So I get a solicitation from a sign posting company. I usually don't respond but It did sound compeling as it could potentially save two trips to a listing. I won't mention the name as I don't want to promote anyone on here.

So here is the deal, for 149.00 this company (the next day after you fax in the order) will:
Post your arm sign
Post your company sign and riders on the arm sign
Take all your digital photos of the home (in and out, min 20)
Do a real virtual tour and host it (not the moving still photo kind either)
Install a flyer box (rectangle one not the cheesy round hole)
Do your flyer in color (insert the first 20 for you)
Laminate a color flyer and attach to arm sign (in the event flyers run out or get wet I suppose)
Email you the agent, the 20 photos
Email you the Link to the tour (which by their example has all your contact and company info on it too)
Email you the PDF of your personal flyer so you can print them.
For an extra 49.00 they will do a low level aerial (it actually looks like it was from a plane, very interesting to say the least)

All of this while they are onsite, you don't have to be there. If the house is occupied they will call the owners for an appointment or if vacant they have a MLS key.

I could see where this would really come in handy cause I don't usually do Virtual tours and if I am at a listing at night I don't have to come back to take the photos, then come back again to drop them off in the box. Plus I think the owners would think that is highly professional to have a service do all of this and help justify a more than discount commission. I basically just get the listing put a lock box on and wait for my photos / flyer / vtour and aerial to hit my inbox before dinner time.

I am actually tempted to just try it..... I won't give out the name as I don't want this flaged as spam. I just thought it was interesting companies are getting very creative in this competitive business.

Sounds interesting, but way too expensive for just that.

My sign install company costs us $14.
My virtual tour company costs us $50.
My company gives us 50 free color flyers too.

I guess those are the perks of working for a large brokerage.

Wow! sounds like a deal and a half to me. I pay $110 (Canadian) for photos and a virtual tour alone. .39 per copy for laser copies.
Add it all up and I'm way over what you're paying and that doesn't include the hours it takes to put all of it together and travel time.
I say give it a try.

Cliff

That can't be a panoramic virtual tour for that price.

well see that is what I thought. If I am paying someone 75.00 to do the Vtour and they are in the home already, why not have them do all the stills too. This would save me two trips back to the home if let's say I sign the listing at night. One to come back and take photos. Two to drop off the flyers. They say the'll do it all on site and email me the Vtour link, 20 digital 8megapixel photos (already compressed to MLS guidline size for me), make my color flyer and put 20 in the box they just put on the sign... I litterally wouldn't have to go back to the listing until they needed more flyers. Heck I could just do black and white from then on out if I wanted to. I think it is reasonable. I don't know about the elevated photo, I suppose it's good for land or a home with a huge yard. I don't know maybe a shot of a home showing the whole subdivision and it's proximity to other homes may not be a bad idea too.

I personally like the panoramic vs the cheesy moving still's with music...

Geez, Len, wtf? I'm w/Prudential too and we can print unlimited free glossy color fliers, 50 Just Listed postcards, 50 Open House postcards, 50 Just Sold cards (all free postage), free sign posting and if the sign co. has riders in stock - free riders, a free website and free "Talking Tour." I suppliment with VisualTour for $25/mo plus set up.

Artiste, i'm assuming your freebies are from your Broker, so you can't compare apples to oranges.

Every office will be different.

Well that just doesn't seem fair to me.

I would say it's worth a try as long as you're not required to enter some sort of long-term agreement and $149.99 is the regular price. I hate being baited :p

Also, ask them for names of some agents who are using their service and cross-check with the agents.

Well that's great, now figure in what your broker is taking out of your commissions. I suspect you are on a split % up to 100% after oh let's see 18,000. Of course your broker is paying for that stuff, the funny part is you are paying 25.00 a month on top. I think if you figure what you are REALLY paying for these things to Prudential you will find it is about 4-5X as much as 149.00. If you work for a company that either charges a monthly low desk fee (250.00 or a transaction fee 250.00) in which you get 100% of the commissions on each commission, then it seems attractive and a time saver to have these things done for you.

What would really be handy is if a company like this also did a couple more things like steam clean carpets, do handiman fix it things & house cleaning.... These are the things almost every seller needs prior to listing.

My split is way much better than what you guessed, northwestagent. Of course it's more than a 100% + desk or transaction fees, but I see those type splits at the little podunk agencies that only have 1/10th the tools & training that Pru has for their agents.