Tuesday, September 29, 2009

The Significant Advantage of being the “Top-of-Mind Brand”


Photo by Francesco Sgroi

Which luxury real estate marketing professional would be the first to come to mind, for the majority of consumers, in your marketplace? The “top-of-mind” brand in any category of product or service enjoys a significant competitive advantage: the lion’s share of the business. In real estate, that professional would most likely do the highest volume of business.

Therefore, an important strategy to consider, as a luxury real estate marketing professional is, if you want to gain top-of-mind status, is to discover a niche or a specific sub-category of the marketplace where you can be the dominant player. Then focus your entire marketing efforts on becoming identified with that niche or category.

Here is an example of how top-of-mind works in branding terms. In Napa Valley there are over 500 wineries (and over 500 real estate agents). If a consumer wanted to select a great Sangiovese wine only a few wineries come to mind. These wineries found a niche that was not crowded with competitors, at least in California.

Sangiovese's claim to fame is its role as the heart of Chianti, Brunello and many Super Tuscan wines though it is gaining ground as a varietal wine around the globe. When grown in a suitable location the grape's soft tannins, succulent acidity and moderately intense cherry and herb flavors make Sangiovese very easy to drink as well as supremely versatile at the dinner table.

One of the first wineries to come to mind for most Sangiovese fans who know Napa wines is Luna. Luna is one of the first stops heading north along the famed Silverado Trail and is well worth the stop.

Another outstanding, but perhaps lesser known winery that produces Sangiovese is Benessere. Many feel Benessere is the finest Sangiovese in the region. But, Luna might come to mind first because of its high visibility along the famed Silverado Trail (location, location, location). The position known as top-of-mind is what we call the prime “real estate of the mind”—a good position to own.

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