Sex Sells… but what?

Identities have been hidden to protect the innocent.

One of the Facebook groups I’m in is having a very heated discussion over this picture as I write this, so I weighed in with my 2-cent comment and decided to come write about it here.

As you may know, even though I talk about SAFETY… my marketing background always comes out to play, so we’re going to discuss the obvious safety concerns raised here AND some reasons why I think this might be a bad marketing move too.

• First, the obvious… the photo is VERY provocative and may send the wrong message to a potential attacker.  Do you ever watch CSI or Criminal Minds? The serial killers always have a “type” represented in the photos taped to the board in the precinct office of past victims.  By putting your photo out in your marketing you are maybe advertising to someone you didn’t bargain for.

• Second, in this photo she looks very wealthy.  We don’t know if she is or isn’t, in fact she could have borrowed the dress and dog just for this picture, but she LOOKS wealthy.  This invites a different kind of criminal, the one that wants to rob you or kidnap you and get money from your family.  Don’t believe me?  Beverly Carter was chosen because he said she “was a rich broker” and a 2015 attack in the Tampa Florida area ended in him contacting her husband for ransom money.

Got the safety side? Good, now let’s talk about why I just don’t think it’s great marketing:

1. It’s not a well composed picture.  The white dog (who’s identity has been protected :), does not contrast against the white dress.  So get a darker dog or a darker dress.
2. I’m a woman and I’ll say this out loud… many married women might not want to work with her because of her attractiveness.  They might be jealous or insecure or whatever, and they’d never admit it out loud, but we know deep down it’s true.
3. Some people don’t expect a very attractive woman to be intelligent or capable.  I am NOT saying this is true, cuz I’m smokin’ hot and a veritable genious, but not everyone sees that!
4. Any time you put ANY picture on your marketing, you’re opening the door to being pre-judged and possibly losing business over it.  “Wow, this Realtor looks just like my ex-wife/ex-husband… ewwww!
5. If you ARE going to use a photo in your marketing, it has to be updated every year or two and EVERY time you change hairstyles.  Let’s use this photo as an example… let’s say I’ve seen her marketing and am going to meet with her to list my house.  When she shows up she’s a redhead.  In our subconscious mind we are immediately put off that what she marketed to us (blonde) is not what we got and we associate this with dishonesty.  “What else did she lie about”?  Remember this is in your SUBCONSCIOUS so you don’t even realize that your thinking it, but you are!
6. When marketing portraits are dripping with expensive jewelry, cars, and purse-dogs, the message you might be sending is that you’re expensive to work with to support that lifestyle. Instead wear birkenstocks and stand in front of your 4-year old Prius… show them that you’re frugal with your money just like you’ll be with theirs! 🙂

Safety needs to be an underlying thought in everything you do in your business… every open house, every appointment, every ad.  I wish this was not the case, but it is, and SaferAgent is here to help YOU take control of your safety with minimal disruption to your way of life.  Check back often for more tips and follow us on FACEBOOK

p.s. Here’s a pic of me and my dog that I drew, don’t hate!