Branding Moment: What Is At Stake When Choosing A Brand Name?

The first goal of marketing is to build and maintain a preference for your brand within your target market. This is true if your intention is to be the market leader. It makes sense to find the right name for your brand. It has to be easy to remember and easy to say.  This is very important when it comes to referrals, and word of mouth. 

This morning as we were returning home from an appointment, two trucks were waiting at the red light in front of us. The one directly in front of us  was branded  paysage  This is a French word. Its primary meaning is scenery. Its secondary meaning is landscape. We wondered how many people in Santa Barbara understand the word or could pronounce it. Would someone call this company, "pay sage?" Listen to this 15 second video below if you want to learn the pronunciation .

It is easier to say FedEx  than to say paysage. And the majority of us knows the word FedEx. 

Our research revealed that Paysage, the local landscape company, has been operating in Santa Barbara since 2000. Apparently, they are doing something right, however, they are not considered to be in the top 5 in the city.  The top 5 have an easy name to remember.  

If you want to maintain a preference for your brand, be sure to take time to choose the right name.  What is at stake is word of mouth and referrals.

Happy Birthday America: Fourth Of July Floral Display

We enjoyed this beautiful floral display that we saw at the lobby of a hotel.  The roses, hydrangeas and gladiolas made up the stripes, and the blue pebbles in the vases added the stars.  We found this very creative along with the flags on either side also planted in a vase with blue pebbles.  

Enjoy the Fourth of July!

The Future is Here: The Solution For The Affordable Housing Shortage Is On Its Way!

We are all aware of the “affordable housing” crisis is affecting many parts of our country.  There is a solution that will soon be put into effect in the homebuilding industry. It is known as 3D printing

In January of 2014, we wrote a post called, “Science Fiction Becomes Reality.  We focused on the 3D Printer that premiered at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. We likened it to the Star Trek technology in the 24thCentury known as the replicator, which could produce food, clothing and other sundry items. We also posted a video demonstrating the making of a wrench with a 3D printer.

Four years later, on May 12, 2018, this video  premiered on YouTube.  It showed an affordable 3D-printedHouse that took less than a day to build for $10,000. The prototype was built in Austin, TX, and was the first to received a permit for occupancy. The company ICON is predicting that the costs can be brought down to $4,000, for a 650 square foot home.  

The use of is booming in many industries. With a 3D printer, a dentist can print a perfect crown for his patient in 30 minutes. Automobile manufacturers are printing auto parts. Even the luxury industry is now using 3D printing.

“The Future is here.  It’s just not widely distributed, yet” --William Gibson, Science Fiction Novelist

 

A Spicy Pursuit: What Specialty Is Missing In Your Marketplace?

One of the best ways to stand out from the crowd in luxury or other real estate marketing is to find the underserved market niche, or filling a need in your marketplace..  In order to find it, one has to do quite a bit of research, because at first glance the market may look crowded. It is not unusual to assume that every niche in the real estate market is already taken.  Here is an example of a business that did just that.

In one of the markets we frequent here in Santa Barbara, the spice and seasonings aisle takes up over one quarter of the space. It is our source to find the rare spice or seasoning for a dish we are making.

Food experts advise that spices diminish in flavor over time. They are susceptible to heat, moisture and light.  Furthermore, they are sold in quantities that are too large for an average household to use up in a short period of time as they have at best one to two-year lifetime of flavor. 

Spicely Organics found the underserved market niche among the  biggest spice producers in the food industry.  Gelson’s Market added more shelf space to their spice aisle to accommodate them. Thanks to Spicely Organics you don’t have to go out of your way to assure yourself that certain spices may be a detriment to your diet because how they are produced. Everything is certified for every type of food concern. 

Furthermore, they sell them in small batches, which means that you don’t have to worry about the shelf life of your purchase.  There is enough for two or three uses.  It may seem more expensive than that big bottle you are used to buying in terms of quantity, however, this beats the competition in terms of quality.  

In the realm of real estate, we have heard many success stories of agents who specialize in what may seem to many who will take any listing at any price crazy niches.  We can assure you that those who specialize in just condos, for instance, or just properties they personally like, or just historical properties, or just land are thriving regardless of the market conditions.  These agents researched what was missing in their marketplace and became experts, and the go to agents in those niches.  What  Specialty is missing in your marketplace?

Knowing Your Marketplace And The Mindset of Your Ideal Clients Can Assure Your Success

If you want to have a successful luxury or other real estate practice, you must understand the mindset of your ideal clients and the intricacies of your marketplace that make them happy to live there.  When you take the time to really understand what they need and assure them that you can deliver the results they are after, you become the answer to their prayers.  Here is an example:

Recently, we visited Deer Valley, Utah with friends.  We went to The Market in Park City to stock up on provisions to munch on while watching the NBA Finals. We discovered a section devoted to exclusively to artisanal cheeses.  I (A) asked the cheese monger, Marcy, what was new and exciting? After taking the time to understand our tastes and preferences, she knew we were all fond of cheese and eager to learn.

Marcy proceeded to tell us about her favorites that she was sure we would love too. One of them pictured above was an alpine blossom covered rind cheese made in Austria with milk from 15 brown Swiss cows in each herd.  They feed in the pasture of the Alps.  As the cheese ages, the rind is washed and is covered with the dried edible flowers and herbs from the surrounding Alpine Meadows.  You eat the cheese topped with a bit of flowers along with the rind. We all agreed that this was one of the best cheeses we ever tasted.  

Marcy also went out of her way tell us which crackers to buy and which went with each cheese for the 5 varieties we bought.  Then, as we were walking in the aisles, she ran over to tell us that we should buy a Rosé or a Riesling wine, to pair with our cheese selection.  

We loved her enthusiasm, her expertise and her extraordinary service. Naturally, we followed her advice in selecting wines. Marcy was the answer to our prayers. While out of town we look for experiences that are like touchstones to recall and share with others. It is only natural to refer our readers to her cheese department at The Market in Park City.

Are You A Jack-of-All-Trades, Master of None?

The NUMBER ONE mistake that luxury real estate marketing professionals make is trying to be all things to all people.  We understand that it is challenging to narrow your focus and concentrate on just one niche.   The trick is discovering the right niche for you, the one that has the potential to provide the financial return you want if you were to give it your 100% undivided attention.

Watch this 2-minute video and learn how being a Jack-of-All-Trades is the biggest marketing mistake. Being a generalist vs. a specialist is the most common marketing trap

How To Stand Out From the Flock Of Pigeons - Part 2

In Part 1 of this article series we featured Digression rosé. The name, the square bottle, the flamingo symbol and slogan made it a standout (“from the pigeons”) in a sea of rosé wines from Provence, southern France. Another standout is Cote Des Roses because of its packaging. The bottom of the bottle is shaped like a rose.

The bottom of the bottle of Cotes Des Roses rose

In our time-starved world the battle for market share begins by winning the battle of attention. Both of these wines grabbed our attention when we walked by the rosé section at our wine store because they screamed both luxury and elegance at first glance.  In your luxury real estate marketing practice how do you expect to win over a prospect that you meet for the first time without first capturing their attention with great packaging, i.e., great personal or company branding? 

Here are the tasting notes for Cote Des Roses rosé:

This wine has a soft, pale, brilliant pink with bluish tints developing over time towards more orangey nuances. The bouquet releases aromas of summer fruits, cassis and red currant. Floral notes of rose along with hints of grapefruit complete the picture. The finish is fresh, offering notes of candy. On the palate the impression is fresh and full, with great aromatic persistence and balance.

And, here are the tasting notes from Digression rosé:

Delicate pink in color, this cool climate Rosé from Provence stands out among the rest. With hints of white flower, ripe peach and sweet clementine on the nose, this crisp wine draws you in immediately. On the palate you find subtle minerality, sun-warmed strawberry and ripe red berries. The elegant, smooth finish leaves you wanting for more! It pairs well with oysters on the half shell.

How To Stand Out From The Flock Of Pigeons: Part 1

A very successful friend of ours told us a secret to his amazing success early in our career. He was truly a standout in his field. He said, “I just decided to ride the horse in the direction it was heading”. We applied his advice and want to share it with you, too. 

If you want to standout from the flock of pigeons as the market leader, here is what you need to do:  1) Tune into trends; 2) Dare to Digress: Position yourself ahead of the wave; 3) Enjoy the ride!

To practice this approach to success, just tune into the trends outside of the real estate realm.  The story of rosé wine is a great example. 

According to Nielsen, 40% of rosé wine consumers are females aged 21-34, and they are most likely scrolling through social media. It's still most popular in coastal, cosmopolitan settings. Metro New York City drinks 25% of all imported rosé, with Miami coming in second at 15%.

The rosé wine trend began in 2014 and peaked in 2017. Now, there is a plethora of rosé wine on the market. Standing out is a challenge. Packaging has become a key variable to success.  

We applaud “Digression”, depicted above for many reasons: 1) The name is easy to remember; 2) The square bottle (with a glass stopper instead of a cork) is a standout-you can use it as a decanter or water bottle after finishing the wine because the label can easily be removed; 3) It uses the flamingo as a symbol, which is also easy to remember because flamingos, like the wine color, are also pink, and; 4) Its slogans are so funny and memorable: “Be a flamingo in a flock of pigeons” and "Dare To Digress". 

As an aside, a pigeon is a gullible person, especially someone swindled in a gambling or the victim of a confidence trick.  Certainly, as a luxury real estate marketing professional, you want to standout from the pigeons (should there be any in your marketplace).

Now, we are halfway there. Is the wine itself remarkable? Stay tuned for Part 2 for the answer.

A New & Different Perspective: Is It A Problem or A Puzzle?

Consistently applying the fundamentals of good marketing and branding can go a long way in building your luxury real estate practice. But, if your quest is achieving and then sustaining market leadership in your chosen niche, you need to do things differently and better than your competitors. You need to think differently to out-think your competition. And, that requires a new and different perspective.

The term, “Thinking out of the box” is a phrase that has been used so much that it has almost become cliché, the antithesis of original thinking. We have been looking for a new way to express this concept in our strategic branding practice.

Then, last Sunday, in our mastermind discussion, our friend shared this quote with us. “I don’t have any problems, I have puzzles”-Quincy Jones (musician and record producer). At first this seemed like a cool concept. But, after thinking about it for a while it also seemed quite profound.

Most people think of a problem as a matter or situation that is unwelcome or harmful and needing to be dealt with and overcome. However, if you can make the shift to viewing your situation as a puzzle your can instantly shift your perspective.  

A puzzle is a game or toy designed to test ingenuity and knowledge.  Can you feel the immediate shift in attitude that takes place when you view the same situation as a puzzle?

When you think in terms of having a problem you often introvert, it becomes part of you; it burdens you and becomes part of your identity. When you solve a puzzle you extrovert and the situation becomes objective vs. subjective. You see it outside of yourself. As Quincy says, “The moment you see your challenges as a puzzle & not a problem...you've found your way out”. 

Are You The Google of Your Marketplace Or At The Mercy of Google Bots?

We often hear real estate agents proudly stating the number of leads, they are generating with their websites.  They even cite these numbers on their printed materials, and tell everyone about it.  What does this mean? Many think that this is proof that Google loves them and will send them more leads,

Not long ago we interviewed an agent whose claim to fame was that his website generated 4000 leads a month. He had incorporated every concept that would attract people to leave their name on his website.  He faithfully attended every seminar known to real estate, and tweaked his website to please the Google bots.  And he was happy to spend big bucks to do that.  Google loved him.

We asked him, how many of those leads turned into closed transactions.   He asked us to speak to his assistant who was in charge of sifting through the leads.  

It took his assistant 4 hours a day (20 hours a week or 80 hours a month @ $25 an hour) to establish which leads were genuine, and which were not.  At the end of the month 1 or 2 would emerge as viable leads.  It would take anywhere from six months to a year to convert them into a transaction

48,000 leads a year produced 12-24 viable leads.  When we asked how many of these leads did follow through, her answer was 2-3 a year with a median home price of $400,000.  When we did the math, the agent was losing money. 

When the concept of the IDX came about, we were working with a brokerage in Napa.  We encouraged the broker-owner to be the first to join. We also employed 3 SEO experts for each search engine (Google, Bing and Yahoo) to optimize the site.  

We had as many leads as the gentleman we interviewed we mentioned. We converted one lead a quarter with a median price point of $850,000.   After expenses, the company was making money.  However, it was not a significant amount of money. 

We compared the cost of consistent farming postcard mailings and personal follow-through with the cost per lead in the SEO model. The brokerage generated 12 transactions a year in the same price range with a consistent campaign focused on just one of the sectors that she specialized in. The cost per lead was significantly less.  The broker was able to distribute these leads to her agents.  

We advise our clients to stay focused on their strategy, which involves maximum human interaction. They are not spending money on lead generation, or going crazy optimizing their websites.  They are spending their time face to face with real people instead of bots and making themselves well known and well thought of in their marketplace. They know that being visible in their community is more important than being visible on the World Wide Web.

Are You The Google of Your Marketplace, Or At The Mercy of Google Bots?

Throwback Thursday: Which Niche Can Make You Rich Part 2

As we promised last week on our Throwback Thursday post, here is the next installment of our video course, which was inspired by webinars we had done both for Active Rain and Zillow on the subject of niches. Our entire course can be found on our website if you are curious to see it all at once.  Here is part 2 of the course.  We named this video:

The Most Powerful Law of Niche Marketing

Mind-share precedes market share. Focus on capturing MIND SHARE FIRST.  Market share will follow. It must follow according to this law. Click the image above to watch the video. 

Enjoy!


 

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The Precious Value of Human Interaction VS Digital Solutions

If you think that Human Interaction is being upstaged by digital solutions, think again. Recently a friend of ours saw a sign on a home and called the number on the sign.  She listened to a recording that sent her to an agent directory. The sign did not have the agent’s name or phone number on it, because the company does not allow agent riders.  

She tried to get connected to the receptionist (was not sure there was one) and gave up.  She was frustrated and vowed never to have any dealings with that company.  And all her friends heard about it like we did.

All of us have had what seemed as interminable moments on the phone getting through the maze of automated systems, just to speak to a human.  When we get to the human, we are even more frustrated because we learn that we need to speak to a supervisor to resolve our issues.  We are then placed on hold, and sometimes we are disconnected. 

Accenture, one of the leading management consultants firms, found in one of their studies that 52 percent of consumers switch due to poor customer service.  They estimated the cost to businesses at $1.6 trillion.  On the real estate scene, it is not unusual to find the voice mailbox full, or the example in our first paragraph.

This is due to the fact that most companies assume that digital-only customers are the most profitable, and customer service is an expensive service.  When they do have customer service, it is usually outsourced to other countries, which often creates more problems.  

Many of these customers (44%) resort to venting on social media channels about the poor service they received.  Sometimes, companies respond to the vent and make things right.  However, keep in mind that quite a bit of damage has been done by the venting. 

Accenture’s study found that 83% of those customers value human interaction and want more of it. They are less likely to switch companies when they have easy access to human interaction, as well as recommend the companies to friends and associates.

Digital solutions have made life easier when you stop and think about it, however we need to balance our reliance on it.  The be-all- and end-all is human interaction. Its value is precious. Institute that in your practice, and your clients will remember you and refer you.

This post is inspired our Internet provider.  Pictured above is the envelope our bill came in.  We are delighted with this change. Now when we have a question or problem with our service, we can actually speak to someone live.  It is so much easier than listening to fix it electronic instructions or going to their website.  It also takes less time.  

Branding Moments: Can You State How You Are Different In 14 Words?

If you read our posts on a regular basis, you know that one of the most important selling points of a brand is to instantly convey what sets it apart from the crowd.  Palazzo Della Torre from the city of Allegrini in the Veneto region was able to do it in 14 Words at their Point Of Sale display.

Can You State How You Are Different in 14 Words?

Throwback Thursday Series Real Estate Marketing: How Pick Your Niche!

In 2014, we are asked by then Trulia/ Active Rain to present a webinar for the members on Niche marketing. Shortly thereafter, we did it again for Zillow.  That experience spurred a video course that is part of our website.  Although, many of the examples in this course pertain to the luxury real estate industry, the lessons learned can and should be applied to any local professional practice or local business that specializes in serving affluent consumers.  Each video segment is just two-to-four minutes and can be conveniently viewed at your pace on your computer, tablet or smartphone. 

Here is the introductory video and Part 1.

In this course you will learn:

  • How to pick the right niche for YOU
  • How to harness the power of focus through niche marketing
  • How to out-think your competition and achieve top-of-mind status in your niche
  • How to strike the right balance between high tech and high touch in your niche

We hope you enjoy the course and we expect you'll walk away eager to dominate your own niche!

We will add a video each Thursday as for your viewing pleasure, and if you are eager to learn more faster you can always visit to our website.

Branding Moments: Self Expression VS The Aesthetics of Your Marketplace!

Capturing attention and standing out from your competition are both very important when crafting your personal brand as a luxury or other real estate marketing professional. However, the two most treacherous traps that luxury real estate marketing professionals fall into when attempting to brand themselves are these: 

  1. Factoring out the aesthetic expectations of their target market thinking that self expression is all that is needed
  2. Factoring out their personality, values and personal aesthetic preferences to please their target market.

Either one of these extremes is a recipe for failure in personal branding.  

Certainly, you have heard the expression “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder”.  There is no question that aesthetics is a subjective value judgment.  To some contemporary art design and architecture is the ultimate expression of the human spirit, while traditionalists see no value in it at all.  But, when it comes to branding, the entire exercise is to make the subjective, objective. Brand comes first and then in alignment with aesthetics

If you work in a conservative marketplace this objective fact must be respected if market leadership is your quest. Too much shock value may keep you out of the winner’s circle. The objective measurement is whether or not you are attracting the number of clients that you need to reach your goal. 

There are ways to express yourself to a conservative audience without offending them and still feel that you have not compromised your sense of self-expression.  Find a way to express yourself in your personal life if outrageousness is your “thing”, like the owner of the luxury car (Mercedes) pictured above.   

But, trying to please everyone is impossible.  Trying to be all things to all people is likewise futile.  Leaving YOU out of the branding equation eliminates perhaps the most important key to branding success: authenticity.

When we conduct a strategic brand analysis in our consulting practice, we dial into all of these factors in the quiz above to establish our client’s “brand signal”.  It is like finding the right combination when all of the tumblers click into place and the brand “unlocks”. 

Once you amplify your authentic brand signal and reach your target market through focused communication, those who resonate with that signal with naturally gravitate to it.  Therefore, it is essential to place brand before beauty.  You must sharply differentiate yourself from your competitor and you must do so with a wow factor.  But, with aesthetics, you must also strike the perfect balance between your personal tastes and the values of your target market.

Branding Moments: What is A Brand Extension?

A brand extension is when you take a familiar brand name, and use it to brand another product category. It helps launch a new product. Here is a perfect example.

Last time we were in Trader Joe’s we noticed that two-buck chuck (Charles Shaw wine, the brand Trader Joe’s popularized) had extended its brand.  Pictured above is the four-buck version.  This version is certified organic, has a new-fangled “Helix” twist off cork that looks like a Champagne cork, and a new label.

The Trader Joe’s reviews of the Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Rosé state that the wines are “delightfully drinkable.”  We have not tried it.  If you do, let us know what you think, Cheers!

Branding Moment: Newton’s Folly—Smart or Silly?

This bright colorful brand caught our attention.  Newton’s Folly is a hard cider. The apple falling on Newton’s was his “ah-ha” moment.  He understood the concept of gravitational pull, or what keeps the moon from crashing into the earth.   

In most branding, a reference to Newton implies intelligence and the importance of discovery. Apple used Newton in its early branding, as have colleges such as Keene State College. 

The word folly means lack of good sense, or being foolish. In architecture, a folly is a structure in a garden such as a tower built solely for amusement. This word does not imply intelligence or scientific discovery.

In your opinion, it this brand smart or silly?  If you enjoy drinking hard cider would you buy Newton’s Folly based on the brand?

Are You The Best Kept Secret In Your Marketplace?

As a luxury or other real estate marketing professional, have you ever asked yourself any of these questions?

1. Why am I cash rich some months and cash poor the next?
2. Why are some of my competitors, who have less talent and less marketing savvy, getting the lion’s share of the business?
3. I close at least 70% of the business I get. Why is it so hard to get more business?
4. Why am I the best kept secret in my marketplace?

If you have been pondering these questions you most likely are a generalist in your marketplace akin to a general practitioner in the medical field.  However, if you specialized in a particular style of home, in a particular marketplace, or in a particular price range, you would be known for that specialty.

However, if you want to become the standout in your marketplace, you have to stand for something, you have to have a brand or an identity in your marketplace. You cannot afford to be just another real estate agent in the pack. It lessens your value.  

 The biggest struggle most luxury and other real estate agents have is not standing out in the minds of their target market.  That is the very thing that those who discount their commissions are promoting and emphasizing.  These firms succeed thanks the majority of real estate agents do not take time to discover their identity.Instead, they continue to struggle and complain about those “big, bad” aggregators who are “taking away their business!

To stand out you must stand for something that is remarkable. This gives people the opportunity to promote you to others. The missing ingredient that personal branding offers is making it easy for other to tell others about YOU! If you are blending in you are missing out on the leverage of word-of-mouth marketing which personal branding accomplishes when it is well executed. The lack of a personal brand is what is making your job more difficult than it has to be.

If you no longer want to blend in and be the best-kept secret in your marketplace, you must become remarkable. Start by asking yourself these new questions: How am I extraordinary, amazing, notable, outstanding, noteworthy, significant, incredible and astonishing?

Become the best-known agent in your specialty in your marketplace. It may take time to develop your specialty, but in the long run, it will pay off. You will even find that other real estate agents are sending you business because you are the best at what you do.  

Are You the best kept secret in your marketplace?

Do You Speak “Ubuntu”? A Defining or Branding Moment

Recently, we came across the term “Ubuntu”.  It was a defining and inspiring moment for us. It reveals another aspect of the wisdom of kindness.

Ubuntu is a word in the Bantu language of the Nguni tribe in Africa.  In the broad sense of the word, it translates as humanity, human kindness. How I treat you defines me. I am not defined by what I have, but how I interact with you. 

Ubuntu in the broader sense also refers to the awareness of our inherent connection with each other.  It is akin to the ripple effect, that if one is rude to another, the rudeness will be passed on to the next person and will continue to escalate.  It is so easy to observe in every day life. 

Ubuntu is part of South Africa’s Interim Constitution created in 1993.  “There is a need for understanding but not vengeance, a need for reparation but not for retaliation, a need for Ubuntu but nor for victimization.”

Desmond Tutu wrote a wonderful definition for Ubuntu in his book No Future Without Forgiveness,

    “Ubuntu is very difficult to render into a Western language. It speaks of the very essence of being human. When we want to give high praise to someone we say, ‘Yu, u nobunto’; ‘Hey so-and-so has ubuntu.’ Then you are generous, you are hospitable, you are friendly and caring and compassionate. You share what you have. It is to say, ‘My humanity is inextricably bound up in yours.’ We belong in a bundle of life.”

Next time, you feel like insulting or getting even with anyone (no matter how much you think they deserve it), take a moment and think about Ubuntu.  Is this how you want to be defined or branded?

How To Achieve Market Leadership In An Emerging Luxury Market: Case Study

Many real estate agents, teams and independent companies have asked us this questions:

"How can you help me (our team or company) get a foothold in the luxury end of the business and ultimately become the market leadership in a top-tier price range niche?" 

Here is the 2-Minute "Brand Makeover" Video Case Study of Front Porch Realty that answers this question. We help Laura Moody, the broker/owner position her firm to be the dominate player in her North Carolina emerging luxury marketplace. We can help you get there too!

CLICK ABOVE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

Here is what Laura had to say about her experience of working with us:

“ From my very first phone call to Napa Consultants, I knew I had made the right choice for my growing independent real estate company! Ron and Alexandra inspired and awed me every step of the way with their knowledge and expertise in the field of real estate marketing. Their visit across the country to my town was spectacular and I felt like we were friends before they even got here. They not only elevated my brand, they gave me so much insight discovering my niche. I truly gained so much more from them than I ever imagined I would.

Ron and Alexandra were super patient with me and throughout our entire process made me feel like their desire was to meet and exceed my expectations. Thank you Ron and Alexandra, from the bottom of my heart! ”
— Laura Moody, Owner Front Porch Realty