If the point of advertising is to persuade and influence people in making purchasing decisions, I do have to wonder about the recent trend of real estate agents plastering their mugs all over their advertising.

I mean seriously, look at the view that this place commands, as reflected in the windows. Selling a place in this location is not a stretch. The only tricky part is in finding someone who has both the money and the willingness to part with it, though in reality they're likely to come to you rather than you having to find them.

I've seen the property section of a newspaper recently where week in, week out one particular real estate agent has pictures plastered all over the double page spread taken out to tell you not what she has for sale, but rather what has been sold. (How long ago those sales were made is not stated.)

So, is that about getting her face in print in many and varied positions? (Contemplative agent, laughing and friendly agent, look at my legs agent, intelligent looking-over-the-glasses-rims agent, "I'm famous!" agent, etc.)

Or does it tell you anything about the services that are provided as a buyer or vendor of property?

And before you start thinking that I'm picking on female real estate agents, don't get me started on the appalling videos by two male real estate agents featuring them smirking in the properties that they have for sale while surrounded by lingerie models. Oh yeah, that really tells you about the places for sale.

Where's my copy of Marketing For Dummies?

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