Best free virtual client meeting software – Zoom vs Google Meet
(With How To Use to make it easy for you to implement into your business right away!)
In our ever-expanding world, REALTORS® should be equipped with solutions to be able to meet virtually with clients as needed. Whether it be they are out of town or country, or during times like the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability to meet virtually live and share your screen with the other party on their device is key.
There are so many options, that it can be overwhelming to find out what option is right for you. Our goal in this blog is to provide you with our recommendation for what’s most applicable for REALTORS® to use in their business with real estate clients.
Options Available:
- Facetime (Apple to Apple product)
- Facebook messenger video calling
- Whatsapp – cross platform
- Google Hangouts
- Google Meet
- Zoom Meeting
- GoToMeeting
- Skype
- And many more…
Our Focus here is on what REALTORS® need most – one on one or small group virtual meetings
All of these options are FREE for those on the platforms. Best options are:
1) FaceTime (from Apple)
Facetime – for apple to apple users, for iPhone, iPad, iPod or Mac computers
This is an easy and efficient tool to use if you have an Apple product and so do your clients. If they don’t have an Apple product, it won’t work and isn’t an option.
Learn how to use Facetime here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204380
2) Facebook Video Chat
Facebook messenger video chat – if both parties have a Facebook account and the messenger app if on mobile.
You can video chat with your friends on Facebook for free using either the Facebook website or the Messenger app. Video chatting doesn’t require any additional software, but only some browsers are supported if you’re chatting from your computer.
Learn how to use Facebook Video Chat here – www.facebook.com/help/240197935990595
3) Google Hangouts
Google Hangouts – is Google’s longest running messaging and video chat service. As of June 2020 this service will only be offered to consumer accounts, which is basically anyone with an @gmail.com or @googlemail.com email address. Hangouts can be found in the Gmail sidebar and at google.com.
For Associates with RE/MAX River City who have a rivercityrealestate.ca email address, you have this service included for FREE on the G Suite of services.
Clients don’t need to have a Google or gmail.com account to be able to receive meeting requests from you.
Learn how and start using it easily at hangouts.google.com
4) Whatsapp Video
WhatsApp Messenger or simply WhatsApp is an American freeware, cross-platform messaging and Voice over IP service owned by Facebook, Inc. It allows users to send text messages and voice messages, make voice and video calls, and share images, documents, user locations, and other media.
It’s FREE, but both users have to have the app downloaded. It works across platforms on Apple, Android or even PC/Mac computerss – DOWNLOAD
Which is best?
Really depends what brand of smartphone you have (Apple or Android) and what type of computer (Mac or PC). I think every REALTOR® in Canada is on Facebook at this point in the world, plus most clients, so that’s a great option.
If you’re a google user with a gmail.com email account or a G Suite Business account like we offer our Agents, then we recommend Google Hangouts as it’s easy to use and cross platform, so it doesn’t matter what type of device your client has.
Major drawback of the above is you cannot share your screen with the other person.
Want to be able to share your screen live?
If you’re wanting to be able to meet with your clients virtually and share your screen with them live, it’s time to upgrade to these options.
Many REALTORS® use this to:
- tour properties virtually
- to review contracts before sending for e-signature
- to review CMAs for out of town clients
- and many more applications
1) Google Meet
Google Meet is Google’s paid video conferencing software, provided as part of G Suite. If you have a G Suite email address already, as we do with our brokerage, then you have this service included for FREE!
It’s similar to the video chat service provided in the consumer Hangouts but supports far more participants (up to 250, where Hangouts is max 25) and has the ability to share your screen and record as well.
Meet can be found at meet.google.com
Youtube training resources – YouTube Playlist
2) Zoom Meeting
Whether you are connecting multiple conference rooms or meeting with attendees from their personal desktops or mobile devices, coming together face-to-face on Zoom is as simple as a single touch. With the highest video and audio quality, bringing your team together feels just like you are in the same room. Feature-rich and simple-to-use, Zoom mobile and desktop apps bring the whole experience together with built-in cross-platform group chat. Plus can do one-on-one or small group meetings too obviously, with the FREE version up to 100 participants and Unlimited 1 to 1 meetings. Visit zoom.us/pricing
Getting started – https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/categories/200101697
Training resources on how to use zoom meeting software – https://zoom.us/resources
Youtube playlist on how to use zoom meeting software – YouTube Playlist
Which Is Best?
We recommend Google’s Suite of products if you’re a gmail user already, or even if you’re not. It’s the best overall options with the most add ons. Plus it’s an easy to use interface for your clients and doesn’t matter if they are on a desktop computer, phone, smartphone or even fax (ok, doesn’t work for fax… who uses fax anymore?)
If you’re a RE/MAX Agent, they recently accounted FREE accounts! Look for an email from, RE/MAX CEO Adam Contos, subject: Driving Virtual Business.
Pre-Recorded Video Options that include screen sharing ability:
If you’re looking for options to be able to record your screen and send a video to your clients for them to watch (not LIVE interaction), then here’s the top 3 options.
Applications:
- CMA Property Valuation updates to past clients
- How To videos/demos – if you want to have an evergreen video that showcases how to work a software, or training style how tos
- Virtual property tours – walk them through the properties you’re sending over, showcasing with your face on video and commentary
- Neighbourhood overviews – use Google maps or street view plus other screen sharing to showcase a neighbourhood virtually. Even more impactful if you edit together with live video of you interviewing local businesses or “walking the streets”
- What other ideas do you have? Leave a comment below on the blog to share with others.
Loom
Loom – totally free google chrome plugin
Details here: loom.com/
We use loom for all our screen recordings. We then download and upload those files to our youtube channel or direct to facebook or other social platforms. This is great for “How to demos” or doing a recorded video where you want to demo or showcase something on your computer. Some agents also use these for CMA updates to clients.
BombBomb
BombBomb – is a paid service, starting at $29.99/month. With options up to $2,000/year paid annually.
Exclusive RE/MAX partnership has “prompt” which includes social media and video email newsletter content created for you to send to your contacts. Visit www.bombbomb.com/remax
Not with RE/MAX yet? visit www.bombbomb.com
BombBomb – for the “quick send” features and automations.
- For anyone who does a lot of video like we do at our Brokerage, managing video file storage is a HUGE challenge. The key advantage we see with BombBomb is that their servers store all the files and allow you to easily share them, save them, database and download if needed. Plus they give you metrics on opens and other data that’s very valuable.
- Quick Send – whether it’s on our desktop webcam from the office, or mobile when out of office, we can easily send a video to clients. Email works amazing with a GIF sent that encourages opens. Note that the current platform for text sending is a basic link and we don’t use that, vs just sending an imessage video file or similar.
- Automations – we have evergreen video content that we have systematized to use regularly without having to recreate.
- Prompt – is a great bonus, sharing quality video based content to our social media profiles monthly.
Zoom Meeting
Zoom Meeting – as above, also has the built-in ability to share and record your screen. So if you’re already looking at Zoom, then it’s easy to keep it all in one place and interface.
Visit zoom.us/meetings
We use Zoom at our brokerage for hosting and recording our large group training events. The ability to easily share screens to show powerpoint presentations or demo on web browsers or other documents on your computer is quick simple. Plus the ability to record to cloud is key for us, we then download the files and upload to our private YouTube REALTOR® Training platform exclusive to our Agents.
It’s often overkill for what most REALTORS® need in their business, but if you want to host webinars or similar virtual meetings then it’s a great option for this too.
Zoombombing
Can you believe “Zoombombing” is a thing? Inman and The New York Times both recently wrote articles on the new issue.
This is where people break into meetings uninvited and disrupt them. They’ll share screens with racist or pornographic content or disturbing images. They’ll shout and take over conversations in rooms.
Don’t ask yourself why someone would do this because it will never make sense to anyone with a normal mind. It’s important to be aware that it happens, and there are some things you can do to minimize the chances of it occurring.
- Don’t share the meeting URL in public: I totally get it. We’re isolated and want human interaction. I’ve attended a couple of “virtual happy hours” via video conferencing, and it’s a wonderful way to stay in touch with friends and escape this craziness that surrounds us. So we post a link to our little online party, and share it on Facebook, Instagram and elsewhere. You’ve just given the scammers and trolls an invitation to your meeting. The less public the meeting URL, the less likely a troublemaker is to find it.
- Limit screen sharing: Zoom and other video platforms allow screens to be shared with meeting participants. Some software defaults to allowing all to share. The bad people like to use screen sharing to spread messages of hate or images that might be offensive. Set screen sharing to be off by default, and allow the meeting manager to turn sharing on or off as needed for individual users.
- Lock the meeting: After your meeting starts, you can lock out any new users from joining. Sure, this might negatively impact the chronically late, but it’s a good way to keep bad actors out of your meeting.
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