So here it is, blurred name and contact but everything else left exactly as is. An original hand drawn info-graphic of bad things happening to bad people. Even the skewed layout is original. Click the image to see every methodical detail that went into this beauty.

And that’s all I’m going to say. What do you say?

I do have focus: Real Estate.

I like the real estate industry and position I am in. Never bored. Everyone is always in a decent mood. Right now websites are flying out the door and people seem to want to push technology to the maximum as a form of proof of (insert your communication here). Hopefully advertising campaigns will come back like lawn bowling once everyone realizes that being the first in technology is … just being the first in technology. Or that they might want to communicate something more.

The real problem I have with the real estate industry is this: Real Estate Agents are viewed as being lower than used car dealers. Real Estate developers are viewed as the reason people are homeless and living on the street. (There is an anti-real estate development poster on the wall of the complex I live in). Talk about friendly neighbours.

This is why when I see work like this flier I cringe. When I tell people I do real estate marketing, do they think I do this?

This person needs more than just listings. She needs more than a new picture photo-copied on canary coloured paper. She needs a plan that doesn’t involve bringing down the entire industry.

I put it up for you to have a laugh. For me? it’s not that funny.

I don’t know why my friends are sending me this stuff. I love all my clients.

How much does it cost is a common question for a design business’s email inbox supplying websites to Realtors. Of course no one minds answering. It’s what we signed up for in this line of work. But there is no easy short answer to the how much question because everyone is different – or are they?

Almost all inquiries about how much a website cost to design and build are coming from people without any branding what-so-ever. It seems a common trait in the real estate niche but for a small few. In any other business there is a plan in place but in real estate the end result is the plan and most web designers working in this real estate niche are creating the visual branding as part of the web-design and including it in their price.

“My web guy designed my logo” is a pretty common thing to hear when a sign guy needs the printable artwork to work with or a printshop is trying to put together the business cards and all they have to work with are crappy web graphics.

So the question how much is a website isn’t the really the question.

This is a week filled with meetings. Meetings with people who are in the business of designing for real estate. Together we will work to discover the true nature of the problem and come up with a unique solution – or two.

Really?

Well that’s just what happened to the Arlington Pediatric Center. Their logo, seen at left, has appeared all over the place and keeps appearing all over the place even though they don’t use it anymore. It’s important to use professional design.

Avoid making this mistake. Professional design for professional people.

Create a fresh new communications strategy that will resonate with your potential clients. Contact me now to find out more.

worst-mls-photo-09-03-30

A new blog layout means a new category which I plan on updating at least every week: Vancouver Realtor Fail. This is the first of many to come. So much material it’s a gimme. MLS write ups, images, websites, slogans. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel. On my own I have enough material to keep me going but please feel free to submit.

The first post, as you can see, is of a standard bathroom. One of the worst I’ve seen in a while. I already can’t stand standard bathroom shots on listings. I know the bathroom condition can help sell a house but not as an image. The bathroom is something that must be viewed live. Everyone knows the house has at least one bathroom and unless it’s very remarkable there is no sense taking a picture of it. No reason at all.

I added the lense flare to this photo to protect the innocent. It is not my intention to ridicule or embaress anyone. It is my intention to think like the public and voice it to any Realtor who will listen.