How do I get more tour track jobs? I’m asked this question quite often in the hopes I’ll start doling out jobs like candy on Halloween. I’m sent chocolate, which is great! I’m frequently told I’m wearing a pretty dress, which I appreciate even though the last time I wore anything resembling a dress was probably at the RTV Virtual Tour Convention 2012 and I get the “Did I do something wrong?” emails. So please let me quiet all your fears and quell your curiosity about this matter.
There are a few major things that you need to do to get Tour Track jobs. Several of these are all within the realm of your control. A few are in the hands of the Powers that Be.
Here is what you can do.
1. Tour Track Set-up Area. This area you will find in your Fusion virtual tour account manager (htttp://manage.realtourvision.com) under the Tour Track Tab. Once you click on “Tour Track” if you look to the right side of that window you will see the set-up tab. Fill out everything and anything there. Be honest!!! Do not say you have a wide angle lens if you plan to buy one should you get a job requiring it. Just buy one. You’ll love it! Same goes for the automatic trigger devise (the contraption that helps you do HDR). If you want to say you have it, then just go ahead and buy it.
2. Your Gallery of work. We need to see that you can successfully and skillfully shoot Panos and Still images. Create a gallery of work or use an existing one and plug the link into your Tour Track Set Up area. If you don’t have a gallery then create one using the Fusion system and we’ll give you back a credit. Check out the one for BlueLaVaMedia http://tours.bluelavamedia.com/11425. You can add a voice over introducing yourself, a video, whatever you think will sell you. Think of this as making a commercial for yourself, not only do you get to make it for free (No Tour Credit is required because as managers we can see your active AND inactive productions) but you can put it on your site (Tour Credit Required) to advertise yourself to your clients. You will need to include at least 10 still interior real estate or hotel photography, a few 360 panoramas and 2-3 shots of any portrait work if you happen to provide that service.
3. Have you shot any virtual tours? If our staff goes in to look for a virtual tour photographer in the vicinity of a new job and you have zero virtual tours in your account, they will not assign a job to you. Your work must be verified. If you don’t have a gallery virtual tour or active virtual tours then you will not get a job from one of our national accounts. Sorry.
4. Photography skills. Make sure your skills are up to par. Don’t submit out of focus, overly dark, overly noisy or severely crooked photos. If photography isn’t your background then take advantage of our learning series, ‘The IMAGE’ found inside of www.rockpointemarketing.com. There are over fifty hours of training videos there on the subject of photography that will help you hone your skills.
5. Responsiveness, openness and attitude. Almost as important as being a good photographer is being a responsive photographer. Calling the client within the requested time frame, following up and making notes in the system is all part of the role. Especially so is turning your photos in within a timely manner. All these things will help out your overall Tour Track Score. If you have a bad attitude on site or if you respond poorly to constructive feedback from us, this will 100% effect your ability to shoot jobs for us and thus lower your score that our management team sees before they send out jobs.
6. The Powers that Be will need to have some photo shoots in your area. Things fluctuate. You may have some Rock Star Tour Track years and some lean Tour Track years. It all depends on where the jobs land. If they aren’t landing near you then try going out and looking for them. See if you have any of our National Accounts located in your area and approach them (but only if you’ve been approved to shoot for that account. Check in with tourtrack@realtourvision.com and ask before you go on your sales call).
7. Send Chocolate. Enough said.
Jacqueline Burke
National Accounts Director
Real Tour Vision – Professional Healthcare Photography & Virtual Tours
231-932-1605