Monday, February 27, 2012

50 Top Luxury 50 Top Luxury Real Estate Markets in the USA: Sun Valley, Idaho

Author Ernest Hemingway completed For Whom the Bell Tolls while staying in suite 206 of the Sun Valley Lodge in the fall of 1939. Olympic medalists including Gretchen Fraser, Christin Cooper, Picabo Street, and Muffy Davis have all called Sun Valley their home. Today, Sun Valley, known for its extensive cross country ski trails, is a serious contender to become the Official Olympic Nordic Training Site. It is also considered by many to be a top winter resort, a summer getaway, and simply a wholesome place to raise a family.

To view the slide show, Click to read more ...

To view the slide show, Click to read more ...

Friday, February 24, 2012

Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Does Your Website Have a Privacy Policy?

The Privacy issue continues to be a hot topic and one that has brought the warring factions of the Congress together. Just yesterday, web firms have agreed to install a "Do Not Track button",and today's headline in the Wall Street Journal is "Tech Giants agree to Deal on Privacy Policies for Apps."

Some states such as California require that websites have a privacy policy. Luxury real estate buyers are usually privacy minded and guarded, when it comes to divulging personal information. We have included a privacy policy in our websites and the websites whose designs we oversee. They are written in plain English and not Legalese and are easy to understand. We find that our web visitors do read that page.

As a luxury real estate marketing professional having a Privacy Policy engenders trust between you and your website visitors. If you don't have one, stay ahead of the curve and add it to your website. If you do, make sure you don't need to hire an attorney to understand it.

WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies

About Language of Luxury

- JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY -

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT!

Linked In, Facebook, Active Rain

Follow Us on Twitter: LuxuryMarketing

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Pruning to Insure Your Success

What are the sweet spots in your business? What are the most fruitful aspects of your luxury real estate marketing practice? What is working to produce results consistently? These are the questions that can get you focused on what works and know what needs to be discarded or pruned from your winning formula.

Once you are aware of the fruit bearing sources of your business, it is important to strengthen these sources. A business can be likened to growing a fruit tree. You need to prune and feed a tree in order to produce a healthy and bountiful crop. The main reasons for pruning a tree are increased productivity, health and aesthetics.

It is crucial to your success to prune all those unusual solutions and business practices that that has not borne fruit—the time wasters. Think of your luxury real estate practice as a money tree. You need to eliminate all crossed branches that are at cross purposes to your success.

Pruning may be a horticultural practice, but it truly does apply to marketing luxury real estate. Are some of your clients draining your energy and your resources by distracting you from those activities that bring you the best results? It may be time to prune some of those toxic clients. If you are a broker, is it time to prune the dead wood in your office, the non-producing agents on your team? These questions may sound harsh, but it is the health of your business and your own health that is at stake here.

Without pruning you cannot see the orchard through the trees! Pruning lets in the light and allows for better air circulation which prevents disease as well. Your luxury real estate marketing practice should be a thing of beauty. It should be healthy and it should be bountiful. Let in the light!

- WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies

About Language of Luxury

- JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY -

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT!

Linked In, Facebook, Active Rain

Follow Us on Twitter: LuxuryMarketing

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Marketing Luxury Real Estate: Focus is Your Crystal Ball

As a Luxury real estate marketing professional, have you taken the time to focus upon the source of your bona fide leads, i.e., those leads that have actually converted to sales or listings? What percentage of your overall sales volume comes from knocking on doors (cold calling), referrals, open houses, website leads, sign calls, your blog, networking (online or offline) or from some other source? By focusing in this manner you can strengthen what is working, and also spend less time and resources on those things that do not produce strong results. Focusing can empower you to predict the future of your business. Focus is your crystal ball.

Focusing can also lead to discovering new ways to attract more business by finding alternative approaches that can yield more desirable results. By staying focused you have access to more solutions. Your focus actually attracts answers that may be right under your nose. Being focused prompts you to ask better questions because you know more clearly what it is that you need to know. The need to know literally draws out answers from your environment and from people who have the answers or know where to find them.

Sometimes it seems that the answers to your most pressing questions are eluding you. But, once you get clear on what you need to know, the answers are sure to come your way. That is, unless you spend your time doubting yourself or the power of focus. If you get frustrated because your answers are not showing up as fast as you want them to you might want to consider just chilling out for awhile. It takes a mental state of relaxed focus and openness for the best answers to show up in your crystal ball.

- WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies

About Language of Luxury

- JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY -

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT!

Linked In, Facebook, Active Rain

Follow Us on Twitter: LuxuryMarketing

Friday, February 17, 2012

Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Food for Thought: Is Free Really Free?

A few years ago we discovered a company that gathers information about wealthy people and sells it to product and service providers and also charities who target high net worth individuals. Our interest was to see if there was a beneficial application for luxury real estate marketing professionals.

The information they gathered about the wealthy is all public information. However, what is unique about their service is what they do the information. They correlate the data using proprietary algorithms and are able to develop profiles on high net worth individuals (approximate net worth, likelihood to invest, donate, buy a second home or refinance, etc.) that would not be obvious if you just looked at the information piece-meal. It is this sophisticated level of correlation that offers vendors and service providers added value when they pay for the service.

This value proposition disturbed us because we felt that it was an infringement of privacy, even though all of the information was public. So, we discontinued our investigation into the company.

Fast forward to Google’s announcement that they are about to correlate the personal information that they glean across the multiplicity of their platforms, i.e., Google +, You Tube, Gmail, its search engine, etc.. Given that the majority of Google’s revenue is derived from advertising, their intent is to deliver extraordinary value to advertisers, a value that is superior to that of their closest competitors.

What they are saying to consumers is this correlation of personal information will provide a better user experience. After all, when you subscribe to Netflix, and rate movies in their system, they are able to make video recommendations based on your personal preferences. You may like the user experience on Amazon when they tell you people who purchased the same book you just bought “also liked” another book. This gives them a way to “up-sale” you (increase the amount of the current transaction). But, you may consider that there is value in getting suggestions. This then, becomes a value (theirs) for value (yours) exchange. There is no pretense of “free”.

But, is this the same type of correlation of information that Google is now about to do? Google is not just correlating information based on products you have purchased or videos you either purchased or expressly told the system that you like. It is also factoring in many, many more layers and dimensions of your personal preferences and personal information. On top of all that it is factoring in your age and your current geographic location (based on your mobile devices), for example, so that it can send you ads that are relevant to local vendors and service providers.

Are you comfortable with this? You are giving your permission to all of this correlation of your personal information because you have opted-in by default when you sign in to you your Google account. You do have the option to opt-out, but the onus is on you to take the action to do so, every step of the way which may represent an inconvenience to you. You are given access to some wonderful applications, media, and tools for free. But is free really free?

Apart from any direct benefit to you, your preferences, buying patterns, web-surfing sequences, etc. is valuable information to Google because it helps them understand and predict others who have similar consuming profiles that you have. This is yet another layer of correlation that factors into the ads that are selected to be displayed to you, ads that Google is being paid for not you.

Before subscription TV, which is brought to you via cable or satellite, TV was free. But, was it really free. You paid for this with your time and attention as you also watched advertisements. But, the networks did not collect information about your TV watching habits. Through market research performed by companies such as Nielson, the networks were able to determine how many viewers were watching which shows. The more viewers the more money they could command for their ads.

Today, you pay for cable or satellite service and you pay for the advertising with your attention unless you mute the commercials or fast-forward through them if you have recorded the program. You have a choice to pay attention to ads or not. But, your cable or satellite provider does not know what programs you watch or record. They have no idea who in your family is watching the programs that are viewed on your TV.

The cable and satellite companies may be able profile your household based on correlating your geographic location, the number of TVs you have connected to their service, the type of bundled entertainment packages to which you subscribe. But, this is minor league compared to the mega-media of Google and Facebook.

Facebook is another “free” media that derives the majority of its revenues from advertising based on the correlation of your personal information. With an IPO about to be launched thousands of enthusiastic fans and would-be investors are going to sanction this type of media advertising. A tidal wave of agreement is going to validate this model.

Unlike the company that gathers and correlates public information about high net worth individuals, the information that Google and Facebook gather and correlate about you is your private information. The specificity of information about you is unprecedented.

We are not trying to buck this current, just question it. Nor, are we here to pass judgment on Google or Facebook or their users. These are extremely valuable services. We are simply here to dispel the notion that you get Google and Facebook for free and also to propose an alternative idea.

What if you had the choice, like you do with your TV, to pay a subscription fee for the use of Facebook and/or Google services, even Google search, and not receive any ads whatsoever, with the understanding that they cannot use or correlate your personal information? We would appreciate your opinion. Would you pay (value for value) for such a subscription? We would!

- WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies

About Language of Luxury

- JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY -

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT!

Linked In, Facebook, Active Rain

Follow Us on Twitter: LuxuryMarketing

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Luxury Real Estate Marketing: When Your Name Becomes a Brand

Achieving celebrity status within your marketplace as a luxury real estate marketing professional can elevate you to “top-of-mind”. At this point you become both well-known and well thought of locally by your target market and potential referral sources. Only then, when your name itself becomes very well-known, is it worthwhile to use your name as your brand and also as your website address.

The sudden death of Whitney Houston, one of the great voices of her generation, amplifies this phenomenon. Just the mention of her first name associated with the recording industry sparks immediate recognition of the performer. Rihanna has recently achieved this status. So, has Adele.

Recently, famed Italian chef, author, restaurateur, and regular contributor to PBS cooking shows such as Lidia’s Italy, Lidia Bastianich, launched a product line. This line includes pastas, sauces, and more. Every item is known as Lidia’s. Accompanying the picture and simple logo is her Italian slogan, “Tutti a Tavola, A Mangiare!”. This means, “come all to the table to eat!” She ends each of her shows with these words.

If you have not reached this level as local celebrity think again about using your name as your brand, and your website address. Think of it from the standpoint of a website visitor who knows no agent in your marketplace, let alone which name is the true market leader. You would be much better served branding your practice and your website address as a resource, an authority on the lifestyle in your area. But, if you have established a name for yourself as the leading authority in your area or a niche therein, stick with your name as your brand.

- WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies

About Language of Luxury

- JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY -

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT!

Linked In, Facebook, Active Rain

Follow Us on Twitter: LuxuryMarketing

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

50 Top Luxury Real Estate Markets in the USA: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Pristine and serene are words that best describe one of the most beautiful lakes in America. Yet, Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho is just one of 13 magnificent lakes in a mountainous region that includes the towns of Coeur d’Alene, Sandpoint and Hayden Lake. With 5 ski resorts within a short drive of these towns, the area is steadily gaining a reputation for quality of life that is unsurpassed, especially if you enjoy a full range of winter and summer recreational sports. Located just 30 minutes from Spokane International Airport, the Coeur d’Alene area is not just a destination for vacationers it is a great place to retire or simply call home.

View the slide show and Click to read more ...

- WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies

About Language of Luxury

- JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY -

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT!

Linked In, Facebook, Active Rain

Follow Us on Twitter: LuxuryMarketing

Monday, February 6, 2012

Luxury Real Estate Website Design: 7 Components of an “Authoritative” Website

So much attention has been paid to get website visitors to find you, but what is going to keep them on your site and keep them coming back so you can capture their leads? In marketing luxury real estate online your website should give the visitor a strong level of confidence that you are the expert, the authority in your field. Visitors should feel like they do not need to look any further once they have discovered your site because they have found the most authoritative website in your marketplace or the niche in which you focus.

"Authoritativeness” is also one of the criteria used by Google in the page ranking system. They simply want to match the user with the expert who can best answer the user’s query. The more the user is satisfied with the answers the more often they will come back to Google for search, and that means more eyeballs for the ads they sell.

Here are 7 components that comprise a successful authoritative website:

  1. An interactive “brochure” about you or your company that gives an immediate positive first impression. Your portfolio of sold homes, especially if it is extensive, can quickly establish your authoritativeness.
  2. A strong marketing message in words and graphics that instantly sets you apart from your competition and demonstrates that you are the expert
  3. A user- friendly self-service environment that is easy to navigate
  4. A window to the lifestyle of your marketplace
  5. Original content, content that no one else has
  6. Content beyond just real estate information that offers compelling reasons to keep coming back to your site, especially for local visitors, those who are not currently in the market to buy or sell. These are your potential referral sources beyond just your immediate sphere of influence
  7. Remarkable content that sparks word-of-mouth advertising and builds an audience of raving fans.

If market leadership is your quest, building the most authoritative website in your marketplace or niche therein is of paramount importance. But, website visitors are becoming savvier. If you do not instantly differentiate yourself or your company from your competition and offer original content that is engaging your chances of capturing the all important lead is reduced significantly.

- WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies

About Language of Luxury

- JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY -

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT!

Linked In, Facebook, Active Rain

Follow Us on Twitter: LuxuryMarketing

Friday, February 3, 2012

Luxury Real Estate Web Design: Information Overload?

You may have heard the phrase, “sticky website” bandied about. It has to do with the time a website visitor says on your website during a given visit. The stickier the site the more time they spend there and the more chance you have for capturing their lead which is important if you want to gain or sustain market leadership as a luxury real estate marketing professional. But, is there point where providing too much information is detrimental to your succcess?

Content rich websites are sticky to the extent they offer compelling information. But, how much information should you provide? It is possible to overwhelm your visitor with too much content. The key is to find the best balance for your target market. Compelling information is important, but compelling them to reach for more by contacting you is even more important.

Get the idea of feeling satiated after a good meal at a fine restaurant. Any more food beyond that point is an overdose. Now, get the idea of how you felt when the waiter brought you the dessert menu and offered you a choice of coffee or an after dinner drink. You were not satiated, yet. The meal was awesome up to that point and you wanted just a bit more. That is the point you want to achieve in terms of the amount of information on your website.

If you are a Monty Python fan you may have seen the film, “The Meaning of Life”. There is a scene in a French restaurant with an enormous man, Mr. Creosote, who is a glutton. The waiter offers him “one more petit four” and he literally explodes.

Think of Mr. Creosote, when it comes to de-cluttering your website and finding just the right balance of information that keeps your visitors hungry for more. That is an important factor to consider for a luxury real estate website, if you want to capture more leads.

WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies

About Language of Luxury

- JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY -

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT!

Linked In, Facebook, Active Rain

Follow Us on Twitter: LuxuryMarketing