Gazing At The Future In A Crystal Ball Or Thinking Like A Futurist?

We have little faith in crystal balls when it comes to predicting the future.  We prefer thinking like a futurist even though the intent is not to predict the future.  It is about observing the clues under your nose, and conjuring conditions and events as possible outcomes. The old adage, “when you want to hide something, the best place to hide it is in plain view”, is applicable. 

What is in plain sight is often ignored such as gut feelings, anecdotal evidence, and trends.  To be a futurist you have to develop the skill of observing the obvious, and let your imagination soar. You also have to be willing to destroy your construct, let go of it, and begin again. And, it helps to have a mastermind of similar minded individuals to explore with. So here are our thoughts on 2017.

Based on our observations and experiences, we think that psychographic branding and marketing is finally making sense to more marketing professionals.  Some of the top Madison Avenue agencies are realizing that one size does not fit all and are opening satellite offices in smaller markets.  

Print marketing is alive and well in the right marketplaces.  Net-A-Porter. one of the most successful online luxury retailers, now publishes a glossy magazine. Even though this seemed like a “backward” move to some, the magazine premiered in 2014. It includes relevant articles on travel, fashion, and advice of what to buy.  They understood that “women prefer to read about fashion on glossy pages as they shop online”. See WSJ. The magazine sells on newsstands for $9.99 per issue or $48 annually for 6 issues.  

Social media will continue to wane as a primary marketing influence in some areas of the country.  People have pitch fatigue from online ads, and are tired of spending time in a virtual world. The majority of people we talk to do not spend significant time or energy on social media.  At most, they may have a business page that one of their assistants monitors.  Instead, they are re-discovering the joy of being present with others and the business benefits of meeting someone for coffee or lunch. 

For some it is definitely easier to gaze at a crystal ball when it comes to predicting the future, However, the rewards of futurist thinking are much greater.

Wishing you all a great 2017!

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International specializes in the art of local niche marketing in affluent communities and they are the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  Working exclusively with entrepreneurs and professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership, they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace.

Are You Being Blurred By Your Competition?

Those who are looking to compete with successful real estate professionals will often imitate the leaders in every way, shape and form.  It is visibly prevalent in every industry, especially in real estate. The competition will study what the competitor is doing, with the intent to blur the differences. Blurring is a method of nullifying your competitor’s strategic differentiators, and saying “we are just as good, if not better!”

This explains why we often see the exact same website, and even the same messaging on these sites, and why logos often resemble each other so that they are a blur in the eyes of sellers and buyers.

Photo by Silviya Avsova

Here is a clear-cut example: Coach (a maker of handbags and accessories) since 1941, was the first to notice the under served market of luxury handbags at affordable prices. In 1981, Michael Kors also went into the same space. The new company copied the Coach store designs and even used the same manufacturers to produce their bags. 

When Coach woke up, two years ago, they asked their employees to look at a slide show of storefronts and bags asking them to identify the brand.  Like the majority of consumers, they could not differentiate Coach from Kors. 

Photo by Rajan Singh

Coach’s chief operating officer, Victor Luis, stated, “We were slow to evolve, “We did not innovate quickly enough, did not invest enough in differentiating ourselves from the new competition that was in some ways taking our playbook.”

Blurring is a valid method of creating a level playing field with your competition.  However, if you do not amplify your own inimitable strategic differentiator you will face the same consequences.

Are you being blurred by Your Competition?

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International specializes in the art of local niche marketing in affluent communities and they are the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  Working exclusively with entrepreneurs and professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership, they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace.

Branding Moments: Lions As A Symbol of Luxury

Ron and I loved this statue of this sleeping lion in Umbria.  This led us to look up the symbolism that mankind has attributed to lions for many centuries as"King of the Jungle", or "King of the Beasts".  In England, King Richard I was known as Richard the Lionheart, named for his bravery, and enlightened leadership.

The earliest drawings of lions (32,000 years old) was found in the Chauvet Cave in the Ardèche region of Southern France.  The drawings show lionesses hunting. The Lascaux caves (15,000 years old) depict lions mating.

This association symbolizes royalty, bravery, as well as gentleness at the same time. One often sees door knockers with lion's heads, and lions on brands.  Many luxury brands have used the symbol of lions to communicate their heritage and long standing traditions.

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International specializes in the art of local niche marketing in affluent communities and they are the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  Working exclusively with entrepreneurs and professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership, they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace.

Brand of the Year 2016: The Brave New World of Internet of Things

Each year we feature one consumer brand that is truly outstanding. This year the company is HP and the product actually a service, our first foray into the brave new world of THE INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT).

HP’s Instant Ink service allows you to automatically re-order ink via the mail for your desktop printer only as needed, on a subscription basis. Our new printer (HP Envy) is connected to HP via the Internet and lets the company know when we are running low on ink.

For$2.99/month we get up to 50 printed pages each month (way more than we ever use in a given quarter-year).  Unused pages roll over into the next month (up to 50 pages). We do not pay the monthly fee if we have credits from the roll over.  $36 per year (maximum) is still far less than we have been paying for ink.  The first 3 months are free. Apparently, this cuts out the middleman (Staples, Office Depot, etc) and they pass along the savings to us, the consumers! 

The best feature is that we never run out of ink when we actually need it because our needs are anticipated and it arrives by mail BEFORE we run out.  Yes, this seems a bit spooky and we are still wrapping our brains around the idea of the Internet of Things.  But, this level of convenience and cost savings is brilliant. 

Bravo HP! 

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International specializes in the art of local niche marketing in affluent communities and they are the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  Working exclusively with entrepreneurs and professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership, they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace.

Branding Moments: Brand Consistency In Robin's Egg Blue!

Brand consistency in every form is important to remain top of mind.  As we were walking in La Cumbre Plaza, we noticed the robin egg blue water dish for dogs.  Look at the water reflecting the true robin egg blue as the dish was in the shadow of a column.

Here is the store entrance. Note the ornaments and the gift boxes.  Can you guess the brand?

Notice the wreath on the wall.  It is full of diamonds and other sparkling items wrapped in the signature blue box with white ribbon.  By now you probably guessed that these photos were taken at the Tiffany store in Santa Barbara. 

The robin egg blue color is trademarked.  It identifies the Tiffany brand.  Even though the holidays are here the blue remains! These three photos reveal the importance of consistency in robin egg blue!

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International specializes in the art of local niche marketing in affluent communities and they are the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  Working exclusively with entrepreneurs and professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership, they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace.

Extraordinary Staging Puts Clients/Customers In A Buying Mood-Part 3

When it comes to avant-garde, edgy, outrageous, original, as well as fun, no one does it better than Moschino. This picture speaks volumes on the subject of extraordinary staging.  The dressing room is transformed into a leather jacket.  The leather is real and that zipper does work to ensure privacy.

Mannequins are Amazonian in scale.  They are over 10 feet tall. Note the jacket handbag, as this mannequin overlooks the park below.

This mannequin reigns in the showroom as the centerpiece of this section. 

Shoes are transformed into furniture or shelves to feature accessories.

Clothes are bright and the use of trompe-l’oeil (visual illusion to create a three dimensional perception) is evident in these bright dresses.

Note the ragged hem, the bag that looks like it was used to stomp out a fire, as well as the ends of the bow on the blouse.

Pearls and chains are important whether you wear jeans or dresses in Moschino designs. 

Although this brand and its staging may not be to everyone's liking, it does stimulate the imagination and inspires creativity.  Franco Moschino's (1954-1994) eccentric vision of fashion was unlike anyone else's in the industry, and his legacy has continued to delight of his fans.  

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International specializes in the art of local niche marketing in affluent communities and they are the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  Working exclusively with entrepreneurs and professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership, they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace.

Does Your Marketing Tell A Compelling Story About Your Brand?

Great websites, marketing materials and ads tell a compelling brand story at first glance. With millions of dollars riding on the outcome pay attention to the effectiveness of global brand marketing and advertising. You will glean insights that can improve your own local marketing initiatives and help you stand out in a crowded field.  

Here is our test for effective ads:

1. Does the ad capture your attention, immediately?

2. Does it hold your attention?

3. Do you instantly understand the marketing message?

4. Are you able to easily grasp the extraordinary promise of value the product or service offers?

5. Does it use emotions to make an indelible impression?

6. Does it spark the impulse to share the ad with others, i.e., is it remarkable?

7. Does it tell a compelling story about the brand?

Perfume and cosmetics are among the highest profit margin products in the world. There is fierce competition in this field. Check out the ad for Homme Idéal (Ideal Man). The French cologne by Guerlain gets an A+ from us for its print ad display that we found when visiting La Rinascente, the famous department store in Italy. We were able to answer YES to all 7 test questions.

In a Nano-second you get the entire brand story. It is one of the best illustrations that we have ever seen of how branding works through story telling. The scent of the cologne itself may not be anything special. But, give it the right name, wrap it in a fun story, which gives the brand a personality, and voilà, it sells!

The target market (single men) will reach for this brand over others because of its EXTRAORDINARY PROMISE OF VALUE. They are enticed to believe that it is the answer to their prayers, and remedies their most pressing needs: to be the ideal man and attract more women.

Does your marketing tell a compelling story about your brand?

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.

Brands Have A Personality: What Is In This Box?

What is in this box?  A ticket to London?  If you put the words, "fly London" in Google, you get British Airways in the first few lines.  

Here is another clue.  This is the inside of the box.  There are illustrations of London Landmarks.  No, this does not contain a First Class Ticket to London on Virgin Airlines!  There is a fun loving brand personality here!

Fly London is a United Kingdom based shoe company.  They manfacture shoes for both men and women. Here is their mission and personality statement from their web site, 

"A refreshingly balanced collection, different from the rest of the high street, having all and no trend at all, letting creativity do its work, following the motto again: always progressive, never conventional! We have created an upbeat joyous collection full of colour, innovation and humour”. 

And it is true, if you take time to check out their website.  They are proud to have given their designers this instruction, "Go where the inspiration takes you!  Don't Walk, Fly!"

They carved out a perfect niche and a great personality in the comfortable shoes arena without compromising style, fashion and fun.   We loved the branding, we loved the humour, and I (A) love the shoes!  I am looking forward to long walks or Flights in my new shoes!

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.

Market Leading Agents Are "Lead Magnets" !

Sales leads are prospective consumers of real estate services who show interest in buying or selling real estate now or in the near future, by either providing their contact information to you or allowing a referring party to provide it to you. Why do some agents attract the lion’s share of leads for top listings and qualified buyers while other settle for the crumbs? Market leading agents are “lead magnets”!

Think about this concept of magnetism! Why do some companies attract the best talent while others are talent-challenged? They have found a way to be a “talent magnet”. Why are some guys “chick magnets” who attract many girls while other guys find it difficult to get dates?

There is no secret formula for stellar lead generation! Lead magnets are agents who are certain of who they are, what they stand for, what they are passionate about and what they do best. Their CERTAINTY of their personal brand and their unique promise of value, i.e., their brand story is the SOURCE of their magnetism.

Sure, there are certain actions that you can take that produce leads like advertising, direct mail, even cold calling or door knocking. However, these are just supplemental sources of leads.

Apple, the most valuable company in the world, advertises. But, they get far more business from publicity and word-of-mouth advertising from raving, loyal fans than from TV commercials or billboards. Apple’s uncompromising brand story focused on quality products that people love, plus their legendary customer service is the generator, the magnet that attracts more and more customers.

When you are certain of who you are as a real estate professional and how you are different from your completion, you live in a binary world. People are either a match to your brand or not.

A good lead is simply a good match. And, you are certain that there is no scarcity of good matches, providing that you do not waste your time with leads that are weeds!

For that reason you also do not waste your time keeping track of the weeds. You just continuously cultivate those relationships that are a match to who you really are.

It is not obvious that the primary source of lead generation is being certain of who you are.  Market leaders have that certainty and that is why they are lead magnets.

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.

Marketing Tip: Good For Your Bottom Line & Good For Your Community!

If you want to exponentially increase your sphere of influence and potential referral base find a way to get involved in your community that resonates with your personal core values. You may make a big difference in the process.

Here is an example. Our small but mighty beach town, Carpinteria, in Santa Barbara County has a population of only 14,000.  It is mighty because it was responsible for two different state measures that will be on the November ballot in California in 2016.

Carpinteria Beautiful, a community campaign and related environmental groups became active in the cause to eliminate plastic bags used in grocery stores and other local stores. The reason for this initiative was the proliferation of plastic bags in our creeks. There are three big creeks in Carpinteria leading from the adjacent mountains to the ocean that allow for water runoff during the rainy season and also facilitate backwash during high tides. 

Prior to the ban on plastic bags and the promotion of reusable bags in 2012 a volunteer study found 40-50 plastic bags in one day. Post-ban a similar study found just 2.  The local Albertsons market took the first big step to eliminate plastic bags. Then other local businesses and schools joined in to raise awareness.

Get out from behind your computers and meet more people in the community. You can do some good for your bottom line and do some good for the community at the same time.

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.

What Is The Power of An Endorser Brand?

Aligning your personal or company brand with other readily recognizable and reputable brands can instantly elevate your stature in the minds of your target market. If they trust the endorser brand they are more likely to trust you or at least give you priority over lessor known brands. That is the power of an endorser brand!

European travel has always played a large role in our lives both for business and pleasure. When we were in our early twenties we had the great fortune of discovering Relais & Châteaux. It is an Association of outstanding, refined hotels and restaurants (not a chain) dedicated to the Art of Living, each offering impeccable service and culinary experiences that create indelible memories. At the time there were just over a dozen of members primarily in France. Today there are 530 members in 64 countries.

One of our first experiences at a Relais & Châteaux property was Domaine Les Crayères in the Champagne region (depicted above). We stayed there in the first year after they were accepted as a member. Our room was $50/night, but they upgraded us to one of their best rooms for $75/night with a balcony that overlooked the magnificent 17 acre park, which is part of the grounds. Today the same room is over $400/night (off-season).

The wine list at Les Crayères’s legendary restaurant (2 Michelin stars) includes more than 600 champagne labels. Memories of the meals we enjoyed there have lasted a lifetime and can cost almost as much as the rooms themselves (depending on the wines you choose, of course).

In planning an upcoming trip to the Umbria region of Italy, we did not have any particular recommendations for hotels. So, Alexandra looked into Relais & Châteaux for inspiration. We were flabbergasted to discover that, during off- season, there were some Relais & Châteaux properties there that were in our moderate price range for this trip.

It took all of two seconds to make our decision to book these hotels, sight unseen! That is the power of an endorser brand.

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.

A Brand Is A Trustmark: Does Samsung Have Your Back?

Photo by @webitect-Ray Shu

An abundance of high-trust relationships is the name of the game for successful luxury real estate marketing professionals and all businesses. Whether you have a personal brand or a company brand, one of your most important jobs must be “brand manager”.  As such, your job description is to continuously maintain a high level of trust because your brand is your TRUSTMARK.

Samsung is facing a massive brand crisis! Call it a crisis of trust.  The key issue with Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 debacle, in which they are permanently discontinuing production of this smartphone model due to faulty batteries and other parts, is not the $17 billion loss in valuation.  It is the potential loss of loyal customers. They will regain their valuation if they can regain the trust of their valued customers.

To get trust back they have to answer, YES, to the question most pressing in the minds of their customers: “Does Samsung have my back?”

Damage control of mistrust is priority one. Re-establishing trust will be a test of Samsung’s leadership. It will require Herculean strength of character to rebuild the brand’s reputation.

Trust is the foundation of a brand’s value. That is why you cannot cut corners in your quest to surpass your competition. As the Samsung ordeal demonstrates, trust can literally be destroyed overnight.

Is your brand your trustmark?

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.

Branding Moments: Edgy Or Over The Edge?

The first step in crafting a successful brand is to develop a brand message, a brand story, that swiftly attracts and engages the attention of your target market. This can be accomplished with eye-catching graphics, a clever brand name, or a memorable slogan. 

We immediately noticed the label pictured above of Blindfold, which is white wine blend. The base of the wine is Chardonnay with Roussanne, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Chenin Bland and Marsanne.  We are not big fans of blended wines.  And, we were dumbfounded by the imagery of the label, which did not appeal to our sense of taste, although the artistic technique is edgy and simply superb. 

We associate wine with celebration and good times. So, we were trying to figure out who on earth is their target market? On their website, Jen Beloz, the winemaker stated, “I’m motivated by the freedom I have to make creative blends. Our scope is unlimited — we source fun varietals and get to work with passionate, devoted growers. Ultimately it’s about making unique wines that we want to drink.”

With further research we discovered the name of the wine company who produces Blindfold is the Prisoner Wine Company. Priced at $32 a bottle, they are definitely aiming for consumers with an adventurous palate, and can afford to experiment.  The other wines they produce are named, The Prisoner, Cuttings, Saldo, and Thorn.

Given the macabre imagery, we would hesitate to say, “Cheers”!   Our biggest question is, “Is this brand edgy or over the edge?”  What do you think?

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.

Are You Comfortable In Your Own Skin?

Marketing is essentially matchmaking. You just need to make it easy for your ideal clients to quickly recognize that you and the service that you offer is the right match for their most pressing needs. You must also make it easy for people in general to facilitate the matchmaking process on your behalf via referrals.

The key is to fully understand and precisely articulate who you are and then, get comfortable in your own skin. The comfort comes from knowing your intrinsic value both personally and in a business context. If you have done your market research properly, the comfort also comes from a ground of being that there is an abundance of people or businesses that need what you have to offer.

When you are certain of who you are and also of your marketability it is next to impossible for others to minimize you or immobilize you. You become unstoppable!

Do you think elephants think much about the blotches of colors on giraffe’s hides? Do giraffes care that some elephants have big ears and are riddled with wrinkle lines? Do zebras debate among themselves about whether they are white with black stripes or black with white stripes?

If these questions seem absurd, it is not because animals are thick-skinned. They simply to not think about what other animals think of them. They are comfortable in their own skin!

One of the biggest challenges us humans face in life is our tendency to give other people way too much power to adversely affect our self-esteem. As a result we dis-empower ourselves. In a sense, we let others brand us as unworthy or less desirable. Then, we start to believe their hype!

The antidote to this dilemma is to, once and for all, let yourself off the hook, put down the club that YOU have crafted out of their erroneous judgments and stop beating yourself up with it! Then, take control of your own public relations and deliberately define how you want to be perceived by others. Take command of your personal or company brand.

Give yourself a break! Get comfortable in your own skin and watch how many potential clients will find out that you are a match to what they need.

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.

Photos Increase Readership: Get the Picture?

One of the oldest forms of communication is sharing pictures. If you want your blog to actually be read by humans, not just crawling Internet robots, start your posts with great photos. Let your primary photo convey the overarching theme of your post.

It is a well known fact that communicating with photos increases readership. Posts with photos are read 94% more often than those without them. That is because images are more likely to be retained in our memory, rather than abstract verbal ideas. 60% of consumers are more likely to contact a business when an image shows up in a local search, according to our research.

The photos in this post are images from the Lascaux Caves in France. They are thought to be over 17,000 years old. What is interesting about them is that they depict animals that existed at the time of the painting based on fossils found of such animals. Our ancestors were communicating their lives with us.

Flash forward! Snapchat (recently renamed, Snap, Inc.) gets the picture. They are coming out with a new "toy" called Spectacles. These are sunglasses that let you capture and share 10 second videos hands-free from your personal point of views, videos that will instantly disappear after they are viewed. The popularity of Snapchat demonstrates that pictures are used more and more as a mode of communication.

Can you see why a blog post without a photo completely misses the picture? After all, most of us learned how to read with picture books.

Great photos conveying your key message not only catch people's attention, they hold attention as your audience is reading your blog post. Take the time to select interesting pictures and watch your readership Increase.

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

The Virtue of Single-Mindedness: A Case of "Cat & Chipmunk"

We have often stated that focusing on an underserved or uncontested market niche, and doing so better than anyone else in your marketplace, is the key to successful marketing.  But, to pull this off you need to also have a particular mindset that we refer to as SINGLE-MINDEDNESS.

Before you even begin to embark upon the journey of niche marketing, you need to achieve a level of certainty that you have selected the right niche in the first place. You need to do your homework to assess the viability of the niche because it needs to have the potential to meet your financial goals. You also need to know if it is something for which you are personally best suited, that it plays to your personal strengths and passion. Only then should you take action.

But, once you are clear that you are heading in the right direction, you need to be absolutely single-minded about your endeavors.  The opposite of single-mindedness is being plagued with self-doubt or second-guessing yourself.

The single-mindedness mindset is what makes the difference between winners and losers.  Losers tend to forget that staying focused within the niche is essential. They think that they may miss out on business outside of their niche. Thus, they get distracted and dilute their concentration.

Recently, we were reminded of the importance of single-mindedness when a chipmunk (of all creatures) ventured into our garage.  It was game-on for our cat, Qunicy!  He became absolutely single-minded about his goal to capture the chipmunk.

At first, we had no idea what had captivated the attention of our intrepid hunter. He spent the entire night in the garage, hot in pursuit.  He was missing in action--a no-show for dinner and his favorite activity of the day, going on walks with his parents.

The next day the mystery prey was in the house and under our couch in the living room.  Quincy did not leave his post for hours, monitoring the situation. Only after lifting the couch, and seeing a bushy-tailed creature make a hasty retreat for our front hall closet did we recognize what it was. At that point we sequestered Quincy, opened the front door and managed to orchestrate the chipmunk's escape.

Take a lesson from Quincy. Nothing deterred him from his Chief Aim.  He had no second-thoughts or self-doubts. Nothing else seemed to exist for him during this game of cat & chipmunk. He was fully engaged in the here and now. The joy was obviously in his journey, more so than the end result.

Find a niche that you can dominate and stay focused. Become single-minded in the unabashed pursuit of market leadership in your marketplace.

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.

Meet More People Face-to-Face. It’s Better than Social Media for Business

Many agents are getting lazy about meeting new people face-to-face. They spend too much time in front of their computers on social media hoping to generate business or referrals. This represents an excellent opportunity for YOU to stand out from the crowd, if you are willing to venture forth into your community.

We always encourage our real estate clients to focus on meeting as many people as possible and doing so face-to-face. This should become an integral part of your brand strategy as well.  You may find that this strategy works better than Social Media and is a lot more fun! Inevitably the question that follows is WHERE do I meet these people?

We say, “FOLLOW YOUR INTERESTS!” There are many opportunities to get involved in the community. Find those that speak to who you are; follow your passions.

Do not participate with the hidden agenda of just drumming up real estate business.  Participate because you enjoy it. Business will come naturally, because people like to do business with other like-mined people.

An agent in San Francisco is a fan of the opera.  San Francisco happens to have a great opera house with very passionate patrons and fans.  This agent became a volunteer in the organization. Her strong support and enthusiasm led to direct business and many referrals.

In communities where the great outdoor lifestyle is key, some of our clients get involved in cycling events and races.  One of them has his real estate company sponsor him.  Another is a top-notch tennis player and has joined the tennis club in the community in which he works. 

Another client is a ski instructor.  She takes her clients on ski tours of the mountains that surround her community. Since her niche is ski-in/ski-out condos, this strategy works quite well, especially when showing this type of property.

Take a moment and write down your interests. Find out what is happening in your community that matches your passions!  Meet more people face-to-face and you will enjoy Social Media itself even more. 

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.

I’m OK. Are You Ok About That?

Good communication is essential to the success of any professional service provider who is interested in working with affluent consumers. It requires expressing yourself clearly and also listening attentively.  But, it also necessitates that you have a mindset of allowing people to have diverse or even opposing opinions without you shutting down the communication.

The best selling book, “I’m OK. You’re OK” was first published almost a half a century ago (1969).  Yet, it appears that humans are still struggling to achieve that conciliatory state of mind, the position on life that lets bygones be bygones and gives peace a chance.

Someone who exemplifies the “I’m OK. You’re OK” life position is Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski), head of men’s basketball at Duke University and also coach of three Gold Metal winning US Olympic men’s basketball teams.  We were very much moved by a recent WSJ interview with this wise man, a man who champions diversity.

Coach K was asked if he supported the NCAA’s boycott of North Carolina games over the state’s anti-LGBT bathroom law and also whether or not he would accept a transgender athlete on his team.  His answers to both questions were a resounding YES! 

Coach K has the courage to speak out against the law based on it being discriminatory. He feels that we need to embrace diversity and find the beauty in all kinds of people; just because some people are different does not mean that they are wrong. He advocates opening up and learning about differences instead of shutting down and saying no.

Take a page out of the playbook of Coach K in your business. The next time someone different than you say, “I’m OK. Are you OK about that?” be someone who can say YES!

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.

Winning Over “Undecided Voters” with Great Packaging

People vote with their dollars. Many “undecided voters” buy products based on the label when they do not have a recommendation from a trusted friend or other source. Great packaging or branding is also important in the service industry. It is definitely a key factor for local service professionals who want to seize the lion’s share of business especially in affluent communities.

The craft beer industry is growing at a double-digit rate annually.  The Brewers Association, comprised of small and independent craft brewers, has stated: “they now have a 12 percent market share of the beer industry.  Retail dollar value was estimated at 22.3 billion.” 

Competition is fierce. What we have been noticing is how many craft brewers are attempting to stand out with simple yet memorable branding.  One example of a memorable brand name is Swami’s IPA Beer. 

Swami’s IPA beer is made by Pizza Port in Carlsbad, CA. This is the home of Swami’s Beach.  It is a lovely beach where the Self Realization Center has its temple, and also where surfers and beach lovers enjoy the Pacific Ocean.  

Among the experts who rate beer Swami’s IPA rates 97. It has become a best seller for the company who started brewing this beer in 1987.

Pay close attention to the quality of your packaging. That is, if you want to win the “undecided vote”.

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.

The Luxury of Appreciation

Anonymous watercolour, 19th century: Scene from Mozart's opera Le nozze di Figaro

In the Language of Luxury there is no sweeter word than APPRECIATION. It is well worth becoming fluent in the many wonderful meanings of this word.

Obviously, appreciation in real estate represents an increase in property value.  But, for many it may mean the ability to appreciate life more fully later in life due to increased financial security.

Appreciation is the recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something. It can also be the full understanding of a situation.

Recently we attempted to purchase an album featuring the highlights of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, from our usual music provider. In anticipation of seeing the live performance in October, we wanted to gain a greater appreciation of the music and the libretto. Oddly, there was an error message that appeared and the purchase was aborted. So, we decided to purchase it from Amazon, instead.

As a subscriber of Amazon Prime we discovered a treasure trove of music of all genres that is included for free in the Prime service. WOW! To our surprise we found what we were looking for and it was included in our subscription.

There is so much to appreciate about this $99/year service, which pays for itself on savings from shipping costs alone. For us, anything else like movies, TV shows, or music included with the Prime subscription, is a bonus.

As we are writing this post we are playing The Marriage of Figaro on our wireless smartphone and it is being picked up on our wireless speakers. Can you imagine what Mozart would think about this level of luxury?

With so much content for free or for a minor cost compared to just 10 or 20 years ago, it is amazing how much we all tend to take for granted. Our lives our enriched beyond what we were even able to imagine.  It is good to take the time to appreciate this form of wealth!

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.