Luxury Real Estate Marketing Essentials: Building High Trust Relationships

Paris Bridges

Building an abundance of high-trust relationships with your clients is the name of the game for luxury real estate marketing. Whoever develops and maintains the most high-trust relationships wins! It is all about becoming a trusted advisor with your high net worth clientele.

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Our business partner John Ullmen, Ph.D., also teaches about high-trust relationships at UCLA Anderson School of Management. He studied managers, executives and professionals from different industries to discover what the “best of the best” do to build strong trusting relationships and social networks—invisible bridges--that generate ongoing business results such as referrals.

Ullmen and his co-author, Melissa Karz put their findings into their popular book, Invisible Bridges: Building Professional Relationships for Results. This book is a brief and powerful story that demonstrates the principles and practices of relationship building in professional life.

Here is a summary of the principles found in the book:

1. Understand The Strength Of Invisible Bridges

• Whatever you’re reaching for, the right relationships can get you there faster, easier, and with more enjoyment.
• Relationships lead to the best things in life.
• Relationships are the best things in life.

2. Choose Bridges to Build

• Decide what you want and who you’d like to connect with.
• Find creative ways to make new connections.

3. Build Your Bridges from Both Sides

• Find out what others value, in work and life.
• Let others know what you want, in work and life.

4. Keep Your Bridges in Good Repair

• Follow up on new connections, and stay in touch with your existing ones.
• Take action for the benefit of your relationships, new ones and old ones.

5. Be Ready For New Bridges

• Anyone can build stronger relationships at any point in their lives.
• You never finish building relationships, and you can always get better.
• Life-changing relationships can come anytime, anywhere. Get ready.

For a great read on building high-trust relationships in your luxury real estate marketing practice, we wholeheartedly recommend buying and reading John’s book. Click here to buy it now.

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 Marketing Essentials: The Days of Wine and Brand Differentiation

As a luxury real estate marketing professional you must differentiate yourself from you competitors. We say, “Stand out or Bow out”! Here is an important way in which premium wines are differentiated in the marketplace.

In the abundant world of the wine production, the finest wines are distinguished from every other wine not just by price but by their origin. This principle of the differentiation is based on a French word, “terroir”. The basic components of terroir are climate, soil type and topography. Labels will often identify the estate on which that wine was grown, or the particular section of the vineyard because there are microclimates in each section. This concept was in practice by the ancient Greeks. As they poured the wine into the amphoras, they would stamp the wine’s region on the seal. It is said that the Benedictine monks went as far as tasting the soil in the different parcels in which their wines grew, because one could taste the various terroirs in the wine.

Sauternes wines are sweet wines balanced with acidity. The most famous of them is Chateau D’Yquem, which Thomas Jefferson hailed as, “This is the best white wine of France and the best of it is made by Monsieur de Lur-Saluces,” the then owner of Chateau D’Yquem. Aficionados still agree with that assessment when it comes to pairing it with their foie gras. At an auction in London in 2006, a 135-year "vertical" (containing every vintage from 1860 to 2003) was sold for a record price of $1.5 million. The estate next to Chateau D’Yquem also produces excellent Sauternes wine. However, it is not as highly rated as its neighbor, because its terroir is different.

Terroir is a brand resulting from natural forces. Your DNA is akin to the terroir of the great wines. Express your uniqueness and you will always stand out!

Luxury Marketing Essentials: Developing an Effective Strategy

As a luxury marketing professional it is important to develop a strategy to achieve your goals. Strategy is not tactics. Tactics are means of achieving immediate goals. A strategy is a long term plan of action. Strategy is making a choice of direction which will affect the outcome of your goals. To develop a successful strategy you must integrate your brand and your passion for the business you are in. It is the result of defining, aligning and refining your brand and your position in the marketplace.  A strategy without grounding in the basics of marketing is like putting the cart before the horse.

One of our friends was a successful realtor prior to the days of web 2.0. She loved historical homes and had remodeled several of them, and she began specializing in selling these types of homes. She knew through her own experience what it takes to restore these homes and had a list of vetted people who could help her buyers/sellers in the process. Her passion led her to join a historical society. Her enthusiasm and participation in the organization created lifetime friendships and referrals in abundance. This was a strategy based on a passion for historical homes. It has not waned; she still works with the group.

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 Essentials:Gain New Perspectives

Art: You may not always like it but it gives you a new perspective. It takes your mind to new places where it has not explored. As a luxury real estate marketing professional, we recommend frequent trips to art galleries and art museums. It opens you up to new experiences, new idea and increases your “vocabulary” in the Language of Luxury.

This weekend we drove to Los Angeles from our home in Santa Barbara, for quick hit of culture at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. A new outdoor sculpture was installed since our last visit there and it takes center stage in the expanded campus of exhibit buildings. It is comprised of rows of streetlamps clustered in a square pattern, adjacent to the new Broad Contemporary Art Museum building.

Contemporary art often causes me to scratch my head and wonder, “what were they thinking”? Where is the meaning? How does a single blob of color on an otherwise blank canvas constitute art? It wasn’t until I walked through this sculpture and noticed the shadows that it cast, did this sculpture became art to me. From a distance it was mildly intriguing. But, when I got up close, where I was able to participate with it and move between the lampposts, it truly captured my imagination.

I took one of these photos while on my back looking up to the sky. It occurred to me that streetlamps are never next to one another. They are always spaced apart to do their job. Together, they now create a beacon of light guiding people to the museum and inviting them in to gain new perspectives.

By Ron 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.

Luxury Real Estate Marketing Essentials: Originality

Cote d'Azur, France

Writing a luxury real estate marketing blog takes commitment. But, the rewards can be spectacular if your content is original and you offer extraordinary value to your readers.

When you blog you become a researcher, a reporter and a syndicated columnist. You must develop a unique voice that is in a class unto itself. You need a special bent, a distinct perspective that is compelling enough to attract readers who follow your blog from one post to the next.

You may have heard about the Russian billionaire who paid the record sum of 752 million dollars for Villa Leopolda. According to the media, Villa Leopolda is one of the most magnificent mansions in the world. It is located on the French Riviera. This event was reported repeatedly on blogs and other media throughout the world.

But, but there is nothing original in the news story itself. If your reader already has heard the news before reading your post it is no longer news. That is why your unique slant on the story is so important.

One of our subscribers, Alice Held, read our August 21, 2008 post, entitled “The Russians Are Coming!, in which we indirectly referred to this sale. She commented that our coverage was both original and personal. We appreciated that comment, as Alexandra, who wrote this particular post, shared her personal experience about her Russian background. Alexandra also underscored the importance of learning more about the cultural background of your clients if you want to easily connect with them, earn their trust and also earn the big commissions associated with major international luxury real estate transactions. You do not necessarily need to speak Russian, in this case. But, it does help to be fluent in the Language of Luxury.

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 Essentials: The Business of Luxury

“Why do I need to know how the watch market is doing? I’m in the business of luxury”, Patrick Heiniger, CEO, Rolex

Real Estate marketing professionals can learn from this quote, because luxury is a product category by itself. Like Rolex, you are in the business of luxury. Stay focused on the luxury market and its trends. Every market has its opportunities, and the luxury buyers can afford those opportunities. Make yourself visible in those circles where people are thriving and buying. Pay attention to the good news out there. It is more plentiful than the bad news, if you look for it.

Get acquainted with the people who are buying. Did you know that it is projected that by the year 2009, there will be 135,000 millionaires in India? Did you know that Brazil and China are also spawning new millionaires? If an Indian, Brazilian or Chinese millionaire buyer crossed your path, what would you know about their countries, their customs, and their luxury mindset?

This is the perfect opportunity to start learning. The internet is a treasure trove of free information. Learn a word or two in their language, connect, and be real. Here is one of our favorites, Indian salutations, “Namaste". Namaste is a word in Sanskrit, which means; I salute and respect that divinity within you that is also within me.

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 Essentials: Southwest Airlines

As Luxury real estate marketing professionals, it is essential that you stay focused on the world outside of real estate and learn the lessons of some of the best companies. They are the manifestation of the tenets of good business practices especially in terms of marketing, branding and good business sense.

Southwest Airlines is not a luxury brand. However, they do have a luxury mindset; simplicity and the luxury of time. They have the easiest booking on line system and simple policies. They are customer driven. For instance, if you have to cancel or change a flight, there are NO additional fees assessed to your new ticket. In terms of time, they pride themselves on turnaround time, so that the flight in quickly turns into the flight out.

It is not surprising that Southwest Airlines is one of the most profitable airlines in the world. In January 2008, they again posted a profit for the 35^th consecutive year.

Here are some questions to answer:

1. How can you simplify your web site, so that your clients can have an easy experience? (Luxury of time and ease)

2. What is your turnaround time for requests, returned phone calls and emails?

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 Essentials: The “It Factor”

Our Abyssinian blue cat, Luigi, definitely has the "It Factor"!

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, you need to discover your own “it factor.”

The “it factor” refers to an indefinable quality a person has. They exude a charisma. Charisma is defined as “personal magnetism, the ability to inspire enthusiasm, interest, or affection.” This applies to everyone, whether or not they are in the entertainment industry, politicians, religious leaders, or job applicants.

We all have it without exception. What is your “it factor”, are you expressing it or hiding 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.

The Three Luxury Real Estate Marketing Keys for Personal Branding: Define. Align. Refine! Part #5

REFINEMENT

In Part 3 of this series, we used pottery as a metaphor for the three keys of luxury real estate marketing  for personal branding: Define. Align. Refine!  We recommend Self-definition (Part 1) and Personal Alignment (Part 2) as preparation for defining Your Unique Selling Proposition (Part 4). This is akin to wedging or kneading the clay prior to throwing a vase. It insures structural integrity by aligning the molecules and removing troublesome air bubbles.

 We continued the pottery metaphor for the personal branding process by introducing the principle of centering which is required throughout the entire process of throwing a vase using a pottery wheel. The successful process of transforming a lump of clay into a vase requires one’s full concentration while keeping the clay centered on the wheel.

Trimming (Refining) a Partially Dry Vase

The trimming process, involves cutting away the excess clay of the partially dry vase. Trimming is also done on the wheel. It requires the same mental concentration to keep the vase centered while reducing the thickness of the sides and bottom. It is a balancing process of cutting away the excess without compromising the architecture of vase. 

In personal branding, the goal is to reduce or refine the marketing message of one’s unique selling proposition or the unique promise of value, as we like to refer to it, to just a few words. What emerges from this process is a laser sharp marketing message that sharply differentiates you from your competition. 

The true test of the trimming or refinement process is whether or not you can communicate the essence of your brand, your unique promise of value, in a single image, a symbol and/or a slogan. Nike is the Greek goddess of victory.  In three very refined words their slogan communicates their entire promise of value (personal victory), “Just Do It!” 

In four refined words, The Language of Luxury communicates our own promise of value: “Get Fluent. Get Affluent! “ We hope you enjoyed our series on the three keys of luxury real estate marketing for personal branding.  Define. Align. Refine! Now, that says it all in just three words. Let us know if this was helpful.

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The Three Luxury Real Estate Marketing Keys for Personal Branding: Define. Align. Refine! Part #4

Your Unique Selling Proposition

This is Part #4 of a new blog series on The Three Luxury Real Estate Marketing Keys for Personal Branding. Define. Align. Refine!

In Part 1 we covered self-definition as the starting point for creating a personal brand. In Part 2 we explained the importance of personal alignment. In Part 3 we demonstrated that the result of self-definition and personal alignment is feeling centered. Here we discuss the importance of articulating your unique selling proposition which is part of the refinement process that allows you to stand out from your competition.

In Beverly Hills, on the famed Rodeo Drive there resides several high profile competing jewelry stores including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany, Bulgari and Harry Winston. Rodeo Drive is only a couple of blocks long.  They have much in conmon. Yet, they are all thriving. 

1. Each has a beautiful, inviting store front well-positioned on the street for walking traffic. Each is located on the right street (in the high rent district) given their price points.

2. Each is famous for their jewels and their integrity

3. Each is a reputable global luxury brand.

The unique factor is that each appeals to a different clientele. For instance, if you are looking for rare stones (pink or canary diamonds), Harry Winston is your store.  This is the primary reason to shop there. In a couple of words they sharply differentiate themselves from the others: rare stones.  Can you think of of one or two words that clearly define how you are different?

Cartier is known for the intricate design of their necklaces and pendants and for having been a favorite of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Van Cleef & Arpel s is known for their “mysterious diamond setting” where no prongs appear.  

You are a luxury real estate agent; your firm may be a well known luxury brand or may have a luxury division. Now, what are YOU famous for? What is your appeal to sellers and buyers that is unique and distinct? Once you have identified your unique selling proposition you must refine the way in which you communicate it  so that  your target market can understand it in a nano-second and can tell other how you are different from your competition.

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The Three Luxury Real Estate Marketing Keys for Personal Branding: Define. Align. Refine! Part 3

 CENTERING

This is Part #3 of a new blog series on The Three Luxury Real Estate Marketing Keys for Personal Branding. Define. Align. Refine!

Pottery, as an art form, clearly illustrates the principle of feeling centered which is the by-product of the process of self definition and personal alignment covered in previous posts. As students of pottery, we highly recommend that luxury real estate marketing professionals take a pottery class to gain a visceral, hands-on experience of centering. Like the personal alignment process pottery is also a meditative experience because you have to concentrate and focus to keep the clay centered on the wheel as you transform it into something both beautiful and useful. 

When you prepare the clay for throwing a vase using a potter’s wheel all these steps need to come into alignment in order to achieve your end result:

• You cut a piece of clay from a large block and wedge the clay. That is, you knead the clay until all the molecules are literally aligned and no air bubbles remain in it. This will add to the structural integrity of the finished bowl.
• You shape this clay into a ball and place it on the middle of the wheel
• You start the wheel, flatten the ball, and center the weight of the mass on the wheel.

If the clay is not kneaded or wedged properly air bubbles will remain. Air bubbles will create holes or cracks when you fire it in the kiln. The personal alignment process is similar to wedging clay. It is essential that you rid yourself of the air bubbles of doubt and self contradiction.

You center the clay mass on the wheel in order to open the very center of the vase and evenly pull the sides up. Suddenly, from a lump of clay you give it definition and a shape. Centering yourself through the process of self-definition and personal alignment quiets your mind, so that you can focus on shaping, crafting the vase of your unique selling proposition (which we cover in Part 4).

The last step prior to firing is called trimming. Once you have let the newly formed vase dry (partially) overnight, you bring it back on the wheel, center it again and trim away any excess clay. This trimming process is akin to what we call refining your marketing message which is covered in Part 5.

We find that so many luxury real estate marketing professional do not take the time to establish their personal alignment and get centered. They simply are unable to clearly articulate how they are distinct from their  closest competition. And, their results are usually not consistent.

Personal alignment gives you a sense of balance, confidence and a sense of being centered.. Only then can you be authentic and create a genuine personal brand..

This is also 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 Three Luxury Real Estate Marketing Keys for Personal Branding: Define. Align. Refine! Part #2

Personal Alignment

This is part #2 of our blog series on The Three Luxury Real Estate Marketing Keys for Personal Branding. Define. Align. Refine!

The second key of successful luxury real estate marketing after Self-Definition is personal alignment. Alignment as defined by Webster’s Dictionary is “the proper positioning or state of adjustment of parts in relation to each other.” What then, is personal alignment? It is the clarification and the formulation of your thoughts in such a way that you eliminate self-contradictions. It is also the convergence that occurs when these mental gears are in sync: 

•    Your values and beliefs (what matters to you the most and what you stand for)
•    Your passions and personality  (what you personally love doing the most)
•    Your unique talents and abilities (What you can do better than anyone else in your marketplace)

The process of personal alignment is taking the time to formulate and reformulate your success formula by trying out different ideas in your imagination until all these gears click into place. Only then can you send a clear, non-contradicted signal to your target market. Anything less is like tuning in a radio and hearing static.

Without alignment your target market is getting mixed signals from you or cannot even hear your broadcast. And, you wonder why all of your hard work isn’t paying off as you had hoped it would. It’s not for lack of effort on your part. It is lack of alignment!

Most professionals are too eager to rush into action before achieving personal alignment. Then they wonder why they are getting mixed results. Do not underestimate the importance of this vital step in building your luxury real estate marketing practice.  Any time you notice that you are not getting consistent results, take more time out for personal alignment or realignment.

Once you complete the process of self-definition covered in Part 1, and personal alignment  covered here, you will experience the feeling of being "centered" which we cover in Part 3. You will also be able to effortlessly define your unique selling proposition, which we cover in Part 4 and refine your marketing message, covered in part 5 of this series. 

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The Three Luxury Real Estate Marketing Keys for Personal Branding: Define. Align. Refine! Part #1

Self-Definition

This is Part #1 of a new blog series on The Three Luxury Real Estate Marketing Keys for Personal Branding: Define. Align. Refine!

For luxury real estate marketing professionals the process of self-definition is the starting point for creating a personal brand. In subsequent posts in this series we will cover how self definition and personal alignment lead to being centered and focused which is the prerequisite for refining your competitive advantage. In order to begin creating a successful marketing strategy that effortlessly attracts your target audience, take some time to complete these self-defining exercises:

1. Define your core values and your beliefs. This is the time to be honest with you. These are not the values or beliefs you think you should have because somebody will like you better for it. You will no doubt come up with many of these; however, it is important to identify the most important ones to you. Some values and beliefs are more cherished than others. What do you stand for?

2. Define your authentic personality and your passions. This is not what others think your personality is. It is not what you think you should be or have to fix. What makes your heart sing? How can you use that passion to create an avenue to better relate to others?

3. Define your unique talents and abilities. Everyone one of us has a unique blend of talents. It is your DNA. What can you do better than anyone else in your marketplace?

This is not a process to rush through. Take your time, deliberate. Check out each answer by questioning it thoroughly. You will know the process is done when you can articulate your answers to all of the questions above in one clear paragraph that says it all.

This is also 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 Essentials: Know Your Luxury Brands

As a luxury real estate marketing professionals you can benefit greatly by knowing your luxury brands. Continuously sharpening your focus on luxury industries beyond real estate gives you a broader perspective on the mindset of the buyers and sellers that you will representing in your practice. It gives you a tremendous competitive edge to speak the Language of Luxury. Christian Louboutin, a shoe designer in Paris has a wonderful take on what luxury means:


“Luxury is the possibility to stay close to your customers, and do things that you know they will love. It’s about subtlety and details. It’s about service. I cannot accept a place where people are badly received. I can’t imagine spending several thousand dollars on something and the salesclerk gets annoyed because you took fifteen minutes to look. Luxury is not consumerism. It is educating the eyes to see that special quality.”

Visit Christian Louboutin

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 Essentials: Discover Your Niche

Luxury Real Estate Marketing Professionals should understand the role of a niche in one’s marketplace. A niche is defined as a place, a position, a slot, a function, a role or a forte in a market place. It is important to know where you fit in. Here is a perfect example of a niche, with a slogan that embodies its position in the marketplace!

The product is Crayola crayons, which have been in existence since 1903. The company started in 1885, as a manufacturer of colorants for industrial purposes as well as slate pencils. It was Alice, a schoolteacher and the wife of the founder, Edward Binney who came up with the idea of a child friendly crayon. She also coined the word Crayola.

The Crayola slogan is “The Art of Childhood.” It defines what the company stands for and the value the end user will derive from the product regardless of their age. With this slogan, Crayola sharply defines its niche. It is one of the most recognized brands in the world. The vast majority of children know what a crayon is and they recognize the bright yellow box, even if they cannot read. In 1984, the company was purchased by Hallmark cards, another company with an exemplary slogan, “When you care enough to send the very best!” It has an emotional association as does “The Art of Childhood”.

What is your niche? How can your slogan express and promote 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.

Luxury Real Estate Marketing Essentials: To Blog or not to Blog, Part 3

Luxury real estate marketing professionals, welcome to Web 2.0, the business revolution manifesting on the World Wide Web!  At the very heart of Web 2.0 is encouraging interactivity between the client and the service provider.  It has opened a dialogue, where the consumer can make their desires known,  The concept of the blog is to open a dialogue, as well as to inform on pertinent subjects.This is part three of a three part mini-series called, To Blog or Not to Blog? 

The more traffic you can generate for your blog the more leads you can generate for your business. At the very minimum,  you must promote it everywhere you promote your current website. It must be prominently featured in all of your collateral material. Your blog is the new local media in your field and you are the new syndicated columnist. That means you need to maximize the use of local publicity as well as internet publicity, especially if you are in a second homhe market.

Best of all, if your content is truly original and cobmpelling it will generate word-of-mouth marketing. For some of your referral sources it is easier for them to forward a clever or informative blog post via email than it is to recommend your services directly.

Getting your blog to sync up with the search engines, e.g., Google, Yahoo and MSN, in order to achieve the highest rankings is paramount. This is where all of the hoopla is coming from on the subject of blogging. The search engines are continuously looking for new content so that their user’s search results continue to be relevant to the search query. If the content of your blog posts can consistently answer the question that searchers are typing, the chances of your blog being found first increases dramatically.

Be sure to submit your blog to the best blog registries. One example is Real Estate Blogs . It is a directory of real estate blogs and blog sites of industries affiliated with and serving the real estate industry.

Your search engine ranking for your website itself can steadily improve by blogging. Blogging allows you to add new content on a regular basis that is picked up by the search engines, versus the static content on your website. The more visible you become to the search engines the more you will be recognized as a website (and as a personality) worthy of a high ranking at the top on the search engines. This can take time.

To blog or not to blog? Do your due diligence before you decide. If your answer is yes, make the commitment to publish the best, market leading blog in your area. And, be sure to seek professional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services. This is critical to your success. Good luck blogging for leads and for dollars!

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: To Blog or Not to Blog Part 2

First, let’s demystify the blog by separating the medium from the message (or the content of your blog). As a medium, a blog is an interactive website that allows you to instantly self-publish (or post) time-stamped content such as text, photos, audio clips, videos and links to external content on the internet.

Your blog also allows visitors to post comments and forward your blog to their friends. Other blogs can be linked to your blog so your posts can appear in many places at once like a syndicated newspaper columnist. This interactivity is what makes blogs a social media versus printed newspapers, magazines or TV. There is a plenitude of free blogging platforms. It only takes minutes to set up your blog and publish your first post. It is that easy to become a self-publisher.

The shift in power that is taking place in the world of traditional publishing represents an unprecedented opportunity to become a popular source of real estate news in your marketplace through self-publication. Can you begin to see why the current market leading agents are vulnerable? A competitor can readily seize this opportunity to become the local expert, the go-to columnist that is repeatedly quoted in other publications and other people’s blogs.

Becoming a Syndicated Columnist

Now, let’s take a look at the message side of the blog equation. Have you ever watched Andy Rooney’s spot that is aired at the end of every 60 Minutes TV program? He usually gives a two or three minute commentary on something that interests him. His inimitable style is charming, humorous and witty. A very distinct personality is exactly what your blog needs if you want to stand out in a sea of blogs. Your blog needs a unique slant to build readership/viewership. Most importantly, it must be authentic.

A successful blog should be like a thoroughly engaging editorial or news column in your local newspaper that is somehow tied into the subject of real estate. The theme of your column must be centered on something that you are personally enthusiastic or even passionate about in order to sustain your own interest over time as a publisher/columnist. If the message is not newsworthy, entertaining, informative or a solution to their problems your readers will quickly lose interest, 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

Luxury Real Estate Marketing Essentials:: To Blog or not to Blog- Part 1

To blog or not to blog? That is a very important question if you are a luxury real estate marketing professional and you are serious about surpassing your closest competitor. A blog can be a significant lead generation tool, which is the biggest reason so many agents are jumping on the band wagon and launching their own blogs.

Here are the pros and cons about blogging in a nutshell:

The Pros:

1) Competently executed, blogging can help you create the perception, in the minds of your target market, that you are the leading authority in your field;

2) Blogging can significantly improve your search engine ranking, and;

3) Blogging can even help you gain celebrity status.

The Cons:

1) Done incompetently, publishing a blog can be like eating crawfish: a lot of work for very little meat;

2) If you do not like to write or do not have anything interesting, helpful or newsworthy to say about your marketplace (even with the assistance of a ghost writer) do not bother to blog, and;

3) You can bore potential readers and waste your valuable time that could be put to much better use.

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 Essentials: The Tiffany Standard

In luxury real estate marketing, your aim is for your personal brand to become a household name, like Tiffany. The New York Times Weekend Arts section featured the headline “On the Beach, Under a Tiffany-Blue Sky.” The article was about books to read on the beach. The Tiffany blue color is trademarked and was first seen in an 1891 New York Times advertisement. Whether or not skies are actually the color of Tiffany-blue is irrelevant. It is the associations with the brand that sets an emotional tone for the article.
 

The reference to Tiffany illustrates the potential power of the brand. As a jewelry store, Tiffany is the best known brand across America. It has a prestigious heritage. Tiffany jewels have been worn by famous US families, such as the Vanderbilt’s, the Astor’s, and also the J.P. Morgans. According to the company’s history “a Tiffany’s gemologist was instrumental in the international adoption of the metric carat as a weight standard for gems. Tiffany’s standard for sterling and platinum has been adopted as United States Standards.”

The 1961 film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” starred Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. This love story brought more fame to the brand. Audrey Hepburn’s character, Holly Golightly, walks into Tiffany because it is "the best place in the world, where nothing bad can take place." What a glorious association for a brand.

In 2002, Tiffany promoted to a new generation of consumers in “Sweet Home Alabama”. This time, Reese Whiterspoon’s character, Melanie, goes into Tiffany’s during off hours with her boyfriend to pick out engagement rings. This was a brilliant example of product placement in a film. Driving to Tiffany’s in a limousine and gaining access to the store for a private shopping spree evoked a wonderful romantic notion that dreams can come true (especially if they come in blue boxes).

The Tiffany mount has become a classic standard for engagement rings according to DeBeers, the largest commercial supplier of diamonds in the world. It is simply comprised of four or six prongs securely holding the diamond around it girdle (the largest part of the stone), elevating it above a plain band. The prongs are spaced equally around the stone, mimicking the symmetry of the diamond’s cut.

Tiffany lamps, with their stained glass shades, were designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany, the founder’s son. Like the Tiffany diamond mount, Tiffany lamps have defined a standard for a certain type of lamp. The handmade shades are comprised of pieces of patented Favrile stained glass that are soldered together with copper foil. Even when one sees a replica it is still referred to as a Tiffany lamp.

When a brand transcends its own category of product or service, or is used as a standard within the same industry, it reaches the pinnacle of its power in our culture. “The Rolls Royce of watches” would be an example. When a brand becomes a common noun like “Kleenex” to describe a facial tissue, or a verb, such as “to Xerox” or “to Google” it also falls into this elite category.

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 Website Marketing Tip: Be Original!

In the play Master Class, the famous opera diva, Maria Callas tells her students, “If you want to be an opera star, your voice  may not be enough. You have to have a ‘look’. Get a Look!” We say, as a luxury real estate marketing professional you not only need a look, you need a brand that conveys the essence of who you are, what you stand for and also the extraordinary value you have to offer. Your personal brand must have impact. It must enable you to sharply stand out from your competition.

In the new competitive landscape of Web 2.0, if you want to have a dominant share of the marketplace, your website must have a distinctive look, too. The real shift that is occurring today in the luxury real estate profession is the transition from being a salesperson to becoming a marketing expert. When personal marketing is done right, it is the process of attracting and maintaining ideal clients. When marketing a luxury home it is the process of attracting the perfect client to the right home. In both cases, your website is now the most important marketing tool you have. You need to become a master of the internet! Or, at least your assistants do.

Getting potential clients to visit your website is only a fraction of what it takes to master the internet. You only have a nano second to make your first impression before they click away. Your luxury real estate website has to be on par with that of any luxury brand. You have to have the look, the feel, and the depth that Gucci has, for instance. You must have an original story, your own story. You must connect with the individuals who comprise your target market.

Gucci is not meant here to be the standard, it is just an example. Whatever luxury brand you identify with, model it, but don’t copy it. Although, some people maintain that imitation is the best form of flattery, forget it! Be your own brand. Get a look. But, most importantly, be original!

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.