Houzz: flirting with the pretty faces on the web
At first, it was that flirting glance. It was the longing stares and fluttering of the eyelashes that you give to things that you are lusting after… Maybe you thought it was just a fling, when it was really much much more than that. This is actually a relationship. They pulled you in with fancy photos and the savior fare … things some people just wouldn’t understand, and you thought that you were done at that… but you weren’t. Now they want more. They are ready to offer you more. They want a commitment. They want more more. More. Are you ready for what they are rolling out? This is Houzz.com’s realtor portfolio program. And get excited, because it’s free!
According to Houzz.com Director of Business Development, Katherine Nannizzi, based on a survey of over one hundred thousand Houzz.com users, “[they] learned that about 10% of Houzz home owners, and 50% of Houzz renters are planning to buy in the next two years, and another 10% are planning to build a custom home. Therefore, agents expose themselves to a new potential client base in addition to engaging with their current client base.”
This new program that Houzz.com has just released caught my attention because it is not only free to Realtors but it is also a wonderful way to collaborate with these clients who are looking to become home buyers or build that custom home in the next couple of years. You may recall when it was just becoming an idea to utilize Houzz.com as a tool along with programs and apps such as Pinterest, and that it was just being realized that there was an easier way to collaborate with clients and Realtors.
This way was to create a full system for realtors to be able to maximize collaboration with their clients through their own portfolio program which was not the same thing as the Pro+ monetized program that was released just over a month ago through Houzz. What’s even more exciting about this is if someone has been utilizing Houzz as a private individual and not as a realtor or other type of contractor, they can actually very simply switch their profile over to being a Realtor professional just by editing their profile to become a professional setting. Easy.
Make Your Online Profile Smokin’ Hot
Only a month after rolling out their program for Pro+, Houzz.com realized that Realtors could utilize the system and a whole other way. Only 816 Realtors have signed up for the program in the last three weeks since this program was initialized. Being a tech savvy agent is fantastic and having apps such as Houzz that will allow for collaboration between the Realtor, the client, and the contractors is fabulous beyond words.
Creating the profile has never been more simple. All you have to do is change the status to update the professional page, and invite your clients to look at your portfolio page. The next step to utilizing this amazing tool is to utilize the review system. Similar to the Zillow.com review system, the Trulia.com review system or even House.com’s review system, Houzz will allow for professionals to request a review from current and past clients, but also colleagues, and even other contractors. Building up reviews from will solidify rankings within the Houzz.com Realtor Professional’s search in each hyper-local market.
They know how to talk a good game
With over 20 articles professionally written daily to give service to the clients as a wonderful cool Houzz is able to create a virtual concierge service to luxury client very easily for the Realtor who is utilizing this free tool. Clearly, there was a need for architects and builders to have an avenue to outreach to the consumer and Houzz has very easily transitioned into their approach to work directly with the Realtor through their beautiful aesthetic and ease of use; it was only a natural transition that ultimately they would have this Realtor program available.
The beauty of their program isn’t just maintained through the nearly two million luxury builder and architect photos uploaded, but because the brand has chosen to have the Houzz experience remain beautiful with endemic advertising with is handpicked by their team. Not just anyone can advertise on Houzz.com and not every agent in the free world is using the system either. Just the savvy ones so far who know their market.
Oh, please, take me with you…
The concept is incredibly tote-able. Think about it this way: your client can actually use their mobile device to examine properties in their portfolio through Houzz.com’s virtual library and immediately connect with you, their realtor. This is so powerful. When you used to have to possibly funnel information out of someone, now it is wireless. It is everywhere and it is an amazing way to help the creativity keep on flowing, especially if you are dealing with a client who maybe is lacking in the creativity department.
The whole idea of Houzz was actually started by husband and wife team who was in the process of remodeling their home. They found the process of keeping all of their information consolidated that they wanted to create a more efficient and effective way to convey their details to all of their contractors. They have obviously been able to do that… and then some. Through their second annual survey of over 100,000 people, Houzz was able to find out what homeowners actually want and renovation and design; this means that now you as the realtor can take those things and run with it for your client, the consumer. This ability to create community online and off-line is much more then the aesthetic collection of luxury images, it’s the actual luxury of the concierge service in digital form for the realtor and so many different facets of collaboration.
Imagine what we can do together
This new free tool through Houzz allows you to do many things: create idea books just for you; create idea books that are private to share with your client; be a part of the community and answer questions; be a part of your listing and be a luxury concierge to everyone in the community; understand what the client wants and where the drive is within your market.
Nannizzi shared her thoughts on how this program is going to help Realtors in the branding of their business. “Here are some ways that agents can now use Houzz to build their brands and relationships with clients and prospective clients:
- to understand a client’s desired home style for a search — photos are more effective than words
- to communicate a home’s potential — using Houzz to provide examples of what similar home look like post-renovation
- to showcase their expertise – using personal ideabooks as mini-blogs where they share ideas for smart investments when buying or selling, and really localizing the content
- to continue the relationship post-purchase – i.e. sending over ideabooks they create for specific clients with nursery ideas, or home office ideas
- to engage with their Facebook and Twitter followers by sharing relevant Houzz editorial ideabooks on topics from staging to increasing curb appeal
- to share their network of renovation and design professionals with clients
- to link their Houzz profiles to their websites, blogs, facebook and twitter accounts, and vice versa (you can find buttons/badges to put on your website here)”
The relationship has evolved. Are you going to engage yourself with Houzz’s real estate professional’s free program to win hour clients more opportunities for creativity and connection? I sure have… We are in fact, getting intimate.
