Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Luxury Real Estate Marketing: What Is Your Slant As a Blogger?

The primary purpose of blogging, as a luxury real estate marketing strategy, is to amass an audience of people with whom you can develop a relationship of trust and a reputation as an expert adviser in a particular niche. The ultimate goal as a blogger is to provide extraordinary value to a sizable base of raving fans. But, to accomplish this successfully you must have a distinct slant, an angle a particular leaning.




The primary purpose of blogging, as a luxury real estate marketing strategy, is to amass an audience of people with whom you can develop a relationship of trust and a reputation as an expert adviser in a particular niche. The ultimate goal as a blogger is to provide extraordinary value to a sizable base of raving fans. But, to accomplish this successfully you must have a distinct slant, an angle, a particular leaning.

Where most luxury real estate marketing professionals run into trouble as bloggers is that they start blogging before they have first discovered or identified their natural talent, their passion, their bent, their preferences, their inclinations, their distinct opinions , their original point of view, i.e., their authentic unique voice. Just reporting the facts about their local market conditions or the real estate statistics that are available to every other agent will not accomplish the primary purpose of blogging.

Facts are facts. How you interpret them is what makes you stand out. Here is an example of some facts that may be of interest to you.

  • According to NAR’s member profile, 60% of Realtors have a web site aged an average of 5 years.
  • 17% of Realtors regularly use blogs.

These are accurate facts based on surveys conducted by a trusted source. Reporting this to luxury real estate marketing professionals is part of our role as a professional journalist. Getting these facts and conveying them to you accurately is very important. However, this is not original content.

What do these facts mean to YOU in particular? That is the question. Here is our interpretation:

  • If 60% of Realtors have web sites that are virtually obsolete, investing in building a distinctive new website can give you the opportunity to demonstrate your superior marketing savvy and thus, run circles around your competition!
  • If only 17% of Realtors blog, the field is wide open for a luxury real estate marketing professional like you to discover an uncontested market niche and dominate it, right now!
  • There is a fierce competition for attention to build an audience, today. But, blogging with a inimitable slant can be your ticket to success. Whoever builds the most high trust relationships in a sharply focused niche, wins!

Getting accurate facts and interpreting them in a way that answers your target market’s most pressing questions, is what builds trust with your audience. Insightful interpretation of facts, consistently expressed in your unique voice, can build a sizable audience of raving fans, if you are up to the challenge.

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"Buzz-Worthy" Luxury Website Design

Personal Branding Case Studies and Company Branding Case Studies

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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Begin the Cycle of Networking by Giving

If you are like most luxury real estate marketing professionals you are probably tired of hearing the hype about online social and professional networking and are looking for the ROI, already. However, if you are not adept at the fundamentals of networking in the first place, all of the new tools will not help your cause. You most likely will get frustrated and miss the true value of the tools.

Social and professional networking has been around as long as human beings have transacted business together. Networking is at the heart of building a business based on referrals. The new tools of networking can simply speed up the process and exponentially open up new possibilities of connecting with potential referral sources even beyond your immediate marketplace.

To clearly differentiate the importance of networking skills from the new tools, we strongly recommend that you read some books on the art of networking that were written BEFORE online social networking existed. Brush up on your fundamentals then take a fresh look at the online tools. Once you fully understand the fundamentals, the tools will seem almost magical. Serendipitous moments will start to become the norm, but no less astonishing.

Begin the Cycle of Networking by Giving

Here is an example of the kind of coincidence that can happen when a key networking principle is applied very well. That principle is to begin the cycle of networking by giving. We were trying to find out the name of a specific group on Linked In that we were unable to find. We posted our question on the “Answers” section of the site. Several people answered, but no one had the right one. Two weeks after the question was automatically closed, we were approached by someone who happened to see the question and indeed had the right answer. This gentleman owns a professional video editing school in Hollywood. I called him and, after a bit of brainstorming, we discovered that we can also do some video business together.

Reciprocity is a natural phenomenon that results when someone begins the networking cycle by giving. It is a good practice to explore ways that you can reciprocate when you are given to first.

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"Buzz-Worthy" Luxury Website Design

Personal Branding Case Studies and Company Branding Case Studies

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing: LOL Special Video Edition - No.3

Don’t miss this awesome video and LOL Radio interview with Gail Green, a top NY Interior Designer, and fellow LOL Community member. Gail literally offers a master class on her secrets for creating intrinsic, timeless value in design that can not only be enjoyed as a luxury in itself, but also as a means to increase the value of a home. (The video is 3 minutes; the audio interview is 15 minutes)

Gail Green, Top NY Interior Designer Reveals Her

Secret to Success

LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE LOL RADIO SHOW INTERVIEW

How can you expect to capture the website leads of high net worth clients without first capturing their attention? High net worth clients expect remarkable, distinctive packaging when purchasing luxury products and services.

You can instantly differentiate yourself from your competition with a stunning, eye-catching website that makes your competition’s site pale in comparison. Isn’t it time to demonstrate your superior marketing savvy? Discover how to attract more high net worth clients with a buzz-worthy luxury website. WATCH THE VIDEO!

India's Exquisite Maharaja's Express Train Service

China will become the top luxury market in just five to seven years.

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Thursday, March 25, 2010

Syndicate Your Original Content, Like You Syndicate Your Listings Part 3

Blogger’s Misconception #3“If You Build It and They Will Come”

(From the novel Shoeless Joe and the movie Field of Dreams, in reference to a baseball field that would automatically attract fans, once built)

You understand the concept of syndicating your listings. On major brand touts that they syndicate their listings on over 250 websites in addition to displaying them on their own company website. The idea is to get your listings maximum exposure by displaying them in the countless places where buyers begin their property searches. With links back to the company website (or to your own website) plus your phone number, hopefully, the buyer will find you and contact you.

Here goes misconception #3! You cannot expect a large audience to find you just by blogging on your own website. You can build it there and nowhere else, but relatively few will come! If vastly expanding your sphere of influence is your goal in blogging, you need to syndicate YOU!

A very important blogging principle is to become a syndicated columnist and a guest blogger on other websites. Your column should appear in as many places as possible to reach the largest audience. You need to syndicate your blog like you syndicate your listings.

There are blog directories where you can register your blog and be found. But, the best way to amass a large audience is to set up “outposts”, where you can post the same articles that appear on your primary website or blog site, with links back to your site. You need to be seen where your target audience is most likely to show up. And, you need to make it easy for them to find you there.

We hope this clears up some of the misconceptions and white noise about blogging. Create original content; passion is the key. Syndicate your content like you syndicate your listings and you will expand your sphere of influence exponentially.

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"Buzz-Worthy" Luxury Website Design

Personal Branding Case Studies and Company Branding Case Studies

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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

It Takes Passion to Be a Consistent Blogger: Part 2

Passion Flower

MISCONCEPTION #3: I CAN COMPETE WITH PASSIONLESS AND SELF PROMOTING POSTS

As luxury real estate marketing professional who blogs, it is your passion about your subject that engages and uplifts your audience. When you are truly passionate about your subject YOU are an original because no one else possesses your particular viewpoint on your subject. That is why finding your own “voice” is the first step in becoming a blogger. You must first identify what you are most passionate about and eager to write about.

Do not blog until you discover your passion! Otherwise, you are just adding to the white noise that is comprised of boring blogs.

It takes passion to consistently tap your resources for new material. It takes passion to be persistent in producing posts on a regular basis. If your content is uninspired or purely self-promoting your results will not inspire you, let alone your audience. And, like many luxury real estate marketing professionals, you will soon abandon your blog.

It is the “subscribe” button and the “share” button on blogs that makes the blog such an amazing marketing tool. These features make it easy for your audience to follow you, to participate in your journalistic journey and also tell their friends about you, which can lead to increased business.

Subscriptions build your audience. Think of subscribing to a magazine. Your subscribers are telling you that they like your brand of content. That is why it is so important for you to have a consistent authentic voice.

Building an audience is what makes your blog a media. There is fierce competition for attention out there. Your audience expects a certain brand, your brand of content, each and every time you publish a post. By staying consistent on your brand signal when you blog, and delivering on your unique promise of value, each and every time, your blog can help you achieve top of mind within your marketplace, especially if it is focused on a particular niche.

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"Buzz-Worthy" Luxury Website Design

Personal Branding Case Studies and Company Branding Case Studies

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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Blah Post or Blog Post? The Difference is Original Content, Part 1

BLOGGERS MISCONCEPTION #1:CONTENT IS KING

Recently, we have heard the term “white noise” used to describe the bombardment of information coming from countless advisors who tout the benefits of blogging. Someone we know used the expression, “blah, blah, blah, blah blog” to describe their overdose of information on the subject. Yet, if the blog was really understood for the stupendous marketing tool that it is more luxury real estate marketing professionals would bite the bullet and blog. There is definitely a “disconnect” here that needs to be bridged.

We have identified one of the biggest misconceptions about blogging. That is the notion that “Content is King”. Content is comprised of articles, photos, videos and pod casts (audio clips). The misconception is that creating content in your blog will automatically attract followers and possibly advertisers.

Content is not king. ORIGINAL content is king! People everywhere are starving for original content to solve their problems, to entertain them, to get informed, to participate in discussions and to uplift their spirits.

When you blog you become a columnist, a journalist. But, what is a columnist without an audience? If the content of your blog is unoriginal, it is just a “blah post”, not a blog post. If your content is unoriginal no one will take the time to make a comment. Nor, will anyone bother to engage in a discussion with you or others who leave their comments.

When your original content is remarkable, follow-worthy, comment-worthy, buzz-worthy, people naturally want to subscribe to your steady stream of articles, engage in discussion and also share your content with others. If your content is original blogging can be like word-of-mouth advertising on steroids. Sharing becomes contagious. That is what is meant by “going viral”.

The blogging tools themselves make it so easy for people to spread the word about you and re-distribute your content. But, it is original content that people want to pass along. It is the expectation of original content that gets them to subscribe to your blog and keeps them coming back for more. Can you understand why those with unoriginal, regurgitated, “canned” content are scratching their heads, trying to figure out why no one is reading their blog posts, let alone passing it along to their friends?

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Thursday, March 18, 2010

Attract More High Net Worth Clients with a "Buzz-Worthy" Luxury Real Estate Website


How can you expect to capture the website leads of high net worth clients without first capturing their attention? High net worth clients expect remarkable, distinctive packaging when purchasing luxury products and services.

You can instantly differentiate yourself from your competition with a stunning, eye-catching website that makes your competition’s site pale in comparison. Isn’t it time to demonstrate your superior marketing savvy? Discover how to attract more high net worth clients with a buzz-worthy luxury website. WATCH THE VIDEO!

Personal Branding Case Studies and Company Branding Case Studies

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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Discover Your Client's Most Pressing Needs

In a previous post we referred to the importance of acquiring a deep understanding of your current and potential clients’ mindset. We call this the study of psychographics, which is comprised of the personality, values, attitudes, interests, activities and lifestyles of your target market. However, as a luxury real estate marketing professional, to provide remarkable service you also need to discover your client’s most pressing needs, right now.

The late, Peter Drucker, author and management consultant, once said, “The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself”. Apple is now taking pre-orders for the iPad. There is just one commercial running for this new product and all it shows is the iPad features. No persuasive sales are needed.

The buzz about the iPad has been nothing short of astonishing. Apple has introduced an entirely new product category based on a deep understanding of the needs of their primary target market. Why buy an inferior net book computer and/or an e-book reader when you can essentially have both, plus much, much more for less money?

We say the art of marketing is communicating about your product or service in such a way that your target market instantly realizes that the value you offer is the answer to their prayers. When you answer people’s prayers, it is truly a remarkable experience. This naturally sparks word-of-mouth advertising which is the answer to your prayers.

Here is a personal example that millions of men around the world should be able to identify with (and women too). Even with the advances in shaving technology most men continue to experience discomfort during and after shaving, especially when the blades tug, pull and often cut the skin. Ouch!

I (Ron) have been on an eternal quest for the perfect shave. The last shaving cream I tried was a disaster. I thought it might be my razors. Then, I tried a new product by MENSCIENCE using the same blade. It may very well be the end of my quest; the shave was that smooth, close and painless. Now, that is remarkable!

I did not need to be sold. I was simply told that this shaving cream would answer my prayers, guaranteed. Amen! Guys, you should try it!

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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Luxury Real Estate Marketing: LOL Special Video Edition No. 2

LOL Special Video Edition - No.2

Video & Radio Interviews:

Lou Novick, Architectural Photographer

Brad Taylor, CEO - Luxury Homes Magazine

We are excited to launch a new LOL Radio Show & Video Interview series. Here we will feature outstanding architects, interior designers, landscape architects, and architectural photographers. We will also interview members of the LOL Team of Experts & Discussion Leaders and our LOL media partners.

Each interview is comprised of a 2 minute video "Radio Trailer" - like a movie trailer for that radio episode (yes it's a first) plus, the 15 minute radio interview. If you are interested in listening to the entire radio interview just click on the link provided. You can even download the show and listen to it at your convenience on your iPod via iTunes. In the future we will also promote the live radio show.

Be sure to check out the three very exciting Luxetera blog posts, as well. See the links below.

Thanks for watching, reading & listening!

Ron & Alexandra Seigel, LOL Community Founders

Interview with Lou Novick

Architectural Photographer

Miami, Florida

Listent to the entire Lou Novick internview on Language Of Luxury Radio

Visit LouNovick.com

Interview:

Brad Taylor, CEO - Luxury Home Magazine

We are excited to introduce you to our newest LOL media partner, Luxury Homes Magazine. through our interview with Brad Taylor, CEO.

This is the first in a series of an interviews with the publishers of the finest print media in luxury real estate marketing. It is our intention to shine a spotlight on the distinct marketing benefits that you can derive from each publication and also to discover the innovative ways in which our media partners have combined online marketing with the power of print.

To hear the entire audio interview online or to download it via iTunes, please visit this episode of our Language of Luxury Radio Show (Click Here). Also, visit LuxuryHomeMagazine.com.

Yachts Fit for Kings at Half The Price: Interview with Roger Liang of Kingship Yachts

Edible Faberge Eggs in Chocolate For Easter

The Magnificent French Riviera: Old Word Charm and Splendor

Personal Branding Case Studies and Company Branding Case Studies

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Know the Psychographics of Your Target Market

Knowing the demographics of your marketplace can be very helpful. However, understanding another very important marketing principle known as “psycho graphics” can give you a competitive edge when marketing luxury real estate. Psycho graphics are comprised of the personality, values, attitudes, interests, activities and lifestyles of your target market.

Most luxury real estate marketing professionals are familiar with the concept of demographics. If you were to segment the population of your marketplace into gender, race, age, income, educational attainment, employment status you would get an objective overview of who lives there.

For example, if your marketplace is Park City, Utah one useful demographic factor to know would be the cities, states and countries in which the greatest numbers of second home buyers own their primary residence. Since many buyers come from Mexico it might be advantageous to market your ski-in, ski-out listing both in Spanish and in English.

A Baby Boomer is one of the 76 million Americans born during the post WW ll baby boom. This is a demographic profile not a psycho graphic profile. The Sandwich Generation is a generation of people who care for their aging parents while supporting their own children. While they may vary in age it is their psycho graphics that is crucial to understand because they are usually putting their own lives on hold while caring for others. Their deepest psychological need is time off for themselves or time alone with their spouse. Using soothing words and describing your listing as a retreat would resonate with the Sandwich Generation.

The entire purpose of the Language of Luxury professional networking and learning community is to help you attract and better serve more high net worth clients. By better understanding the psychographics of these consumers (personality, values, attitudes, interests, activities and lifestyles) you will be able to speak their language and connect more deeply with them than your competitors do.

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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Luxury Real Estate Website Design: Your Website Appearance Really Matters!

Like it or not aesthetics play a very big role in the realm of luxury real estate marketing and the marketing of most luxury goods and services in general. Millions of dollars are spent each year on package design because it is human nature to make “snap” judgments based on outward appearance. In our time-starved world, people often do not take the time to look below the surface and make decisions, even unconscious decisions, based on aesthetics alone. As a luxury real estate marketing professional, you are doing yourself a tremendous disservice if your website (which may be the first point of contact for potential clients) does not reflect both your inner beauty and your competence.

You may recall the story of The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen. The cygnet’s egg rolled into the nest of a duck and the hatchling was mistaken for an ugly duck. The “duckling”, who later transformed into a magnificent swan, was teased, criticized and ostracized. This classic story, among other wonderful lessons, points out the aesthetic cultural biases that most humans have been taught or have absorbed in the absence of unconditional love.

For better or for worse, aesthetic cultural biases exist. Why not turn this to your advantage? The internet has created an unprecedented hyper-condition known as “competition for attention or eyeballs”. Your competition’s website is just a click away. Never have consumers had such a plethora of choices. A stunning website that makes your competition’s site pale in comparison can not only capture attention, but also has a higher probability of capturing the lead.

Few luxury real estate marketing professionals pay enough attention to their “personal packaging”. Nor, do they realize what is at stake. We often hear the excuse “if my website is not broken, why fix it?” Your website may work, but if it is not remarkable in appearance and eye catching, it may not be used by potential clients in the first place.

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Thursday, March 4, 2010

Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Are You a Fox or a Hedgehog?

The personal journey in the unabashed pursuit of market leadership can be among your most exciting lifetime experiences. If you, indeed, have a proclivity for luxury real estate marketing you can reignite your career by applying the most powerful principle from the bestselling business book, Good to Great, by Jim Collins. That principle is known as the “Hedgehog Concept”.

The hedgehog concept was derived from a fable about a fox and hedgehog and illustrates the strategic difference between the two. Foxes are dispersed strategists. They will try any strategy that they believe will give them the immediate competitive edge. But, these strategies will not yield sustainable results. Hedgehogs are focused strategists. They fend off predators (think competitors) by rolling up into a ball which fully exposes their sharp quills or spines.

In business, hedgehogs have identified their winning strategy and their authentic brand identity. And, they stick to it with unwavering consistency.

Here is the competitive advantage that hedgehogs have over foxes:

  1. Hedgehogs identify a market niche or an approach to marketing that they can master and be better at it than anyone else in their marketplace. They feel like they simply have the natural talent to be the best at this. To hedgehogs, it feels like this is what they were born to do.
  2. Hedgehogs select something that they are passionate about. They love what they do and feel lucky that they also get very well paid to do it.
  3. Hedgehogs are not predators. They mind their own business. While your competition is constantly hatching new plans to out-fox you, your hedgehog strategy renders your competition irrelevant.

In our strategic branding and marketing consulting practice we help our clients to identify their hedgehog strategy. We help them to bring their authentic personal brand identity into full focus. And, we coach them to stay in focus, by minding their own business when they execute their hedgehog strategy. Although, we call this journey the unabashed pursuit of market leadership, the real prize is the inner certainty that comes from knowing who they really are and from living a life of passion.

It is this inner certainty and the focus of the hedgehog that consistently attracts an abundance of ideal clients. This is one of the most important marketing principals of all time. It is what separates the good from the great!

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Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Mesmerized by Social Networking? Just Pick Up the Phone!

Recently, we had the pleasure of being introduced to very successful mortgage planning specialist by a mutual friend. We were introduced by email. But, we immediately scheduled a phone call to get to know each other. Too many luxury real estate marketing professionals have become mesmerized by the mechanics of online social networks and have all but forgotten the phone call as being a vitally important component of professional networking.

Ironically, it seems that this crucial step, that builds strong rapport, has all but dropped out of our digital lives. Phones have become “smarter” and smart people need to use them more often while networking professionally.

This guy really understands the power of networking and is very well-connected. While we were on the phone, he opened up his list of contacts on Linked In (remember the Rolodex?). Like a matchmaker, he specifically looked for people that he felt we should meet (and vice versa). He offered to make introductions and we gladly accepted. He did not expect us to do the same for him right then and there, because he understands the power of “giving first”, which is all part of the art of networking.

Needless to say, we were both impressed and appreciative. And, we are in the process of following up on all of his suggestions. There is no question that we will reciprocate, if possible, and match his generosity. At the very least we will “pay it forward”, meaning we will do the same for someone else.

This scenario has been going on in one form or another for as long as humans have transacted business together. It is professional networking at its best.

Linked In is simply a very efficient professional networking TOOL. It does not replace the phone! It makes it easier for our new friend to search his contacts and recommend connections. All we need to do is request an introduction and he simply passes it along to his friends with a single click and a brief note. The tool of Linked In makes this age-old process quicker and easier, smoother, actually effortless, once you get the hang of it.

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, are you deliberately expanding your sphere of influence on a consistent basis, through professional networking? The more contacts you make the more commissions you earn. Whoever has the most high trust referral relationships wins!

So, if you are hesitant to learn the mechanics of professional networking tools like Linked In, snap out of it! . And, remember to pick up the phone!

Personal Branding Case Studies and Company Branding Case Studies

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