A Salute to a Visionary Thinker in Luxury Real Estate Marketing

Visionary thinking is one of the most important components of the luxury real estate marketing. If market leadership is your quest it is essential. A championship mindset is what will set you apart from the pack. When asked about his mental preparation for the Olympics, swimming champion, Michael Phelps, responded that he trained not only his body but his imagination. He consistently envisioned himself winning gold!

What is visionary thinking in luxury real estate marketing? It is challenging traditional marketing practices, examining and re-examining your beliefs. What worked in 2004 in a hyperactive market may not apply today. It is knowing, that in the deconstruction of your ideas, you may keep all, or part, or none of your current marketing methods.

Here is an example of visionary thinking in luxury real estate marketing. One of our clients is the market leader in her area. She needed a different approach to sell a particular high end listing. She noted that the seller was a car collector and often exhibited his prize possessions at the Concours d’Elegance. This is where owners of the most beautiful and rare automobiles are invited to showcase their cars on the famed eighteenth fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links, in California. Connoisseurs of art and technology congregate to ogle over these magnificent driving machines. How did she know about this? She takes the time to really understand her clients, learning what they value most and what they like.

Instead of advertising this property in a glossy magazine (the usual fare), she had the property on a billboard at the Concours. And, she had a flyer with the giveaways at the event. This was a great strategy. She knew that the demographic gathered there could afford the house. She did this unbeknownst to the seller who was supposed to be out of town during the event. But, his schedule cleared up. Imagine his surprise seeing his home advertised just where it should be seen!

The house sold, our client was hailed as a genius, handed referrals and other car enthusiasts contacted her as well.

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing . Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

Luxury Real Estate Marketing Recipes: Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies

 Here is a luxury real estate marketing recipe that is sure to make an indelible impression. Make a batch of Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies on a Saturday afternoon and invite some of your previous clients to stop by your office for a taste. Be sure they bring some kids along, too. These brownies are definitely best of class—what we call practical luxury!

This is an easy recipe and delights everyone who has tasted it. If you are in the mood for a decadent dessert, add a scoop of ice cream. My favorite is coffee.

 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour an 8 inch square pan

In a heavy saucepan melt together 1 stick of butter and 2 squares of unsweetened chocolate. Splurge on a premium baking chocolate such as Scharffenberger.

Stir in 1 cup of sugar, add 2 large eggs and ½ teaspoon of vanilla, and beat the mixture well.

Stir in ¼ cup of flour and ¼ teaspoon of salt.

Pour the batter into pan, and bake for about 40 minutes.

Let cool and cut into squares. They are perfect to eat right out of the pan.

By Alexandra Seigel, Partner - Napa Consultants, International

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing . Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed. Comments? Please use form in left column.

Innovative Luxury Real Estate Marketing

BMW GINA

Studying what has already been done in luxury real estate marketing may not yield the strategy you are looking for when marketing a multi-million dollar home. Networking with marketing professionals in other fields and gleaning ideas, is now a requirement for luxury real estate market leaders. It is important to study innovative marketing in other luxury industries, in particular.

For example, BMW recently unveiled a roadster model that was built to illustrate this type of thinking. They refer to it as GINA principle. The acronym stands for Geometry and Function In Adaptation. The company is promoting innovative thinking and maximum creativity. This car was not built for production. It was built to challenge previous solutions in car design. The BMW Gina Light Visionary Model is made of engineered fabric composed of mesh netting. This netting is stretched over an aluminum wire substructure. The structure moves, stretching the fabric and changing the shape of the car. It even adjusts for the passenger. What is important here is that this exercise in innovative thinking may someday lead to a fabric that will be crash resistant and safe, and be environment friendly. It opens the door for more innovation and more solutions to come forth. It enlists the creativity of more people in the process and creates new industries.

Studying innovative marketing strategies in other fields can spark innovative ideas in your luxury real estate marketing practice. Market leadership is all about standing out.

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

Be Interested, Not Interesting- A Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip

Luxury real estate marketing isn’t just about selling homes it is all about building high trust relationships. Right up there at the top of the list of most important marketing skills is being interested, not interesting. It is the companion skill to being a good listener. Nothing is more flattering or shows you care better than receiving a fun note or gift about something of particular interest to a client.

Pay attention to what interests your clients. Make notes about their interests in their contact record in Outlook , Act or whichever contact database you use. Keep a file of unusual things you stumble upon on the internet. One good way to easily do this is at www.delicious.com.

When it comes time for gift giving, or sending a fun note just to stay in touch this is what you do. Match clients with items of special interest. This can be a wonderful conversational ice breaker for those you haven’t heard from in a while. Here is an example.

We have a friend who loves books, and has built book shelves all over his house. I recently saw this chair known as La Bibliochaise (bibliotheque=library , and chaise =chair) and sent him the picture, as it holds 119 books. The chair, with it French name, could hold up on its own as an art piece. It is the brainchild of Italian designers, Nobody and Company, who have a quirky outlook,. La Bibliochaise is water varnished in white, black, aubergine, also available in others colors upon request. The cushions are made of cotton and are washable. For more information go to www.lecclaireur.com . The chair is sold only in Paris and Tokyo.

One of their other designs is a Buddha mold. You can use it as a pudding mold. The company’s view for this Buddha mold is to ad “spirituality to taste.” Having ice cream shaped like a Buddha will certainly liven up any dessert table.

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, be interested, not interesting. And, watch your practice grow.

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

Co-Branding--A Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip

Chateau Lake Louise, Canada

Co-branding is a marketing arrangement between one or more brands that is underutilized by luxury real estate marketing professionals. The idea is to act in cooperation in a way that combines the strength of the brands. It is also a way to differentiate products and services in a highly competitive marketplace.

The luxury resort hotel industry has basically the same amenities for guests. There are bathrobes in the room, spa services, great linens, Wi-Fi access, helpful cheerful staff, etc. There is very little difference between the top brands in the luxury resort business in terms of accommodations and services. An example of co-branding is the Ritz Carlton offering guests Frette brand linens. Frette is considered one of the world’s finest luxury bed and bath brands.

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts and Lexus have teamed up to provide Fairmont President’s Club members (their loyalty program) access to the Lexus hybrid vehicles as hotel courtesy cars to transport guests around the town. They are first to market with this idea. Subliminally, the message is, “we care about our returning customers and we care about the environment. This is which is why we offer Lexus hybrid cars for your convenience”. Lexus considers this is a great way to promote our product to the right demographic.

For both companies, it is a win-win situation. Both show their commitment to the environment which helps grow and retain their clientele. It is co-promotion at its best. It combines the strength of their marketing dollars, and their brand names. It potentially can increase each company’s market share.

In what ways can you co-brand with luxury services and products to do the same in your luxury real estate marketplace?

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

Internet Friends—A Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip

WHERE ARE THE PROMISED RELATIONSHIPS? WHERE IS YOUR LIFE?

AND, WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN FRONT OF YOUR COMPUTER?

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, it is important to understand the value of the internet in establishing new relationships.The internet opens a whole world of information and contacts. This explains why the social media phenomenon is growing like wildfire. However, once people sign up for the myriad of social media, the most common question is, “now what?” What do you do with the numerous requests to be linked to people you don’t know or remember? Do you link in because you don’t want to offend? What do you do with all of the other people in your potentially expanded online network who you definitely do not know.

One answer is to look for people or groups who share your passions. Here is an example of how I met a wonderful new friend in Brazil just by following my passion for chocolate from around the world.

Paula de Lima AzevedoSweet Brazil reproduces Faberge eggs at Easter time in chocolate, of course. The detail work is exquisite. I contacted them, for more information. The founder of the company is Paula de Lima Azevedo. Her background was public relations. As a joke 21 years ago, she decided to sculpt Easter eggs at home. The word got out and the demand grew. She rented a small house and went into business. To quote Paula, “I discovered chocolate as a material to express my art. After that, I never stopped!” She hopes to have a store in New York, one day soon. You can purchase her chocolates next time you are in Sao Paolo, Brazil, www.sweetbrazil.com.br . After sharing our common passion for chocolate we became internet friends.

Luxury real estate marketing professionals should follow their passion and interests beyond just real estate when joining a social network. From this focused viewpoint, you can develop relationships that would naturally lead to business. Don’t start asking for business! The bridge of true friendship is the bridge to success. The more high-trust relationships you have the more successful you will be.

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

Luxury Real Estate Marketing TIp--Be Authentic!

Luxury real estate marketing professionals can learn much about personal branding from certain celebrities. Take Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer.

“I rehabilitate dogs, I train people” is the opening line to the National Geographic Channel Show, The Dog Whisperer. Having worked with a wide demographic of people and their dogs, Cesar Millan has become a household word, particularly to dog lovers. He has also been nominated for an Emmy.

What makes him admirable? What makes him watchable? I am not a dog owner. Yet, I tape the show regularly, because I enjoy watching him rehabilitating dog after dog, and changing people’s lives in the process. I appreciate his honesty, his demeanor, and his certainty when faced with the most challenging dog behaviors. I am moved by his tenderness and his genuine love for the people he works with and the dogs he rehabilitates. Friends who have met him and watched him work attest to his authenticity. They tell me that what you see on TV is what you get in person. He loves what he does, and he is proud of his work and his accomplishments. He is God’s gift to dogs. When we heard he was going to be the grand marshal for the Santa Barbara Dog Parade, we went and took pictures.

The lesson here for luxury real estate marketing professionals is, BE AUTHENTIC! Everyone in the course of their lives garners critics, because those individuals are not on the same wave length. You can expect it. The best thing to do is to ignore it, and let it roll off your back, like a duck in water. Better yet, pick up the book by Terry Cole Whittaker, What You Think of Me is None of MY Business .

By Alexandra Seigel, Partner – Napa Consultants, International

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

DIFFERENTIATING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND IN A CROWDED MARKET-A Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip

A crowded market can still offer a perfect opportunity to differentiate yourself and build a distinctive luxury real estate personal brand. The power of differentiation in the luxury arena applies to people, products and service. Important lessons can be learned by studying successful branding in all three categories. A new stand out in vodka clearly makes the point. It is called Prairie Vodka.

Prairie is organic and kosher. There is an organic brand on the market called Square One that comes in a square shaped bottle. However, there is no organic vodka that is also kosher. The kosher part appeals to those who follow dietary rules in this segment of the market.

It is “crafted on the Minnesota Prairie”. The prairie conjures thoughts about the pioneer days, a bygone era that was romanticized by Garrison Keillor’s radio shows, “A Prairie Home Companion”. Mr. Keillor is also from Minnesota. A sense of place, the origin of the product, offers another layer of distinctive branding.

The slogan is “Let the Prairie In”. The ad shows the nighttime cityscape behind the vodka, as well as two wolves flanking a woman with very big hair on a penthouse balcony. She is dressed in a white gown, running with the wolves. It is dramatic and implies “different, new, and edgy”. The wolves represent the prairie, the wild, the freshness and the undiluted as expressed by the word “organic”.

The company is a fifth generation family of spirit makers which shows their expertise. It also implies that they have a tradition of making good products. They are in partnership with over 900 farmers. These farmers are partners in the distillery. This shows the family’s support of the farmers and their core values.

The taste of the vodka, described by Prairie as “beautifully smooth”, is lowest on the totem pole in terms of being a strong differentiator. However, the taste is everything you would expect from a premium vodka.

Prairie vodka shows the manifestation of a brand position and brand differentiation. Every aspect is thought out, and everything in the ad supports the competitive difference including the look of the bottle which is clear and very simple.

The target market is not just vodka drinkers. It is vodka drinkers who 1) appreciate the integrity of the ingredients (organic); 2) have dietary restrictions (kosher); 3) are proponents of the environment and community life (900 farmers as partners); 4) want expertise and tradition (fifth generation spirit makers). By purchasing Prairie vodka and drinking it, you are expressing all of your personal values because you are in agreement with what the brand stands for.

Prairie Vodka speaks to its target market with laser sharp clarity. That is what an outstanding personal brand does, too.

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

Three Keys to Creating and Maintaining a Successful Luxury Real Estate Marketing Practice

Focus is Genius

Swimmer Michael PhelpsIn the competitive arena of luxury real estate, it is easy to get distracted by the competition. Getting lost in all kinds of compare and contrast dialogue and other forms of self flagellation is a knee jerk reaction. While you are spending time ogling the competition, the finish line gets further and further away.

Here are three keys to creating and maintaining a successful luxury real estate marketing practice:

FIRST KEY: Know your strength and keep focused on the goal ahead, your market and your neighborhood.

SECOND KEY: Never, never, bad mouth the competition, or taunt them (trash talk) in public. An example from the Olympics illustrates the first two keys.

Unwavering focus on the goal, touching the wall first in the 400meter relay race, netted first place for the US swim team. That hundredth of a second was the difference between a gold medal and a silver medal. The underwater camera revealed that the French swimmer, who had the lead, took a look at his opponent and got distracted. In that moment, he lost his edge, tightened up and got to the wall later. The other factor that led to his demise was the fact that the French team leader publicly vowed to “smash” the Americans in that event.

THIRD KEY: In the luxury real estate marketing arena it is especially important to congratulate the opposition for their accomplishments. Superstar Michael Phelps and one of the relay racers immediately shook the hands of the French team and congratulated them on their silver medal. The lesson here is to treat your competition as a friend and a respected member of your profession.

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: Do The Green Thing!

Luxury real estate agents, take head: Eco-luxury has become a key trend. Championing the “great Green way” can be one way to set yourself apart from your competition; providing it is your passion and not just another marketing scheme that sounds good. If you are a marginal Green person, don’t do it.

According to a survey by The Luxury Institute, 60% of wealthy women buy “Green” products and favor eco-friendly services. Custom home builders are jumping on the Green band wagon. They know that luxury Green homes reflect a national trend; more than 80 local and regional Green home-building programs now exist in the United States, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. Instead of emphasizing the words ‘square footage’ and ‘floor plans’, the dominant words to describe luxury homes are ‘sustainable’, ‘built to last’, ‘healthy and energy efficient’, ‘ultra efficient windows’, and ‘top line insulation’.

Eco-luxury is a new term in our vocabulary: recycling stone pavers, beams, etc. Some of these recycled items have more prestige if they have an origin, such as a castle in France, a fountain from a villa in Italy, statues from a home in Spain. These items are a point of prestige eclipsing granite counters, Aga ranges, and Brazilian onyx bathtubs. These builders freely admit that building Green is a good way to differentiate their companies in a down market. Perhaps, this may be worth investigating for your luxury real estate marketing practice.

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

Time OUt! A Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip

Building a luxury real estate marketing practice can sometimes involve long hours and a considerable amount of focused mental activity.  As marketing consultants and leadership coaches to the luxury real estate industry we understand the value of taking time to refresh, replenish one’s energy and just enjoy nature.

We were very busy this week putting the finishing touches on our own company website, creating several marketing strategies for clients, and working to finalize other projects. Whenever, we go through an intensive focused period of working, we often treat ourselves (the workers) to something very special. We have to take good care of the “workers” or they will rebel. This morning’s treat was a respite at the East Beach Grill, in Santa Barbara, CA.

With one of the best views in town, it is a tranquil place with a varied menu, reasonable prices and great food. They make wonderful pancakes and serve Peet’s coffee from San Francisco. It is fun to read the Sunday paper, watch the joggers, walkers and bikers, and settle in to enjoy the atmosphere.

You can get a lot more work done, if you give yourself the luxury of time out. For us, it is breakfast out, especially if we work on the weekend,  and a long walk by the beach, which reinvigorates our mind and spirit. When we owned a commercial real estate firm in Los Angeles, one of our favorite ways to take time out was to have lunch at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, see an exhibit, then get back to work. The rest of the day would flow and be more pleasurable.

On Fridays, Ron would play nine holes of golf at the crack of dawn with our sales team, and I would join them in the clubhouse for breakfast. We would all discuss that week’s accomplishments and set the tone for the following week. It is important to take the time to treat yourself luxuriously, enjoy your environment, and do something out of the ordinary.

By Alexandra Seigel, Partner - Napa Consultants, International

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

The Art of Staying In Touch- A Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip!

Are you staying in touch with your clients after the sale? Staying in touch does not mean boring them with articles about recent real estate related court cases, or telling them to change the batteries in their smoke alarms. Boring, canned, impersonal e-newsletters just do not cut it anymore with web-savvy clients and friends.

Your communications must be about the things that people value. Moreover, they must be about the things that a particular person values. Consistent, personalized one-on-one communication is an art form that most time-starved luxury real estate marketing professionals have neglected. Yet, if you could quantify the results of personal communication in terms of referrals and listings you would think twice about doing it more often.

Most agents haven’t noticed that once a client moves into his or her new home THE LAST THING they want to communicate about is real estate. In fact, if they do not hear another word about real estate for another five years or more it would be too soon. Sure, they are curious what the house down the street is listed for and what it sold for. They are interested in their own property’s value. But, what they are most interested in is their own lives not the lives of Realtors®.

Whether the subject is golf, tennis, or perhaps a new restaurant with a very special cob salad on the menu, these are the topics that interest people. This is far more interesting than a reminder to clean the leaves out of their rain gutter before the rainy season. Interacting personally, one-on-one, this is the key. Focus more attention on your people’s particular interests and watch your practice soar!

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

WHAT IS A PERSONAL BRAND? -A Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip

Photo by Alan Light

To stand out from the crowd as a luxury real estate marketing professional, just think like Oprah. She is a one woman brand.

A personal brand is a statement of who you are, what your preferences are, what your values are, and what you stand for. It must be specific enough to reflect your core, yet broad enough to stay fluid. Your personal brand should allow you to adapt to the times and also the changes we all experience as we grow, hopefully wiser and kinder.

Your brand must express your authentic self in all situations. You need to feel comfortable in your own skin whether you are having tea with the Queen of England, discussing the ripeness of peaches with the produce person, or negotiating a multimillion dollar deal with a titan of industry. It is like wearing comfortable clothes that fit perfectly and you love how you feel in them.

Your personal brand speaks for you. It tells people exactly who you are every time it is encountered, like a polished presentation. It gives them a lazy way out, because you are doing their mental work for them; the work of figuring out how they should categorize you in their mind.

A personal brand must be consistent in all aspects. If your signal is clear, it will attract people who identify with it, the right people. When your signal resonates with your target market on an emotional level they become passionate about supporting you, because your brand expresses that which is near and dear to them.

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use the form in the left column.

Two Key "Vocabulary Words" for Luxury Real Estate Marketing Professionals

Two key "vocabulary words" in the Language of Luxury that you need to know as a luxury real estate marketing professional are Hermes & Bugatti. These are quintessential luxury brands that have teamed up in an extraordinary collaboration endeavor.

In the everlasting quest for differentiation among the richest of ‘richocrats’, where the importance of bigger and better is on the daily to do list, here is a fun subject for you to talk about.

At the end of 2008, Bugatti Veyron, will be unveiling a new model. It is designed for those who want to set themselves apart from the very rich who are spending only $1million on the Buggati Veyron.  The “Buggatti Fbg par Hermes” is listed at $2.3million.  By the way Fbg stands for 24 Faubourg St Honore, the address of the historic flagship store in Paris. 

This is an example of co-branding at the highest of levels.  On the automotive side, you have the exacting standards of Ettore Bugatti, the founder of the Bugatti line as interpreted by designer Gabriele Pezzini and the rigorous quality standards of Emile Hermes, son of the founder of Hermes. 

This is in my opinion an exceptional looking sports car. It is available in ebony and brick.  Only 20 will be made.

The seats of the car are covered in two-toned bull calfskin as is the dashboard, a matched wallet, and a suitcase designed to fit in the leather lined trunk. The radiator grill has the letter H, and so does the wheel centers.  “As one automotive enthusiast put it, you wouldn’t want the peasants to think you're driving a plain old Bugatti. At least I wouldn't.”

The pictures of the car were copyrighted, and we could not put them on the site without permission, so here is the next best solution.  To see pictures of this magnificent car, follow this link The Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermes - Photo Essays - TIME

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use the form in the  left column.

Defining Your Personal Brand as a Luxury Real Estate Marketing Professional

Define What You Value the Most

Part of the exercise of articulating your personal brand is defining what you value the most. Think about some of your favorite things and why they are meaningful to you. This can reveal your personal values.

Here is a personal example to illustrate how to do it:

I love going to the open air Farmers Market. I appreciate the farmers who grow the food organically. My eyes are wide with anticipation as I look at all the beautiful produce. I feel connected to the food I eat. I enjoy the vendor’s kids who are helping their parents sell as they weigh tomatoes, and tell me which ones are sweeter. I applaud the restaurants who are buying organic and fresh for their patrons. I am overwhelmed by the varieties and the choices and I am thankful to be in their midst. At home, I unpack my goodies and plan our meals. Everything tastes better.

From this, you can surmise that I probably buy organic when possible, as it is my preference and an important value. I am also likely to patronize restaurants who buy direct from the farmers. I talk about it, I write about it, and I look forward to going. I am passionate about fresh food and the care that goes into bringing it to market.

By Alexandra Seigel, Partner - Napa Consultants, International

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

Kindness—Take 2 -Differentiating Yourself as a Luxury Real Estate Marketing Professional

 

A photographer friend whose children attend a private school in told us why she was chosen to be the school’s official photographer. The story revolved around a novel way that the school selected their homecoming queen.

The students vote, the administration votes and the faculty votes. One of the candidates selected was a girl on scholarship whose single mother cleans houses for a living. She was loved by everyone. The other candidates were equally wonderful girls from affluent families. These girls decided that the scholarship gal should be the homecoming queen and set out to make it happen.

The competitors secretly campaigned for her. Our friend the photographer, moved by the story, offered to do the photography at no charge. One of the competitor’s parents took her to the hairdresser. It was the first time she had her hair done professionally. Another parent took all the girls shopping and bought everyone dresses and accessories.

The results were announced at the football game. My friend was in the know and positioned her camera to catch the look of surprise and joy. The picture turned out beautifully. She used the picture in her company ad, congratulating everyone.

Wonderful things started happening to our friend the photographer. The school contracted her to do the photos for the year book. Many parents recommended her, and had their family portraits taken by her.

This was a natural gesture, a spontaneous act of kindness, coming from a mother who supports two daughters in private school. She just naturally wanted to contribute her expertise to make someone’s day that much better. She was not asking for the photography job, she was volunteering and making her brand known. We also rallied behind her and sent a considerable amount of work her way. We were moved by her genuine kindness and this story.

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

Kindness: A Novel Luxury Real Estate Marketing Strategy

In marketing luxury real estate, you want to have always be thinking strategically. Prior to Mother’s Day, Saks Fifth Avenue came up with a new Mother’s day gift and a great marketing strategy. They joined www.charitywater.org , a non-profit organization that helps bring water, clean water, to the Third World . And, they engaged customers to participate in the program in an exciting way.

1.1 billion people on the planet do not have access to safe, clean drinking water. That is one in six of us. Charity Water can give 100% of its donations because big corporations and generous individuals underwrite their expenses. Every dollar raised goes directly to digging wells and purifying water.

Saks understands its clientele. They know that the majority of mothers who are Saks shoppers do not really need a major gift from their family members on Mother’s day. So, they came up with the concept of giving the gift of water. It is inexpensive, and it is innovative. $5.00 gives someone safe drinking water for 5 years! The gift was a black rubber band style bracelet with Charity Water printed on it. For $20.00, you could send an email, in your mother’s name and she could pick the country the water went to for 20 years. For additional dollars you could provide a well, and so on.

This was an elegant strategy. Mothers in the Third World are the ones who walk miles to get the water. Mothers in America were helping mothers on the other side of the planet. The beauty of this strategy is that it exposed people to a worthwhile cause and gave the gift of water, a gift of luxury. It also illustrates that luxury can be defined in many ways given the circumstances one lives in. I felt moved by this, and I felt inspired that someone came up with an idea of making it affordable for anyone to give the luxury of water. Thinking strategically, as a luxury real estate marketing professional, can make you feel great, help others and also generate business. When these components all align, that is as good as luxury gets!

By Alexandra Seigel, Partner – Napa Consultants, International

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

Marketing Your (Authentic) Self In Luxury Real Estate

YOUR AUTHENTIC SIGNAL

As long as we interact with people, we are continuously in the process of marketing ourselves to others, presenting ourselves in such a way as to attract what we want. But, are we projecting our authentic self? And, are we being deliberate about crafting our marketing message? These are the questions.

By virtue of our very existence we send out broadcast signals about who we are. Our success in attracting the right people and circumstances depends on the clarity of our signal. This applies to personal relationships as well as business relationships.

Static reduces the fidelity of your message. Eventually, people turn off to you and your message if there is too much static on your lines. Static comes in the form of not knowing who you are, having a mixed message, and pretending to be what you are not.

Here is an example from nature. Orchids come in many varieties and shapes. Each species has a specific flower suited to a particular insect that will fertilize it. The shape attracts the right insect and repels all others who would be useless to that plant’s procreation, but precisely right for another variety.

Marketing yourself has to be the same as the orchid. When your signal is clear it becomes easy to decide who is right for you and also where to spend your productive time and energy. You have to stay true to your signal. You cannot waver, if you want to consistently attract the right referral sources, customers or clients.

When marketing yourself, be deliberate in sending out your signal. Stick to your own true voice, your authentic self. And, thrive!

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

Buzz Marketing For Luxury Real Estate Professionals - Part 1

The Big Yellow Cab

In the growing international wine market wine, how do you stand out? What is your brand position? How do you differentiate your brand? And, even more importantly, how do you create word-of-mouth marketing or Buzz? If you are a luxury real estate marketing professional you need to ask yourself the same questions.

There is glut of wine brands throughout the world offering consumers an overwhelming amount of choice. Utah, Oregon, Washington, Texas, New York, Virginia and more states have now jumped into the market. California produces more than double the wine that Australia produces. 

People often buy wine based on the label without having the slightest idea of what is inside the bottle. Here is a marvelous example of a winery that succeeds at differentiating their wine and standing out in the crowded Cabernet Sauvignon category.

Mendocino County in California produces Big Yellow Cab. The label has yellow as its dominant color. It has the picture of an old fashioned Yellow cab, giving it the allure of heritage. The Yellow Cab’s slogan is “The Name to Trust Since 1920”. Everyone knows what a Yellow Cab is. This is a play on words. The bottle contains cabernet sauvignon, a red wine. Wine jargon often refers to the taste of a full bodied rich Cab (an abbreviation of Cabernet ) as a” big Cab”.

It is a friendly label. The color yellow suggests warmth, friendliness, and in this case, fun. At $11.99 a bottle, I bought it, both to photograph it and to taste it. It was good, and it was fun, and it made for interesting conversation. It made it to our blog, which means it was “remarkable” (worthy of our remarks). This is the word-of-mouth advertising that can happen just by clever branding. In other words, Yellow Cab wine is “buzz-worthy”. It is so clever, you have to tell someone about it.

This is part of an ongoing series about

Luxury Real Estate Marketing

. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury

by Email

or

RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.

Listening Appointments vs. Listing Appointments

THE LISTENING APPOINTMENT

This is a story about a luxury real estate marketing professional who applied the principle of “the listening appointment vs. the listing appointment. When our friend went for out on a listing presentation the seller was sitting gingerly on his chair and straining to pay attention. She asked him if there was something wrong. The seller told her his back was hurting him.

Instead of continuing the presentation, she told him of a chiropractor friend who was so good that he would be feeling a 100% better after one visit. The seller agreed to see her friend. She made the appointment for him that very day, canceling her presentation.

Sure enough, his back felt better. He rescheduled the appointment and gave her the listing without interviewing anyone else. Her care spoke volumes. All parties benefited, and it was the beginning of a great relationship which continues to this day.

Listen for what is needed and wanted by your client and make that your priority during your listing presentation rather than your own agenda. You will get clues about sealing the deal.

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed.

Comments? Please use form in left column.