37: A New Hybrid Marketing Tool

Over the past two years, biplane has purchased dozens of satellite images of properties, especially land tracts and commercial buildings. At about $35-$40 per image, aerial photography from Digital Globe or TerraServer proves one of the most cost-effective tools for capturing a property’s location value for marketing—and a negligible addition to auction advertising budgets.

But satellite images often don’t capture the character of a property, and many auctioneers—particularly multi-parcel marketers—opt to “fly” a property. The ensuing bird’s-eye-view photos, shot through a plane window, show more of the topography and uniqueness of the subject real estate.

A new tool combines some of the pro’s (and con’s) of these two sky-high tools. TerraServer is gradually building the scope of its “oblique” tool. In addition to the standard, straight-vertical (rooftop) shot of the subject, it allows you to view the property from a 40-45º angle. Not all locations are available, but I found access to a good number of addresses. Some of these even allow for this angular perspective from all four sides of the property—for a full 360º view, pivoting around the property.

Currently, the site does not allow you to purchase these “oblique” images for download (and subsequent use in printed materials); but you can link to them individually. With an annual site membership ($149.95), you also get a larger viewing window and no watermarking. [This membership also achieves a 10% discount on all standard satellite imagery you purchase.] So, for now, this fits mainly in your Internet and e-mail marketing campaigns. It’s safe to assume, once the available addresses grow more ubiquitous, that purchasing of the digital images will come online.

Benefits of This Tool

• Linkable images available for free
• No pilot/plane/fuel costs
• Access not dependent on good weather
• More immediate image capture
• Access to metropolitan/urban areas where flight patterns may be restricted

Limitations of This Tool

• Charged per shot (download), instead of for time to take dozens of shots
• Currently, 360º views not always available
• Currently, only one available zoom level
• Most shots taken late fall (no foliage)
• Lower print resolution of images compared to digital photography from plane
• Watermarking of image without annual membership

Astronauts and engineers are working to make you depend less and less on pilots. Early adoption of this tool in your advertising can make your prospects more likely to depend on you rather than your less-progressive competitor.
[tip]

In western culture, at least its American version, we are trained to be self-sufficient and independent. With technology and education, we can now pre-research our medical conditions before visiting our physician. We can quickly book our own travel, comparing more options than certified travel agents could two decades ago. We can take college classes in pajamas, sitting on our living room couch. We can look at our house from an airplane’s perspective—without a pilot.

We are evolving from continents of community to archipelagoes of autonomy.

Spiritually, this is seeping into the culture in our churches. Emphasis on private spiritual disciplines belittles the benefits of intimate, authentic community; and preachers miss that most of the New Testament is written to us in plural. When we struggle with our depravity, fear of judgmental reactions keep us from asking for help. When we get out of spiritual rhythm or discipline, we fear a loss of status to admit our needs and failures. We try to fix ourselves by ourselves. This myopia leads some to burn out, others to develop unhealthy views of God, others to live a double life.

But God created us for community. He exists in (triune) community. He spends the New Testament teaching how to infuse and implement community in our lives for the sake of our individual and collective benefit. The more we invite others into our spiritual lives, the more voices he has to speak Truth, encouragement, rebuke, and application into our hearts.

[footer]Photo used by permission with purchase from iStockPhoto.com[/footer]