Health & Wellness The Quintessential Luxury

HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE QUINTESSENTIAL LUXURY

“Health and wellness is the quintessential luxury, the true affluence that transcends material wealth, the common denominator of humanity at its best. It is now our primary focus at Napa Consultants, Int’l”

—Ron Seigel, CEO

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On Easter Sunday 2022 Alexandra, collapsed while at home with a debilitating stroke. The Seigels were one month away from joyously celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, a feat accomplished by fewer than 6% of all married couples.

When Ron researched his new role as caregiver, he noticed that up-to-date advice for men caregivers was sparse and not readily accessible. With 20 million caregiving men in the USA alone this represented an uncontested and underserved market niche. Ron decided to “step up to the plate” and fill the void of leadership in the field of family caregiving.

Ron is currently seeking out the most knowledgeable and competent individuals in the field to offer their advice on all aspects of caregiving, and thus create the ultimate online resource to help caregivers overcome overwhelm. He has written a book, “Enlightened Caregiving For Men Who Care” in which he offers his own advice based on team-teaching over 100 weekend seminars on relationships with Alexandra in their very first business and his experience of helping Alexandra in her amazing stroke recovery process. The seminar was accredited as a psychology course by both UC Berkeley and the University of San Francisco.

By taking a leadership role in the caregiver niche within the health and wellness market the Seigels are able to apply the full scope of their firm’s expertise in strategic business development to build this online community. As such, they don’t just advise, they “walk their talk” in YOUR field.

Click Here to Learn More About
Enlightened Caregiving>>

Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: No Inventory? No Problem!

As a luxury real estate marketing professional it is not uncommon to go through periods of time when inventory is scarce. However, there are alway ways to generate revenue during these times.

Many of your client own multiple homes around the country and around the world. If you have been diligent in maintaining your database of contacts you can leverage this asset by helping your client choose a broker or agent in the towns where your client’s other homes are located when they are ready to sell. Generating referral fees in this manner is a great way to supplement your local practice.

Setting up a section on your website or creating a subdomain that showcases your clients’ homes outside of your immediate market, and then sending out a message to your entire database of is a great way to demonstrate your marketing savvy. You may have the buyer for their other homes right “under your nose”. This is what we have done for our client in Ocean Reef.

No Inventory? No Problem! Click on the link to see the Luxury Property Showcase of this exquisite home in Naperville, Illinois (an exclusive suburb of Chicago.

Taking "Time Out" to Reset

Just wanted to let you know that we have been taking time out from blogging (for the first time since 2008) to tend to some health issues and simply "reset", in body, mind, and sprit. We will be back in September to present a major project, now in the works, that totally exemplifies the brand strategies for achieving market leadership that we have been recommending over the past 20 years: How to Rapidly Achieve Top-of-Mind Status. We can hardly wait to share it with you.

Wishing you all a wonderful, successful summer! Cheers! Ron & Alexandra

The Power of Passion Is Palpable

Those real estate professionals who are truly passionate about their work have an innate  attraction power that can effortlessly generates business. The power of passion is palpable! It is a true pleasure to witness this in any thriving business. 

By far, the best place in Santa Barbara to get a coffee drink in the morning is the Handlebar Coffee Roaster.  The line is usually out the door and the energy is vibrant. It is owned by a husband and wife team, Aaron Olson and Kim Anderson, who formerly were professional cyclists in Europe. Kim won the 2009 Route de France Féminine, the women’s version of the Tour de France. They “switched gears” in 2011 and directed their focus to roasting some of the best coffees in the world.  

The outstanding service at Handlebar Coffee Roaster is amazingly consistent. Kim is personally on the scene alongside the other baristas to set the high friendly tone that draws in the crowds. Aaron and Kim are tremendously passionate about their enterprise and their passion is definitely palpable. A friend of ours was in town from Los Angeles and we met at Handlebar.  He instantly felt their vibes; it was unmistakeable.  He cannot wait to go there again.

Our favorite coffee drink at Handlebar is their cappuccino because we love the cappuccino latte art foam they include each time. These visual quality cues engage our senses before we even take our first sip. Somehow the beguiling designs enhance and elevate the entire experience. These kinds of quality cues are clues that passion is the driving force behind a thriving business. 

Tap into the power of passion in your real estate practice and watch it thrive. Take the extra steps to provide quality cues that make your passion palpable.

Brand Marketing: Being Interested Rather Than Interesting!

Have you ever met someone who just talks and talks and says nothing of interest.  They work at being interesting. They are usually focused on themselves, their careers and their successes.  This is known as "selfing!"  This is true of every profession including real estate.

One of the keys to being successful as a real estate marketing professional is having a wide range of interests, which enables you to connect on many levels with your clients and referrals sources.  Being more interested than interesting will serve you well in your career.  

Setting aside time in your busy schedule to develop new interests, and meet new people, is just as important to your own health and well being as it is to your career.  And, you will have a whale of a good time in life if you do!

Pictured above is a skeleton of a young blue whale.  It is over 3 stories high.  When the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History wanted to build a protective structure around it, the City refused their request. We have an ordinance in place that the maximum height of any building cannot exceed 3 stories.

The skeleton of the 76-foot long, 10-12 year old blue whale (depicted here) weighs about 7000 pounds.  Live, this whale weighed 140,000 pounds. Adults can live into their nineties and grow to 96 feet.  Their calves consume 110 gallons of milk every day, and gain 200 lbs a day.

Blue whales, the largest known mammals, are found right off of our Santa Barbara coastline during their migration. At that time,(July-October) you can participate in a whale watching expedition by boat.

We were invited to join a select group of people for a private, behind the scenes tour of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.  The absolutely fascinating tour was conducted by two of the curators of the museum, both of whom are biologists.  Dr. Krista Fahy is in charge of vertebrates and Patricia Sadeghian specializes in invertebrates, particularly crustaceans. 

What made this an extraordinary experience was the level of passion that these professionals feel for their work and their commitment to excellence. We had no idea of the extent of research in which the museum is involved. 

Nor, did we realize the level of cooperation within the international community of Natural History Museums and universities throughout the world. They gather all types of specimens from birds to whales, and often share these with scientists who may have a particular interest in one the creatures on our coast.

Get interested! Take the time to explore some of the wonders that are accessible in your own community.  make new friends and learn something new. 

And, have a whale of a good time!

How to Avoid the Biggest Pitfall of Brand Extension-Bad Timing!

As real estate professionals, the more successful you are the more opportunities come your way and temp you to diversify or extend your brand to include other niches. To avoid the biggest pitfall of brand extension, bad timing, wait until you have become the undisputed market leader within your current niche, and do not make a move before then.  Otherwise, you will dilute your efforts and become vulnerable to competitors who are also gunning for the #1 spot. 

In 2019 we were given the opportunity to create the branding and marketing strategy for the developer of a $100 million condominium development who is one of the clients of our client in Ocean Reef, Florida. We worked on all aspects of brand development and marketing strategy from designing the logo, the print brochures, the messaging, the website, even the menu covers and check presenters for their restaurant. This was a natural fit for our skillset especially with our background as broker/owners of a commercial real estate firm in Beverly Hills where we worked closely with developers to market high end retail projects and did many restaurants deals.  

The condo project was a resounding success. Given the caliber of the development and the prestige of the marketplace in which it is located, it has provided a springboard to dive into a whole new market niche for our firm and extend our brand beyond just real estate brokerage. The key here is that providing brand strategy for luxury residential developments is fully aligned with our core competence and comfortably expands our focus on luxury lifestyles. 

Another opportunity that has come our way is taking over the marketing for the Legends Invitational Golf Tournament at Pebble Beach which is now in its 31st year. The annual event that benefits the Navy SEAL Community also includes the White Truffle Dinner at The French Laundry in Napa prior to the tournament. This opportunity also came about through our work in Ocean Reef where we handled the marketing of three philanthropic sporting events: The Vintage Golf Classic in partnership with Dom Pérignon, and our Fine Wine Society, that benefitted the community’s primary non-profit, All Charities, The Jack Daniel’s Golf Tournament, and the Boston Whaler Fishing Tournament both of which also benefit the Navy SEAL Community. 

Research from Wealth X has shown that the top two interests of the world’s most affluent consumers are philanthropy and outdoor sports. Now, that live events are once again accessible after the pandemic, there is a pent-up demand for attendance. Our timing is right! 

Hence, these new niches, marketing luxury condominium developments and philanthropic culinary & sporting events, are natural brand extensions for our firm. And they are a perfect fit for our blog, The Language of Luxury. Please view our new video below for more details about these exciting new niches. 

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE

To avoid the biggest pitfall of brand extension, bad timing, be sure you wait until you have become the undisputed market leader within your current niche.  Do not make a move before then! 

Branding Moment: Is your brand having an identity crisis?

One of the most common traps that you can easily fall into as a real estate professional or company is sending out mixed signals about your brand identity. Picture your ideal target market trying to dial into your brand signal in the same way they select a radio station that plays their favorite music. If you play a mishmash of classical, jazz, hip hop, heavy metal, and pop, you are going to have a heck of a time attracting and maintaining a sizable loyal audience. You might say that your station is having an identity crisis. 

The same applies to your real estate practice. Is your brand having an identity crisis

Your brand identity is comprised of visible elements such as color, design, logo, in addition to your brand’s slogan and messaging. If you are clear about what you stand for (your area of specialization and your unique approach to it) you can readily distinguish your brand from your competition in the mind of your ideal target market. The key is staying consistent in your messaging.

To get a better idea of what we mean about a brand identity crisis look at the messaging on the box of Hefty small trash bags in the image above. Note the endorser brand, Arm & Hammer (The baking soda brand) juxtaposed to the trademarked words, Lavender & Sweet Vanilla™. These bags are “odor neutralized”.

One of the key brand personality categories is called “Rugged”. Both Hefty and Arm & Hammer are rugged brands; so is Marlboro. Rugged means: sturdy, strong, strongly made, hardwearing, built to last, and tough. Hefty means: burly, heavy, sturdy, strapping, bulky, brawny, husky, strong, muscular, large, big, massive, weighty, solid, well built, solidly built, and powerfully built. 

In contrast, Campbell Soup and Hallmark are examples of “Wholesome” brands. Wholesome means nice, clean, virtuous, pure, innocent, chaste; non-erotic, nonviolent, righteous, upright, upstanding, proper, correct, honorable, honest, just, noble, respectable, decent, and simple.

Ruggedness and wholesomeness within the same brand message typically send mixed signals. It’s like a split personality. What do you think?

If you are unsure of your brand identity or wishy-washy in the way you communicate it, you may be suffering from a brand identity crisis! Helping real estate professionals and companies consistently articulate and communicate their true brand identity is what we do at Napa Consultants, International. The process itself is an amazing journey in self-discovery as well!

Brand Marketing: Pushing or Pulling?

Recently, when shopping on line, I have noticed the frequency of annoying push marketing.  I often look at an item to get a better idea of where it is made or what it is made of, etc.  Then, I click on something else.

An hour later or day later, I will get an email from the vendor showing a picture of the item with the headline, did you forget something?  I usually delete, only to have it appear a week later.

Now, the push has become even more annoying.  I was looking at shoulder bags on a sight.  Thus far, I have received three emails, "save on shoulder bags we think you'll love!".  This comes with a line-up of pictures of shoulder bags.

As a real estate marketing professional you should understand the difference between push  and pull. Pull, Don’t Push … .For instance, bragging about your accomplishments is definitely a push strategy and a turn off.

If you are tired of unwanted digital ads and unsolicited email marketing, join the crowd. Most of us do not like having advertisements or information “pushed” at us.  

The ideal marketing relationship between a customer or subscriber to a digital newsletter is “pull marketing” vs. push marketing”.  Keep this in mind when you think of sending out your own real estate e-newsletter.

Pull marketing is information with advertisements that is sent to you because you are asking for it.  You may ask for a “free report”.  That sometimes leads to a daily, automatic “drip” campaign chock full of unwanted information, products and services.  Where is that Unsubscribe button?

At a family celebration this past Sunday, one member mentioned how agents come around to persuade him to sell his home. And they list all the benefits of selling NOW!

He bought his beautiful craftsman home for a pittance, (by today's standards) years ago.  He does not want to sell.  He loves his home, and is not moving.  The agent shakes his/her head and says, "you are making a big mistake!"

There will come up a point, when the market will turn and it will be a buyers market.  In some markets inventory is non-existent.  

In the meantime, staying visible is important.  In several recent instances our clients have listed properties, because of their pull visibility.  Their strategy is to be active in their community.

One of the best ways to create pull is to be involved in your community and responding to its needs. Two of our lender clients regularly sponsor educational projects for the kids in their community in honor of their wives who were formerly teachers. 

They believe in education, and they spend part of their marketing dollars to further their community. People needing loans are drawn or pulled towards them, and regularly refer them.

When considering a sponsorship as a pull strategy, it is important that you are aligned to the cause and it is something you believe in.

Up Your Game: Stay Curious, “Sharpen Your Saw” and Cultivate a Beginner’s Mind

Over the years, we have helped many luxury real estate marketing professionals and independent brokerage firms sucessfully challenge the incumbent market leader by exposing a secret.  Market leaders often get complacent!  

If you have become complacent, sooner or later a challenger will notice the target on your back.  So, here is how to up your game: Stay curious, sharpen your saw and cultivate an beginner’s mind.  

Staying curious means becoming a lifelong learner.  Sharpening the saw is Stephen Covey’s 7th Habit of Highly Effective People. It means “preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have-You”. Having a beginner’s mind is a Zen term for seeing situations with fresh eyes including your own area of expertise.

Recently, we subscribed to a fabulous online continuing education service called “Master Class” which we wholeheartedly recommend.  It features classes from top athletes like Stephen Curry and Serena Williams, famous musicians such as Yo Yo Ma and Ringo Star,  master chefs like Thomas Keller, scientists, movie makers, authors, business leaders and much, much more.

To sharpen my saw as brand strategist I took a class by a famous graphic designer whose clients range from Giorgio Armani to The Salvador Dali Museum in Florida. One of the optional assignments was to create a logo using your own name. The idea was to convey as much about yourself as possible in a single image. 

It turned out to be an amazing, fun learning experience both in graphic design technique (use of color and texture) and also in the skill of distilling volumes of information into a single image.  Since Ron is a fairly common name I decided to also incorporate my middle name, Evan, which I use only on ID’s like my driver’s licences and passport (Ronald Evan Seigel).

Here are the thoughts that I attempted to distill in the image above: 

Alexandra and I met while in college at a independent center where we studied Western approaches to Eastern philosopies such as Zen, Taoism, Buddism and Hinduism. Aesthetically, I have always been attracted to the sheer simplicity of Japanese and Chinese art forms. I was fortunate to study Bonsai with the #1 Bonsai master in the USA. I have practiced yoga and meditation my entire adult life and now also practice Tai Chi and Qigong. I love zeroing in on details as much as gaining an expanded perspective; like yin and yang, striking a balance between these two ways of being focused in the present moment is key. And, I am a firm believer that life is supposed to be fun.

One of the astonishing take-aways from this assignment for me was noticing that the exact same red color looks totally different against different background colors. See if you can notice this phenomenon, too!  This has encouraged me to take more time to ask others about their perspective, given their diverse backgrounds.

To up your game:  Stay curious, sharpen your saw, cultivate a beginner’s mind. And, have more fun!

Savvy Brand Marketing: Is Your Marketing Remarkable or Ho-Hum?

Pictured above is packaging for coffee that I spotted on this Monday morning, while shopping a Trader Joe's. I was impressed by the packaging, the colors and the graphics that went into selling coffee beans. There is nothing ho-hum about this packaging. Note the red color on the side of the bags, as well as the gold lettering!

And here is the full display of the vignette they took time to create and build. Given the price of each bag is $9.99, the packaging is worthy of beans priced at $19.99. This may not be your taste in color, however, you cannot deny that it is remarkable!

Being at the top of your game as a real estate marketing professional regardless of your niche requires being consistently remarkable.  After all, you are selling one of the largest investments your clients may make in their lives.

Your marketing materials are your silent brand messengers.  This includes your web site, your marketing message, as well as any printed material you share with the public as well as other agents, such as postcards, presentation folder, and handouts at broker opens or open houses. 

These need to stand out and communicate your identity and its congruency with your target market.  And they will communicate to your intended market your savvy in brand marketing!

Are your marketing materials remarkable or ho-hum?

Savvy Brand Marketing: How Potent is Your Message?

Do you keep repeating the same marketing message without satisfactory results? Perhaps it is time to create a better message that distills your value proposition to its essence.  

The key is to condense your marketing message so that it is both instantly appealing and memorable.  When crafting a brand strategy for any niche of a real estate marketing professional or company our job to distill our client’s extraordinary promise of value into a very brief message.  

The discipline is very much like writing haiku, the Japanese poems of just seventeen syllables, in three lines of five, seven and five traditionally evoking images of the natural world.

Trust us when we say that trying to come up with this potent, concentrated message on your own is not easy. Often people opt out for copying slogans of other agents in different geographical markets.

But, when you nail it, it is like hearing a clear radio signal without any static. In just four words,  Fed Ex said what it stood for, "The World on Time!"

Distilling your brand message to its essence helps spark word-of-mouth advertising.  If the message truly resonates with your target market it can “go viral” and spread quickly like a quote from a famous person that you keep hearing even after the person is no longer alive. 

Pictured above is Albert Einstein who said,

““The definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result”.”

So, if you find yourself repeating the same marketing strategies and not getting the results you deserve, it may be time to change your message. 

Clarify your unique promise of value and then go into the operating room.  Or, give us a call. Happy to help.

Does Your Message Distill Your Value Proposition To Its Essence?

Savvy Brand Marketing: Shifting Paradigms!

What is a paradigm shift?  Here is how the dictionary describes it:  an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way.

Since the onset of the pandemic, we all had to alter our usual lifestyles.  Since we could not do things the way we did them before, we found ways.  Many of us had their food delivered, and many worked from home instead of their offices.  We had to shift paradigms.

Real estate agents, brokers, and large companies also had to adapt to the changes.  And they adapted.  Some changes will remain permanent, because they worked, and some will not.

The migration between states is frequently happening these days as many people are settling into new states. It is important to appreciate and cultivate a knowledge and understanding of cultural differences. 

No doubt, you have been in a situation when you thought you were “on the same page” with someone or a 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:  

1. Look at the wooden boxes in the image above.

2. Focus on the darker brown square.

3. Does the dark square appear to be on the right side of the boxes facing right?

4. Or, does the dark square appear to be on the top surface with the boxes facing left?

5. 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.  And learning something new is a benefit because you understand people that much better.

Branding Moment: Branding Explained in a Nutshell of a Quote!

"The rose is without 'why'; it blooms simply because it blooms. It pays no attention to itself, nor does it ask whether anyone sees it." 

~ Angelus Silesius

Angelus Silesius, born Johann Scheffler and also known as Johann Angelus Silesius, was a German Catholic priest and physician, known as a mystic and religious poet. Born and raised a Lutheran, he adopted the name Angelus and the epithet Silesius on converting to Catholicism in 1653. Wikipedia

This quote describes perfectly what makes a brand stand out.  I happen to find it as I was looking for rose quotes as this rose photo pictured above caught my attention.  A good brand is obvious, and needs no hoopla, explanation or justification for its existence... 

It is daunting task for many to reach this goal, as one our recent commenters stated. It is doable.  It may be difficult for some,  because one has to shed all the preconceived notions, opinions and inculcations of many well-meaning souls. 

Happy Wednesday!

Savvy Marketing: Finding the Under-Served Market!

Lately, as I read blog posts on many subjects including real estate, I am finding that many agents are subscribed to blogging services with what we would refer to as canned goods.  

The same title and the same exact wording appears!  The only difference is the photo and the location.  The subjects are trite and uninteresting. It is the same old stuff, and re-packaged with second rate photos.

Recently, we responded to an S.O.S from a successful real estate marketing professional who put out this distress signal:  "I have been blogging consistently. Why is no one commenting or following me?"  "Is there anyone out there?"  

For those of you who are experiencing the same frustration, here is an important tip: Discover and dominate an under served market niche and blog about it.

A niche is a specialized market. It is a market segment or a particular market “space”.  An example of a niche in luxury real estate would be historic homes. 

When we were in commercial real estate in Beverly Hills we specialized in high end retail and the entertainment industry.  One of our jobs was to find potential tenants for retail stores and shopping centers that we represented exclusively, on Rodeo Drive, or surrounding areas.

In doing some research for an upcoming blog series, we found an excellent analogy for niches by Ray Wert on his Jalopnik.com blog.  He referred to niches as the spaces between the marbles in a Mason jar that is full of marbles.  If you were to pour sand in the jar it would fill those spaces and there would be a surprising amount of room for the sand.  

Only when you can no longer add sand is the jar really “full”. The marbles represent what everyone else is doing, the niches exist in those spaces between the marbles that the sand fills. Essentially, that is how you find the under-served market niche. It is doing what no one else is thinking of doing.

Savvy Marketing: The Antidote to Blogger's Block!

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As a luxury or any other category in the real estate marketing profession, consistently adding fresh, new, original content to your website by blogging is good for your ranking on Google.   

However, your readers should matter more than Google. They are interested in reading your posts, because you have something to say that is original. 

Furthermore, it can help expand your sphere of influence. That is, if you are writing original content that is buzz-worthy, share-worthy, newsworthy and follow-worthy. But, how do the best bloggers avoid getting stale?  How do they prevent Bloggers Block? 

The antidote to Bloggers Block can be summed up in this way: BE CURIOUS   When you are passionate about your subject matter, you naturally become interested and open to new, fresh information that others do not even bother to perceive. You become a magnet for news! 

One of our favorite pastimes is strolling along the beach in Santa Barbara.  We discovered early on that the beach is never the same from day to day.  The tides continuously change. They bring new creatures and sea treasures to our attention every time.  

The people are new. Even their dogs are new.  We have learned about so many breeds of dogs that we did not know existed. 

Recently, we passed by a couple of young girls who were squealing about some discovered treasure that was clinging to the base of a garland of kelp. It was a bunch of sea urchins. Pictured above, they are the spiky purple creatures.  And yes, they are edible. 

We had not seen one up close before that day (except at the seafood market, and those were black). Yet, sea urchins are known as “Santa Barbara gold” because they grow in great abundance right off our coast where they are harvested.  They used to be exported to Japan.   

However, with the growth of Japanese restaurants in the United States, the majority are shipped to New York. One sea urchin diver told us that there are more sushi restaurants in New York City than in Tokyo. 

Had those girls not been so excited we probably would have passed that kelp plant right by.  Instead, we were enriched by their discovery and our research on the subject. 

As a journalist, blogging can introduce you to new worlds and new people who can become potential referral sources for your luxury real estate marketing practice.   

So, if you are suffering from Bloggers Block, just be curious.  That will get you right back into the flow of following your passion.

Branding Moment: Three Choices, Which One Would You Choose? Part 2

When we work on creating a brand or refreshing a brand, we look at many factors through a magnifying glass: the name, the logo, and the tagline. The tagline is not important unless it has a differentiator. We also analyze the marketplace the brand will serve.

Our first impression of Town & Country was that the name reminded us of the magazine Town & Country.  This magazine caters those who enjoy being part of the social scene, and have their important life events reported. 

That means they are targeting the affluent..And there are many categories of Affluent.  The word "distinct" has no meaning in their tagline.  A big tented do is usually distinct.

Theoni is on a similar wave length as Town & Country for customers.  They are hoping for the affluent in the Napa and Beverly Hills category.  Those who want to be noticed and reported on are here also.  The word "Beyond" in their tagline meant nothing...is Santa Babara beyond? 

Most of the Santa Barbara affluent are old money and are not interested in the social scene.  If you have been following our posts, you may recall our emphasis on psycho-graphics (lifestyle) rather than demographics.   

The Louis Vuitton store left Santa Barbara simply because no one who lived around there bought.  They definitely could afford to buy to their hearts' content...and Sak's Fifth Avenue followed soon after...this was not the place to sell $800 sneakers.

Bright recently re-branded with their colors.  Even though their colors are bright, "bright" it is memorable.  I liked their website video emphasizing service and featuring their employees!  If the service lacks no amount of fine china, silver or settings is going to matter...they are rent the stuff from the same places. 

Sunday, I noticed four of their trucks in different colors parked at the Santa Barbara Zoo lot.  The Zoo was having an event, and I would guess it was a fundraiser.  That was a great endorsement for me, if I were in need of an event company. And, I would consult friends, as well as interview all three, in order to make a final decision.

Branding Moment: Three Choices, Which One Would You Choose?

Many events happen in Santa Barbara County. Recently as we are driving on errands and appointements, we have been noticing different vendors on the freeways. Pictured above is the first one, Town & Country we noticed.

The next one pictured above is Theoni. They serve Napa, Beverly Hills & "Beyond".

The third one is a local brand called Bright Event Rental.  their trucks come in various rainbow colors.  The event rental part in bright yellow on the door, and this is the best angle of the photo I could get while Ron was driving.  The link goes to the company video. 

All three are candidates for a big event rental.  On first impression, which one would you choose?  I have included their websites, if you care to delve further.   

I will share my impressions, after I read yours and the reasons behind them, in my next post.

Savvy Marketing: Focus Tips the Scales in Your Favor!

One of the major disruptive shifts that occurred in the field of marketing real estate is the extent of market knowledge that consumers now have because of their access to the same information that was previously the exclusive domain of agents. It used to be that  this knowledge base was asymmetrical, meaning weighted in favor of agents. Now it is more symmetrical with consumers on equal footing.  

In fact, sometimes the consumer can know more than the agent if they have been doing extensive research by diligently keeping up with new listings, recent sales and listing status changes. This is a major challenge for luxury and other real estate marketing professionals. But, it also is a tremendous opportunity to establish an extraordinary value proposition that can also set yourself apart from your competition. Superior, focused market knowledge can give you the competitive edge.  In the corporate culture of Google, they have a mantra, “Focus Drives Results”. 

Today, those generalists, those who do not specialize in a particular niche, are the ones who are most vulnerable to this shift.  Trying to keep up with all the changes in all aspects of a given market place is not only a daunting task it is a waste of time.  Only by narrowing your focus can you truly become an expert vs. a generalist.  Focus is the key!  It was tips the scales in your favor. 

It should be made clear that narrowing your niche does not mean reducing your income providing that you pick the right niche.  The right niche  is one that has the potential of meeting your personal financial goals. When you let go of the fear of missing out on income because you are focused amazing things begin to happen. Serendipitous encounters with opportunities become the norm.   This may seem like magic, but it is actually very logical.  

The sharper your focus the more you are able to perceive opportunities that are right under your nose.  These opportunities are not even on the radar of competitors who are dispersed, trying to be all things to all people and wearing themselves out in the process. For example, in the top tier of the marketplace we hear time and again that many sales are conducted when top agents put buyers and sellers together, selling homes that were not listed on the MLS.  

Extensive knowledge of information about properties that COULD be available for sale but are not formally listed, can set you apart as a true expert within your nicheThis is information that consumers, especially from out of the area, could not possibly know which tilts the scales back to asymmetrical in your favor.  

It is also knowledge that your generalist competitors would probably not be aware of, or would not have to time to acquire. In the new information era where consumers and competitors all a have symmetrical knowledge base, focus tips the scale in your favor.  Focus drives results!

Branding Moment: What's In a Name?

What’s in a name? Everything if you wan to reach the right market and assures yourself of longevity . Not so long one of our favorite stores sent us an email letting us know which brands were on sale for the week. Picture above is one of the brands that caught our branding eye.

Although we make sure that whatever we purchase for our nourishment is organic, and by virtue of that non GMO, this brand lost its appeal by adding the “slang” version of Killer to their brand name! And by choosing the color red, the imagery of blood would definitely be associated with it.

With that they lost our. patronage, and there are dozens of great great that are organic in every grocery aisle. With all due fairness after looking at their website, they do great work in the community, and we appreciate that.! With that name, they lost our patronage.!

“The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name.”

Confuscious

What do you think?

Savvy Marketing: Selling Experiences, not Just Homes!

As a luxury or any real estate niche marketing professional it is important to accentuate the lifestyle of your marketplace in your marketing materials. Think about the forms of recreation in your area and what people wear when they engage in these activities.

This can be the inspiration to set the tone or the mood of your website design and your marketing materials.

For example, when people from big cities fantasize about buying a second home in the wine country they seek to relax, unwind and indulge in culinary adventures.

If they want to own a mountain retreat, keep in mind it may be isolation that they crave or physical fitness from skiing, biking  or hiking.  

Alternatively, those thinking of purchasing a pied-a- terre in a bustling metropolis are looking for excitement, high energy,  entertainment, the arts and shopping.

Setting the right mood on your website and in your marketing materials by accentuating the lifestyle invites visitors to stay longer on your site. Why, because you have engaged their senses and their emotional needs.  

We have often spent hours looking for the perfect lead photo for our clients just to do that. We have even had our graphic designer draw the perfect oak tree to set the mood of the country side.

Choosing the right colors therefore, plays a more important role in branding and web design than most realize. 

There is an entire psychology of color that must be taken into consideration when designing your brand.

Are you trying to sooth your visitors or pump their excitement level or adrenalin? High-energy demands bright colors.  Soothing colors are used in places of relaxation and if your selling countryside retreats.

If people associate your marketplace with the nightlife, dressing up more than occasionally, you should seek a more formal feel. If people tend to dress down in your marketplace, then a more casual mood needs to be set.

Expressing the transition from informal to formal can also be important. An example would be a golf and tennis community where it is more casual during the day, but more formal at night, at suppertime.  

We once stayed at a resort community in Italy, where daytime activities were casual.  At night, everyone dressed to the nines just  to dine.

All these elements of lifestyle should be accentuated in your web design because in luxury  or any other real estate niche you are not just selling homes. You are selling experiences!.