How Visual Storytelling benefits real estate marketing. The vision of Matthew Rollins and Scott Haws.

A new type of real estate marketing based on visual storytelling, is helping the economic development of the real estate since a few months ago. Based on more experienced communication, this type of storytelling gives home buyers the opportunity to experience life in a resort without having to get on a plane, simplifying, in some cases even, contract closures. It is a technique aimed at influencing the perception of the buyer, ideal in a social and economic framework such as the current one, where the movement between countries, area or autonomous communities is not feasible.

Its architects

Let's raise an image in our minds: Imagine a video in which Michael Jordan is our host, and prepares us to start an irresistible and emotional journey as he glides down a basketball court with a backdrop topped by bellowing fans. 

At that moment we see on camera, our favorite sports journalist who shows us the door of a luxury house, with the number 23 at the entrance. That number 23, of course, matches the number that Michael Jordan immortalized in the NBA. The relationship is almost direct: It's Jordan's house, the house I'd like to visit and would like to live in. When the doors of the house open, it breaks the sound of a shocking soundtrack typical of Hollywood's finest productions.

Not bad, the story we just asked you is not bad, is it? But that's what it's all about, a story, a real story. Actually, we're talking about a video designed and produced by a new Utah-based real estate marketing school,  Narr8 Media, whose co-founders are creative director Matthew Rollins and CEO Scott Haws, former NBC reporter and host.

Rollins and Haws, both television veterans, worked together in Salt Lake City before launching Narr8 Media in 2013 and opted to produce marketing designed to connect real estate companies with luxury real estate buyers, offering a unique emotional experience, based on narrative videos. 

Since then, these two partners have been dedicated to the creation of videos for the sale of luxury real estate, transforming marketing in the current real estate sector, and helping various teams to close transactions and exceed annual sales in an uns favorable year, as was 2020.

What do we talk about when we talk about storytelling?

Storytelling is actually a display of ancient art and a valuable form of human expression. However, because history is essential for many art forms, the word "narrative" is often used in many ways. In reality, the narrative has always been present among us, starting with oral traditions, through music and literature, until we reach the film or video game industry. 

Storytelling is the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while stimulating the listener's imagination. In this way, we could summarize that storytelling  is nothing but storytelling.

We are currently in a technological age where the ascendant use of screens is inversely proportional to that of our time of dedication to assimilate content. In this way, the visual impact directed at emotions has to be very precise and direct, and this is where the visual narrative takes center stage.

In this way, we can define that visual storytelling or visual narrative is a story told mainly by using visualmeans. The story can be told using photographs, illustrations or videos, and can be improved with graphics, music and voice.

The Essence of Visual Storytelling in the Real Estate

The advantages of visual storytelling in real estate, present benefits for all parties involved. If we side with the buyer, videos help customers establish an emotional connection and sometimes wish to acquire a property before visiting it in person.

If we address the point of view of the owner side, visual storytelling allows you to dignify the property and enhance its main aspects brought to a more desyability context. An aspect that, until now, was not tangible.

And if we side with the seller, this visual narrative interestingly simplifies the purchase decision, shortening sales times and optimizing, in many cases, the expenses derived. In addition, it allows you to continue to perform your business function and connect with others, at a time when interactions have become a little more complicated.

The secret of Narr8 Media

Rollins and Haws have created videos, lasting between three and four minutes, at a cost of between $5,000 and $15,000, with their main celebrity customers from various sectors, and luxury real estate. Demand for this service was so high that Haws and Rollins then devised a product called "Roof Rush", a cheaper 30-second promotional video option that includes property and life style images, with a narrative comparable to that of short films. This option costs $399 that includes the design of a custom ad campaign and a marketing report. Thanks to this product, the company has exposed its profits in more than a thousand percent over the last twelve months.

Until relatively recently, one entered an office and an agent selected and showed you a series of properties according to your needs and desires. Today, shoppers watch ads that look like mini movies from the couch in their homes. Looking at what and how it's being done in other sectors or business areas helps us stay alert and be able to stay at the forefront of development. Visual storytelling is still a technique that demonstrates the importance of putting the user/buyer at the center of everything, as a key to the success of any business. Because, everyone, we all love being told stories, right?