8 Marketing Tips for Luxury Real Estate Marketing Professionals

 

Here are eight marketing tips to thrive in all market conditions for luxury real estate marketing professionals and all others who are intent on thriving:

1. ADAPT: GO FISHING WHERE THE FISH ARE BITING

Change your perspective by ignoring the bad news. The fact is that there is a MARKET. Find the good news, what is selling and where it is selling. All this information is available from your title company. In other words, go where the fish are biting instead of lamenting that the old fishing hole is yielding next to nothing. Those who succeed in every market understand adaptability. It is adapting that makes a race survive.

2. DIVE INTO SOCIAL MEDIA

It is ridiculous that agents are crying for leads and business when social media is so easy. Only 33% of you try it. Of that 33% very few actually connect with their new found contacts. You have the whole world to connect to! Someone is looking for the very house you are marketing.

3. CREATE CO-MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES

Get to know more local business owners. Talk to everyone about your services. Find out how you can be of assistance to them.

4. LEARN MORE

Read other people’s blogs. Learn something new. Take the Yoga class you have been putting off. Take some art classes. Find new interests. There is a whole world out there to explore. The people you meet usually buy and sell homes or know someone who is ready to do so.

5. BECOME A RESOURCE

Instead of a having a “what’s in it for ME mentality, try a “what’s in it for YOU” and how you can help. You will be amazed that people will actually go out of their way to help you, too.

6. STAY POSITIVE

Nothing is more important that maintaining your optimism. Get to know your marketplace like the back of your hand. This will give you inner confidence. Look for what is perfect about your marketplace right now.

7. DELEGATE

Delegate what you don’t absolutely love to do. Spend your time in the field meeting more people, and talking to people. Find out what is on their mind and shape your marketing and your prospecting in accordance.

8. REPEAT, KEEP PRACTICING THESE STEPS IN EVERY MARKET!

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Essentials: Make More Contacts

Last week we received this comment/question on our blog: Could you please give more tips to deal with this current Market? Here is a very important tip: If you are not using Linked In sign up for an account and start answering questions that can demonstrate your abilities. This is a great way to make connections. The more connections you have, the greater your sphere of influence, the more opportunities you get to help others and also to get referral business. In challenging markets MAKE MORE CONTACTS! In any market, make more contacts!

Just last night Alexandra accidentally held down a couple of keys on the computer and the screen display rotated so that the top was on the left side. We both were clueless about how to fix it and could not readily find the answer on Window’s Help. We needed to write and publish our Tuesday blog post (this one).

So we decided to put Twitter and Linked In to the test by posting an SOS on both sites. Literally, within a few minutes, we had three email responses from Linked In. As of this writing, no one responded on Twitter.

The first Linked In response was from Kim a Dutch citizen who moved to Sydney Australia. Kim’s answer was right on and we were able to rotate the screen immediately with precise advice. The second answer was from Canada, the third from the US. Needless to say we were delighted with this outpouring of help from our global community. We made three new friends and were eager to offer our help as needed in return.

It so happens, Kim is interested in conflict resolution which is an area of expertise of our partner John. We recommended that they connect as well and we sent Kim to John’s website that features his latest book, Who Wins Conflict?--The Creative Alternative to Fight or Flight?

P.S. Kim is now following us on Twitter and vice versa!

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Essentials: Good News!

CUSTOM HOME IN SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS (LAS VEGAS)

SELLS FOR RECORD PRICE

Congratulations to our client, Tanya Murray, of Realty Executives of Nevada, for marketing and selling the most expensive listing to close in 2009 so far in Las Vegas! The 12,207-square-foot custom home is located at 2 Wood Creek Ct. in the exclusive Estates at Southern Highlands and closed escrow for $9.5 million.

Marketing efforts included creating a custom website (www.2woodcreek.com) and dozens of high quality print and electronic marketing campaigns showcasing the home’s magnificent grounds, views and interior finishes as well as custom furnishings.

The home is situated directly on the Southern Highlands Golf Course and features both expansive city and golf course views. A two-story theater. state of the art equipment, a popcorn machine, infinity pool, Baccarat crystal accessories,  and Versace china added to the livable opulence this home provides.

Tanya Murray has been successfully practicing real estate in Nevada for nearly 8 years and was named by In Business Magazine as one of the “Top 40 Under 40” in Las Vegas. She can be reached online at www.TanyaMurray.com.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Essentials: Peace of Mind & Kindness

The value of your personal brand as a luxury real estate marketing professional is the extraordinary promise of value that you offer your clients and referral sources. Contrary to what most people think, it is not just great service that makes you stand out. Great service is simply the price of admission among top tier agents. Then, what is the added value that can make you stand out?

Think of diamonds. You can purchase a flawless diamond at Macy’s or at Tiffany & Company and get wonderful customer service at both stores. What if identical diamonds (size, weight, cut etc.) were purchased from the same source and sold under different labels. They both would have the same intrinsic value. But, prestigious brands can command a premium price because of the perception of added value and the emotional satisfaction that the brand can bring.

Today’s luxury consumers are beginning to revolt against needless markups on products just as they are questioning the commissions that agents are asking. And, rightly so! Many luxury brands now are finding that they have to justify their expensive price tags or cave-in to discounting. Why is it that certain brands, such as Tiffany & Company, can stand firm with the genuine confidence that they are worth it?

As a luxury real estate marketing professional you must discover your full value in order to command higher commissions; and that value must be defined in other ways beyond excellent service. The added emotional value that must be associated with your brand is the peace of mind and kindness that you offer your clients.

There can be no price tag placed on peace of mind and kindness, as both are in short supply. The key is to attract those clients who can appreciate this level of added value. Then,  build your personal brand around it. To quote the Dali Lama, “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible”.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Essentials: Kissing Goldfish

 

How A Chinese Luxury Brand is Born

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, it is important to understand how a luxury brand is born and how it is developed. Here is an example of the challenges in developing the first Chinese Luxury Jewelry brand, Qeelin.

The founder Dennis Chan knew that he could not launch Qeelin in China. The Chinese marketplace would perceive it as a local brand regardless of the quality of the product. He knew that the Chinese marketplace would accept the brand if it was successful in other countries.

The brand was launched at the Cannes Film Festival in 2004. Maggie Cheung, who won the Best ActressMaggie Cheung award, wore the jewelry. Because she was the first Asian actress to be given this honor, she received worldwide coverage. And, so did the jewelry!

The first sale was made in Paris. They chose Paris as the first point of sale because the world of jewelry in Paris demands the very best. That challenged the partners to strive for and to achieve their potential.

The Results:

“We are currently perceived as an international luxury brand originating from China, and we have a good portion of our clients who are mainland Chinese.”

Qeelin’s target market is women who love haute jewelry (highest quality) from luxury brands. They have a discerning eye and look for handmade pieces with special stones. They do not follow trends; they follow what they consider to be the best.

The style of the designs reflect Chan’s Chinese heritage. One of the standouts is the Qin Qin (kiss-kiss, in Mandarin) goldfish pendant with magnets embedded within the golden lips. Chan explains, “The design has the ability to surprise and give our customers a little bit of a thrill through the unexpected.”

As you launch and build your own personal brand as a luxury real estate marketing professional it is important to understand your target market, i.e., their demographics. It is also important to understand their psychological preferences-their psychographics. By offering the unexpected such as a remarkable closing gift, you too can surprise and thrill your clients and trigger word-of-mouth advertising.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing: The Chain of Gain

According to 2009 National Association of Realtors’ Member Profile, over 1/3 of Realtors use social networking sites.

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, are you among this group? If so, how is it going? Are you making meaningful connections? Are you generating more business, yet? To be a successful networker all you need to do is follow the “chain of gain”.

Joanne Davis, a highly skilled real estate executive with over 24 years of experience in the industry in the Sacramento area, swears by Linked In. Since October, 2008, she has built a substantial network on Linked In (2750+ connections) that has really paid off. Joanne gets a minimum of 5-7 calls a week from new connections wanting to do business. You can connect with Joanne-see her profile.

Now, we were introduced to Joanne by our dear friend Donna Lee Laue, the CEO of Unique Global Estates (UGE), the world’s largest showcase of multimillion dollar estates. Joanne is the Luxury Ambassador for Sacramento on UGE.  View Donna's profile.

Joanne, now a wonderful friend too, generously introduced us to two of her connections who helped her get started with Linked In. We highly recommend that you connect with these guys too!

Mike O’Neil, a Linked In “Rock Star” ( 22,000 + connections)

Mike is the CEO of Integrated Alliances, one of the best social media training firms He offers a free webinar every Monday to help you get started and excellent courses for advanced social networking practices. See Mike’s profile

Brad Hanks, Social Media Evangelist (13,800+ connections)

Brad is the CEO of Brad Hanks Seminars and specializes in helping real estate professionals get connected. We attended one of Brad’s webinars and he really knows his subject. Check out Brad’s profile.

To complete the chain of gain, invite us to connect on Linked In as well. See our profile. And, be sure to join our LANGUAGE OF LUXURY group on Linked In.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Essentials: Blazing New Paths with Brand Originality

For luxury real estate marketing professionals understanding what makes you an original is one of the keys to a successful luxury real estate practice. If you want to be the standout in your marketplace originality, the quality of newness and the ability to depart from tradition or the norm, is a necessity.

When originality is accompanied by authenticity in your personal brand you have the ingredients to become an “overnight success” once you encounter the right opportunity. And, opportunities are plentiful if you believe in yourself.

Here is an example of the place where originality, authenticity and opportunity all came together and created a global personal brand overnight. The recent emergence of Susan Boyle, runner up contestant on the very popular British television show, Britain’s’ Got Talent, is a case in point. An ordinary Scottish housewife with a dream of singing Andrew Lloyd Weber songs like Elaine Page emerges as one of the crowd’s favorites and catches the attention of the world. On first impression, she does not resemble a Broadway star. However, she can sing like one. She is an original and she is authentic. These are the qualities that the populace at large can identify with and praise.

Often, as we are presenting the concept personal branding to real estate agents and show them our case studies, someone will make the quip, “ I will work with you if you can make me look like some of your clients who have movie star looks”. This is a telling remark, because people feel they have to be or look “a certain way”, in order to be a local celebrity.

We hope that the story of Susan Boyle ends that misconception. What a seller or buyer needs is a person that can do the job, someone they can identify with, someone original and authentic.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Essentials: Great Packaging Is Crucial

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, your marketing materials must look and feel different, from the competition.Great packaging is crucial. Whatever you leave behind with home sellers at your listing presentation should stand out and scream “marketing savvy”. The way you market yourself is like a test drive of what your client can expect when you market their home.

Think about it!Basically, what is in that folder, the data and the conclusions reached on the selling price are generally pretty close; the market research is identical if your competition is also competent.But, your packaging should look good enough to stay on their coffee table, like a coffee table book!And, it should make your competitors materials pale in comparison.

Here is a lesson from the world of marketing gelato or Italian ice cream.The word “gelato” means frozen in Italian. There is no gelatin in gelato as some people believe.We are aficionados of gelato in Italy.Our favorite is Vivoli’s in Florence, behind the Piazza Santa Croce church.We also treasure memories of hazelnut gelato sundaes sitting outside under the arcades in Torino.

Recently, on a whim, we decided to buy some gelato to go with the wonderful organic strawberries that we had just purchased at Santa Barbara’s Farmers Market.As first-time store-bought gelato buyers we did not have a clue about which brand to trust. We chose Talenti based entirely on the very distinct package which was comprised of a clear sturdy plastic container with a screw top. Talenti’s difference was glaring, in the middle of a dozen or more brands.  Best of all, the gelato tasted great! For a moment, we were transported to Italy!

Outstandingpackaging can even override the choice of another competing agent who was referred by a trusted friend.Great packaging is crucial, especially if you intend to be the market leader.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Essentials: Remarkable Client Service

How can you, as a luxury real estate marketing professional, spark word-of-mouth advertising and client loyalty with remarkable customer service? Here is an example that might inspire you, especially if you appreciate fine coffee.

While dining at Gulfstream, one of our favorite restaurants in Century City (adjacent to Beverly Hills), we discovered what is perhaps one of the most remarkable brands of decaf coffee we had ever tasted in the United States. The restaurant gladly shared their coffee source, Fonté, which we appreciated. As soon as we got home, we ordered some on their website www.fontecoffee.com .

When the coffee arrived we immediately brewed a fresh pot only to be disappointed by how weak it was compared to the restaurant brew of the same beans. Alexandra was convinced that the problem was our coffee maker. Alexandra declared that it was time for a new machine (the one she found in the Williams-Sonoma catalogue with some innovative features).

Williams-SonomaAt our local Williams-Sonoma store in Santa Barbara, we asked the manager if the new machine really was superior. She was not sure, but she offered to give us one to test. Now, that’s remarkable  customer service!

When she went to the back room to get the “loaner” she came back empty-handed. She was informed that three of these machines had recently been returned due to a leak. Instead of trying to sell us another machine (which we were not interested in buying) she suggested a technique for cleaning our coffee maker at home.  

That did the trick! This was a wonderful example of remarkable customer service, with a long range view of building customer loyalty. Now, we are singing the praises of Gulfstream, Williams-Sonoma and Fonté coffee.

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Personal Branding for Real Estate Agents: Learning from American Idol, the Finale

This is part fifteen of our blog series entitled: Real Estate Agent Personal Branding: Learning form American Idol. It is a fun and easy way to learn the principles of personal branding. You do not have to be an Idol fan to enjoy!

The Triumph of Authenticity

This American Idol season finale confirmed what was evident last year as well: The triumph of authenticity. Authenticity in personal branding for real estate agents is the most important lesson from this show.

Both finalists are genuine and unpretentious which is what America responded to with a record breaking 100,000,000 (approximately) votes. The fact that more people identified with, and voted for, Kris did not take away from Adam’s success. Nor, did it take away from the other contestants in the top five-- Matt, Alison and Danny who also exemplified authenticity. Certainly, last year’s “Battle of the Davids” was not a war between opponents, but two distinct styles, each with an authentic brand signal.

All five finalists this year were clear examples of distinct brand categories:

Kris – soft rock

Adam -- hard rock

Danny – pop

Alison -- rhythm & blues- female

Matt -- rhythm and blues-male

The nature of the American Idol competition is such that only one person wins. That is not the case in the real estate marketplace. They could have structured the Idol competition so that there was a winner in each brand category. This would then better mirror the competitive landscape in real estate where there can be a market leader in each niche such as condos, waterfront properties, individual neighborhoods, etc. It would also mirror the voting public who votes with their dollars when they actually buy songs or albums. Those who prefer rhythm and blues would not necessarily buy Adam’s albums.

In your real estate practice, always keep this in mind: The fact that people like to do business with people that represent their personal values means that there is always room at the top. There is plenty of business for excellent real estate agents. The key is to make your brand signal so clear and strong that you attract your ideal clients and make it easy for them to identify you as their ideal agent as fast as possible. Simply stated, personal branding, done right, accelerates the match making process and is especially satisfying when that signal is authentic.

This concludes our American Idol series on personal branding. We hope you enjoyed it!

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Essentials: Be In the Know & Know Your Goats

ANGORA GOAT

There is so much that can be gleaned by luxury real estate marketing professionals in studying the finest products and services that money can buy. The more you know, the more you will have in common with your target market, the wealth of the world. The more you have in common the faster potential clients or referral sources will come to trust and recommend you. Being known as a luxury real estate professional who is “in the know” is one way to distinguish your personal brand of doing business.

Be in the Know About Cashmere

The finest cashmere wool in the world comes from Mongolia and the Himalaya Mountains. Another type of prized cashmere is baby cashmere.. Baby cashmere wool comes from a special breed of goat, Hyrcus. The finest fibers are gathered by combing the kid Hyrcus goats.

To fully appreciate the power of branding just look at the variance in pricing if you were to purchase a kid cashmere shawl from a local merchant close to the source of the wool, compared to buying a similar shawl at a Loro Piana boutique in New York, Las Vegas or Milan, Italy. The price would be many times more in the boutique. Loro Piana is an Italian clothing company that specializes in high-end luxury cashmere and wool products. For their scarves and sweaters made from Hyrcus kid cashmere, they have even registered the name “Loro Piana Baby Cashmere.”

What is the added value of a fine luxury brand like Loro Piana?

• Trust and belief in the uncompromising standards of quality
• Having the desire to champion those values
• Being able to afford what others cannot
• The expression of self-worth or filling the void of the lack thereof
• Being admired for choosing what others agree is the best that money can buy

Not all buyers of luxury real estate subscribe to conspicuous or private consumption of fine luxury services and products. But, if they do, you can differentiate yourself from your competitors by being able to speak their language-The Language of Luxury.

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Personal Branding for Real Estate Agents: What Is Your DNA Code?

DNA = Different Not Alike

The entire exercise of personal branding for real estate agents is geared to cracking your DNA Code. That is, clearly and succinctly articulating your unique selling proposition—how you are different, not alike (not like your competition).
DNA Sequence
DNA profiling or genetic fingerprinting is a technique employed by forensic scientists to assist in the identification of individuals on the basis of their DNA profile. Although 99.9% of human DNA sequences are the same in every person, enough of the DNA is different to distinguish one individual from another

In real estate agent personal branding we identify your 0.1% difference. Then we amplify it graphically, in messaging and in distinct marketing strategies that set you apart from your competition, in a nano-second, in the minds of your target market.

The faster you can tell your target market how you are different, not alike, distinct from other agents, the faster they can decide to work with you or not. People like to do business with people like themselves. The faster you let them know you are like them the faster you can build trust in your business relationship.

What’s at stake in cracking your genetic code through the process of personal branding for real estate agents? Whoever has the most high-trust relationships wins!

Here’s the best way to get started in cracking your own DNA code:

1. Look at how your competition attempts to differentiate themselves from one another.
2. Check out their websites and see how well they distinguish themselves.
3. Ask yourself how you are different from them?

How can you amplify your own DNA code?

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Small Things Can Make a Big Difference

Eyebrow Pencil Sharpeners: Sisley (top) & Chanel (bottom)

Luxury real estate marketing professionals should always pay close attention to details in their marketing materials, their website and their client services. With personal branding for real estate agents, it is the little things that can distinguish you from your competitors. The more sophisticated your target market the more they will appreciate the details. But, almost everyone appreciates even minor acts of kindness and thoughtfulness. Small things make a big difference.

To tune into the importance of details as a strategic differentiator study the major luxury brands. We are firm believers in out-thinking not out-spending your competition to achieve more market share. Here is a very simple example of how a very minor design element can completely influence a major buying decision and even cause someone to switch brands all together.

Chanel and Sisley are two French luxury cosmetic brands. Chanel is by far the most well known. Both produce basically the same quality eyebrow pencils. But, Sisley’s eyebrow pencil sharpener, an item that costs pennies to manufacture in volume, is so far superior, in terms of user experience, that it is enough to prompt a customer to switch brands.

The Sisley eyebrow pencil sharpener has a cover and the Chanel does not. The cover prevents the shavings from the pencil to scatter and cause a mess especially if you are in a hurry. Clean up is faster and easier with Sisley, a feature that has nothing to do with make-up but everything to do with convenience and a quality user experience.

In today’s time-starved world paying attention to details and taking the time to be thoughtful can be enough to win you more business. Here are some small things that you can do that can make a big difference:

1. Write a hand written note to stay in touch
2. Remembering birthdays
3. Remember the names of clients’ kids and pets
4. Open the car door for your clients when you show them property

How can you pay more attention to detail in your day-to-day practice of real estate and win more business?

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Personal Branding for Real Estate Agents: Promote Your Marketplace More Than You

As a luxury real estate marketing professional it can be strategically advantageous to anchor your locale as a major component of your personal brand identity. Doing so can add significantly to the emotional appeal of your brand because it promotes the fact that you an ambassador of good will in your marketplace. Promoting your marketplace more than you demonstrates your marketing expertise and sells you in the process.

Donna Karan

Here is an example of a luxury fashion brand that incorporates geography in their marketing strategy and how it can be applied to personal branding for real estate agents:

Donna Karan New York (clothes for men and women targeting the urban chic crowd): In a recent article in Interview Magazine, Donna Karan explains:

“When Donna Karan started, I didn’t like the name Donna Karan. I had a real problem with it. I was so used to designing under somebody else’s name that I didn’t want to go out there with my own. I’m sitting in the kitchen, and I see the name “Maud Frizon/Paris, London” on a shoebox. I’m thinking, “That’s cool. What about Donna Karan New York?” Because it won’t be about me. It will be about New York City. Why New York City? Because New York City says the world. I wanted an international brand. Donna Karan’s just another boring name. I want everything to be about New York people living. I mean, everybody relates to New York as a bridge to the world. So that’s how New York came in.”

Our clients, Crown & Crown, AKA The Downtown Crowns (downtown San Diego mother-daughter luxury real estate team): Sharyn and Victoria Crown are experts in promoting their marketplace through their popular blog. And, they are very active participants in their community. Visit their website.

The United States is replete with geographical gems. Which one is yours and how can you demonstrate your marketing expertise by promoting your marketplace more than you?

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Personal Branding for Real Estate Agents: Why Study Big Brands—Part 2

 Wisdom is gained through the application of Knowlege--

The Goddess of Wisdom by R.L.Reid

 How to Apply What Big Brands Do

There is a lot to be gained by real estate professionals who study big brand marketing, especially if market leadership is your quest. Personal branding for real estate agents is not just getting a new outfit or a new look. Person branding is all about positioning yourself to win BIG!

First, it is important to think BIG because that is what market leaders do. They know what is at stake-the lion's share of business. You need to think big in order to out-think, not out-spend your competition. Secondly, you need to think globally not just locally if you want to compete in today's marketplace. Here are some examples of how you can apply big brand strategy to your personal marketing practice:

1. KFC-- they now give health-conscious customers the option of grilled chicken. Send your farm a 7 day healthier menu for a family of four, including recipes. You could list stores where those ingredients are located.

2. Toms Shoes-- they give shoes away to the needy. You could donate a part of your commission to a client's cause, or find someone in need at a private school and sponsor them.

3. Heineken-they help prevent DUI (driving under the influence). Encourage employment. Pick up donated clothes suitable for single moms returning to the work force who live in your farm.

4. Range Rover-they build long lasting luxury cars. Range Rover says, "A well made product is "luxury beyond luxury". How about having all your marketing and sales materials not only look sharp, but stand out because they are congruent and cohesive? How about designing your web site so it is truly user friendly? A refreshed look and website that is built to last is a luxury for you and your clients.

Study the big brands to help craft your personal real estate agent brand. Think big. Think Global. And, win BIG!

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Personal Branding for Real Estate Agents: Why Study the Big Brands

 

When it comes to personal branding for real estate agents, we are often asked this question: Why do we point out what the big brands are doing rather than focus on what real estate companies and agents are doing. In order to innovate, one has to look outside one’s own industry. Here are three reasons.

1. Big brands have large ad budgets. They hire the best talent for the job to craft their messages.

2. Big brands have brand managers. They are constantly looking for ways to maintain the brand identity, refresh it if needed, and make adjustments to stay current and relevant to the trends.

3. They think outside the box, they innovate, and they are a source of inspiration.

Here is how four brands are handling the concept of “Know Your Customer, their values, and show them you care”.

• Kentucky Fried Chicken has unveiled Kentucky Grilled Chicken as a new item on their menu.
• The alcohol industry has a tag line on all their ads, “Drink Responsibly”. Heineken’s new slogan is better, “Let a Stranger Drive You Home”.
• Tom’s Shoes will donate a pair of shoes to a needy person, every time you buy a pair.
• Range Rover tells us their vehicle is so well built that 75% of the Rovers that they have sold are still in use. As they express it, “This is a luxury that is more than a luxury!”

These messages are irresistible to their target markets. Yet all the messages have one thing in common expressed in four ways: We care about our customers, and this is how we do it.

How can these four brands inspire your message and express your brand of caring for your clients?

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Personal Branding for Real Estate Agents: Humorous Slogans

As a luxury real estate marketing professional do you have an engaging slogan? We have mentioned in a previous post, using slogans as a personal branding marketing strategy for real estate agents is an excellent way to differentiate you from the competition. The entire purpose of using a slogan is to engage your target market and get them talking about you. A humorous slogan is one way to accomplish this.

Here is a good definition of what a slogan is: In his book, Creative Advertising, Charles L. Whittier says a slogan:

“A slogan .should be a statement of such merit about a product or service that it is worthy of continuous repetition in advertising, is worthwhile for the public to remember, and is phrased in such a way that the public is likely to remember it."

For some agents a humorous slogan can be an excellent personal branding strategy. It is not for everyone. But, if you have a good sense of humor you can engage your target market in this manner and really stand out from the pack.

A very successful lender in Santa Rosa, California built a strong personal brand by placing a fresh ad in a popular local magazine each month, usually wearing a funny costume that evoked a movie star role or other pop culture icon. A humorous tagline that tied in the lending theme always was included. It seems like everyone you talked to in her marketplace knew her and looked forward to seeing the next installment.

One brand that exemplifies this approach is Altoids who has successfully sustained visibility over time by repeatedly coming up with new slogans and taglines. Their original slogan was "The Original Celebrated Curiously Strong Mints". To differentiate itself from its competitors in the breath mint category, Altoids has relied extensively on very funny puns. Here is an example:

The latest TV commercial from Altoids introduces their small mints. A nervous woman in an elevator talks about an upcoming “big day, a big opportunity.” To calm herself she stretches, takes deep breaths and consumes an Altoid. The slogan appears, “Are You in Mint Condition?"

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Essentials: Outhink, not Out-Spend Your Competition

THE ZUNE

Perhaps one of the most important principles that luxury real estate marketing professionals need to understand about personal branding for real estate agents is this: Out-think, not out-spend your competition. If you want to out-smart your competition find something, some niche that you can do better than anyone else in your marketplace. Choose an arena in which you can become the break-away brand. Don’t waste your time or your money becoming a “me-too” in a niche that your competitor dominates.

Every year in the United States companies invest close to $300 billion in marketing products and services. A huge portion of this is spent on introducing new brands in the marketplace. The majority of these new product launches never get off the ground.

Microsoft is at it again! They are in discussions with Verizon Wireless to launch a touch-screen multimedia cell phone on the carrier's network  early next year, in a bid to compete with Apple’s iPhone, the break-away brand in the smart phone category.  Didn’t they learn from their mistakes with the Zune as a head- on competitor with Apple’s iPod?

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, the size of your advertising budget does not guarantee your success if you fail to form a strong emotional connection with your target market, whether it be consumers or referring real estate agents from outside of your marketplace. Win the hearts and minds of your target market in a niche you can own like Apple has done with iPod and iPhone.

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.

Personal Branding for Real Estate Agents: Are You a Secret Agent?

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, have you ever asked yourself any of these questions*?

1. Why am I cash rich some months and cash poor the next?
2. Why are some of my competitors, who have less talent, getting the lion’s share of the business?
3. I close at least 70% of the business I get. Why is it so hard to get more business?
4. Why am I the best kept secret in my marketplace?

If you have been pondering these questions you most likely are a secret agent. But, there is help, if you want to become the standout in your marketplace: Real Estate Agent Personal Branding. The biggest struggle most luxury real estate agents have is not standing out in the minds of their target market.

To stand out you must stand for something that is remarkable. This gives people the opportunity to remark about you to others. The missing ingredient that personal branding offers is making it easy for other to tell others about YOU! If you are blending in you are missing out on the leverage of word-of-mouth marketing which personal branding accomplishes when it is well executed. The lack of a personal brand is what is making your job more difficult than it has to be.

If you no longer want to blend in and be a secret agent, you must become remarkable. Start by asking yourself these new questions: How am I extraordinary, amazing, notable, outstanding, noteworthy, significant, incredible and astonishing?

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Personal Branding for Real Estate Agents: Stretching Your Marketing Dollar with Buzz!

Got Milk?

The aim of personal branding for real estate agents is to communicate, in a instant, the essence of your personality, your personal values and why someone should do business with you instead of your competition. Successful communication occurs not only when your ideal clients recognize that you are someone they can trust, but also when they can easily convey to others why they chose you for the job in a few words. If you get the message right you can spark word-of-mouth advertising or buzz marketing which is the best way to stretch your marketing dollar.

The right message triggers an emotional response by quickly establishing your professionalism and your likability. It also compels people to do business with you because it transmits your unique selling proposition, your promise of value to them, in a nutshell. The ultimate message, conveyed by a symbol, a slogan or an image creates buzz. It gets people talking about you.

Did you ever see the commercials for Charmin toilet paper with the fictional grocer, Mr. Whipple? George Whipple told customers, "Please don't squeeze the Charmin!" in more than 500 commercials between 1964 and 1985. The promise of value of this product, softness, was conveyed in just five words, in seconds. But, it compelled customers to do just the opposite: to squeeze the product and buy it. Was this product actually softer than the competitor’s product? Most likely it was not. But, it got people talking about Charmin not the competition.

Perhaps the most famous and most imitated product slogan is “Got Milk?” which positioned milk as the drink of choice with cookies, cakes, peanut butter, etc. This campaign was credited for reversing a 20 year slump in milk sales. It has been running since 1993 with no signs of the buzz ending. With this slogan, they summarily dismissed all other potables and captured an indelible place in consumers’ minds. According to the Got Milk? website, the campaign has over 90% awareness in the U.S. In 2002, the ad was named one of the ten best commercials of all time by a USA Today poll.

The power of a great slogan leverages viral marketing and can save you a bundle in marketing costs. How can you stretch your marketing dollars with a great slogan?

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