Luxetera, Etc: Orchids -The Gift Keeps Blooming

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Marketing Luxury Real Estate: Shoe Biz Buzz Marketing Lessons

December 21, 2010

Mark Parker, Nike president & CEO and Kobe Bryant

Important lessons can be learned about marketing luxury real estate by studying what works and what does not work in the marketing of major TV sports events. Because the games are live the likelihood that viewers mute the commercials (or not watch them at all in the case of digital video recorders) is considerably less. But, the surest way to reach viewers who have a hot hand on their remote control is “product placement”.

The best form of product placement in TV and movies triggers “buzz” or word-of-mouth advertising. And, buzz marketing is a skill set that should be a top priority for you in 2011.

If the media hype for LeBron James has not been enough for you this year, brace yourself for the basketball game of the year on Christmas Day when the Miami Heat take on the 2009-2010 World Champion Lakers in Los Angeles. Los Angeles is one of the biggest media markets in the United States for television advertising. Watch how Nike, the masters of product placement, will be “killing it” this year. Both Kobe and LeBron are Nike “spokesmen”.

The day after Christmas, Nike is coming out with a new Kobe basketball shoe named after Kobe’s “alter-ego” the black mamba snake, one of Africa’s most dangerous and feared snakes. The shoes are black and grey. But, for the Christmas Day game they made them in green. The LeBron Nike shoe will be in red for the game. Not only will Kobe be wearing the shoe in green but all of those LA ticket holders with courtside seats will get a pair of green Kobe Nike shoes. To afford those seats these people typically have huge spheres of influence (Jack Nicholson for example).

One of the best opportunities of social media is the ability to create buzz through contests. The prize does not necessarily have to cost you anything if you can find a co-marketing product or service provider who is also interested in reaching the same target market as you. For example, this season, one of our luxury real estate strategic branding clients will be raffling off two Super Bowl tickets which is certain to create a buzz.

What are some ways that you can become well known as a luxury real estate marketing professional through buzz marketing in 2011?

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Personal & Company Branding: It Is Written!

December 20, 2010

A major key to success is identifying and focusing upon a market category or sub-category in which you can become the dominate player. To fully succeed however, it must be a niche that you believe you can do better than anyone else in your marketplace, a niche about which you are passionate. When you are passionate about what you are doing your interest in your work will be sustained, you will continuously be innovative and you will persevere during the most challenging moments in your career.

When you are passionate about what do you also attract people and events, almost magically, that can help you achieve your dreams and confirm that you are on the right path. Here is a fun true story that we experienced about this kind of serendipity.

Several years ago, we were walking on the beach and discussing the fact that we are truly passionate about our strategic branding practice that is focused on the luxury real estate industry. We were wondering if personal and company branding would be the vehicle that could lead to working internationally which was our desire.

Suddenly, we came upon some letters that someone had written in the sand upside down. When we walked around to read it our jaws dropped. A young man had written his own name which happened to be B R A N D! Luckily, we had our camera and took the picture posted above. It was like a “sign” to stay on our path.

Since then, the opportunities that social media has offered in terms of expanding internationally and also meeting more and more fascinating people have enriched our lives and added significantly to our career in strategic branding. There is no question that being passionate about your work makes life much more fun!

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Marketing Luxury Real Estate: What You Know is Equally as Important as Who You Know

December 15, 2010

Koa Wood Box

As a luxury real estate marking professional you are expected to know your product inside and out. Yes, the luxury home you are selling is a product and superior product knowledge is one of the factors that separate the sales pros from the amateurs. In marketing luxury real estate what you know is just as important as who you know.

Your command of everything from wood finishing to high-end kitchen appliances to the variety of roses in the garden can establish your level of expertise as superior to your competition. It can also determine the speed of trust that you establish with your client as you demonstrate that you understand the nuances of what is or may become their most prized possession.

For example, Hawaiian koa wood flooring found in a mainland home is a rarity. Exporting it from Hawaii is no longer permitted because the koa population has suffered severely from grazing and logging. The word koa itself means brave, fearless or warrior. Hawaiian crafts people have created magnificent hand-carved bowls, boxes and even guitars using this reddish wood which is very similar in strength to black walnut. If one of your listings happens to have koa wood floors you need to be able to passionately convey the significance of this to potential buyers.

One of the best aspects of being a luxury real estate marketing professional is also being a lifetime learner and a perennial student of the language of luxury. We suggest taking the time to go through each and every unique feature of your luxury home listing and doing some research on it. Your buyers and sellers will appreciate your interest and attention to details. Plus, your value as a professional will appreciate over time as a result.

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Marketing Luxury Real Estate: Do You Speak "Contemporary Art"?

December 14, 2010

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, do you have clients who are collectors of contemporary art? The more you understand about this category of art the more you will be able to connect and relate with those who appreciate it. The more these clients sense your connection on this subject the more likely they will be to refer you to their collector friends because you speak “their language”.

Recently, we happened to sit next to an up and coming contemporary Los Angeles artist on our flight to the East Coast. We took an interest in Cole Sternberg’s work and wanted to share it with you. Cole has been challenging society with his works for the last ten years, blending compelling visuals with issues ranging from pop culture to human rights to the environment. Schooled in the law and a published author on international law issues, Sternberg’s insight into his subject matter gives a unique twist rarely seen in the arts.

We were impressed by Cole’s take on the deterioration of quality journalism where the shock value of stories supersedes the truth. “The scary element is that this mentality, previously reserved for reality TV and celebrity culture, has crossed over to real issues, according to Cole.

On Thursday, January 27^th 2011, art collector Normandie Keith will open her home to unveil her latest acquisition, a massive room installation by Cole Sternberg. The Content is Bleeding Through is an installation with many layers meant to challenge the progression of media and society, questioning the celebrity manufacturing system of the media and the concentration of the news on falsities and trivialities. After collecting multiple paintings by Sternberg, Keith commissioned Cole to take over an external space on her property to produce his piece.

"Cole is one of the most important artists of his generation and I'm so happy to be able to live with his amazing installation. It provides a sociological snapshot of where we are at, both disturbing and beautiful," states Keith.

Take the time to learn about what your clients are interested in. When you are interested in what matters most to them they will be more interested in promoting you.

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Iconoclast Series: Netflix's Reed Hasting's the Risk Taker

December 13, 2010

Netflix & Apple TV

This is another post in our iconoclast series featuring Reed Hastings, the CEO of Netflix, who recently was honored as Fortune’s No. 1 Businessperson of the Year. An iconoclast is somebody who challenges or overturns traditional beliefs, customs, and values. Understanding the mindset and the accomplishments of iconoclasts such as Mr. Hastings, can inspire you to develop new ways of marketing luxury real estate and also encourage you to out-think your competition.

Over the years, naysayers predicted that Netflix’s DVD distribution via snail mail business would be trounced by Blockbuster (now in bankruptcy) or other behemoths such as Wallmart or Amazon. But, now, with more than 16 million members in the United States and Canada, Netflix is the world’s leading Internet subscription service for enjoying movies and TV shows.

For $7.99 a month, Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited movies and TV episodes streamed over the Internet(in the same way you can watch unlimited You Tube videos) to PCs, Macs and TVs through digital video recorders and Internet video players, Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, as well as Apple TV and Google TV. In all, more than 200 devices that stream from Netflix are available in the U.S. and a growing number are available in Canada. With instant streaming video which has surpassed even its own DVD mail order business, Netflix is destined to become a globally ubiquitous brand.

Netflix is also confounding the cable and satellite TV companies who offer movies on demand for as much as $4,99 for each movie. If you have Apple TV (a $99 mini box that connects to your TV and your home Wi-Fi) and an IPad you can now wirelessly send your movie (or streaming TV show) from your iPad to your TV screen with a new iPad feature called Air Play. It is truly amazing!

Reed Hastings has built his company on a risk-taking culture and a deep sense of trust that is the foundation of his executive team. Most of the original team is still at the helm.

There is a phrase in one of the songs (Look to the Rainbow) from the classic Broadway musical, Finian’s Rainbow that says, “Follow the fellow who follows a dream”. As a luxury real estate marketing professional it is important to follow fellows like Reed Hastings. It can inspire you to take the risks your competition will not take. Netflix’s stock soared 200% since January 2010. The S&P 500 by contrast increased by only 7%.

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Marketing Luxury Real Estate: The Advantage of Working with a Professional Videography Crew

December 8, 2010

We were recently in Key Largo, Florida orchestrating a video shoot for our client, a luxury real estate marketing professional in Ocean Reef, which is an exclusive private community. We had the distinct pleasure of working with Frazier Nivens, the Emmy award winning film maker of “Sharks, Killers of the Caribbean”. Frazier has over 30 years of experience as a videographer and also as a diving instructor. He has produced thousands of videos above and below water.

It makes an enormous difference when you work with professionals who are experts at their craft. The difference is in the attention to details. This was immediately evident with Frazier’s command of lighting, his camera angles, and his overall ease of production logistics. The savvy videographer views the video shoot with an editor’s eye, making post-production in the editing room easier for the editor.

Getting the sound just right is also crucial to the success of video production. This is particularly important when you need to mix the sound of multiple “actors”. We also had the privilege of working with an outstanding sound technician, Gustavo, a professional who is truly passionate about his work.

When you see the end result, which we will soon share here on our Language of Luxury blog, you will immediately be able to sense the high caliber of video production which is important for marketing luxury real estate and also for video blogging in the luxury realm.

Raising the quality bar in video production on your website and set you apart from your competition and help you to amass an audience of raving fans. Anyone can point and shoot a video camera. Working with professionals makes all the difference in the world. It can give you the superior competitive edge.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: Escape the Tyranny of Status Quo

December 6, 2010

In marketing luxury real estate, you need a website with a brand identity that not only looks distinct from your competition but also offers distinctive content. This requires that you develop your own unique voice as a real estate expert.

Let’s face it! The content on most real estate websites is mostly the same: Property search, featured listings, and neighborhood information. This content has become a ubiquitous commodity. Some sites are more user-friendly, better organized and more efficient than others. But, what makes a real estate website stand apart from the pack, besides a great look and feel, is original content that cannot be found elsewhere.

There has never been a time when original thinking has been more important in marketing luxury real estate than right now. That is because the medium of the internet (and search engines in particular) rewards iconoclastic thinkers, those who have the guts to escape the tyranny of status quo. This is a daunting challenge for most people who settle for sameness and conformity or are too afraid to stand out.

It is interesting to note that some cultures value individuality more so than others. In Japan, for example, where the group is often a higher priority value than the individual, there is an expression that states, “If a nail sticks out, it must be hammered down”.

Original content, however, that “hits the nail on the head” in terms of precisely answering the questions that web visitors are seeking, is sure to build an audience and create buzz. Are you up for the challenge of escaping the tyranny of the status quo?

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Marketing Luxury Real Estate: The Pursuit of Personal Mastery

December 1, 2010

Courtesy of Tom Collins - Wine Country Master Potter -Napa Valley, CA

Have you ever contemplated becoming a master at marketing luxury real estate? This is what every market leader in every luxury marketplace has pondered before actualizing this attainment. What is the standard for mastery? Is it consistently out-producing the closest competitor? Or, is it the consistent demonstration of artfully matching buyers and sellers and satisfying their express needs? However you measure the success of a master in your field, it ultimately comes down to the personal satisfaction of reaching your own self-defined standards.

Andre Agassi has won every major tennis tournament in the world. By all outward standards he is a true master of the game. Yet, he admits that he hates tennis because it was not his goal to become be a superstar. Rather, he was pleasing others in his pursuit of becoming a champion.

When mastery is viewed as an inner game, one that involves the quest of your personal passion, it takes on an entirely different meaning. From this perspective, success is measured only by your own standards of excellence regardless of the criticism or praise that is bestowed upon you by others. The real reward of mastery is the self-satisfaction that comes from actualizing your own self-determined values.

Much can be gleaned about the process of mastery by observing masters at work and also by viewing their masterpieces. We were privileged to study with the Wine Country master potter, Tom Collins, when we lived in the area. It was one of the most gratifying experiences of our life. We consider the ownership of some of Tom’s pieces to be among our most cherished possessions.

Pottery is both an art form and utilitarian objects. When we serve pasta we usually serve it in a bowl that either Tom has crafted or we made under his tutelage. When not using these objects they are on display for us to enjoy as art.

Tom recently sent us this photo (above) of one of his latest works which we consider to be one of his masterpieces. We have seen dozens of his pieces. Yet, the glazing of this one in particular is, in our opinion, truly outstanding. This piece is on display at the prestigious Beatrice Woods Center of the Arts in Ojai, California.

To play the inner game of marketing luxury real estate, find a niche within your marketplace that you can pursue with passion and set your own standards of excellence. Derive satisfaction not from the praise of others, but from yourself as you incrementally become masterful at what you do. When others shower you with accolades, accept them graciously. But, consider them to be confirmations of what you already know about yourself.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Is the Description of Your Marketplace Compelling?

November 30, 2010

Antebellum Mansion Detail

By Alexandra Seigel

How do you describe your marketplace? Does it make your web visitors feel compelled to move there? As a luxury real estate marketing professional you need to move people emotionally, make them fall in love with your area, before you help them make the physical move. Second home or multiple home buyers have choices of where to buy. Your first sale is selling your marketplace. If you do a good job of it you will sell YOU in the process.

Ron and I finished reading a wonderful book by one of our favority authors, Pat Conroy. You may remember his earlier novels, The Great Santini and The Prince of Tides, both of which were made into movies. After a 14 year hiatus, his new novel is South on Broad.

Set in Charleston, South Carolina, it is a must read for uxury real estate marketing professional looking to improve the description of their marketplace. By the first page, we felt the urge to visit, and it took all of 3 sentences to do it. Throughout the book, the feel of the city, the antebellum mansions, and the description of the gardens make you want to book a flight to Charleston.

The story itself is well written and riveting. Neither one of us could stop reading it. It made us think, reflect, and laugh, and we could not wait to tell you about it. If you are not a reader, give it as gift to someone who loves a good story!

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Language of Luxury: Iconoclast Series - Lessons from Glee

November 29, 2010

An iconoclast is a person who challenges conventional wisdom and traditional beliefs, and often shatters the very foundations upon which traditional, institutions rest.

When was the last time you tried a different marketing formula? Experimentation is vital to sustaining market leadership as a luxury real estate marketing professional. Studying market leaders outside of the realm of marketing luxury real estate can offer excellent clues for success. It can embolden you try new things that make you stand out from the crowd and think like an iconoclast.

Take Glee, the hit TV show that has “pushed the edge of the envelope” beyond conventional programming. In this sense Glee is an iconoclast. The team that works on the arrangements of the musical numbers in the show is constantly challenging the iconic versions of songs that are now deeply rooted in mass consciousness. At times, they give familiar songs entirely new meaning within the context of the story line.

For example, the first Beatles smash hit in the USA was I Want to Hold Your Hand. It sent tan entire generation of eenage girls and boys into a frenzy of excitement as it ushered in a new era of rock and roll. On an episode of Glee a boy’s father was in a coma and it was uncertain whether he would live. The boy sang a very slow version of the Beatles’ classic tune as flashback images of this father and son (as a very young boy) held hands at his mother’s funeral.There was more deep emotion in this poignant moment in the show than most fathers and sons ever allow themselves to experience on Father’s Day.

Sometimes the Glee music production team creates numbers that encompass songs which consist entirely of parts of other songs. A “mashup” as it called, was created by combining the iconic song sung by Gene Kelley in 1952, Singing in the Rain with a 2007 hit by Rihanna, Umbrella. The guest star on the show was Academy Award winner, Gwyneth Paltrow, who is hardly known for her singing talents. The result was nothing less than brilliant!

We applaud Glee for taking the risk of challenging conventional thinking on many levels. Iconoclastic thinkers are an inspiration for those who seek to unabashedly pursue market leadership in any field.

How can you stand out by out-thinking your competition in your luxury real estate marketplace?

Marketing Luxury Real Estate: 2011 is the Time to Break All the Rules Series

November 29, 2010

To be a true standout in your marketplace, as a luxury real estate marketing professional, think like a trail blazing iconoclast. The dictionary defines an iconoclast as somebody who challenges or overturns traditional beliefs, customs and values. To get into the iconoclastic mindset, check out the TV series, Iconoclasts on the Sundance Channel. Robert Redford, executive producer of the series, explains: “Iconoclasts explores the intersection where two great talents meet, and where creativity comes alive.” (The series is no longer produced, it can be found on the Sundance Channel in reruns.)

Each segment pairs two iconoclastic individuals who are great examples of a one man or a one woman brand, yet dissimilar in their life’s work. It then explores their views and their ideals. Each individual has blazed a path and has explored the leading edge in their personal inimitable fashion and passion. They have expressed their authentic selves. Each has strayed from the comfort of the normal and the average. They have each fearlessly opened doors that were considered taboo. They have stayed true to their own ideals regardless of the consequences.

One of the earlier episodes paired Norman Lear and Howard Schultz. Norman Lear is best known for his 1971 production of All in the Family, a comedic sitcom exploring bigotry and race, which according to the experts was doomed to fail. Howard Schultz is the CEO of Starbucks, and he recounted his efforts to raise money to fund Starbucks and how everyone told him, he would fail because he wanted all of his employees, including the part timers, to get have health insurance and stock ownership in the company.

In our series, we will highlight iconoclasts from all walks of life. It confirms that all is very well with our world as long as there are iconoclasts to blaze new trails. Are you an iconoclast?

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Happy Thanksgiving 2010!

November 23, 2010

WE WISH YOU A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING

ENJOY THE HOLIDAY!

~ RON & ALEXANDRA SEIGEL, LOL COMMUNITY FOUNDERS

Language of Luxury: Iconoclast Series - 2011 is the Time to Break All the Rules

November 22, 2010

This is the first of a series on Iconoclasts and Iconoclastic Thinking. 2011 is the time to break all the rules!

To become a market leader as a luxury real estate marketing professional, you do not have to be an iconoclast. But, to sustain market leadership in 2011 and beyond, it is a must. An iconoclast is a person who challenges conventional wisdom and traditional beliefs, and often shatters the very foundations upon which traditional, institutions rest.

In his book, Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently, Gregory Berns profiles such independent thinkers as investor Warren Buffet, glass sculptor, Dale Chihuly, Apple’s Steve Jobs and Picasso. As a professor of both psychology and economics Berne focuses primarily on successful iconoclasts. He identifies three major “mental roadblocks to innovative, iconoclastic thinking:

1. Perception and visual imagery—seeing opportunities that others do not see

2. Fear of failure and ridicule—becoming an non-conformist

3. Social skills, social intelligence – excelling at social networking

A company can be iconoclastic but you will most likely find a visionary, unconventional thinker at its helm. Cirque du Soleil, the iconoclastic Canadian company, challenged one of the great American icons, Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey’s three ring circus.

The founders of “Cirque” did away with the expensive animal acts, musicians, the highly paid circus stars, such as the trapeze artists and created an entertainment venue to which you did not necessarily have to invite children. In the process, they created a multi-billion dollar industry that dominates the world of entertainment in Las Vegas.

Essentially, Cirque identified an uncontested market niche that they could “own” and delivered extraordinary added value. That is the formula for market leadership. With multiple shows running simultaneously, not only in Vegas but, throughout the world, Cirque runs circles around its only viable competitor. They literally rendered the three ring circus, irrelevant, not to mention the notion of "the greatest show on earth".

How can you explore the realm of iconoclastic thinking in your luxury real estate marketing practice? To sustain market leadership innovative thinking is no longer an option it is an imperative. In fact, it is not enough to just be an innovative thinker. You must become an innovative doer.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing: The Importance of Shifting Paradigms

November 17, 2010

As a luxury real estate marketing professional who works with foreign buyers, it is important to appreciate cultural differences. Have you ever been in a situation when you thought you were “on the same page” with your client, only to discover that you were actually a world apart? You were looking at and talking about the exact same set of facts, but you both were aligned to a different model of thinking or paradigm that yielded alternative meanings. To bridge the gap in understanding the only answer is a paradigm shift.

It can be an astonishing revelation to discover that other people do not see things in the same way you do and can still be right. The ability to shift paradigms can help you to understand more people and avoid arguments that seem unsolvable. It can also help you to become a better negotiator and more innovative, especially if your competition is prone to being entrenched in the status quo.

Try this experiment:

Look at the wooden boxes in the image above.
Focus on the darker brown square.
Does the dark square appear to be on the right side of the boxes facing right?
Or, does the dark square appear to be on the top surface with the boxes facing left?
Can you switch back and forth by softening your focus?

Shifting paradigms takes practice. But, the rewards are immeasurable. You literally need to think “outside of the box” using this example, to shift your thinking.

The next time you are speaking with someone who sees exactly the same set of facts that you are looking at but is coming up with a completely different interpretation, think of these boxes. Two sides of an argument really can be right sometimes. Take the time to loosen your grip on your fixed way of viewing things and try to see things their way. Your perspective will always be there again when you come back. It doesn’t mean you have to take actions that go against your grain. At the very least your life will become richer because you have learned a “new language” of perception.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Strategy versus Tactics

November 16, 2010

If market leadership is your quest, as a luxury real estate marketing professional it is extremely important to understand the difference between strategy and tactics. Strategy is the overarching plan to out-think the top producing competitors in your marketplace or niche. Tactics are the specific methods you use to execute your strategy or to generate more business in general.

The primary purpose of a strategy is to win top-of-mind status in a category of business or a niche within the category. Studies show that consumers can only hold three companies, service professionals or products in their minds (on average) in any given category or sub-category. Therefore, the battle for mindshare and the resulting market share really only applies to those who desire to be one of the top three contenders in any given category. That is why marketing strategies are only for those who are interested in gaining or sustaining market leadership.

Tactics for generating more business without a strategy for securing market leadership in some category can only yield mediocre results. That is because the top three contenders are targeting the lion’s share of the business and winning over the mind’s of the consumers, while all others are fighting over the crumbs. In the unabashed pursuit of market leadership the stakes are always very high and so is the level of gamesmanship, the tactics required to conquer the category.

Facebook recently announced a messaging service combined with email that could rival Hotmail (Microsoft) and Gmail (Google). According to comScore, Microsoft is currently the largest provider, with 362 million unique email visitors in September, followed by Yahoo with 273 million. But Google's Gmail is growing fast, with 193 million unique visitors in September. When Facebook launches world-wide in the coming weeks, more than 500 million users of Facebook will have access to the new messaging service.

Facebook took a look at the category of web-based email and recognized an “unfair” competitive advantage. A strategy was born to compete with the top three contenders in the category and dismiss one from the top tier. They already have all or most of your contacts in their/your “address book”. Free email like these services represent both an opportunity to promote and grow the company leveraging viral marketing as you and your friends communicate with each other. It also represents a tremendous opportunity to generate advertising revenue. The stakes are extremely high.

Facebook also learned that the younger generation, in particular, does not have the patience for email and prefers instant messaging which represents two major strength of the company (younger users and IM). The platform will be primarily used for instant messaging.

If you do not want to settle for the battle of the crumbs, as a luxury real estate marketing professional, you must identify an uncontested market niche that you can dominate. Seek out opportunities that you can win, niches that you can serve better than any other competitor in your marketplace.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing: The Luxury of Magnificence

November 15, 2010

Shamanka Rock, Lake BaiKal, Siberia

As a luxury real estate marketing professional it is important to understand the subtle nuances in the meaning of luxury itself. Luxury can mean lavishness, creature comforts, sumptuousness, opulence and extravagance. Yet, it can also be the appreciation of the simplest things in life like a beautiful sunset that requires only the time to observe and enjoy it. This is the luxury of magnificence.

Some of the most magnificent luxuries on our planet include mountains, oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, forests and deserts. One lake contains more than 20% of the world's fresh water supply. Lake Baikal, in Siberia, (also known as the "sacred sea") is the oldest and deepest lake in the world. It measures 400 miles long and 5700 feet deep in the center. It holds more water than all of the Great Lakes combined.

One can clearly see a depth of 75 feet from the surface. Because of the high level of oxygenation, the lake is teaming with fish and organisms even at the bottom. Baikal is home to more than 1,700 species of plants and animals, two thirds of which can be found nowhere else in the world. Some of the species have yet to be identified or categorized. New breakthroughs are continuously discovered there. For example, scientists are testing fresh water sponges from Lake Baikal which may be capable of curing certain cancers.

Our excitement about Lake Baikal was ignited by the story of a marine biologist, Marina Rikhvanova, who succeeded in having an oil pipeline moved two miles away from the lake. Had the government's plan succeeded, a single oil spill could have polluted the lake in 20 minutes. Traveler's magazine gave her the World Saver's Environmental Award.

In Japan people of great talent and artistry are honored as national treasures. As we see it, Marina is a global treasure. Seek out the richness and generosity of spirit in the people around you and you will find a vast and deep reservoir of luxury.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Salts of the Earth

November 10, 2010

If you are considering a house warming gift for the holidays, and you are invited by those who fancy themselves to be gourmets, here is a relatively inexpensive but thoughtful idea for you: Gourmet Salt! Understanding the varieties of gourmet salts can also give you social currency, as a luxury real estate marketing professional, among those in the know on this topic.

One of the latest gourmet treats is to finish a dish with a particular type of salt. For instance, Fleur de Sel, a French salt is gathered with a special rake to harvest only the top layer of the salt bed. This work is usually done by women because of their delicate handling of the rake. The name "Fleur de Sel" comes from the aroma of violets that develops as the salt is dried. Fleur de Sel is recommended when baking chocolate cake to enhance its taste.

The list of gourmet salts is quite extensive. Peruvian pink salt is the one for that beefsteak tomato you just picked from your garden. Nazuna sea salt, from Japan, transforms the taste of fish and seafood. Hawaiian pink salt is great for grilling your meats.

The fascination with salt is not a new one. Until the 1900s, salt was considered a currency. Salt was often taxed, and some clever bakers (the Italians) figured out how to make bread without salt, so they would not be taxed. The Romans paid part of their soldiers‚ wages in salt. The word "SALARY" is derived from the Latin word "salarium" meaning a payment made in salt. The 12th century Mali Empire in Africa valued salt so much that paid for its weight in gold.

Salt is also used for bathing. For instance, salts from the Dead Sea, the second saltiest body of water in the world, were used by Cleopatra for bathing. She paid for and obtained exclusive rights over the Dead Sea area, so she could continue her beauty regimen. She also built pharmaceutical and cosmetic factories near the Dead Sea. The ruins of these factories remain to this day.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Sustainable Living - A New Standard of Luxury

November 9, 2010

Female Eider Duck and her Chicks

To become an expert luxury real estate marketing professional it is very important to know your luxury buyer’s mindset. Not all luxury buyers are conspicuous consumers or jet setters. In the quest for the best, sustainable living and caring for the environment have increasingly becoming mainstream priority values.

Identifying your buyers’ priority values and amplifying them in your selection and presentation of properties allows you to connect with your clients on a very deep emotional level, the level where most buying decisions are made. Taking these factors into account can accelerate the pace at which you build a trusting relationship. It lets your clients know that you care about what is important to them.

Sustainable living is all about aiming for a lifestyle that can be sustained without exhausting natural resources. It is a new standard of luxury and it is reflected in consumers’ choices of goods and services. It applies to individuals as well as communities.

Do You Know What the Best Duvets in the World Are Make Of?

Vega Archipelago in Norway is a beacon of sustainable living due to a partnership between human being and nature. According to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, these islands are representative of “the way generations of fisherman and farmers have, over the last 1500 years, maintained a sustainable living in an inhospitable seascape near the Arctic Circle, based on the now unique practice of eider down harvesting.”

Each year, during the nesting season, the inhabitants of the main island, Vega, move to the smaller islands to build eider houses for the eider ducks. They use old boats, driftwood and bricks to build a safe environment for the birds’ nests. Eiders are the source of eiderdown, feathers that the female plucks from her chest to line the nest and insulate her eggs. The humans protect the eggs and the hatchlings from their natural predators.

Once the ducklings are hatched and sea worthy, the nest is left to use for eider down duvets. It takes approximately 70 nests to make one duvet. These duvets last for over 100 years, and are literally “light as a feather”. They are simply the best duvets in the world.

If you want to impress an environmentally conscious client, especially in a mountain resort location, give them an eiderdown duvet for a closing gift. They will remember you every time they turn down the bed.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Salute to Eco-Cool Luxury

November 8, 2010

Photo Courtesy of Aston Martin

If market leadership is your quest, as a luxury real estate marketing professional, it is essential that you look beyond your immediate marketplace and explore innovative ideas in the realm of luxury goods and services. That is one of the key precepts behind the Language of Luxury. Learning about what is cool in the world of luxury is a must. It can sharpen your own focus when crafting your personal brand and also help you to attract more high net worth clients.

By far one of the world’s coolest brands is Aston Martin. You may have first encountered an Aston Martin as the tricked-out sports car driven by James Bond in Goldfinger. Recent models have appeared in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. So far these fine automobiles have been featured in 10 Bond films.

In 2011, Aston Martin will go eco-cool with its new city car, the Cygnet, that sets a new benchmark for compact luxury. Cygnet demonstrates Aston Martin's commitment to innovation while conforming to strict new emission and size standards in Europe. The Cygnet simply does not compromise Aston Martin’s rich heritage of style, artistry, performance and personality.

At just three meters long, the Cygnet gives the driver a new dimension of freedom, able to slip into gaps in traffic, exploit the smallest parking spaces, consume the least fuel and emit the lowest emissions, all while delivering exceptional levels of quality and comfort. According to Marek Reichman, Aston Martin's Director of Design, “With an almost unlimited palette of materials, colors and textures, each hand-finished Cygnet will be truly unique, a personalized space within the city”. He says, “Luxury is not constrained by scale.”

Adopting to change is crucial in your luxury real estate marketing practice. But, change does not have to mean sacrificing quality of service.

Photo Courtesy of Aston Martin

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