The Spiro Podcast: Managing your Real Estate Photography & Videography Business

Receiving Payments and Minimize Not Getting Paid

There are different ways to receiving payment for your real estate media services from your clients.  We'll explore those various ways in this episode of the Spiro Podcast, along with how to minimize not getting paid by your client.  Listen in for more, and be sure to subscribe!
 
Podcast Outline:
0:00-1:47 Intro
1:48-4:51 How can I receive payments and minimize not getting paid? Make payment simple- people expect to pay via credit card The 3% processing fee is the cost of doing business
4:52-9:31 Invoicing methods Invoicing should be automatic, or else you risk getting behind Spiro makes invoicing easy for you and payment simple for agents Timeline options in Spiro: agents can pay before submitting the order, before the media is delivered, or on a weekly or monthly basis Monthly is good for brokerage deals; many brokerages send a check- no processing fee Offering auto-payment is a great choice- agents don’t have to remember to pay and you guarantee immediate payment
9:32-10:15 Minimize not getting paid by requiring payment before the order is submitted or before media is delivered
10:16-15:41 How do I handle a lack of payment professionally? Don’t feel bad about reaching out Realtors get a lot of emails every day, so it’s not the best way to collect on past due invoices Spiro will eventually send an automatic text once emails have not been replied to Call down the list of past due invoices; most clients will pay If you can’t reach them, go to their broker or manager- an agent is a reflection of their company, and that company wants good relationships with its vendors, including you Final option: Go to a collection company. You will pay the company 25-33% of the invoice, but it may be necessary. If the amount is too small to use a collection company, you can write off the debt or take the agent to an attorney or small claims court, though you will have to pay attorney costs as well.
Have questions? Email hello@spiro.media or craig@spiro.media. You can find out more about Spiro at http://spiro.media

Gas Surcharges - Taking care of your Photographers

This is a special edition of the Spiro Podcast.  Gas prices are the highest they've ever been this summer.  When you as a photographer, or your team, have to travel thousands of miles a year for work, this can take a toll on your bottom line.  What can you do to offset this huge increase in fuel cost?  Listen in for more and be sure to subscribe if you haven't already!
Show Outline:
0:00-1:27 Intro
1:28-2:43 Fuel prices directly impact photographers’ bottom line
2:44-4:55 How much is the increase in fuel costing a photographer?
4:56-6:41 Should I add a fuel surcharge to my invoice?
6:42-10:07 What has Wow done?
Calculated and analyzed the increased costs
Decided to use a temporary surcharge: clients pay $5 on every job until gas prices average $3.50. The charge goes entirely to the photographers.
Called and emailed VIP clients and brokerage owners to let them know about the change
Sent a mass email to entire client base
Most clients saw the value of the charge 
10:08-11:47 How do I implement this in Spiro’s invoicing?
Add $5 to every trip fee ($0 + $5 for service areas with no fee)
Add a $5 milestone bonus for each photographer
11:48-14:06 Most clients will understand the necessity of this change
 
Have questions? Email hello@spiro.media or craig@spiro.media. You can find out more about Spiro at http://spiro.media.

Brokerage Deals

For a Real Estate Media business, what exactly is a "Brokerage Deal"?  What's the purpose of such a deal?  How do you get one?  And what benefit will it have for your real estate photography and videography business?  Listen in on this episode of the Spiro Podcast to learn more, and be sure to subscribe!
O 0:00-2:44 Intro
2:45-06:03 How did Wow start?
06:04-07:21 How was Spiro created?
07:22-11:36 Why do I need brokerage deals?
Wow has seen exponential growth from brokerage deals
What is a broker and what is important to them?
Brokerage deals help brokerages grow growth by attracting more listings and more agents
Brokerages have to keep their agents happy to grow, so they are always looking for tools that will help their agents
11:37-13:20 How do I get in front of a brokerage to present a deal?
Larger brokers will be difficult to get an immediate meeting with
Find influential agents (heavy listers, long time in the industry) and take care of them. Once they are raving fans of your work, ask them to refer you to their broker for a meeting
13:21-14:46 What is the impact of a brokerage deal for the brokerage?
Consistent marketing for all agents helps agents individually, raises the floor of the brokerage’s marketing, and improves the brokerage’s image
14:47-20:21 Presentation Approach
Come prepared; understand their company and goals, bring good examples, have a direction you plan to take the meeting
Do not start the meeting by showing your products or trying to sell
Ask open-ended questions to get a “soft close”, or a “yes” that marketing is important to them
Questions you can ask:
“Are you marketing consistently on every listing?” 
“Do you see the importance of all of your agents marketing consistently with photos and video?” 
“Do you see how systemized marketing could be a recruitment tool?”
Don’t over-talk; ask the question and let them process out loud while listening to get an idea of their marketing goals
Ask if you can take notes
Every broker wants their agents to market better, is trying to add tools to attract more agents, and is trying to get more listings
Once one brokerage has consistent marketing, other brokerages in market will feel the need to keep up
You and the brokerage share the same end goal: for clients to be satisfied with their agent
20:22-24:15 What does a brokerage deal look like?
Wow’s approach: Offer multiple levels of service and discount bundles
Discount for doing more listings
Ask broker to pay for photo/video on behalf of agent or take up-front cost (brokerage pays Wow immediately and pays Wow from the agent’s closing fees)
24:16-26:38 Create good relationships
Know and nurture relationships with brokers and owners