Seeking Advice re: Infomercial

[Dale Swanson]

Right now, I’m stuck on the Infomercial (in Module 3). Some time ago, I went through the process of writing, posting, and re-writing the Infomercial script (in the old HECP platform), rehearsing and editing it, trying to get it down to 60 seconds, and incorporating the advice to address only one specific audience at at a time (in my cases, Home Buyers vs. Home Sellers, so I created two versions).

But for all the work, and the valuable input, when I took it to our in-house I.T. person towards creating the video, he did his best to tactfully convey that the script felt stiff, stilted, and (for me, worst of all) generic: a very stock Realtor self-promo. He showed me a couple of other Agent self-promos: very professional, very expensive, and also rather typical. He also showed me the humorous Realtor.com commercial spots, with (actress) Elizabeth Banks.

Over the course of a couple extended discussions, the suggestion was made that I utilize my own dry sense of humor, in counterpoint (or compliment) to my typically stoic expression (a la J.K. Simmons, Farmer’s Insurance). I was inspired (within about 45 minutes) to come up with 9 or 10 short-burst (under 30-second) ideas, with a simple structure: 1) me, talking head. I ask a pain-point question. cut to: 2) me, in an illustrative setting. cut back to: 3) me, talking head. Call to action. 4) cut to: logo, contact info.

Example: White background. Talking head. “Seen a property online with an eye-popping low price?” Cut to: Standing near I-10 during a windstorm, wind turbines in the background. Cut back to: White background, talking head. “Call me.” Cut to: Logo, contact).

I’m far more excited about these (although I realize that they are commercials, rather than infomercials). The sticking point (with some, but not all, of these spots) would be securing either locations (and or, in some cases, background extras). However, I very deeply don’t want to generate yet another stock, generic, amateur smartphone Realtor video, with my name and face on it, and launch it into the social media universe.

So, at this moment, I am seeking advice. Thanks in advance.

[n d]

Hi @dale-swanson! I completely understand. You want your work to shine and I respect that. We say 2min is the ABSOLUTE max. That being said, create work you are proud of. With that being said… try not to let this waste too much of your time. It’s very easy to set yourself back about 2 weeks in preparation for a video but at the end of the day, if you just show your personality, people will be interested! The flashy-ness is not always what they want. They want YOU for you. The dry sense of humor is cool but just make sure you’re getting the message across and are friendly and someone that people won’t be afraid to call.

I hope you get this filmed in a timely manner so you can go back to getting those clients 😉 I believe in you!!

 

[Dale Swanson]

Thank you, Negeen. I’m working on it. But I’m very concerned about my public, professional image – and somehow, making myself stand out, in my over-saturated profession, in a positive way.

[n d]

Hi @dale-swanson – I’m not in the real estate business but this program has had many successful realtors (who have made their infomercial) get great clients! You’re really just providing the same message you have from your LI profile… but just in a video! Believe in your message – dress nice, do a short video and your potential clients will see who they have the pleasure of working with. Just need to change your perspective 🙂 come to the mindset call tomorrow and Halle can help you!!

 

[Dale Swanson]

I’m going to do both: I’ll shoot both the Buyer version, and the Seller version, of the 30-second “infomercial” (the scripts for which I posted to the forum, here) with just me and my iPhone; but I’ve also engaged a local production house to shoot (5 initially, out of an eventual 11) very quick, 10-15 second dryly funny spots, with a simple tagline: “Call me.” We shoot over the course of next week (May 16-May 21).

[n d]

Sounds fantastic!!! Just film horizontally if you’re filming on your iphone and watch Halle’s video on shooting in the ‘transformational business strategy’ module

[Dale Swanson]

ARRGGGHH. I’ve spent much of this past weekend trying to do a video, with my iPhone, so that I can at least upload it in HECP, and move on with the modules. Using Videolicious, I finally got one not-awful delivery (after 10 attempts), input some stills (that I wanted to cut to while the audio continues in voice-over, before coming back to me, at the end). The overall video of my delivery comes to 1 min., 10 secs. I even selected some cool jazz, to run in the background. But I can’t figure out how to move the still shots over my video, then cut back to me, more stills, then back to me for the closing (at least, I can’t seem to figure it out on my iPhone in Videolicious – which I found so easy to use a couple of years ago). I’ve sent a help request to Videolicious, and got an auto-response receipt acknowledgement. Is there anybody at HECP I could send these video files to (for some reason, I ended up with 2 of them) in order to cut them together (so that I don’t have a full repeat of the video at the end, making the whole thing run to 3:20)? Thank you in advance.

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