Mike Collier Directly addresses camera:   You've heard it a million times Ñ if you're not creating video content, you're missing out on a huge opportunity to reach buyers and sellers and fast track your relationships. But, holding a camera up and talking to it can be kind of difficult.
     I'm Mike Collier, a Realtor with The Ambassador Team at eXp Realty here in Orlando. Let's take five minutes to talk about how to get started in video.
    My first video was filmed at a real estate convention. I met a Realtor who convinced me be her guest on a Facebook Live video. She turned the camera on and we were rolling. She had me introduce myself and we talked about what we were learning at that convention. Of course, I stuttered a little bit, but within a minute I was having fun.  Someone even watching the video commented in real time and said they had a friend who was moving to Orlando. And, Boom! Just like that, I had a new lead. 
    The truth is, you don't need fancy equipment to get started in video. A smartphone and a ring light with a tripod stand, which you can get on Amazon for about 35 bucks, will produce quality videos. If you want to walk and shoot your video, say to tour a house or show off a community, consider a selfie stick, or even a gimbal. You can hold it and film yourself talking, then turn it around and show the house or that community. Another great product that I love, is BombBomb for video emails. The program allows you to shoot a short video and send it to your database or directly to individuals.
    Now that you've have your equipment, the next challenge is figuring out what to videotape. Sure, you can do a house tour, but why not do something a little more personal?
    A great first video would be one of telling your friends and family how you chose to get into real estate. Since you're shooting a video for people you already know, you can let your personality shine through. Maybe even create a Facebook group of only your friends and family and post videos to that page to test out your new videos.
    Another idea for a good first video would be to walk through a new construction model and point out all the features that impress you, specifically in the kitchen, then post it to your Facebook business page.
     Rather than wish someone a happy birthday by posting a message on their Facebook timeline, how about you do a video saying happy birthday and send it to them via BombBomb. 
    Or, congratulate someone on their new home once they've closed. I like to send buyers a pre-showing video where I explain what we're going to expect that day. I remind them to dress comfortably and let them know I will have snacks and water for them. It's a nice personal way to relay information.
     Make a video about the current market. What price ranges are selling quickly? Or, what neighborhoods are the most popular right now? Maybe even what new retail stores and restaurants are coming to town. People love to know what's going on in the community, so you could highlight festivals, concerts, sporting events and other cool things going on. Consider doing this type of video once a week on a Thursday so you can let people know what fun events are happening in town that weekend. 
     The opportunities are endless. And how you distribute them can be as well. So, stick to what you know. If you're on Instagram, then do videos for IGTV. If you're on Facebook, post videos to your business and personal pages. Sending a more personal video? Consider BombBomb. You don't need a YouTube channel to reap all of the benefits of video. You just need to get started—and get started,  today!