The Luxury of Freedom: New Rage or Outrage?

We had been noticing this “ecoATM” machine at the Thousand Oaks Mall for many months. We still had an old phone from the days of yore (prior to the arrival of the smartphones) and liked the idea of recycling it.  So, yesterday, we made a point of taking the phone with us in order to recycle it, using this self-service kiosk.

The business model of the “ecoATM” is to give you cash for recycling phones and simultaneously to contribute a part of their proceeds to charitable foundations such as Make-A-Wish-Foundation.  This all resonated with our point of view as we very much support efforts to create a greener America and this particular charity. 

One customer review said, “Broken iPhone laying around? You have to check out these machines.  Got back $100 for a cracked iPhone 4!”  We thought, “why not pay for lunch by recycling our old phone?”

Here is WHY NOT:

When we discovered that the machine asks to scan your personal photo ID, take a photo of you in front of the kiosk (to compare using facial recognition software, no doubt) and requires a thumbprint on top of all that, our jaws dropped!  Certainly there is justification for this, i.e., to make sure they are not collecting a stolen phone.  But, this really got our blood boiling with outrage. Never have we seen a red flag waved in our face so blatantly for the potential of identity theft or a breach of privacy.

We asked the Mall security guard, his thoughts on this.  He said “they are a reputable company”. And, we know this to be true.   However, just a couple of days before, Apple’s app developer site was hacked.  They were able to quickly contain the damage.  But, what level of assurances can this vending machine company make that this will not happen, here?

The question of privacy on the Internet, on social media and Internet connected devices must be examined by each of us.  There are some that say, “Privacy is for old people”.  Perhaps, these people also believe that the luxury of personal freedom is just an old fashioned notion, too.   Or, have they not yet connected the two concepts?

When personal freedom gets severely eroded will the pendulum swing?  Will personal freedom then become the new rage?  New rage or outrage, the choice is yours?

What do you think?

P.S.  We took our old phone into the Apple store located a few doors down from the kiosk and they gladly recycled it for free.  The YOUNG Apple staffers also were outraged when we told our story. They had no idea what that machine did.  And, we happily paid for our lunch, which was a drop in the ocean compared to the price of our personal freedom.

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

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Luxury Brand Strategy: No More Naked Popcorn

“Small Indulgences” is an important product and service area of luxury brand strategy and marketing.  It does not mean that the item has to cost a lot. The cosmetic industry thrives on this principle of small indulgences. Starbucks built a global empire on it. 

Not long ago, a college student from Chicago made it big by identifying an uncontested small indulgence market niche. He dominates a product category that he himself defined and is passionate about. Meet Brian Taylor, CEO of Kernel Season’s the popcorn seasoning company.  

Brian has a mission:  To rid the world of naked popcorn.  He started out by getting a local movie theatre to test-market his products for free.  This grew into a multi million-dollar business based on Brian’s love for popcorn and his curiosity about seasoning it. Now you can find Kernel Season’s (cleverly similarity to Colonel Sanders of KFC chicken fame) in the popcorn isle of most supermarkets. 

The brand name itself tells you what the brand is. It even has an avatar like the Colonel.  The slogan, “No More Naked Popcorn”, tells you, in just four words, exactly what the brand stands for.  

There is no mistaking what this new product category is or in which larger category this niche belongs. It is also intuitive where you would find the products in your local market-right next to the popcorn. 

Type in the search term, “popcorn seasoning”, in Google and this brand will come up first. But, not because of brilliant SEO work. There just is not much competition in this field.  That is the beauty of identifying an underserved or uncontested market niche as a luxury brand strategy.

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Impeccability--Are You Up to the Challenge?

A touchstone is a benchmark or a mental yardstick that one uses to see if things or experiences measure up to this standard. Dining at Les Crayères, in the Champagne region of France is one of our touchstones for excellence in fine dining in a majestic setting with impeccable service. 

We first heard about Les Crayères just one year after it opened in the 80’s, and stayed in one of the 20 rooms at this fully restored classic French Château for a weekend we have never forgotten.  On our recent trip to Paris we returned to Les Crayères to celebrate Alexandra’s birthday, just for lunch. The trip took under one hour from Paris via the amazing TGV train traveling at about 250 miles per hour. 

When we arrived we were graciously greeted and escorted to the outdoor patio that overlooks a spectacular park with acres of lawn. We were served some delightful tidbits to amuse our taste buds and to accompany a wonderful glass of Bollinger Rose Champagne from the region.

Then we were called indoors to the dining room to indulge in a French gastronomic extravaganza that exceeded our extremely high expectations and our memory from of our first experience there.  

The meal was sublime and the service was, once again, impeccable.  What we appreciated the most was the level of consistency that has been maintained over time by this fine establishment.  It was as if time had not elapsed between visits. And, that was remarkable!

As a purveyor of luxury goods or a provider of luxury services impeccability is a standard worthy of striving for in your business or profession.   To embody this standard requires a commitment to excellence over time. Are you up to the challenge? 

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

Luxury Marketing Tip: NO MONEY, NO HONEY! What if We Had Baidu?

Photo by flylosky

When we attended the Club eLuxe International Summit in Paris, we learned about the Baidu business model.  Baidu,Inc (pronounced By- doo in English) is the Chinese equivalent of Google whose user interface is very similar to Google. The name “Baidu”, according to the company, was inspired by a poem that was written during the Song Dynasty, 800 years ago.  The literal meaning of Baidu is “hundreds of times represents persistent search for the ideal.”

Baidu ranks as one of the top 10 sites in the world according to Alexa.com, with a 98% share of the Chinese market.  In December of 2007, it became the first Chinese company to be included in the NASDAQ-100 Index.  

Just today, Bloomberg said the company has struck a deal “for $1.9 billion to acquire the majority stake in China’s most popular third-party store for smartphone apps. This move mimics Google Inc. when they backed the Android operating system and started its own app store to gain share against Apple Inc.”

Their business model is very simple:  “No Money, No Honey!” There is no search engine optimization with Baidu, no convoluted algorithms, no “natural”, or “organic” search engine or social media contortions to gain a higher ranking. Baidu generates revenue from its pay for placement platform (P4P). The P4P platform is an online marketplace that introduces Internet search users to those businesses who bid the most money for top placement with defined keywords.

From our perspective a Baidu business model could be a colossal time saver.  Many would be writing blogs for enjoyment, instead of writing posts for search engine robots and artificial results. Social media as we know it today would be social and not another means of high ranking on Google.   

Perhaps, there are many people who do not realize that time is money. The belief is that it is “free” to write unoriginal, keyword-laden blog posts, and “free” to keep up with Google’s ever-changing algorithms, an exhausting pursuit. Also, one would not need to be present and accounted for on every social media platform.

How much is your time worth?  That is the real question. Would it be easier and ultimately less expensive to just pay to be #1 on Google, free up more quality time for yourself, your friends and your family where the real honey is?  What do you think?

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Is There a Niche for YOU?

Whenever we write or talk about finding an uncontested luxury real estate marketing niche in which to excel and dominate, the response often is, “this is so hard to do, or all niches have already been taken”.  Here is an example of something we discovered yesterday.

Brix Chocolate for Wine was invented by pulmonologist (lung specialist), Dr. Proia, from Ohio who felt that ordinary chocolate did not pair well with wine.  So he researched chocolate and found that a chocolate grown in Ghana was perfect when blended with confectioner’s chocolate.  A niche in the chocolate business was born. 

The word “brix” used as the brand comes from a term used in the winemaking industry. It means to measure the percentage of sugar in the grape, which determines when the grapes should be picked.   In winemaking 55-60% of sugar becomes alcohol.  The ideal brix is 20 to 25, which results in a wine with about 11% alcohol.

Brix makes 4 types of chocolate. Each has recommendations for wine pairing.  For instance, extra dark (70% cacao) pairs well with Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Barolo and Malbec.  If you are not a wine lover, you can pair it with Brandy, Cognac, or Armagnac.

The difficulty that many luxury real estate marketing professionals have in identifying an uncontested market niche is thinking outside of the box.  These niches are just not obvious.  If they were, they would already be taken by the competition.  That is where a strategic branding expert becomes invaluable. 

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Marketing Luxury Real Estate: Brand Names and Their Darn Good Stories

When thinking of branding yourself or your luxury real estate firm, one thing to keep in mind is that some of the best brands often have the best stories.

On a recent visit to the Carpinteria Wine Store, we discovered this wine, at a modest price of $14.99.  As brand strategists and students of brands, these thoughts popped into our minds:

Who produced this wine and why?  Herman Story Estate, Russell P Rom (owner of and grandson of Herman Story,)  decided that after "having one too many bottles of bad wine at friends' weddings, I had to come up with a solution to this insidious problem..."

What does it taste like, or what is the consensus of opinion of this wine in wine world? Here is a review from winediscount.center.com,

"90/100 - Our score.There is just no excuse for drinking bad wine, especially at a wedding! Damn Good Wedding Wine is silky and rich with flavors of black plum and blackberry along with a touch of black pepper spice and alluring oak on the finish. Like his Herman Story wines, production on this wine is tiny. Whether you are getting married or not, this wine is worth checking out!"

Where is it from?  Here is an explanation and a recommendation from Robert Parker, a leading US wine critic who wrote,  "Readers looking for super-concentrated, extroverted, exuberant, powerhouse wines from California's Central Coast need look no further than the Herman Story estate. For those who love the wild side of Rhone varietals pushed to the limit (but not over), these are highly recommended. Moreover, prices are  exceptionally fair for this level of quality."

The winery is located in Paso Robles and the fruit is sourced from various vineyards in the Central Coast.

The most memorable brands have the best stories, regardless whether they are luxury brands or any other brand.  And, we are not suggesting that someone brand themselves, as "Damn Good Luxury Real Estate Agent"!  LOL

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: Concierge Service -The Real Deal

Concierge service is a concept that has been so over-used among luxury real estate marketing professionals that it has almost lost its original meaning.  Pronounced, cone-sea-air + a soft ‘g’ (like the g in judge), the term concierge originally meant “the keeper of the candles” who tended to visiting nobles in castles in the medieval era.   

Today a concierge at a hotel is able to advise guests on restaurants, nightlife, sporting and theatrical events, sightseeing shopping, etc. He or she is an important resource for both vacationers and business travelers.  

When we attended the Club eLuxe International Summit in Paris, the concierge at the Meurice Hotel saved the day for me (Ron, here).  I had forgotten my reading glasses at our apartment.  So, I asked the concierge if he had an extra pair.  He did not.  But, he sent someone out to a store to purchase some glasses and brought them right to my table at the event within 20 minutes! They fit perfectly, were appropriately stylish and reasonably priced. 

Les Clefs d’Or, pronounced, "lay clay door," is the international concierge professional association. The English translation of this French term is the keys of gold, which is symbolized in the gold crossed keys, a pin proudly worn by its members. Years of hard work and dedication to quality service are represented in this symbol.  

Les Clefs d'Or concierges are motivated by a genuine desire to serve. This level of service cannot be faked. As a luxury real estate marketing professional, if you claim to offer this level of service you had better be able to back up your claim. Otherwise, those clients who have experienced the “real deal” will see right through you. 

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing: Let Freedom Reign!

“Posterity: you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it.”
-John Quincy Adams-

These are the words of our sixth US President (1825-1829).  And as we Americans celebrate the birth of our nation this 4th of July, it is well worth realizing our legacy that was brought about by those who fought for American Independence.

Ron and I wish everyone a delightful 4th of July celebration, and we encourage you to raise your glasses and toast the founders of our nation who paved the way to our freedom!  Let Freedom Reign!

Cheers, Ron & Alexandra Seigel

Luxury Real Estate Marketing: The Future of Digital Media Is Already Here - Part 2

Photo Courtesty of Luxe Corp, Paris France

 When we were invited to cover the Club eLuxe International Summit in Paris, by our media partner, Luxe Corp - the producers of the event, we did not realize that the future of digital media was already here. In fact, some aspects of the future of luxury real estate marketing are here as well!   

This became abundantly clear when we walked into the meeting room at the Meurice Hotel and encountered the jewelry display case of the future. In a glass-enclosed showcase that was not more than 2.5 ft. wide, and about 1.5 ft tall, were two watches on display.  But, something was different about the clear glass surface in front.  It was digitally interactive.  

You could tap on the glass and multiple models of the watches in the case appeared on the surface. Then, by touching the digital version of the watches, with similar gestures that you would use on your iPad, you could move, enlarge and rotate the 3D images to see the finest product details from any angle. 

In the meeting room was another glass “display wall” measuring over 10 ft. long that you could interact with in a similar ways.  You could even turn the pages of magazines that were displayed.  Imagine window shopping before or after store hours and being able to control the display on the glass window surface by touch or even by gestures! 

Watch this video produced by Luxe TV, who also covered the event

Can you now imagine the window displays of the luxury real estate office of the future? Instead of having framed photos of listings or monitors with slideshows or video, the windows themselves will be interactive.  In fact, it is possible to display a keyboard in the window that can capture leads if a consumer would like to schedule a showing or simply receive more information on a property.  

The future of digital media is already here. Watch for Part 3 of this article series as we share insights from our LOL media partner, Julian Peh, Founder and CEO of White Wave Media Group, who publishes the #1 luxury website in Asia, Luxury-Insider.  His presentation at the Club eLuxe International Summit in Paris was another wow!

-Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

Luxury Real Estate Marketing: The Future of Digital Media Is Already Here - Part 1

Jewelry Images Courtesy of Bulgari

The Club eLuxe International Summit, recently held at the Meurice Hotel in Paris, on digital marketing for the luxury industry was a grand success! Most of the major luxury brands were represented at the event with participants from 11 countries.  What became abundantly clear to us as participants was the fact that luxury real estate marketing professionals face many of the same challenges as the top luxury goods companies when it comes to reaching high net worth consumers through digital media. It also became clear that the future of digital media is already here! 

Club eLuxe International Summit, Meurice Hotel, Paris, France

Competition for attention was identified as a key issue in marketing via digital media.  Not only do you need to capture attention, you need to hold the attention of your target market. One of the highlights of the event was a presentation by Joerg Zuber, managing creative director of OPIUM effect GmbH, who addressed this important issue. 

According to Mr. Zuber, “Digital lets you work pure alchemy”.  It allows you to “seduce with unconventional beauty”.  In his presentation he demonstrated this principle by showing us a sneak preview of his ANIMATED video of the Bulgari Serpenti necklace, pictured here.

Suddenly, the Serpenti necklace came alive and began undulating across the screen.  Converting the object to an identical animated version of itself enabled the creative team to go far beyond the constraints of mere realistic video. Music was timed perfectly to accentuate the writhing movements of this bejeweled serpent.

Then, the serpent weaved in and out between the letters of the B V L G A R I logo and our jaws dropped!

The palpable difference between the still photo, the traditional product video and Opium’s animated serpent was like showing someone, who had only seen black and white TV, a 3D movie. It was as if the product had a heart and soul that could connect with you on  a deep level making it, “even better than the real thing”, said Zuber. 

Realistic animation is one of the waves of the digital media future and most likely will be utilized to market luxury real estate.  When you think that the Bulgari necklace cost about $250,000 it stands to reason that multi-million dollar homes will soon require digital media marketing that goes far beyond still shots, slide shows and traditional video.

To stand out from your competition, you need to present your luxury properties in such a way that they not only capture attention, but also hold the consumer’s attention.  It is not how much you spend that counts.  It is how well you do it. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 about the Club eLuxe International Summit in Paris where we discuss another mind-boggling aspect of digital media that points the way to the future of luxury real estate marketing.

Reporting from Paris--Ron & Alexandra Seigel,Partners at Napa Consultants, International & Co-Founders of the Language of Luxury

A Belated Thank You to General von Choltitz: History Meets Digital in Paris

The Club e-Luxe conference in Paris was held at the historic Meurice Hotel.  During the Second World War, the German headquarters were housed in the Meurice Hotel.  It is in this hotel that General von Choltitz delayed Hitler’s order to destroy Paris.  The Germans had wired the Eiffel Tower and other landmarks with explosives to deter the Allied Forces.  General von Choltitz privately felt that Hitler was insane, and opted instead to surrender shortly after the Allies entered the city. 

Thanks to von Choltitz, Paris lives on in all its splendor intact for all of us and future generations to enjoy. Decades later, Ron and I are sitting in one of the loveliest meeting rooms at the Meurice Hotel, Salon Pompadour (note her portrait on the wall), among the top representatives of the world’s premier luxury brands discussing the importance of the latest innovations and strategies in digital media. 

This week we will be covering the highlights of this event as it applies to luxury real estate marketing and personal and company branding.  We were inspired, delighted, and honored to meet our counterparts in the industry.

Reporting from Paris--Ron & Alexandra Seigel,Partners at Napa Consultants, International & Co-Founders of the Language of Luxury

Luxury Real Estate Personal & Company Branding: Is Your Brand Formal or Informal?

In luxury real estate personal and company branding, brand positioning is determining how best to amplify and clearly communicate the difference between you and your closest competitors. In general, your brand position is the summation, in a couple of words, of what you stand for in the minds of your target market. 

Owning the very opposite brand position of your competition is a very effective way to accomplish this.  In the realm of luxury marketing you are typically dealing with sophisticated consumers or those who are aspiring to become more sophisticated.  So, how do you find opposite brand positions within the spectrum of sophistication?  Here are two French brands that illustrate this extremely important principle of personal and company branding. 

Two heritage brands, Ladurée (founded in 1862) and Bigot (founded in 1913) are famous in France for chocolate and pastries.  The quality of their products is legendary.  Ladurée is predominantly located in Paris, while Bigot is located in Amboise, in the Loire Valley.  If you did a blind taste test you might discover some very subtle differences in the taste of the chocolate.  However, the quality is indisputable in each case. 

Personal preferences in the taste itself may be the deciding factor in choosing one brand over the other.  But, more likely than not the buying decision would come down to the brand position.  Ladurée is FORMAL and Bigot is INFORMAL.  

If you new that both brands would satisfy your sweet tooth, without tasting the actual chocolate, to which brand would you personally gravitate? Why?  

People like to do business with people and companies like themselves. They purchase products based on their personal values.  That is why branding is about facilitating a match in preferential values between purveyors of goods and their very specific target market. 

In the realm of real luxury real estate, the buyer must be in upper demographic to be able to afford a luxury home. Therefore, understanding the precise psychographics of your buyers and sellers, (their priority values and attitudes), is of paramount importance when it comes to branding you or your company.  Just be sure that your brand position authentically represents you and is not assumed just to be the opposite of your competition.  Your ideal clients will see right through that!

-Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

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Luxury Real Estate Personal & Company Branding: Genie Branding

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, it is important to take every opportunity to promote your brand no matter how small it may be.  Here is an example we found in Paris.

Yesterday, after an amazing lunch at a Thai restaurant, we found an eclair store.  The store was small inviting, and every eclair was practically screaming, "Buy Me".  The loudest one was the chocolate eclair.  As we were happily munching our eclair, Ron noticed that one of the little chocolate bits on top of the chocolate ganache had branding on it. The Genie did it!

The store is called L'Eclair du Genie, which means the eclair of the genie, a supernatural creature who inspires the owner of the store, Christopher Adam, to create enchantment with an eclair.  Some of the eclairs are decorated to celebrate the seasons,and special days such as Bastille Day. It was so good, we just had to have another one.

-Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

Wishing everyone a delightful weekend, Cheers Ron & Alexandra Seigel

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Luxury Real Estate Personal & Company Branding: Two Great Ways to Select a Brand Name - Part 2

In Part 1 of this articles series we mentioned a technique used in personal and company branding:  associate the brand name with something people already know; then, use a play on words to engage them in your brand so they remember it after the initial contact. 

While in Paris we got hungry for fresh oysters. There are dozens of seafood restaurants in this fabulous culinary mecca that serve oysters.  How on earth can you get yours to stand out and be easily remembered?  This is a dilemma faced by luxury real estate marketing professionals in markets where many agents and companies vie for top of mind status. 

We found a terrific restaurant on the Left Bank with a catchy name in French:  Huitrerie Regis.  The word huitre in French means oyster. Creating a new word by adding the letters “rie” was a play on words because it created a new category of food purveyors.  Boulangerie means bakery, charcuterie means purveyor of cold cuts (ready to eat meats). A patisserie is a pastry shop.  

But, their branding genius was evidenced by the fact that they not only named a new category they defined a new restaurant business model.  This is a tiny restaurant with only seven tables that turn quickly because of a very limited menu. There is no kitchen and just a single restroom.  They serve a very limited selection of wine, oysters and shrimp, with bread, desert and coffee. They have one server and two food preparers. The entire restaurant was less than 400 square feet.  Everything was fresh and delicious. 

Naming a new luxury real estate category then owning that name as part of your brand, can make you stand out from your competition.  

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Luxury Real Estate Personal & Company Branding: Two Great Ways to Select a Brand Name

Selecting the right brand name can make all the difference in the world in marketing luxury real estate.  If you can help people remember your personal or company brand name after just one impression, so they contact you directly or readily recommend you to others, your chances of surpassing your competition is significantly enhanced. 

In Paris we encountered a bookstore called Mona Lisait (pronounced lee zay), which means Mona Read.  This is a great name because most everyone who reads is somewhat familiar with the painting, Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci. 

They are able to use the image of the painting in their branding because it is in the pubic domain in the United States and those countries with a copyright term that is over 100 years.  Now all you need to remember is to add “it” to the name and voila! It makes you smile like Mona and it is almost impossible to forget afer just one impression.   

The play on words is a great memory trick for branding because it immediately engages your target market and sparks word-of-mouth advertising. Combine that with a word or phrase that is already familiar and you have a “home run” in luxury real estate personal or company branding. 

In Part 2 of this article series we will cover another Parisian brand that uses a play on words to accomplish the same effect.

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Marketing Luxury Real Estate: Love Your Competitors!

 

Novak Djokovic:  Photo by:  Olga Besnard

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, how to you really feel about your closest competitors? If sustaining or gaining market leadership is your quest, you should love them for bringing the best out of you.   That is the mindset of true champions. If you are indifferent or they are bringing the worst out of you, it is time to shift your mindset!

In the men’s semi-final tennis match in Paris at Roland Garros (The French Open) #4 ranked Rafael Nadal defeated #1 ranked Novak Djokovic-9-7 in the 5^th set. There were ups and downs for each player. But, the match was won by just a couple of points! When Nadal was interviewed after the match, he stated that he loves to play tennis with Novak because it challenges him to be at his best.

Think about your own competitive landscape in the game of marketing luxury real estate in your area.  Does the market leader out-distance the rest of the pack by a substantial margin?  Or, are the top two or three agents almost neck and neck? 

Market leaders are most complacent when they have a healthy margin.  That is when they are also the most vulnerable to challengers. 

Take the 2013 #1 best ranked basketball team, for example.  The Heat (percentage won = .805) won the Eastern Conference Championship, handsomely defeating #3 (percentage won = .605) Indiana in game 7. But, what was the Heat doing in Game 7 to begin with? The Heat certainly did not expect such a valiant challenge from the Pacers. 

Most significantly, Miami won Game 1 by only one point!  Had the Pacer’s been just slightly sharper they would have upset the Heat in Game 6. The Heat should love the Pacers for the wake-up call!  The Pacers should love Miami for bringing out the best in them and elevating them to become a major contender for 2014.

The “prize money” and prestige that comes from being the champion or the market leading luxury real estate agent can be significant.  But, appreciating the opportunity to work with the degree of focus and concentration that it takes to be at your own peak level is a reward unto itself.  That is the inner game.   

Rafa Nadal went on to win his history making 8^th French Open Championship after overcoming career-threatening injuries through physical rehabilitation.  Yes, he made a bundle of money and tennis fans the world over admire him. But, consider his inner victory.

Find a way to love your competition for spurring you on to greatness, if only in your mind. Then, you too will have the mindset and the heart of a true champion.  

-Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: How to Run Circles Around Your Competition - Part 5

Providing Stellar Customer Service, as a luxury real estate marketing professional, sparks word-of-mouth advertising because it is remarkable. And, it engenders client loyalty, which is the cornerstone of market leadership. Best of all, it is something that you can train yourself to provide.  Mastering the art of Stellar Customer Service can help you run circles around your competition. 

In Part 1-4 of this article series we discussed the first four steps to train yourself to provide Stellar Customer Service. Step #5 is the biggest secret of all, the key that can take your practice into the stratosphere!  In the game of luxury real estate marketing we call it “Dwell Well!” 

To dwell means to live; to dwell well means to live well. But, to dwell also has another very important meaning: to fasten one’s attention, to think, speak or write about at length or with persistence; to linger over. If sustained market leadership is your quest you must be absolutely fastidious about what you dwell upon. You must dwell well!   

Choosing what you fasten your attention to on purpose, keeps you on purpose. Allowing outside influences to determine what you focus upon can distract and derail you. This is the biggest secret of the most successful athletes, sports champions and market leaders in all fields of business. 

To understand how this works, think about a time you were driving on a highway to an important appointment and there was an accident on the OTHER SIDE of the road. The traffic flow on YOUR SIDE of the road came to a complete standstill because the people in front of you were rubbernecking; they were not dwelling well.  

Although, the dwell well principle applies to all aspects of your life the area of customer service is a great place to practice it.  When you encounter sub par customer service notice how much time you spend grousing about it. See if you can train yourself to keep that time to a minimum.  Instead of dwelling upon it by complaining, faultfinding, grumbling or griping about it to anyone who will listen, redirect your attention to Step #1-4 of the Stellar Customer Service training cycle.  

Start dwelling on what you appreciate about the brands to which you are loyal. Acknowledge those who provide you with Stellar Customer Service.  Practice the “I’m worth Stellar Customer Service” mindset. And, start spreading the word about others’ Stellar Customer Service.   

Don’t put up with sub-par service; take the time to switch to the best because you know you deserve it. Fasten yourself to Stellar Customer Service as a recipient and you will become a rising star yourself, an expert at providing it.  By insisting on Stellar Customer Service from yourself and from others, you are certain to dwell well. By doing so, you will be able to run circles around your competition.  To dwell well, dwell well! 

-Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: How to Run Circles Around Your Competition - Part 4

Van Gogh's Starry Skies

In Part 1, 2 & 3 of this articles in this series we covered the first three steps for TRAINING YOURSELF in the art of Stellar Customer Service. Here is STEP #4:  Spread the Word about Stellar Customer Service. 

We all know that referrals are, by far, the best source of business for luxury real estate marketing professionals or any business for that matter.  How can you increase the probability of receiving MORE REFERRALS so you can consistently run circles around your competition?

By offering remarkable, Stellar Customer Service you are more likely to spark word-of-mouth advertising.  But, there is more to the story than that. You can become a very powerful magnet for referrals simply by being a person who consistently spreads the word about OTHERS’ Stellar Customer Service.

The most exciting aspect of this is that you can actually test this out for yourself. You can measure your results as you amp up the power of your magnet based on the frequency of your own word-of-mouth advertising and the amount of referrals you GIVE! 

Make it a game; it really can be fun. And, IT FEELS GOOD to do it! By looking for examples of Stellar Customer Service that you can spread the word about you BRING OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE!  You EXPECT TO FIND IT in every encounter you have with service providers.

This phenomenon became very clear to us one day when we received Stellar Customer Service from a waitress at one of our favorite restaurants in Beverly Hills.  We were awestruck when we overheard the people at the table next to us complain that they received horrible service from the very same waitress.

We watched as they brought out the worst in her by hurling insults with a very derogatory attitude. Before we left the restaurant we spoke with the manager and praised the same waitress, not on her behalf to defend her, but because it felt good to do it.

It does not take that much extra time in your day to go out of your way to spread the word about Stellar Customer Service.  The rewards are TANGIBLE when your intentions are genuine and you come from a GENEROSITY OF SPIRIT.  Those who share this value will naturally gravitate to you. And, they will go out of their way to promote YOU. Running circles around your competition then becomes the inevitable outcome.

Watch for Part 5 where we will reveal the biggest secret of all, the key that can take your practice into the stratosphere!  In the game of luxury real estate marketing we call it “Dwell Well!” (Step #5).

-Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: How to Run Circles Around Your Competition - Part 3

In Part 1 & 2 of this article series we referred to the importance of training yourself to provide excellent, superlative, and remarkable customer service. Now, we are upping the ante by referring to the very best service imaginable as ‘stellar”.  If you want to gain or sustain market leadership as a luxury real estate marketing professional, you must aim for the stars!  This is what it takes to run circles around your competition.

Here is the coolest thing about Stellar Customer Service: It cannot be imitated because it must be genuine! When it is authentic, sincere, unaffected and unpretentious it is palpable and indisputable.  That is why the ONLY way you can truly learn to provide Stellar Customer Service is to train yourself to deliver it.  While Stellar Customer Service is an art you can master, you must consistently practice it and perpetually improve your skills to stay on top of your game.

These are the first three steps to providing Stellar Customer Service:

STEP #1:  Identify Why YOU are Loyal to Some Brands

Make a list of the brands and service providers to whom you are particularly loyal. Ask yourself: What keeps you coming back for more? Why would you go out of your way to refer these brands? 

Then, make a list of those who you would switch away from if you found a better alternative that offered Stellar Customer Service.  Make the effort to find alternatives BECAUSE YOU DESERVE IT!

STEP #2:  Acknowledge Other’s Stellar Customer Service

Take the time to compliment those service providers and store owners who deliver Stellar Customer Service.  IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD and it make them feel appreciated.  You are also increasing the likelihood that the next customers or clients that they serve will receive Stellar Customer Service!

STEP #3 Practice the “I’m Worth Stellar Customer Service Mindset”.

Take the time to let service providers know when you receive sub-par service, even in “insignificant” ways. There is no such thing as an insignificant instance of sub-par service. It is important feedback for those who value providing impeccable service. And, it also keeps you sharply focused on the fact that you not only deserve Stellar Customer Service in every detail, YOU EXPECT IT IN EVERY DETAIL!

When you consistently take the time to make yourself feel good, you discover that you always deserve Stellar Customer Service. You come to expect it in every encounter you have with restaurants, hotels, stores, etc., and each interacation you have with service professionals.  It is only by cultivating this mindset and this attitude that YOU can truly provide genuine Stellar Customer Service.

In Part 4 we will cover the importance of spreading the word about other’s Stellar Customer Service (Step #4) and how that can ELEVATE your level of expertise as a luxury real estate service provider beyond your competitors’.  In Part 5 we will reveal the biggest secret of all, the key that can take your practice into the stratosphere!  In the game of luxury real estate marketing we call it “Dwell Well!” (Step #5).

-Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

View the Entire Series

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

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: How to Run Circles Around Your Competition - Part 2

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, do you have clients who essentially tell you “wild horses couldn’t drag me away” from doing business with you and sending referrals? If you are willing to master the art of deepening customer loyalty you will definitely run circles around your competition. 

In Part 1 of this article series we stated that the best way to become an expert in luxury real estate customer service is to TRAIN YOURSELF!  The best place to start is by identifying the brands to which you are most loyal. Ask yourself, why you have not switched to the competing brands?  What keeps you loyal? 

In preparing for our trip to Paris to cover the Club e-Luxe International Summit on Language of Luxury, we spent the day getting pre-travel errands done.  In just one day we counted six examples of superlative customer service.  Acknowledging and appreciating each encounter of great service is another way to train yourself on being an expert at engendering client loyalty. 

Here is the simplest of examples of how customer loyalty was either won or reinforced that day. A local peach grower at our Tuesday Farmer’s Market personally selected the best four peaches for us that we have tasted so far this season. She took the time to ask when we would be serving them to adjust for the ripeness in her selection. 

We loved these peaches and our experience of this particular vendor so much that we returned Thursday for more, bypassing every other peach vendor. Certainly, there were other delicious peaches available from competitors. But, we went out of our way to be loyal to this vendor because of the personal care she provided. 

What do you think is the variable that made it possible to experience superlative service across the board that day?  We trained ourselves to EXPECT great service.  It is a mindset and an attitude that you are worth receiving remarkable service that can actually be practiced.   

“Remarkable” is the operative word here because there is a flip-side to receiving remarkable service:  You need to express your appreciation and also tell others about your experience to complete the cycle of extraordinary service.  Stay tuned for Part 3 as we offer the other tips to train yourself to run circles around your competition by providing superlative client service.

-Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

View the Entire Series

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

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Personal Branding Case Studies   Company Branding Case Studies  

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