Ben Bacal’s phone rang smack in the middle of our interview for this episode of SamSpeaks!
And you’d think that would be annoying, but you know what? It wasn’t to me. I totally understood why his phone was on and probably would have done the same thing, because the guy never stops working. He says he’s 24/7 and I believe him because in the real estate business, there are no days off.
That’s how Ben built a reputation and a book of business as a top producing luxury real estate agent (I was just at his $16M listing and it’s pretty badass), Ben is also now an app developer and is launching that as a business. He saw a need, filled it and is now marketing it.
That need is about video.
“I have been spending hundreds of thousands of dollars shooting videos,” Ben told me in this interview. “But I found out that the fancy drone videos get just as much engagement as videos from my iPhone.”
So he built an app called Roofshoot that lets him — and you and me — create engaging, dynamic videos right from his phone. And being that I personally spend thousands on my professional videos, I was all ears to hear about what he’s got going on.
Video has been a huge part of how Ben has established himself in his market. That and the fact that he delivers. And as he says, one transaction begets another. It’s all about building up a track record and creating a brand around yourself as an expert in your market.
“The more you’re promoting yourself to show that you’re the ‘mayor’ of this city, the more you get hired again and again. You’re trusted to close the transaction,” he said. But as I always say, make sure to be personal, be real and always be yourself. Nobody likes to be sold and you shouldn’t have to “sell” yourself as to why you’re the best. You should know you are, and simply showcase why you are through your personality and experiences.
And that doesn’t mean just promoting your listings. Ben suggests creating video content every day about pretty much everything you know. Your favorite dog park, for example. Or specific neighborhoods — what makes them special? What’s the benefit of living there and what’s the forecast for the market? It’s all about promoting yourself and creating that recognition. The same principle as beta tester for Rooftshoot and try it out for a whole year. And don’t forget to subscribe to SamSpeaks! so you get the latest tips, tricks and interviews from the series.
Here’s what you’ll find in this episode:
0:52 How did Ben get this $250 million dollar listing and how will he handle it?
3:25 How often do you create video content?
3:45 any science behind times of posting?
4:09 What is Roofshoot and how did it come to be?
6:25 what about luxury client expectations? Don’t they want the drone?
8:51 How can I customize my Roofshoot videos?
10:24 How long should the video be?
13:50 Do you boost on Facebook and what is your goal?