Real Estate Marketing — With a Bucket Truck!

You've all seen the 'wrapped' cars —  or vans, Hummers, SUVs. Just about every vehicle you can think of has been wrapped and turned into a rolling billboard.

But have you ever seen a wrapped 'bucket truck'?

Enter Jeffrey Hogue, a Realtor® with Weichert Realtors Neighborhood One, serving Berks County, PA.

Jeffrey owns and drives, The Baddest Real Estate Machine on Wheels.

As a Zillow Premier Agent, Jeffrey understands the power of real estate marketing, and that it really is a 24 hours a day, seven days a week job. I was able to catch up with Jeffrey last week and ask him a few questions about his truck and how he uses it and Zillow to help his clients buy and sell real estate.

The bucket truck: In the beginning

As a photography buff, Jeffrey is a longtime and avid reader of Photography for Real Estate. Through education, trial and error, and practice, Jeffrey realized that when capturing that all-important shot of a home's front elevation, perspective is the key. The best angle to shoot exterior photos is almost always away from the garage side, and at least 16 feet off the ground can provide a superior perspective for front elevation shots.

With the ability to rise almost 40 feet into the air, the bucket truck provides a whole new perspective on getting the best shot possible for that all-important exterior photo.

After a short three-month gig as a bucket truck lease salesperson, Jeffrey learned all about running these vehicles (which do not require a commercial operators license), but he shelved the idea of using a bucket truck due to costs.

Several years later, Jeffrey listed a home that belonged to an arborist, a 'tree doctor,' and that sparked another conversation about bucket trucks. The arborist suggested looking into used trucks, and Jeffrey was bitten by the bug, again.

Where does one find a used bucket truck?

Where else but eBay?

Jeffrey located and purchased a 'previously owned' bucket truck through eBay from a Florida power company. It was, to quote Jeffrey, 'love at first sight.' The truck was delivered, and the fun was about to begin!

Originally, Jeffrey had planned to vinyl wrap the truck and park it in a prominent spot. But he quickly realized that taking better listing photos for his clients was the primary purpose of the truck. The real estate marketing aspect, while powerful, was secondary.

What's up with the Zillow logo?

The Zillow Premier Agent logo is featured prominently on the truck — and is a prominent part of Jeffrey's business. Take a quick peek at Jeffrey's Zillow profile, and you will see he has 64 reviews from satisfied clients!

Jeffrey started as a Zillow Premier Agent in 2008, before any other agents in his area were using it. With 20-plus years in the tech world, he understands how data, syndication and data distribution work — and how to make them work for him.

When I asked Jeffrey why he uses Zillow, he said, 'Zillow gives me an opportunity beyond the MLS to aggressively market properties,' and that, 'Zillow works extremely well as a real estate marketing tool. We know people visit Zillow. We need to be there.'

Have any advice for a new Zillow Premier Agent?

New agent, old agent, Zillow agent or not, Jeffrey says, 'You have to learn about your environment. There is a world beyond the MLS, and an agent can differentiate themselves by using tools like Zillow. Don't wait for the future — be in the future now, or it will pass you by.'

Does the truck work?

There's no question that the 40-foot lift the bucket truck allows for a whole different perspective for exterior photos. And it's not just for front elevation shots. Jeffrey has used the aerial vantage point to get better shots of backyards, pools and neighborhoods.

The truck provides more than just a photo platform. It's a rolling mobile real estate office. Inside the truck Jeffrey is able to store the tools of the trade — yard signs, lighting equipment for interior photography, lockboxes and that vital piece of real estate photography equipment, the battery-powered chain saw. Pesky tree branch dangling in the way of that perfect shot? No problem, cut it down (with the owner's permission, of course)!

Does the truck make the phone ring? Probably so. It certainly can't be missed driving down the road. As Jeffrey himself said, 'Not every kid's dad has a truck with his face all over it. I do have a fund set aside for any future counseling they may need for embarrassment disorders.'

Thanks for sharing the story of the baddest real estate machine on wheels, Jeff. Drive safe!