If the mission is to sell real estate, then the currency is the listing presentation, explains Dick Karlsson of DIAKRIT. And it’s an arena where Australian agents often fail to impress.
Mr Karlsson will be covering this topic and more as he offers his specialist insight at Digital Live 2018.
Vice President of an international company renowned as an authority in creating engaging online listings, Mr Karlsson notes that many Australian agents should be looking to improve, personalise and ensure consistency in the presentations they create.
Online listings are largely the first interaction buyers and vendors have with an agency, and they are a critical element of any agent’s digital footprint, he explains.
Too often they feature average photography and an absence of elements that allow a buyer to engage with the biggest purchase of their lives.
Mr Karlsson says best practice involves offering potential buyers the chance to emotionally connect with a property, explore it and even virtually alter it to their liking as part of the sales process. If they do, agents are more likely to attract qualified leads, are better catering to their customer and also improving their overall brand.
Mr Karlsson’s company, DIAKRIT, specialises in listing presentations that feature interactive elements like floorplans, professional photography, virtual walk-throughs, virtual furnishings and virtual renovations.
He says the service allows prospective purchasers the opportunity to immerse and envisage themselves within an environment before, during and after an actual inspection of the property.
DIAKRIT first entered the Australian market in 2016 and has over 2,000 customers worldwide, including some of the biggest names in the Australian real estate playing field.
But Mr Karlsson notes that more agents should be looking to ensure their listing presentations are up to par.
He says that, long before a purchaser physically walks into a property, they engage with it online. Creating a meaningful interaction with that property starts an emotional connection that accelerates the buying process.
“We are all about creating an emotional investment.”
This interaction extends from the initial online listing right through to engagement at open homes, where potential buyers can use iPads or tablets to virtually alter the property. The upshot is that an improved listing experience will offer potential buyers the convenience of exploring a property beyond the short time constraints of open homes.
Meanwhile, Mr Karlsson notes, a beautifully presented property listing helps to hone and promote an agency’s brand.
“The property listing is the first call to action,” he states. “As a potential vendor I’m going to look at listings. If one listing looks amazing but one looks poor, which will representative will I choose as my vendor?”
Mr Karlsson will be among a skilled line-up of presenters offering their expertise at Digital Live 2018. He will feature as a speaker at the Sydney and Brisbane events and will then work with agents to improve their digital footprint over a six-month period.
It’s the first time DIAKRIT has been involved, and Mr Karlsson says he is excited to be a part of the event.
Created by REA Group’s Steve Carroll, Digital Live 2018 is a comprehensive six-month program where 100 agents are given the skills, mentoring, feedback and tools to stand out in the crowded digital arena.
It includes live events in Sydney and Brisbane, followed by a six-month training program.
