Friday Fun: Music for Orchids or Experiencing the Joy of Luxury!

Luxury comes in many forms.  Regardless of the form, there is joy at seeing something unique, and ravishing that give one pleasure.  Does it have to be $$$$$$$$$ $uper expensive?  We think not.  We often visit Westerlay Orchids in Carpinteria to buy orchids for our office or for a gift.  The crew has a talent for display, and they outdid themselves with a grand piano adornet with orchids.

Yes,  a couple came home with us, (picutred above).  Every time we gaze at them, a sense of joy and appreciation will be rekindled reminding us what nature offer us on a daily basis.  For us it is luxury in its purest expression.

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. 

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True Confession: How & Why We Fell In Love with a Brand! Part 4

A well-built brand consistently reflects what the brand stands for and the brand’s extraordinary promise of value. Nespresso has it all. And that is why we have identified Nespresso as one of the 2014 LOL Luxury Brands of the year! 

Nespresso knows its target market well: coffee aficionados, devotees, enthusiasts, fans, admirers and buffs. Nespresso appreciates their need for instant gratification, small indulgences and a hassle-free luxury lifestyle. This is exemplified in features such as a pre-heating time of just 15-20 seconds and Automatic Blend Recognition technology (bar codes on each capsule tell the machine which settings to use without user guesswork). 

From superior product design, functionality, packaging and brand design, to a superior user experience, to simply superior coffee taste, Nespresso is a brand you want to join and rave about to your friends.

Shortly after we purchased our Virtuoline and experienced the difference first hand, we returned to the Nespresso store in Beverly Hills that finally opened. We were greeted at the front door by the equivalent of a Maitre D’ who asked if we wanted to be seated in the coffeehouse section of the store or were interested in exploring the product section.The entire staff was in uniforms reminiscent of an upscale European boutique. 

Visually the store’s architectural design is stunning and welcoming. It has a skylight above a wonderful cactus garden in the center and its storefront windows are totally open to the outdoor seating area.  The service is superb in both sections! We were offered free espressos and a dark chocolate raspberry square in the product area. The place was packed with existing and potential customers when we were there.

Nespresso is fluent in the language of luxury in every single facet of its brand. We applaud this company especially for being consistent from every perspective.  

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, let Nespresso be a touchstone that represents what it takes to have brand consistency. What are some ways in which you can express your own extraordinary promise of value consistently throughout the components of your personal brand?

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

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. 

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True Confession: How & Why We Fell In Love with a Brand! Part 3

Whenever you are making a choice to buy a product or a service, there are two types of reasons to buy (or engage a service): logical and emotional.  Emotional reasons sell you; Logical reasons justify your choice. Here are the reasons that led us to buy the Nespresso Virtuoline:

Every aspect of packaging is exquisitely designed.

Nespresso, has rekindled our love for that single special cup of coffee (or latte, or cappuccino) in the morning with a freshly baked croissant and the single espresso (with a tidbit of dark chocolate, of course) after dinner upon occasion, a lifestyle element that we so much enjoy when we travel in Europe.

Capsules contain the top 1% of coffee grown in the world.  Nespresso refers to them as Grand Cru (associating with the wine term meaning first crush)

The enormous amount of crema at the top of the coffee not just the espresso is visually appealing; the texture enhances the taste of the coffee.

Brilliant engineering: The capsule spins; it uses centrifugal force to make sure the hot water hits every ground. They call this their “centrifusion TM” technology.  That is the secret behind the abundance of crema.

The Virtuoline model is two machines in one (coffee and espresso). It takes up less counter space.

Easy to clean: Before Nespresso, we considered having two machines (a coffee maker and an espresso machine) a hassle. We stopped making espressos and cappuccinos at home because the cleanup involved was not worth it. 

Easy to use with easy to read well-illustrated directions.

No more coffee filters to buy, and no need to measure coffee

Customer Service:  We joined the Nespresso Club, which makes re-ordering capsules a breeze.  They handle technical service and repairs directly.

Environmental Consciousness: Used capsules are ejected in the special container in the machine.  UPS prepaid envelopes are supplied to send all the used capsules back to the firm for recycling; they are used in manufacturing the machines and new capsules.

The Nespresso brand changed our coffee drinking routine completely.  We no longer drink American style coffee and we actually drink less coffee.  We now enjoy the ritual of making coffee itself and take more time to savor each cup.  It is a welcome lifestyle change. 

Stay tuned for the final article in this series as we cover the brilliant brand strategy behind this outstanding luxury lifestyle brand.

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

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. 

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True Confession: How & Why We Fell In Love with a Brand! Part 2

A couple of weeks ago when Ron was at the Apple Genius Bar in Santa Barbara, I chose to window shop.  The entrance to Sur La Table had this great presentation board (pictured above), and as I walked in one of the sales associates asked me if I would like a cup of coffee.  

She opened a drawer full of jewel colored round capsules, and asked me to choose one.  Then she placed it into the machine, turned a knob, pressed a button, and a cup of coffee arrived in an instant.

It was amazing that the coffee had crema (a brownish foam that forms on top of freshly made espresso).  As a result, the coffee tasted as good as its aroma.   I thanked her, left the store and continued my journey on State Street.

I started noticing just how much I was enjoying sipping the coffee.  It was a treat, and not just a cup of coffee.  It occored to me that our coffee maker at home made good, but not great coffee. If purchased the Virtuoline, we would not need that the little espresso maker (we used only once)!

Ron, here.  After hearing Alexandra raving about her Nespresso coffee experience I naturally wanted to try a cup, too. So, it was back to Sur La Table for a taste.  What drew me in was the huge amount of crema on top of the coffee. Crema appears on a quality espresso but rarely on coffee itself and never this much.  Check out the 1” tall layer of crema in the image on the display.

They captured my attention through exceptional graphics and photography in the display and the sleek design of the Nespresso Virtuoline machine. They held my attention with a fabulous aroma, and a superb quality coffee taste.  But, the texture and amount of the crema in a simple cup of coffee that was like the frothy milk on top of a cappuccino, was the clincher!

In Part 3 of this article series we will cover the final steps that prompted us to purchase the machine and become self-appointed brand ambassadors. The takeaway, so far, is this: Whenever possible, engage as many senses as possible in your luxury real estate marketing and branding initiatives.

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

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. 

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True Confession: How & Why We Fell In Love with a Brand!

Last October, we wrote about a new store in Beverly Hills that was under construction. We were impressed by the attention to detail in the graphics on the construction barricade, because it clearly articulated the brand story of Nespresso, the luxury espresso coffee machine company whose parent company, Nestles, pioneered the coffee capsule trend.  

The barricade captured our attention, which is the first step in capturing mind share. But, it was only a mild curiosity. We had no interest in purchasing the machine at the time.

Then, on a subsequent trip to Beverly Hills, and prior to the grand opening, we were able to get a glimpse of the inside of this magnificent store that seemed to be at least 4-5,000 square feet.  It was like an Apple Store for espresso coffee makers and coffeehouse combined.

Our curiosity was peaked.  Why did they build such a large store, especially with so many other coffeehouses like Starbucks within just a few blocks in the Beverly Hills “Golden Triangle”?  

Months later, we are unexpectedly the proud owners of the red machine pictured in the window. We feel that this could very well be the 2014 Language of Luxury brand of the year!

In this article series we will take you on our journey from being skeptics to self-appointed brand ambassadors. You will also understand why we are recommending the Nespresso Virtuoline as an excellent closing gift for your luxury real estate clients who are coffee aficionados and also for YOU!

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

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. 

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Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

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Is Your Content Marketing Original or Karaoke? Part 2

Your number one challenge as a luxury real estate marketing professional, from a personal branding perspective, is discovering and expressing your own unique voice.  It is something that is vitally important to you if market leadership is your quest.  

Once you discover your voice or your unique point of view, you will find that it was actually obvious, even though it was occluded. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, of Sherlock Holmes fame once said, “There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact”. 

The facts about market statistics in your area are just that; they are facts. Once the facts are reported, they are obvious. But, what is not always obvious is their meaning.  It is within the realm of the interpretation of facts that an original point of view is born. 

You could say that there is nothing new under the sun. So where does originality come into play?

In music there are only 12 musical notes in an octave including sharps and flats. But, there are infinite combinations of notes, tempos, rhythms and timbers especially when more than one octave and more than one instrument is incorporated into a composition.  It is the vision of the composer and the interpretation of the artist, not to mention the particular arrangement that makes music original.

Did you happen to see the recent TV tribute to the 50th Anniversary of the Beatles appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964? Each artist’s interpretation of Beatle classics was nothing short of astonishing-totally original!   

Annie Lenox, Stevie Wonder, and Keith Urban were among many who actually improved upon the originals, while still honoring the genius of the Beatles. Even Paul McCartney and Ringo Star, who were in the audience, were both blown away! Had these artists repeated the same notes and the same arrangement it would have simply been karaoke, i.e., parroting the originals.  

To stand out you must be original. If you are committed to achieving market leadership karaoke is not an option.

Is Your Content Marketing Original or Karaoke? Part 1

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. 

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Is Your Content Marketing Original or Karaoke?

If you are going to proclaim yourself as an expert in a particular niche of your marketplace, make sure that you have your bona fides.  Bona fides means you have a strong track record of listing or selling properties in that community.  A mere market report is not a demonstration of expertise.  Just parroting statistics is like singing karaoke.  It is imitation.

Prior to opening our own commercial real estate firm, our then broker put up billboards, with this quote: “We know every square foot on the Westside! (Los Angeles).  It was true; every agent in that office that specialized in office leasing stayed up to date with that inventory. 

We know several realtors in Santa Barbara who know the history of every home in their chosen niche.  When these experts write a market report, it is with authority based on firsthand experience.  They have either sold the homes themselves or they have shown the properties to prospective clients.   It is anything but Karaoke!  Their content and commentary is original, because of their interpretation of the facts.

With an avalanche of content marketers claiming to be experts on any given subject, it is hard for consumers to distinguish the real experts from the karaoke reporters. If you are going to publish a marketing report as a content marketing strategy, be sure your material reflects your unique point of view.

Is your content marketing original or karaoke?

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. 

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Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

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Market Share: Creating the Elephant in the Highways of the Mind First!

Mind share precedes market share; that is the most powerful law of niche marketing.  There is tremendous leverage in this mighty real estate niche marketing law.  Therefore, capturing mind share should be your priority, unless you absolutely have the need to justify your success with a real estate marketing strategy that involves heavy lifting.

Here is a real estate marketing branding case study of a friend of ours, Joe Petrowsky, president of Right Trac Financial Group, Inc., who we met through Active Rain.  This case study demonstrates the incredible leverage you can enjoy if you apply this powerful niche marketing law.

Prior to being a highly successful mortgage broker, Joe opened his own real estate company in 1970. Starting from scratch Joe had no brand name recognition and needed to create an identity in a hurry.

He decided to buy three 40’ trailers at an auction that his brother ran. He had both sides painted black on yellow. They said the following,  “PETROWSKY REAL ESTATE CO. IF YOU DON’T KNOW US YET, YOU SHOULD”. Can you imagine how big each letter was, especially with this color combination?

He then rented three parcels of land that abutted the interstate, two on one side and one on the other. Each parcel was leased for 5 years. Joe figured the state would eventually start an action to have him remove the trailers.  But, between the ostentatiousness of these trailers along the highway that no one could miss and the press that he got (which he made sure of) he was able to capture a huge amount of mind share, fast!

Joe’s company became the number one volume producer in Eastern Connecticut in just 17 months!  He quickly controlled the listings throughout the area.  Then in 1985 he sold the company to 13 of his agents. He had 100 sales people and 5 offices at the time.

If your quest is market leadership leverage the power of niche marketing’s most powerful law: Mind share precedes market share.  How can you leverage this law in your own practice?

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. 

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Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

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Re-Thinking Your Social Media Strategy: Time for Social Media Spring Cleaning?

Apart from connecting with actual friends, have you been experiencing social media clutter in your luxury real estate marketing business?   The way we evaluate the benefits of social media in a business context is simple. What is the return on time invested?  We define return as actually communicating with someone who can be a potential friend or networking contact that can eventually lead to business. 

We definitely experience a high return on investment on Active Rain, the leading social platform for real estate professionals.  We find that members on Active Rain are genuinely and consistently engaged in quality communication in the true spirit of a community. On other networks, we have mixed results. To avoid social media clutter, we did some spring-cleaning to limit the social platforms on which we spend our time.  It is amazing how much time was freed up.

Is it time for you to re-think your social media strategy, and do some spring-cleaning?

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. 

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Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

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Is Your Brand Speaking The Language of Your Target Market?

As a luxury real estate marketing professional, selecting the right personal or company brand name is very important if being top of mind is your quest. Getting it right the first time can save you aggravation and expense down the road by understanding the mindset of your target market.

Recently, I (Alexandra, here) encountered a women’s shoe brand by the name of Me Too. The company is from So Ho New York and has been around for twenty years. It made me wonder who their target market was. 

There is marketing term known as “belongers”, those who want to fit in and conform rather than stand out. If belongers were beer drinkers, Budweiser, the best selling beer in the world, would likely be their beer of choice. Belongers would be the ideal target market for Me Too shoes (as a brand name), provided that they focus their brand strategy on this mindset. 

It is unclear whom Me Too, shoes is targeting as their customers.  If they are trying to reach “achievers”(highly successful, upper 2% of the population, who are independent-minded consumers) or those who are "aspirational" aspiring to be achievers,  they may be sending the wrong brand signal with that name.  

Achievers, who unlike belongers and those who are aspiring to be like them, might reach for some of the world’s most expensive beers (because they can). Their choice might be Carlsberg Jacobsen Vintage ($400/375ml) or Samuel Adam’s Utopias ($150/700ml).

Before you decide on a brand name, be sure that you are totally clear as to who your target market is and what comprises their mindset. Then craft a brand name that speaks to them in their language.

Does your brand speak the language of your target market?

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. 

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Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

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About Language of Luxury

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Luxury Real Estate Brand Position: Energy Bar or Cricket Flour?

As many of you know if you read our posts, we are fans of Shark Tank.  We enjoy watching the potential investors analyze a business investment in order to discover its extraordinary promise of value and its potential to provided a healthy return on their investment.  Here is an example:

One of the candidates invented an organic energy bar using cricket flour for protein.  Reluctantly the investors tasted it and proclaimed it good, however, they were not willing to invest. Who needs another protein bar in the market regardless of how good the ingredients are?

As the owner of the company talked, he let them know that crickets are a rich sustainable protein and a favored food of many countries.  Three of the investors were still not interested and expressed that they were “out”.

As he continued to talk, he mentioned that the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) had given him approval (he is the only one, so far) for his cricket flour.  He also mentioned that other manufacturers of protein bars had approached him to purchase his flour.  Then, Mark Cuban jumped in, and said you should be in the cricket flour business and not in the protein bar business, at which point he was ready to invest.

Defining the right brand position can determine whether or not your target market will perceive your extraordinary promise of value.  Are you just another agent or broker in the sea of sameness, i.e. another energy bar?  Or, do you have a value proposition that is a clear stand out, i.e. cricket flour?  Whenever possible, the best way to position your brand is to define your professional services in a unique category.

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. 

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Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

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Follow Up to FOMO Marketing & Pinot Noir: A Personal Perspective

This is a follow up to our recent post on FOMO Marketing. Recently, we visited a winery in our nearby central coast wine country. We tasted their Pinot Noir (“Limited Edition”), Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Our favorite was their Limited Edition Pinot, which was absolutely outstanding and fairly priced. 

But, we were told that we had to join their wine club to purchase it, as club members were re-ordering and they did not want to run out.  That tugged at our F.O.M.O (fear of missing out) heartstrings. But, we resisted joining the club, knowing that we would be obligated to purchase more wine that we did not want by doing so.

This experience led us to take a closer look at F.O.M.O. marketing as a tactic in marketing luxury real estate.  Personally, from a logical standpoint, we do not buy into the premise of SCARCITY of anything!  In fact, as consumers, whenever we feel tempted by the knee-jerk reaction of F.O.M.O marketing we head the opposite direction.  We have purposely tested this out and discovered that in every case there was another opportunity just around the corner. Or, we lost interest altogether in what we wanted in the first place.

We believe that scarcity is fundamentally a false premise. For us, at the very core of the luxury mindset is the premise of ABUNDANCE. Stepping back and regaining perspective, there certainly is an abundance of well-priced high quality wine out there. In fact, there is a plethora of fine wine all over the world.

 Even when there appears to be a scarcity of luxury real estate on the market, some agents are still doing very well.   To be one of them, you just need a bigger slice of the market that is selling!  But, you may need a better strategy to acquire that business.

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. 

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Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

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Food for Thought: Unsurpassed Natural Goodness!

OK!  We admit it.  We are chocolate lovers inside and out. 

We may have stumbled upon the ultimate (for now at least) double dark chocolate, hand made (by us) ice cream sandwich. Recently in San Francisco, we visited the Cowgirl Creamery store in the iconic Ferry Building close to the Bay Bridge. 

Cowgirl is one of the finest artisanal cheese makers in California.  There, while picking up some cheese as a treat for our friends, we were introduced to the best chocolate cookie we have ever tasted.  The cheesemonger suggested that this cookie would be good with a touch of fresh triple cream cheese topped with cherry jam.  Yum!

The Bay Area’s Rustic Bakery makes this delectable, sophisticated cacao nib shortbread that combines both Valrhona chocolate and cacao nibs with a tiny bit of salt on the finish.  They stand on their own as a delicious dessert.  But, when incorporated into a mini sandwich with Rori’s Artisanal Creamery’s “serious dark chocolate” ice cream we were speechless!

At Rori’s, “We create organic ice creams that not only take you to a new planet, customers even credit it for making them want to be better humans!  We use only Straus Family Creamery organic milk, cream and eggs. All those cows eat is grass, baby!”

Rori’s just happens to be within a couple of blocks from our office in Carpinteria, (Santa Barbara-Central California). The Straus Family Creamery is located in Northern California and sources the milk and cream for Cowgirl Creamery, as well. 

Perhaps you are connecting the local culinary dots.  There is a fabulous trend here in California to go organic and champion the artisans who have paved the way to a brave new world of natural goodness that is simply unsurpassed.

Happy Friday, 

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. 

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Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

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GET MORE HUMAN: Re-Tool, Re-Think, Re-Invent YOU!

Leonardo Da Vinci, Self Portrait, The original Renaissance Man

At an accelerated pace, technology has consumed far too much time and energy for most luxury real estate marketing professionals. Let us regain some perspective on this ever-pervasive fact of modern life. After so much retooling, it is now time to rethink and re-invent YOU!

The Renaissance was considered one of the most explosive periods of change in human history.  Due to the availability of paper and the invention of metal movable type the dissemination of ideas sped up faster than was ever thought possible.  Today,, the internet is having a similar impact on our lives.  But, have you had time to rethink and reinvent yourself as the person who is the master of the new tools and not as the slave to them?  Could it be time for a Renaissance or rebirth in your life?

Recently, we encountered three rounds of annoying menus in a voice mail maze, while attempting to make airline reservations. Then, after a fifteen-minute wait, we were connected to a customer service representative who spoke incomprehensible English.  Does this sound familiar?  Think about the cumulative effect of millions of people encountering similar situations!

Then we discovered a website called GetHuman.com.  This site offers, “Shortcuts through the phone maze, expected wait time, as well as support ratings”. What a relief from the tedium of voice mail! 

This experience sparked our thinking about the overwhelming need for luxury real estate marketing professionals to GET [MORE] HUMAN in the way they do business and less reliant on technology.   But, this requires rethinking and reinventing YOU.

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

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

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

 GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY 

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Luxury Real Estate Marketing Tip: FOMO Marketing & Potatoes!

There are a variety of marketing strategies.  One of these is known as FOMO marketing.  FOMO is the acronym for “FEAR OF MISSING OUT”.  This is a natural human response and one that in our opinion was partially instrumental in building the behemoth we now know as social media.   At the onset, we attended conferences whose speakers noted that the Internet was a river of gold (i.e. business), and all we had to do is join in to pan that gold.

FOMO is what bargain hunters respond to at midnight and early morning sales on Black Friday.  It is based on an illusion of scarcity, necessitating immediate action for fear of losing out.  There is a farmer who sells potatoes at the Santa Barbara Farmers’ market.  He has a sign on the potatoes that says, “these will be gone next week!”  Funny enough, I see them there the following week with the same sign.  In his defense, he does not specify which next week he is referring to.

Flash sales on the luxury end of the spectrum are regularly held by high-end department stores.  A variety of merchandise is offered at steep discounts for several hours, or in some cases during a specified time period, described as “pre-sale”.

Ron and I were invited to an elegant opening with Wolfgang Puck catering the affair.  One of the appetizers-his famous pizza with smoked salmon and sour cream, was the hit of the evening.  The minute it came out of the kitchen, people would ambush the waiter and within seconds it would be gone.  The ones with extreme FOMO stood at the door of the kitchen to get theirs. 

A shortage of inventory in real estate as well as a potential rise in interest rates precipitates a FOMO response.  How can you use FOMO in your luxury real estate marketing strategy, if appropriate?

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. 

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How Your Business Rituals Reveal Your Brand Story

As we were exploring the Oxbow Public Market in Napa, we discovered a new coffee place, Ritual Coffee Roasters. For a moment, we could visualize ourselves presenting an offer to lease from Ritual to a building owner, and hearing these words, “Why another coffee place?” Napa (population, 75,000) has 9 Starbucks locations, one Peet’s and several more places where you could get a good cup of coffee.

Why another coffee place?  Because they fill a need for those who want to savor a cup of coffee as a morning ritual, not as a jolt to wake them up. To accentuate this brand differentiator, they use red as the color of their logo, which is the color of a fully ripened coffee bean.  In the logo, you can see an outline of a cup with a star.

Here is their philosophy: “A few people scattered across the country discovered how amazing a cup of coffee can be when you source the beans directly from farmers you know. When you roast the beans yourself in an aggressively light way. When you brew the coffee with down-to-the-second precision”.

We watched the staff as they ground and brewed each cup to order, including our cappuccinos, which were as good as the ones we have had in Europe! This ritual made the morning an event.  Ritual Coffee Roasters is a stand out for a lifestyle that considers a coffee break a quick caffeine pit stop. 

How you do business, your rituals tell the story of your brand.  Your brand name and your logo should be the summation of your business rituals.

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. 

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Personal & Company Branding: Does Your Brand Still Represent You?

A couple of years ago, we had a client who boughta real estate firm.  This was a change and an evolution of the original model.  Would the original brand work to accommodate 14 new agents?  Could they identify with it?  Was a name change needed?  We worked on the evolution of the brand as a full service real estate firm, instead of a single individual.

A new client wanted to dissociate herself from the short sale niche she had been extremely successful in during the real estate downturn.  She wanted to return to the luxury arena.  Another client wanted to update his brand, because it was time to reflect his growth and new focus.  Many firms have done that, UPS, Apple, American Airlines, and recently Restoration Hardware.

The store is now known as the RH Gallery. Here is a quote from their Chairman Emeritus, Gary Friedman: "One of the key strategies that sets RH apart is its approach to inventory. While most retailers design things in-house, RH created a different model. "We have one full-time designer. We are more curators than we are retailers. We find artists we love and 'curate' that person. We source the world." The new focus of RH is engendering the creative and innovative spirit in all home furnishings.

Does your brand still represent you, today?  Or does it need to be refreshed to reflect your evolution and your path?

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. 

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Does Your Packaging Reflect Your Brand Strategy?

As we mentioned in our previous post, being on top of your game means that there is congruency in every way you express yourself including your printed materials such as your presentation folder.

We chose for this post the shopping bag from L’Occitane, (based in the Provence area of France), because their products are similar to Crabtree & Evelyn.  The difference is that their emphasis is on “natural and organic” products, as well as preserving rare species of flowers (immortelle or ageless flowers). 

They are known for their almond and lavender based products (the almond tree pictured on the bag stands in a field of lavender.  The bottom of the bag lets you know that it is made with paper from sustainable forests. Looking at the package transports you to Provence for a moment.

Does Your Packaging Reflect Your Brand Strategy?

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. 

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Friday Fun: Salt of the Earth Lifestyle in Santa Barbara

This afternoon, we took a break from our work, and headed to downtown Santa Barbara to explore and to take care of some details.  On our walk, we noticed Salt.  An enterprising soul created 2 underground salt caves using 45 tons of 250 million year old pure Himalayan crystal salt.  

Salt offers various spa treatments, as well as cave treatments.  In a quiet zone, you sit in a zero gravity chair with relaxation music.  Your task is to breathe, "while the air is saturated with micro particles of salt that can be easily absorbed through the skin and deep into the lungs."

Research has concluded that  "Himalayan Salt is considered to be the most pure form of whole salt on the planet. Having never been exposed to impurities, and protected deep within the Himalayans for millions and millions of years.  Himalayan Salt was formed from the primordial ocean during a time of great tectonic pressure."

We use Himalayan salt in all our cooking as well as French (Fleurs de Sel) & English sea salt (Maldon) from century old regions that are harvested by hand for a finishing touch.

One of these days, we will definitely check out a cave treatment, and tell you more.

Happy Friday,

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. 

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Is Your Brand Package Remarkable & Reflect Your Strategy?

Being at the top of your game as a luxury real estate marketing professional requires being consistently remarkable which includes your presentation materials.  These need to stand out and communicate your identity and its congruency with your target market.

The shopping bag pictured above is from Crabtree & Evelyn, retailer of body and home products based on floral and fruit essences.  Notice the inside lining: fruit and flowers reflecting who they are. Their website is printed on the inside of the bag, a subtle reminder of their web presence.  The outside of the bag is embossed with the name and their crab tree logo.  It is simple, elegant and remarkable.

Is Your Brand Package Remarkable and Reflect Your Strategy?

Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-

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

-WATCH VIDEOS-

Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites 

Personal Branding Case Studies Company Branding Case Studies 

About Language of Luxury

 GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT! - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY 

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