Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: Dominate Your Niche & Not Go Buggy!

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Luxury Real Estate Website Design: The Winning Formula--Eye Catching Design + Original Content

September 13, 2012

Courtesy of Apple

In recent posts we have been focused on the importance of capturing attention with superior luxury real estate website design and holding attention with original content. We rarely include You Tube videos in our posts. But, this one is so astonishing because it so clearly illustrates both of these concepts.

Human beings tend to make snap judgments and pigeonhole people based on outward appearance. That is why great web design is vital for capturing attention. Apple, the most highly valued company in the world, certainly understood the value of excellence in design. Without it you may be ignored, despite your talent, not to mention the time, energy and money you have spent getting people to your site in the first place.

But, once you have captured their attention with eye-catching design, holding it is an entirely different challenge. That is where continuously providing fresh, follow-worthy and share-worthy ORIGINAL content comes into play. It can spark and accelerate word-of-mouth advertising for you or your company. This video has been viewed over 20 million times. We hope it inspires you as much as it did the two of us. If the video does not appear on your screen, here is the link.

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Luxury Real Estate Website Design: Does Your Website Stir Emotions?

September 12, 2012

Great luxury real estate marketing begins with eye catching website design and emotional branding because, for many consumers, your site is their first impression of you or your company. Does your webstie stir emotions?

You may be familiar with Ferrari and Lamborghini, two of Italy’s most famous sports cars. But, unless you are a motorcycle enthusiast you may not have heard of Ducati, perhaps the most attractive motorcycles in the world.

Ducati is committed to racing competitions and excellence in performance. Yet, their unmistakable style is a pure expression of their passion for world-class design. Each bike Is built by hand not by robots. Ducati designs stirs emotions!

Ducati understands emotional branding and their marketing message is communicated loud and clear. In their collateral material, they describe their design as having “sinuous, seductive, flexible lines with a permanent, timeless quality that sets an unsurpassable standard”. They know that their bikes dominate the dreams of the most discriminating motorcycle enthusiasts in over 60 countries where their bikes are sold.

Before they ever discuss the unique mechanical features of their bikes or their impressive track record for winning 15 out of 18 World Superbike Championships they entice potential buyers with the opportunity to own a piece of kinetic art. Ducati’s impeccable design creates an immediate emotion sale.

Pay close attention to your luxury real estate website design. Favorable first impressions are so important. Before you start boasting about your top performance, let your superior website design be your silent salesperson.

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Does Your Website Home Page Capture Attention and Draw Traffic?

September 11, 2012

The design of the home page of a luxury real estate marketing website should have a wow factor. The best global luxury retail brands understand this principle when they design their store front windows. The goal:capture attention-draw traffic into the store!

Whenever we are in Beverly Hills, we take the time to study the store front windows. In the window display depicted above, the handbag appears to be hung on a branch. However, the tree is actually a photograph that creates this optical illusion in the window of the Louis Vuitton store.

You can spin your wheels and waste valuable time in social media in blogging and in search engine marketing that drives traffic to your website if your website does not capture their attention immediately. Take a lesson from the top luxury brands and make sure that your website visitors feel compelled to enter your store and shop. Does Your Website Home Page Capture Attention and Draw Traffic?

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: Are You Suffering from Bloggers Block?

September 10, 2012

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, consistently adding fresh, new, original content to your website by blogging is good for your ranking in Google. More importantly, 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. And, we are cat people!

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. We had not seen one up close before that day. Yet, sea urchins are known as “Santa Barbara gold” because they grow in great abundance right off our coast where they are harvested, then exported to far off places like Japan.

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.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: Why Google Keeps Changing Its Algorithms

September 7, 2012

This week, we were reviewing the Google ranking of a luxury real estate marketing professional who is the top producing agent in her marketplace, but ranks 7^th in natural search results on her primary keyword phrase. Of the two agents who were ranked higher on the same page, one sold just a single property over the last 12 months and the other did not sell even a single property!

Are consumers being served by placing mediocre agents ahead of market leaders? Google doesn’t think so. That is why they are constantly trying to fine-tune their algorithms to achieve more satisfying results.

In the context of finding qualified local service professionals on the Internet, Google’s ideal job is simply to match the consumer’s search query with the most authoritative experts in a given marketplace. For Google, customer satisfaction with this “matchmaking” service is paramount because they are able to place revenue-generating ads on these popular pages.

Prior to the Internet and search engines, it was statistically proven that whoever got the first buyer or seller call had the best chance of winning the business. While this may still be true with telephone contact, we question that it is true online when it comes to search engine ranking, especially in luxury real estate marketing. One glance at a cluttered site that is difficult to navigate can send a web visitor back to the search result page in a single click.

In another instance one of our local business organizations was looking for a speaker on social media. They hired the #1 ranked “authority” on Google to speak and the group was horrified by the presentation. It was obvious to every businessperson in attendance that this guy barely knew what he was talking about. When confronted his response was, “I know how to rank #1”.

In addition to strong basic SEO architectural structure on your site itself, Google is looking for current, fresh, relevant, authoritative, ORIGINAL CONTENT more so now than ever. And, they are adjusting their algorithms accordingly.

Consistently publishing and distributing new content (through social media channels) via your blog is the best vehicle to achieve this. Getting other authoritative websites to establish links to your newsworthy, follow worthy, original content is also very helpful. But, the days of just publishing unoriginal content, that has even become boring to the Google robots, is over!

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Marketing Luxury Real Estate: Beverly Hills Branded Barricades

September 6, 2012

As a luxury real estate marketing professional it is important to immerse oneself in all aspects of luxury marketing, not just real estate. By observing the top global luxury brands one can learn volumes about communicating to high net worth clients.

Today on an early morning jaunt to Beverly Hills for a meeting, we had time to spare. After fueling ourselves with a warm bagel from St. Urbain, we took a walk on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Dior had moved up the street to a larger location. They had an innovative branded barricade to mask the remodeling and construction in the store.

Dior created a façade that looks like a quilted leather bag. It was so realistic that we were compelled to feel the paper to make sure it was not leather. Every detail was present including the handle and the Dior bauble that hangs on it. The strategy here was promoting their unique handbags as well as their innovative, creative designs.

The Christian Dior brand, which is part of the LVMH family (Louis Vuitton Moet & Hennessy), is beautifully and harmoniously represented here. Christian Dior, the designer, revolutionized the fashion industry in 1946, departing from the then popular boxy look to more feminine lines. He said, “I have designed flower women," emphasizing the curvaceous form of women. His innovative thinking provided a legacy that lives on as you can see,

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Personal & Company Branding: The High Cost of Being Vague About Your Brand

September 5, 2012

Photo by Gerald Bougham

Be explicit about who you are and what you stand for, as a luxury real estate marketing professional. Being vague about your personal or company brand can cost you considerably.

An important aspect of personal and company branding is clearly and consistently articulating how you want to be perceived by others. If you do not explicitly define who you are and what your brand stands for, people will brand you or classify you in their own pigeonholes.

In our commercial real estate practice in West Los Angeles, we were best known for our expertise in leasing high-end retail space and working with the entertainment industry. We had a high profile in this niche because our signs were on buildings from West Hollywood to Beverly Hills to Santa Monica by the ocean.

We also sold many commercial properties (most of which were not actually listed) to a select group of developers and investors. We typically kept a low profile about our sales because we just did not like to boast.

But, when the property manager of one of our leasing listings needed to sell another building that he managed he looked for a buyer on his own instead of giving us the listing. He would have gladly given us the listing, but, he just did not know that we sold buildings too! Ironically, that property fell out of escrow with his buyer and we had it sold within 24 hours to one of our clients.

Here was business right under our noses. Although, we were well branded as leasing experts in the mind of this property manager, he was clueless of our sales expertise. That was a $75,000 opportunity that almost passed us by. This is the value of branding that we will never forget. Nor, should you.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: The Luxury of Disconnecting

August 31, 2012

As luxury real estate marketing professionals, many feel that being available on a 24/7 basis will insure success. It seems like everyone is connected via every possible device, software and social media platform. You may feel that it is admirable or even heroic. However, there is a time for being inaccessible and completely disconnected.

Traveling earlier this week on business brought about an unexpected event. At one of the locations we did not have cell or internet access. We had to use a “land line” (an endangered species) to call those who were expecting to hear from us. Everyone understood. We took advantage of the lack of digital connection to connect with our surroundings and each other. That day gave us time to refresh and enjoy what was remarkable about our client’s marketplace.

As we approach the Labor Day Weekend, it is important to re-evaluate the notion of being accessible 24/7 and seek moderation. You may discover the strength that comes from setting limits. When you are rested you magnify your power to attract and perceive more opportunities. Plus, your quality of life naturally improves. Wishing you all a happy Labor Day!

Cheers, Ron & Alexandra

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Marketing Luxury Real Estate Tip: Cost of Living vs. Cost of Not Living

August 27, 2012

As a luxury real estate marketing professional it is essential that you understand the value of “living it up” because this is, more often than not, the mindset of your high net worth target market. It seems like there is far too much concern about increases in the cost of living. Have you ever considered the high cost of not living?

Those who truly enjoy their wealth offer clues to those who aspire to acquire their own. They are typically the most generous of human beings in that respect.

“Living it up” does not necessarily mean extravagance. Small indulgences and simple pleasures can send you into a mental state of abundance, a perspective that allows you see the world from an affluent vantage point—a world of possibilities and opportunities.

Sure, there are those who are entrapped by their wealth. They are so worried about losing what they have or comparing their net worth to others that they are not really living at all.

Recently, we visited friends who adopted “Buddy”, the rescue Golden Retriever, as a surprise present for their 6-year-old son. One look at Buddy and you were transported into state of sheer delight and appreciation for the abundance of goodness in nature. Such loving eyes, such playfulness! Buddy’s message to the world: “Forget your troubles, come on, get happy!” He cajoled anyone who came into his presence to play with him and live it up. He was impossible to resist.

The more frequently you can live it up, the more opportunities you will perceive to connect with others who share your abundant mindset. And, the more business you will attract as a luxury real estate marketing professional. Do you have a "Buddy"?

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: Turning a Mistake into a Success with Transparency

August 23, 2012

As with any business or professional practice, luxury real estate marketing professionals sometimes make mistakes. For some, it is hard to admit for fear of being judged unfavorably. We believe it is best to be transparent about mistakes and do your best to turn them into opportunities to build trust.

Recently, Apple made some missteps in staffing their stores. They announced their mistake, corrected it and moved on. That is transparency.

As we were passing the wine aisle at the market, the label (depicted above), with a big orange question mark, caught our attention. It really stood out from the others. It was priced at $5.99, so we could not resist our curiosity. Soon, we discovered the story of this particular bottle from Oreana Winery. It is simply labeled as red table wine and we enjoyed it very much.

Here is their story as seen on their label,

“Mistake or Fate? I pondered this as I removed the hose from the stainless steel tank. The wrong tank lot 1203 and lot 419 were now one. Once destined to be bottled individually, now and forever fused. A phone call to a mentor elicited a quick response, ‘varietal wine? Blend it man and blend it well!’ I reached for a glass to decide what blue rain had been created from this mishap. This is a soft, satiny, sexy wine, with voluptuous black cherry and blackberry fruit, plus layers of chocolate and spices suggestive of cinnamon, mint and more. It is powerful and complex, yet open and accessible."

WOW! It fully lived up to its description. It was the perfect accompaniment to our Margarita, heirloom tomato and fresh basil pizza.

What impressed us was the transparency in admitting a mistake and turning it into a success. The label fits perfectly as no varietal grape is listed.

Turn your mistakes into successes! Be transparent. Keep building trust. Your reputation is the core component of your personal or company brand. This is an iconic example of branding that is remarkable and memorable. Oreana as a winery was not even on our radar screen, and with this branding coup we will never forget it. It made an indelible impression.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: The Economics of Aligned Self Interests

August 21, 2012

In marketing luxury real estate it is important to understand how to create and execute the economics of aligned self interest. This strategy is one that takes all parties into account by understanding their points of views i.e. their self motivated interests. By understanding others' points of views (walking in their shoes) you can connect with them and create a new paradigm resulting in a viable and harmonious outcome for everyone involved. Here is an example of the economics of aligned self interests from the retail world.

If you have been in a large mall lately, you may have noticed an interesting kiosk/booth called “me’ality” with a slogan below it, “measured reality ™”. This booth as described by their literature is “a size matching station because one size fits nobody”. The technology in this booth is a safe scanning device that takes 200,000 measurements of an individual’s body (women in this instance). These measurements are translated into a list of stores (Gap, Levi, DKNY, and Ralph Lauren to name a few) which carry jeans that will fit your body and specifies the size and the cut which is perfect for you.

Whose bottom lines benefit here? The malls have experienced additional traffic because of this kiosk. Additional traffic translates into more sales for all the tenants in the mall and that means fewer empty stores. (One of the tenants in the Oaks Mall in Thousand Oaks, California, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf had a notice on the booth giving away a $5.00 gift card for signing up with me’ality.) The retailers are subscribing by the droves with me’ality, and their list is growing daily. Me’ality has had national positive media coverage. Retailers are reporting more sales and less returns and exchanges. Customers are finding the perfect fit in jeans and are telling friends about this time saving device.

Here is a real estate example. In our commercial real estate practice, we were approached by an architectural firm wanting to lease a building they would design in a particular geographic area. We put out feelers in the brokerage community looking for land that could be developed into a 3 story office building. One of our favorite teams responded. They had a piece of land in escrow contingent on the buyer (developer) finding a sizable tenant willing to sign a long term lease for a 3 story office building. The fact that our clients were a noted firm was a bonus to the developer. Everyone’s economic self interest was served. Our architectural firm fulfilled their desire to create the perfect building for themselves. The developer had a piece of land that increased in value because of the building and the income generated. And the brokers made a very nice commission.

So next time you are negotiating or trying to fulfill wishes for a buyer/seller in marketing luxury real estate take a moment to examine their self motivated interest, and find out what is in it for them. Find a way to align all interests geared to the same goal…a successful transaction

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Marketing Luxury Real Estate: The Times They Are A-Changing! Amen!

August 20, 2012

When I saw this news flash on our morning Wall Street Journal news feed, it reminded of Bob Dylan's song,The Times They Are A-Changing". The song was released on a album by the same name in 1964, Here is the headline:

"For the first time in its 80-year history, Augusta National Golf Club has female members."

We chose the picture of the Amen corner named by Herbert Warren Wind in Sports Illustrated as the place where exciting golf news happens, and it was appropriate given today's news.

Invitations were extended to former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and South Carolina financier, Darla Moore. Both women accepted. It may have taken 48 years to get here, but it is proof that we are evolving to a better place.

Here is the first stanza from the song,

Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.

Here's A Toast to Change for the Better, Happy Monday, Cheers Ron & Alexandra

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: Does Your Brand Command a Premium?

August 15, 2012

When you are passionate about what you do and you have aligned your passion with a career path that can deliver the economic benefits that you desire, opportunities seek you out. And, you can perceive opportunities quicker than your competition. In fact you can find the trail to opportunities in even the most mundane non-obvious places.

As passionate brand strategists in luxury real estate marketing we find the opportunity to expound upon the principles of branding everywhere we look. Here is an example of the value of achieving top of mind status. Recently, we had a minor overnight invasion of ants that attacked the cat food. We were fortunate to nip this problem in the bud. But, we decided to take preventative measures for potential midnight raids. We sought out ant bait/traps. Two brands were prominently displayed: Combat and Raid. Both boxes were the same price. We assumed they were equally efficient.

Raid is the brand that comes to mind first for us and Combat is not even on our radar screen. Combat had 6 traps in the box and Raid had four. Raid, obviously commanded a 50% premium based on their brand recognition. In a time starved world the majority of people would select to brand that comes to mind first, underlines the value of brand recognition. There is no inherent value of the actual ingredients of the product. Trust in the brand is the added value.

We selected Combat overriding our natural proclivity to the brand that came to mind first. This is a mega trend in luxury marketing today: luxury brands can no longer get away with a 50% plus premium on their name alone, they have to demonstrate actual value.

Sellers and buyers are getting smarter when it comes to luxury real estate. One of the interesting outcomes of the global economic upheaval, luxury real estate consumers are looking for intrinsic value and are unwilling to pay a premium for a home or any other goods, if the intrinsic added value is non-existent. As a luxury real estate marketing profession, it is now imperative to define your added value and it better be substantive, so that you can achieve top of mind status. Does your brand command a premium?

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: Do You Speak Bespoke?

August 13, 2012

DNA STRAND

The word “bespoke” is what every luxury real estate marketing professional needs to know. The term "bespoke" comes from England where it originally referred to custom or tailor-made clothing. “In recent years, however, the term has been applied to information technology and also refers to custom services or products.” (from techterms.com)

In our former lives as commercial real estate broker owners in Beverly Hills and environs, we practiced bespoke service. Each buyer, seller, investor, lessor and lessee were treated and taken care of in a unique way based on their preferences. At the very beginning of our relationship we sat down with each person found out what they needed and wanted from our services as well as their expectations. We also clarified how they liked to be communicated with. Some of our clients preferred weekly meetings and phone calls as well as a written report. Buyers had other criteria, and our developer clients wanted an immediate call and offer written for their fax signature, when some gem came on the market.

Today as branding and marketing strategists, we practice bespoke service. We fly out to each client’s marketplace. We spend time getting to know their marketplace and see the business of their luxury real estate through their eyes. We establish our relationship and specify their preferred ways of communication and adhere to that.

By thoroughly studying our client’s competition, we help our clients identify and pioneer hidden, untapped market opportunities where they can passionately provide extraordinary value. By establishing and dominating an uncontested market niche their profit margins increase and their competition becomes inconsequential. We also help our clients define their goals and their preferences.

With that knowledge in hand, we work on developing an over arching strategy. From that strategy we develop a brand, brand graphics and subsequently a web site geared to fulfilling the strategy. We also assist our clients in creating a work-style and lifestyle that’s in-sync, so that they can experience a profound sense of control over their personal and professional life.

Bespoke is our style of communication and is reflected in the brands and strategies we come up with. We know that “one size does not fit all”, every market is unique, and every individual or company is unique and they deserve to be treated that way. Do you speak bespoke?

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing: There is no “I” in Team

August 10, 2012

All winning teams will tell you that there is no “I” in the word Team. As a luxury real estate marketing professional you form teams to work with in all aspects of your business. Your ability to work as a team with all those involved in a transaction is an integral part of your success.

As we were driving back from an appointment, we noticed the hill burning on the other side of the freeway. A line of firefighters was working to extinguish the fire. This picture is illustrative of teamwork. (You will have to look closely at the picture.) What matters here, in this dangerous situation, is not who will get the fire extinguished. What matters most is that the fire is extinguished. In selling a home or representing a buyer the goal is not the credit to the individual, it is the accomplishment of the task. It takes a team, and there is no “I” in team.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: "Farm to Table Marketing"

August 9, 2012

A key trend in luxury marketing is the concept of “farm-to-table marketing”. There are important clues here for marketing luxury real estate. It is not just about offering the facts. It is about telling the story that adds color and engages the emotions.

Farm-to-table marketing in the arena of fine dining while traveling and also for local restaurants is based upon the premise that consumers want to know the point of origin from which their food comes. Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley (who pioneered this trend decades ago) credits menu items by mentioning the local purveyor. Here is an excerpt from the appetizer section of their menu: “Cannard Farm rocket (arugula) and chervil salad with buttered radish and onion toasts.”

In applying farm-to-table marketing, your luxury real estate message should include the overall story of the home you are selling. The potential buyer wants the “back story” which allows them to become enchanted with the property. When they purchase it, it becomes the story they tell their friends and their reasons for buying the home. For instance, if the home is a rammed earth home, a video on the making of this type of home would make an excellent adjunct to the presentation of the listing on your website.

A few years ago a “rastra block” home was sold in the California wine country. A rastra block is made from recycled Styrofoam. This home had photo voltaic cells and solar panels. The entire house was a story of “farm-to-table” origins. The property site itself was originally a stone quarry that produced the stone used to build the streets of San Francisco. The home has recycled architectural elements from France, Africa, and Mexico.

By breaking down the property’s story and telling sub-stories of its various elements through ancillary rich media, i.e., photos and video, you can engage more buyers. You also have a surefire way to standout from your competition.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: Be Consistently Remarkable!

August 6, 2012

Being at the top of your game as a luxury real estate marketing professional requires being consistently remarkable. Market leadership requires it.

When was the last time you felt uplifted by a customer service experience? How many people did you tell about it? Did you go out of your way to acknowledge this to the service provider and or their superiors?

You may consider this a random act of kindness. But, it is just as important as leaving big TIPS (to insure prompt service). And, it keeps you focused on being remarkable, yourself.

People tend to pass along, to others, their negative experiences at a significantly higher rate than their positive ones. So what can you do to ignite a chain reaction of positive buzz about YOU? Be remarkable in some way that stands out from your competition. Then be consistent at being remarkable!

Being consistently remarkable is a true sign of a market leader. Trader Joes exemplifies this principle, brilliantly. TJs, as many loyal customer refer to the company, is a privately owned, specialty grocery store with 365 stores in 31 states. Their company culture is very strong. They take great care of their people and they have a knack for consistently selecting great people.

One of the most consistently remarkable attributes of this fine company is their esprit de corps, otherwise known as team spirit. You always feel uplifted by the high positive energy among the employees. Everyone pitches in to help each other, too. Job satisfaction must be very high as we often ask the TJ staff if they enjoy their job. The answer is a resounding yes,, every time.

Discover what you can be consistently remarkable about in your luxury real estate marketing practice. Then, practice deliberate acts of kindness by letting others know that you appreciate their remarkable service. This keeps you focused on being remarkable, too.

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Marketing Luxury Real Estate: The Luxury of Clean Air with Spats

August 3, 2012

There is nothing like a flowering plant to cheer up a home and exude luxury. One of our favorite plants is spathiphyllum pictured above. It is an easy to care for plant as it requires what we lovingly call "benign neglect!" And it cleans the air.

What is wonderful about spats is that these plants clean indoor air of many contaminants, including benzine, formaldehyde and other pollutants. One plant cleans approximately 108 square feet. It needs little sunlight and watering when the soil is dry. And it is a great closing gift!

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tips: Three Tips to Unleashing Social Media Power

July 30, 2012

Are people following your luxury real estate marketing blog? Are they watching your videos? If you do it right, you can build an entire personal brand and a large audience around your blog and videos. However, if your content is ordinary, meaning unoriginal or generic (content available on many sites and from many other sources) or just outright boring, you will not stand out as a worthwhile read.

You may at some point become number 1 on Google, (thanks to your SEO and the Google’s robots that drill the web), but will that number 1 equal referrals and new buyers/sellers? Will the reader of your posts bookmark or subscribe to your blog, and come back to read your next installment? Google has been besieged by complaints that they are ranking sites with “canned” content higher than those with meaningful “original” content. Google has responded by making changes in their algorithms that are aimed at sites with what it calls "low quality" content: just enough information laden with keywords to appear in search results. If your luxury real estate marketing web pages or blog posts fall into this category of low quality, beware! Your natural search engine ranking could slip.

Here is a recent example of the power of original content. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, last Monday, an eight year old novel, Cloud Atlas was ranked 2509 by Amazon. On Friday, it moved to 7. The meteoric rise was attributed to Apple releasing the trailer to the movie on its iTunes website.

"Almost as soon as the trailer went up, we saw chatter on Twitter and sales on Amazon really jumped," said Jane von Mehren, publisher of trade paperbacks for the Random House Publishing Group, a unit of Bertelsmann AG's Random House Inc.

“To cash in on the renewed interest, Random House has ordered a new paperback printing of 25,000 copies, to hit stores before a special movie-tie in edition of the book is released in September." WSJ

The trailer which is 6 minutes long is a buzz worthy video, which translated into sales and results. How can you translate your blogs into referrals and leads? Here are 3 tips:

1.      Write content that is useful, relevant, fresh, and informative for your marketplace

2.       Write content that is uplifting and newsworthy

3.       Write content that is comment worthy, follow worthy and share worthy

Generic luxury real estate blog content indicates that the blogger lacks imagination and therefore lacks the marketing savvy required to win listings or sell expensive homes. Remember this: robots have no sense of humor; they leave no comments and do not share. They do not get uplifted. But, they do know when your content is fresh or original! Focus in on those tips and see how you can improve the quality of your content, and you unleash the power of Social Media.

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