Choosing Your Brand Colors: The Non-Obvious Brand Colors!

Are you stumped trying to come up with a color scheme for your personal or company brand? Take a cue from the natural surroundings in your marketplace or colors that might represent it.

For example, if you look to nature in a tropical marketplace there is a treasure trove of color clues.  Here is a color palette that is inspired by a tropical fish. These colors are actually sampled directly from the photos; they just are not obvious.

If your marketplace is Santa Fe, New Mexico turquoise blue and silver jewelry may be your inspiration.  But, if you look closer at the image here you will find other complimentary colors that are not the usual suspects, colors that can make your brand identity stand out. 

Take your personal or company brand color cues from your marketplace and your natural surroundings. Then, discover the non-obvious brand color combinations.

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNITY

A Personal Brand is Born in Santa Barbara!

What comprises a model luxury real estate personal brand? It is the fusion of your marketplace and its lifestyle, the spirit of your own personality, your personal values and personal preferences, tempered in such a way that it clearly communicates on the wavelength of your ideal target clients.

Nothing shouts out Santa Barbara like the hot colors of fuchsia bougainvillea and terracotta Spanish rooftops against a backdrop of the Pacific Ocean with the coastal mountain range snuggled up right behind you.  How do you capture the essence of this semi-tropical paradise with a year-round temperate climate and a relaxed vacation lifestyle, and then incorporate all that into a very personal luxury real estate brand? 

When you are a market leader and you have a name like YOLANDA and no other agent in your marketplace has that name you want to seize this opportunity.  Think, Cher, Madonna, and Beyoncé! Hence, the personal brand, YolandaSB was born.  (Check out YolandaSB.com)

Yolanda van Wingerden hails from one of the fine Dutch families that emigrated from Holland to Santa Barbara and created what has become a mecca for the wholesale floral industry.  Claiming bougainvillea as part of Yolanda’s personal brand was a natural.

Yolanda specializes in selling luxury real estate in the area called Upper East (adjacent to our fabulous downtown shopping and dining streets) and also The Mesa (the trendy beachfront neighborhood).  Yolanda’s friends know her simply as Yo. As an ambassador of the Santa Barbara lifestyle we featured Yo’s Picks on her website (best restaurants, shopping and points of interest).  Be sure to check out this great local resource before you come to town! http://yolandasb.com/sb-info-tips/yos-picks-downtown/

When we work with luxury real estate personal and company branding clients we always travel to meet face-to-face with them, study the marketplace and understand their areas of expertise.  Although, we live right here in Santa Barbara, Yolanda gave us a comprehensive tour of her target market so we could understand it through her eyes.  And, we were surprised to learn so much about the place we already love.

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNITY

If You Get The Itch to Ditch Your Niche, Think Again!

 

Niche players will always have an advantage over generalists, in luxury real estate marketing, because they are focused on taking care of the specific needs of clients that were not being met by the generalists.  If you are a generalist, you cannot serve everyone, and expect to have client satisfaction across the board. You are vulnerable to niche players who can seize your market share. 

Here is an example in the entertainment industry.  The three major television networks, ABC, CBS, & NBC used to dominate TV programming.  HBO, Netflix, and others identified a gap in that entertainment.  As niche players, they were able to supply a different style of entertainment that was geared to a demographic that the big three networks ignored.  These companies carved out a niche by producing intelligent content that is well crafted with good acting, good stories and no commercial interruptions.

Here is a Real Estate Example. One of our clients carved out a niche years ago by specializing in the newer communities in a particular price range.  She concentrated all her marketing efforts on those communities.  Part of her strategy was to meet and make friends with the HOA boards. She spoke at their meetings on a variety of real estate subjects such as staging a home to sell, curb appeal, and more.

Our client is still the undisputed expert in these communities, based on her knowledge and consistent execution of her marketing plan.  Generalists have tried to dethrone her and have not succeeded. 

So next time you get the itch to move in the direction of expanding before mastering your niche, think again!  Do yourself a favor and buy some Calamine lotion.  

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

 Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites  

Personal Branding Case Studies   Company Branding Case Studies  

About Language of Luxury

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNITY

Luxury Real Estate Brand Colors: Part 1 - Some Like it Hot!

Using color effectively in luxury real estate branding can help to make you stand out from the crowd.  Your brand colors can speak volumes about who you are and how you are distinct from your competition.  In this article series we delve into some of the nuances of brand colors and how to integrate them into your brand story. 

Some people love the hot or warm colors: red, orange, yellow, magenta and gold.  Others prefer cold or cool colors: blues, greens, white, grays silver.  

This image of sweet peppers, taken at the Santa Barbara Farmer’s Market, focuses upon hot colors.  But, notice that there are several cool colors that offset the hot colors.  This contrast makes it easier on the eyes to view an image for a longer period of time.  

If your luxury real estate brand colors are going to include both hot and cold colors, one of the important principals to keep in mind is using the right proportions of hot and cold colors. 

The color swatches below are actually samples of hot and cold colors taken from the same image of the peppers.  Can you see how important proportion of hot and cold colors are to a composition?

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNITY

How to Find Your Market Niche: Focus Your Internet Energy,Clue #2

Last week, we wanted to purchase another Meyer lemon tree  (thin fragrant skinned lemons that are less acidic) for our deck.  We looked on line hoping to find a nursery in Santa Barbara. We were utterly surprised that not a single grower or nursery in Santa Barbara came up for a Meyer lemon tree. We made an assumption based on the fact that since California is the second biggest citrus producer after Florida, we would find a Meyer lemon tree on line from California.

Our search revealed two growers, one based in South Carolina, and the other in Georgia.  The search did not even show nurseries in Santa Barbara carrying Meyer Lemon trees.  For all practical purposes, one could conclude that Santa Barbara does not stock Meyer lemon trees, which is not true.  The only reason we looked on line is because two of the local nurseries had  sub par Meyer trees , and like everyone else we were hoping to save ourselves time on line.

The Eastern based nurseries identified an under served market niche in Southern California.   We were stunned. If someone is pressed for time and does not want to wander through nurseries, they can easily order a tree on line and have it arrive at their home with free shipping.  It fulfills an important need of saving time, and both of these companies who are located back East are benefiting from this uncontested market niche.

Clue #2. Realize that searches are specific, so question your assumptions.  Check on line how homes are advertised in your marketplace.  What characteristics of homes are missing that a buyer would be looking for, that is so obvious no one had mentioned it?

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

 ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

                                   GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNITY

Luxury Real Estate Branding: Provenance As A Brand Characteristic

The art of branding has many characteristics.  One of these is Provenance (the origin or source of something).  Kanaloa, our fish store has added something new to its fresh fish board.  As the picture above illustrates you can see that the black cod was caught on the Casanova Anne vessel, and the Bling Cod was caught on the Caledonian.  

When we inquired why they are doing that, our friend Nate, mentioned that every fish they sell has a direct provenance.  At any time they can tell you exactly when that fish was caught and where it came from. They can also tell you what is coming in that has been purchased.

In the wee hours of the morning Kanaloa trucks are at LAX, picking up fish shipped by each vessel.  Unlike other fish purveyors who deal with a broker, they have direct access to the freshest fish, which is why we shop there.

As a luxury real estate agent, you can claim provenance if you are born and bred in your marketplace.  It can distinguish you from the others, in that because of your birthright you may have more knowledge than any other agent in the marketplace.  This may or may not be a good way to differentiate yourself, it all depends on the marketplace.  This also applies to real estate in general.

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNITY

“So Five Minutes Ago?”Or Will It Last As Long As The Wall of China?

The Fashion World’s designers want to stand out among their competition, as much as luxury real estate agents and companies do.  Standing out in one’s field means being top- of-mind and that translates into profit.   September and October are the fashion show months as designers unveil their latest offerings for Spring/Summer Collection 2015.  

The spirit of competition is fierce among the various fashion brands.  Every designer wants to be noticed and first to come to mind.  The showmanship is usually buzz- worthy. However, will the buzz be long term memorable or “so five minutes ago”?

This morning we received a video announcement from Ralph Lauren about the “first ever 4D Fashion Show, A Holographic Runway Event in the Heart of Central Park.”  Along with the video of the event, a behind the scenes video was included on the making of a holographic event with green screens. 

It was for us a momentary wow, and then it became “so five minutes ago!”  It was so five minutes ago, because we could envision all the other fashion houses imitating this in no time.  As technology evolves on a daily basis, it can so easily become so five minutes ago,” because the next breakthrough is around the bend.

In October 2007, Fendi made fashion history by hosting the world’s longest runway    show on the Great Wall of China.  The runway was built on top of the wall, and this in itself was an engineering feat.

This definitely was a wow for us. The event caught the attention of the global media.     Seven years later, we are still talking about it.  This event eclipsed all the runway shows in 2007, and in our opinion was memorable and inimitable.  

As much as it was a defining moment for Fendi, it was a coming out party for China, at that time an emerging superpower looking to make its impact on the world at large.  From a marketing viewpoint, there was an alignment of purposes and a win-win for all parties, and that alignment made it memorable.

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNITY

Innovation News Interfered With Our Plan to Write A Post!

Photo Courtesy of Apple

We got a call from our dear friend and partner that he was about to tune in to watch the Apple unveiling of its new products. It was for us two hours of wows!  Even if you don't like Apple products, there is so much to learn by watching their presentation.  

Every aspect of the presentation, whether verbal or video was polished to perfection.  Every word was thought out to be the best word possible, and the same for the video presentation.  Every person called up to the stage by Tim Cook, Apple CEO was flawless in their presentation.

We are particularly excited about the new phones, IOS8,  and Apple pay.  What is distinct about Apple Pay is that all the information is only available to your bank when you use your credit card or debit card.  

That is the only entity that will have access to your data.  This clearly differentiates Apple from those who are garnering your data, spending habits, and this clearly answers our concerns on the subject of privacy.

The watch is a work of art in our opinion in terms of functionality, design and personalizing.  Neither one of us uses our watches at this point in time.  However, both of us are open to perhaps one day wear an Apple watch.

Innovation is something that thrills us to no end.  We love it!  In our opinion, Apple is one of the most innovative companies in the universe at this moment in time.  

They definitely set an example as to what it means to be on the leading edge, and they inspire our work with real estate agents and luxury brands world wide.

Tonight, we will make a toast to INNOVATION with a glass of wine!  We always, have time for INNOVATIVE THINKING & SPIRIT!  It makes us that much better.

If you wish to view the Keynote simply click on apple,com.

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNITY

Luxury Real Estate Brand Strategy: Days on Market or Dom Perignon?

As brand strategists we see an excellent opportunity, to develop a reputation as the leading expert in your marketplace by periodically authoring and publishing a compelling luxury real estate market report. The key to success with this strategy is providing original content, which is true of any journalistic endeavor on the Internet or in print.

The opportunity to stand out as the leading expert in your area writing a local market report is actually an opportunity to brand yourself as such.  Each edition of your market report gives you a chance to communicate your unique point of view.  That is, how you are different and better than your competition and why prospective buyers or selling should choose you over your competition as their agent or broker.

The first catch here is that you need to know your unique point of view, your unique promise of value.  Otherwise, you will not be followed.  You will not build an ever-expanding audience.

Your first step is assessing your competition.  Is there anyone else in your marketplace that is publishing a market report?  Are they just regurgitating the facts or are they offering a distinct point of view?

If no one is truly offering fresh insights you may have identified what we call an uncontested market niche.  This may be a vehicle for you to stand out in the minds of your target market.

The second catch is being consistent.  If you do not keep up your reports on a regular basis you will quickly lose your audience.

The third catch is that you need to communicate in clear terms that are easy to understand. Do not use abbreviations like DOM (days on market). After all, you do not want to be confused with Dom Perignon, the great Champagne brand.

Here is the true test to see if you have the “chops” to be an authoritative author and self-publisher of a local market report: Ask yourself if you would read your own marketing reports? Or would you be bored out of your mind reading mind numbing data?

Write from a unique point of view.  Be consistent.  Write clearly in layman’s terms. And, you may just achieve top-of-mind status as other highly successful market leading agents have done.  No doubt, you will be sipping a glass of Dom Perignon to celebrate your top of mind status.

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

 GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNITY

Luxury Real Estate Branding: The Power of Color in .03 Seconds!

When you are refining your luxury real estate branding and marketing package, it is important to focus on the power of color.  The response to color is often subliminal. The eyes see color in .03 seconds equivalent to the blinking of an eyelash.  In that brief moment, colors have to convey the message of the brand which helps create interest and eventually the sale.  This makes it worth the time for a second look.

Yesterday, we were cruising the aisles of luxury stores and looking at different products, and their packaging for inspiration.  We apply the .03 seconds principle as we move through the store.  Will it catch our eyes? Does it appeal to our psyche?  If it does are we compelled to take time to look at it further?  Would we buy it?

Some people may protest at this instant judgment of a product or service without delving in the particulars.  So many times as we speak at conferences, we are often asked the following. “Do people really judge a book by its cover in a branding context?”

Agent “A” got the listing for an equestrian property.  This person does not know the nose from the tail of a horse.” I am an experienced equestrian, a horse judge, and horse owner and they picked agent “A”.  The answer, shallow as it may seem to some is packaging and perception of the brand.

Test the .03 seconds principle. Next time you are in a supermarket, see what attracts you color wise.  Is it worth a second look?  Did you buy it? 

Will your intended target market be drawn to you?

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNITY

Luxury Real Estate Branding: Communicating with Colors #4

Making the right color choice is one of the most important aspects of communicating your brand’s message.  Typically a combination of three colors, (occasionally 4) reflects the brand identity and communicates its emotion, symbolism and mood.  These 3 colors have to be carefully selected both in term of hues and contrast.  The focus should be on giving the right signal for the individual or the company and the marketplace.

In home markets, where the living is easy and relaxed, black (although associated with power, luxury and elegance) sends a wrong signal.  Black is formal, think black tie events!  If you are in a bustling city market, black can be one of the colors. 

People who buy in these markets are interested in a casual, relaxed, life style.  We used different hues of blues for one of our clients in the Santa Barbara Riviera.  Royal blue associated with luxury is dominant on his page.  Lighter blue in the same family as the royal blue and white are used to create a contrast.  The blue reflects the Pacific Ocean, which can be seen from the Riviera homes he specializes in, and it happens to be his favorite color.

Another client in Santa Barbara who works in a different marketplace has bougainvillea pink, spring green and white as her colors.  Bougainvillea is growing everywhere in Santa Barbara.  It also reflects her personality. Bougainvillea pink communicates youth, energy, and movement.  Both colors are used sparingly on a white contrasting background. This site is going through final adjustments, and we will share it at a later date.

Take the time to dial into your color preferences when crafting your brand.  However, keep in mind who you are communicating to.

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNITY

Luxury Real Estate Branding: Communicating with Colors #3

Our post yesterday sparked many interesting questions that have inspired a series.  Color selection in branding and marketing is a process.  It involves analysis both of the individual/team or company as well as their target market.  The brand should reflect a combination of both the client and the market.

Choosing colors for a brand necessitates understanding the use of color in terms of its impact:  emotional, symbolic, and mood projected.  Moods can be serene, earthy, playful, powerful, mellow, traditional, unique, elegant, and luxurious to name a few.    Moods are communicated with color combinations.

Children are naturally drawn to bright colors. Bright colors are happy, cheerful, energetic, and project a playful mood. Toy and playground manufacturers produce toys in bright color combination, for this very reason.

When you work for a company, and develop your personal brand, their brand becomes an endorser brand, which in most cases have to printed on your cards, marketing materials, and website.  Sometimes, brand colors clash, and there are solutions for elegant integration.

One of our first projects involved creating a luxury real estate brand for an agent working with a company whose brand colors are red, white and blue.  The color combination is not perceived as a luxury.  It is symbolic of Middle America, Mom, apple pie, all things quintessentially American.  Some well-known brands with that combination are Budweiser, Chevron, Pepsi, NFL, Chicago Cubs, and American Airlines.    

Based on her color preferences and the marketplace, she was working in; we created a brand in burgundy, accented it with a metallic gold, and a cream color for the body of the marketing pieces and website.  At first, this clashed with the initial company brand, and they later came out with a single color logo that was complimentary.  As her business boomed, she opened her own firm, and eventually sold the brand and website for a significant sum.

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNITY

Luxury Real Estate Branding: Communicating with Colors #2

Last week, we wrote a post on the psychology of colors focusing on red and green as part of a brand’s color scheme. Alitalia incorporates these colors in their brand identity, as they are the colors of he Italian flag.  Saturday, while in Beverly Hills, we spotted Gucci’s “camouflage” (barricade), a temporary façade erected during the remodeling of their Italian luxury fashion and leather goods store. 

The barricade looks like a portal into the store. They are actually open for business during the transformation.

Gucci’s brand identity is comprised of red and green stripes on a beige background watermarked with interlocking “G’s”. They also use metallic gold for the name itself at times.  Red and green are highly contrasting hot and cool colors.  By themselves, these colors may not connote a luxury brand.  But, by adding beige and gold as the third and fourth brand colors, instead of white, it can elevate the red and green combination to luxury status.

Paying attention to colors and how they represent your brand of doing business is quite important.  Using the right colors can actually attract more business or differentiate you from your competition in the realm of luxury real estate. The wrong colors can do just the opposite.

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNITY

Real Estate Brand Strategy: 3 Ways to Deal with Zillow/Trulia Merger!

Here are three ways to deal with what appears to be the inevitable merger of Zillow and Trulia.

Outspend Your Competition

Steve Murray, President of Real Trends mentioned in an article on CNN that some agent teams are spending up to $20,000 a month to appear on the Zillow/Trulia listing pages. With the merger both entities can charge more for their combined Internet exposure of a 130 million visitors a month.  By spending more you can outdistance your competition.

For example, Douglas Elliman recently paid Zillow an undisclosed amount to make sure that all leads generated by their listings go directly to the agent who has listed the property and no other competing agent’s profile is allowed on their pages.  They created an exclusive relationship which boosts the traffic to their website.  Their main offices are in the city of New York and New York does not have an MLS, which in turn benefits Zillow as it lacked a New York presence.  If your pockets are deep enough, this is a viable option.

Outthink Your Competition

Find a brand strategy that will help you secure top-of-mind status in your marketplace. Real estate is local and the more you stand out in your local community as a caring business person, the more likely you will be sought after for listing or buying a property. 

One of our local companies here in Santa Barbara County supports the teachers in the communities they have offices in.  They have a fund to help teachers’ special projects. This strategy can influence the teaching community and the parents to think of them first when it comes to real estate.

Don’t Worry, Be Happy!

Some of the best agents build a strong referral base and are not dependent on any third party lead generation.

What will you do, OUTSPEND, OUTTHINK, OR BE HAPPY AND NOT WORRY?

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNITY

Luxury Real Estate Branding: Communicating with Colors

There is an entire psychology of color that goes into crafting luxury brands.  This applies to personal and company brands. Certain colors and color combination evoke strong emotions and are also associated with certain things in the minds of your target market.  It is important to become aware of what you are communicating with your brand colors.

When you think of the color combination, Green and Red, what is the first thing that comes to mind?  If you are like most people Christmas immediately is associated with this color duo.  As a result, you rarely will see this combination used when crafting a brand.  But, there is much more to this brand story when you think outside of the holiday gift box.

By using variations of reds and greens tones you can create some spectacular themes.  If additional colors are added to the theme you can evoke excitement and vibrancy, festive emotions.  Setting the right tone and the right mood is an integral part of communicating your brand’s primary message.

The proportions of the two colors can change the brand message all together, making it more or less sophisticated.  For example, Alitalia uses red very sparingly, but still represents the colors of the Italian flag that has equal portions of green read and white.

The more you tune into colors and how they are used in branding the more you can learn about the art of communicating with colors.  What colors are you using in your personal brand?  Do they accurately represent you and your personal brand’s message?

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNITY

Real Estate Branding: Premium Is The Added Value That Defines Luxury

Borderfree is another nomination for the LOL Luxury Brand of the Year because it helps us to define the essence of a luxury in a unique way.  Borderfree helps USA retailers potentially reach 2 billion foreign consumers by managing retail logistics including customs, shipping and returns hassle-free for retailers and consumers. According to Borderfree, “50% of consumers say they will pay more for a better customer experience”.  And, that PREMIUM (Added Value) is what makes it a luxury brand.

When a foreign consumer shops on the websites of participating retailers, the site is translated into 60 languages and currencies.  Duty, taxes and shipping costs are automatically calculated based on the shipping destination, and paid for upon checkout by the consumer. Some of Borderfree’s clients include Barney’s New York, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bloomingdales.   

They also offer foreign consumers a USA shipping address where Borderfree repackages USA goods purchased from any number of USA online stores, like Amazon, and then ships the combined merchandise efficiently to reduce shipping costs to the consumer.

Now, from a branding perspective, how do you distill and convey this extraordinary promise of value in a brand name and a logo and the messaging on their website?  These are the cornerstones of our job as brand strategists for the luxury real estate industry.

Take a close look at the logo. The “B” has no borders.  The four corners are triangles pointing in all directions.  The brand name says it all.  Once you hear it once you will easily remember it because it names the entire value proposition with just a few letters.  The very character spacing of B O R D E R F R E E communicates the freeing up of previously closed markets, an untapped reservoir of consumers for retailers and also the hassle-free user experience for which consumers are willing to pay a PREMIUM.

Check out Borderfree.com.  Notice the economy of words and images they use to explain their extraordinary promise of value. It is all distilled again in their three-word slogan: “Going Global. Simplified”.

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY

Succeeding with Social Media Strategy: Crowdsourcing: Ten Do’s

If you want to succeed with a social media strategy, here is what has worked for us:

When writing a blog post, be genuine.  It is so obvious, when someone is faking it.  Take notice of media professionals you like, and why you like them.  Think Maria Bartiromo, CNBC financial reporter, Dianne Sawyer, Walter Cronkite, Anderson Cooper, Larry King, they all have large followings of fans.  Why? We are naturally attracted to authenticity, which resonates with who we are.

Do talk about yourself in the First Person, and not in the Third Person.  That smacks of artificiality and the assumption that your reader is too stupid to figure out who wrote the post.  Let your clients (real ones, not your friends and other imaginary persons) write your praises.

Be discerning when you ask someone for business.  Today, we received an email from someone we briefly met 4 years ago, asking us to refer him to our French partners, and “would we put him into touch with the proper people?”

Be modest about your achievements!  There is nothing more boring than someone who talks about themselves and their successes endlessly.  In the movie “Beaches”, you will not doubt remember Bette Middler’s immortal line, “Enough talking about me, let’s talk about YOU, what do YOU think of me?”

Do expand your conversation on line beyond real estate.  Let people know you have more than one-dimension. Look to connect on many levels of interest: gardening, cooking, collecting, etc.  

Do avoid the subjects of politics and religion.  Sell property not politics. Why lose clients because you don’t like their party affiliation?  It is none of your business what people think.

Do read the post you are commenting on, and know the authors’ profile. Your sincerity is on the line here, and people do read comments and form an opinion based on comments.  

Praise your profession.  Every profession has its bad apples. One gains nothing by pointing out someone else’s faults and lacks.

Do Teach instead of Preach.  Assume that your readers want to learn and appreciate your expertise.  Preaching is a turn off, appeal to their eagerness to learn rather than be force-fed.

Remember you are here to interact with others.  Follow the etiquette of social interaction.  Kindness is key.

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

 Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites  

Personal Branding Case Studies   Company Branding Case Studies  

About Language of Luxury 

 GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY

Real Estate Marketing: How to Dominate Your Niche - Part 10

This series is a PREVIEW of our Online Video Course: Which Niche Can Make You Rich!

 PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

By applying the principles of niche marketing in the unabashed pursuit of market leadership you will discover that there truly are riches in niches!

 Part 1   l   Part 2   l   Part 3   l   Part 4   l   Part 5   l   Part 6 l  Part 7l    Part8 l  Part 9

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

 Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites  

Personal Branding Case Studies   Company Branding Case Studies  

About Language of Luxury 

 GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY

Real Estate Marketing: How to Dominate Your Niche - Part 9

This series is a PREVIEW of our Online Video Course: Which Niche Can Make You Rich!

HOW TO BALANCE HIGH TECH & HIGH TOUCH

Fear of missing out on the latest technology has thrown many real estate professionals off balance. It is time to regain your balance.

 Part 1   l   Part 2   l   Part 3   l   Part 4   l   Part 5   l   Part 6 l  Part 7l    Part8 l  Part 9

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

 Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites  

Personal Branding Case Studies   Company Branding Case Studies  

About Language of Luxury 

 GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY

Real Estate Marketing: How to Dominate Your Niche - Part 8

This series is a PREVIEW of our Online Video Course: Which Niche Can Make You Rich!

HOW TO DOMINATE YOUR NICHE

If you cannot be #1 or #2 in a niche, do not compete! Find a niche you can dominate. Then, it is all about discovering the right strategy! 

Part 1   l   Part 2   l   Part 3   l   Part 4   l   Part 5   l   Part 6 l

Part 7 l  Part8

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace. 

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

 GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! 

- JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY