I just found this video of Pia Silver, the author of Badass Your Brand, and she said:
"Gorgeous photos present you as a thought leader. You could be the most badass thought leader in your industry, [but] if you don't look it, if you don't present like it, no one's going to listen to you. ...If you want to be a thought leader in your industry, you're going to want to invest in your brand. And that means investing in photos, videos, social media and your writing."
In this context, Pia is referring to portraits, which are also important. However, in the world of real estate agents and real estate marketing, the photos used in marketing the property are equivalent to headshots and social media images. They are what attract buyers to homes and sellers to agents. Those photos can make - or break - entire careers.
So yes, "gorgeous photos present you as a thought leader," whether they are photos of you, or the real estate photography images you've uploaded to the local MLS or online real estate portal.
Of course the quality of the images created by the photographer makes a difference as well. As Pia states:
"A great photographer asks the right questions."
Again, that statement can be applied to marketing real estate as well. When you work with a photographer you want to make sure they communicate with you by asking about the focus of your marketing campaign, your ideas about the "hero shot," and your plans for marketing the property.
Your photographer is an integral part of your marketing team, so it's important for you to be able to trust them. Just as importantly, they need to be in tune with you about the marketing of each home you have listed.
Do you need a real estate photographer who is an expert at what they do, to help you become established as a thought leader?
If so, take a look at Charm City Virtual Tours. Whenever you're ready, give us a call at 410-707-3306 - we'd love to talk with you about how we can take your brand and reputation to the next level!