Yu have to have your photo on it. I don't have one up yet because I'm new and don't have a good picture to put up. There is are about 4 or other people that don't have them up yet, but one of them is new as well and the other is coming over from another company so I wouldn't except them to have it up. You also need to put your photo at the bottom of each page with the Toolkit CMA for listing presentations.

I have a photo on my business card and website but don't have one on any of my print advertising or billboards--just my personal preference and to each their own.

I don't have my photo on my card, but I do put my photo in my emails when i answer them. I think I'm a pretty friendly looking person and people like to put a face to a person. It isn't a glamour shot and looks pretty non threatening to me. I also put my photo at the bottom of my farming letters. Like another person said, sometimes people recognize me.

What is it they call it with actors? The "Q" factor, I think? The fact is, when an actor or actress comes out on a stage or appears on screen, the audience either connects with them or doesn't. I think it's the same in sales. The way you look is important. Either the customer connects with you or doesn't.

car salesmen

We ask people to let us into their homes every day. Having our picture on our card is one way of us identifying ourselves to these people.

Somewhere else on this board was posted a situation where someone used a real estate agents card (which clearly did not have a picture on it) to impersonate that agent and get access to their home.

The only real reason I would put my picture on a card is so that I can give the homeowners something that links the name to the face. I realize a business card is no form of ID. But someone trying to surreptitiously use a made up card to get in is not likely to give them one with a picture on it... since they could then give a picture of the imposter to the police.

I've had both flavors of cards over the years. Frankly, I have never noticed a difference in either direction. I think too many people seem to believe the picture/no picture decision is worth WAY too much time.


R

Insurance agents.

Mortgage brokers.

LOL -- That's pretty funny. I've never thought about mortgage brokers. I've never used a photo, but maybe I should.

: )

I've seen several mortgage brokers in my area with pics on their cards. some of them shouldn't use their pictures, but all of them should have the picture professionally taken. I mean, if your picture basically looks like a mug shot, would anyone trust you? LOL

I think the biggest mistake people make with photos is in not having a skilled professional photographer (meaning, Walmart photographers are OUT)take their picture for them. I generally do not like photos done by other "franchises" like Olan Mills or J.C. Penney, etc. either...they have that "scool picture" quality (or lack thereof) about them.

Get a professional photographer to take your picture - it will look so much better!

that's my two cents...

Imagine you're swimming in the ocean, surrounded by seahorses...

I agree completely. And I've often wondered the same thing about pictures of listed properties. Why don’t agents use professional photographers to take those? Not doing it themselves, or using the “$50 special” people, but a real photographer. I know a real photographer can be expensive, but here in the OC, where condos start at half a million, it seems like a small price to pay. Oh, well.

I like it!

ROFLMAO!

I am a new agent and I was wondering the same thing. Some agents do not have their photos on their cards but seem to do just as much as an agent with a photo. I worry about putting my photo on my business card because I don't want people to dismiss if I look to young (inexperienced). So this posting is actually pretty good.

Oh, My God! He is so HOT! I would have to buy something from him for sure.

Who started the whole photo on a business card?
Real estate agents?
I think it's weird.

Marketing and selling my services is my focus.
My card has a professionally taken photo, with no feather boa, or lingerie, or gaudy accessories.
I don't care what doctors, attorneys, mortgage lenders, or plumbers do. I DO see other very successful agents who are worth emulating putting their photos on cards.
I care that my approach enhances my marketing, and I think it does.
People know me when they see me. That's one goal.

When someone calls me by name before I introduce myself, that is a great start, IMO.

And after I meet someone, they may remember my face better than my name. If the photo helps, that's great too.
As long as they call or email me....

Welcome to the real estate forum.

I found this in one of my late night readings:

http://www.hobbsherder.com/newsletter/enews-0210/gregs-tip.asp

I cant say it better:
Great photos are designed to enhance the story that the text in your marketing piece is telling the reader.

*choke*

And I thought the photographers in my area were expensive! For Pete's sake, you can get a wedding photographed for $1500 around here. (and well done, too!!)

I would say it's definitely less than $500 to get some good photos taken by a professional, and if you're doing "action" photos anyway, you could probably get away with a very good amateur taking shots of you in a canoe on the water, standing by the ski slope with skis and pole, etc. Sheesh - I dunno. I guess it's the area in which I live. I can't imagine spending that much money on business photos! But hey...maybe I should go back to pursuing photography! When I worked for a professional photographer, we had several business sessions a month - imagine if they were each $1000! LOL

Got my picture take at sears yesterday. Half a dozen pose put in CD for $100. Came out real nice. I can do touch up in photoshop too! Can't beat that.

You too can can make sweet moolah with Uncle Rico.