Thursday, July 28, 2011

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...

"Can you send me more pictures?"

"Got any better photos?"

"Do you have any pictures of the...?"

If you've ever tried to sell something online, I'm sure you've heard some variation of the above questions.  In the global boat market, these are common questions as buyers in other states, and sometimes other countries, try to make major purchase decisions based largely on photographs.  The ability to reach buyers across the world is one of the biggest advantages to using a yacht broker, and it's the broker's job to make sure your boat is as attractive as possible.

When looking at dozens of possibilities, buyers are much more apt to be drawn toward a nicely photographed listing as opposed to one that's carelessly snapped with a point-and-shoot.  When poor photos are taken, it can make even the nicest boats look dingy or dirty.  A good quality photograph will show more detail, better color, and give the buyer something to get excited about!

I've taken a few photos showing the difference between a Nikon DSLR and a Nikon point-and-shoot.  The DSLR is even one of Nikon's more basic models, but the jump in quality is amazing.  The boat is one of my newest listings, a 2004 Meridian 381 Sedan.

DSLR  /  P+S

DSLR  /  P+S

DSLR  /  P+S

The photos on the left were taken with the DSLR, and the photos on the right were taken with a point-and-shoot.  The first thing you should notice is how much better the color quality is.  In the photos on the left, the wood looks brighter, the lighting is good, and the upholstery looks much nicer.  You'll also notice how much wider the field of view is in the DSLR photos.  This gives the buyer a much better idea of the space inside the boat, as opposed to narrowly-focused pictures of key areas.  It's nearly impossible to photograph some of the tight spaces on boats, like head compartments or engine rooms, with a point-and-shoot camera.


They say there's no second chance at a first impression, and it's important to have your boat represented by a broker who understands that.  Take a look at my listings to see other examples of how a nicely built ad can help make that first impression a good one!