Branding Essence as Expressed in Three Portraits of a Rose!

I( A) was experimenting with the portrait function on my phone yesterday.  The phone has functions of lighting that one can experiment with.  Pictured above is what is called "high key mono"  It is quite dramatic'!

Here it is in "stage lighting"---another dramatic effect.

This is the original photo.  Three ways to perceive a rose.  One can change the name, the color, or the lighting.  What one cannot change is the true essence of it, as Shakespeare said in Romeo and Juliet.  And that is what a brand should represent--the true essence of the individual or the company.  

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" is a popular reference to William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, in which Juliet seems to argue that it does not matter that Romeo is from her family's rival house of Montague, that is, that he is named "Montague". Wikipedia

Marketing Savvy: Which Comes First, Mind Share Or Market Share?

Mind share precedes market share. This is one of the most important marketing laws.  What is mind share? It is a hold on the intended market's attention, that is attained with a smart brand strategy followed by a remarkable marketing campaign. In other words, those you market to are aware of your existence, 

It also means continuous smart, creative marketing to stay top of mind in a marketplace.  One cannot slack off, and take a break from marketing, because your target market will quickly forget you.  We often hear agents feeling betrayed by long time clients. They did not stay in touch, and as result they were forgotten.  Here is an example of what can happen, when you neglect to keep your mind share alive and well.

One client told us this story of meeting up with her long time friend/client at the grocery store.  (She had sold 6 houses for her and her relatives), and when she asked her why she listed with another agent, the answer was, "I thought you were dead!"

If you are going to create a campaign to garner mind share, be sure that you know what you are talking about, and that the campaign does show your savvy off.  Otherwise, it will be clear to your target market that you spent a lot of time and money saying nothing at all or showing off your ignorance...no one believed that you could do it!.

Savvy mind share will get you market share, which means in real estate terms sellers and buyers.  The market will be referring you,  because you have planted yourself in their minds. However, you will still have to maintain that mind share to maintain your market share.  

If you need more convincing, think about this.  Tide is the number 1 laundry detergent in America.  Every time we pick any print publication,Tide has an ad in that publication. Many would say, "What a waste of money, they already are #1!"  And we say, they are maintaining their mind share!  

Are you maintaining your mind share in your marketplace?

Pole Vaulting To Success by Finding the Uncontested Market Niche!

This post was inspired by a retired gentleman we recently met at a dinner party.  When he asked us what our profession is, we explained that one of the aspects of our branding services is finding the market category that is uncontested or under served in real estate or any other business.

He knew exactly what we meant by that.  He shared his experience as an athlete.  In high school, he wanted to be on the track and field team.  When he competed for the various events, he was good, but not good enough to make the varsity team in the categories he tried out for.

The coach asked him to try out for the pole vaulting team/.  He was willing, and became a winner in the pole vault category. This led to a college scholarship and later to the US Track and field team, where he competed nationally, and was #1. 

How does this apply to real estate? Your marketplace does not have to be an entire town.  You can define the scope of your market segment.   It has to be one that the vast majority of agents is not focused on. That is why we refer to it as uncontested or under served market niche. 

To find it, it takes research and an honest assessment of your talents, preferences and values. It can be as narrow as you want as long as it has the potential to fulfill your financial expectations, and more importantly your enjoyment and satisfaction. 

You can achieve top-of-mind status in a three block section of a suburb or a community of just 500 homes or by specializing in a certain type of property instead of every community in that market place.  Here is an example:

One of our clients was a builder/designer/architect prior to real estate.  He channeled these talents into finding and converting small apartments into condominiums. He only selected those that had enough land and space to create private gardens, and rooftop outdoor areas. Together, we determined that the city he was in had a need for this type of housing, as well as the jurisdiction willing to grant the appropriate permits.

His joy was converting those buildings into luxurious spaces, and the gardens into gems of outdoor living.  He would have them professionally staged, and they would sell within 3 months of completion.  We witnessed instant full priced offers at his open houses, along with requests to buy the staged furniture.  

In a sense, he was like our pole vaulting friend.  He found his niche and ruled the market  Bottom line, it takes research, and willingness to find your uncontested niche. Like our client, you can become the market leader in your uncontested market niche!.  

Branding Moment: Why Exhaustive Research in Branding Is Extremely Important!!

We are adamant about exhaustive research when we come up with a brand name for a company or an individual.  Here is an example of a situation, where in our opinion Rolls Royce did not do a good job of coming up with a good name for their very private social network app exclusive to those who own a Rolls Royce. Owning a Rolls Royce is the price of admission to this club.

I woke up to this headline in my daily news feed yesterday morning.  "Rolls-Royce builds community, content and all experience with new Whispers members-only club."  My first action was to go search online Whispers club.  What came up what Whispers "strip" club, Whispers "gentleman's club! The US is the #1 Rolls Royce buyer in the world!  Is that the image that Rolls Royce wants to project to the the Americans who buy the car? 

Furthermore, one of the first rules in branding is not to use a common word as a brand, whenever possible.  A common word like whispers can be used by anyone in another context.  And it becomes confusing to the consumer or the user.

As we see it, this a clear example of someone neglecting to do an exhaustive search on the word "whispers!" They should have researched the word and the businesses who use it in every language, where this car is sold.  They did research the idea for two years, but not the name for the app.  Below is the presentation video.

This also leads us to wondering whether or not Rolls Royce owners want this private social media. One would assume that they are already connected and do not need an app to do so, based on our observation of working in many luxury communities.  And they all have access to great events, and great expensive one of a kind objects or limited editions.

This is exactly why exhaustive research in branding is extremely important.  One has to consider all kinds of aspects, and sometimes, it is best to just let go of what may seem like a great idea!

What do you think?

Brand Building: Self Expression In Harmony with Your Target Market!

Your personal brand, from an aesthetic perspective must reflect your own tastes, your core values and your own personality.   Yet, you also have to take into consideration your target market.  That is, who you intend to attract as ideal clients. 

Who are your ideal clients? As it turns out, when you really think about it, your ideal clients are people who share your values.  For example, if you value a lighthearted sense of humor, your ideal clients would definitely not be curmudgeons, killjoys or wet blankets.   

In our strategic branding consulting practice our job is to help real estate agents, real estate companies and others dial into their unique DNA (Different Not Alike). They have to also tune into their target market.  Then, together we find a brand signal is in harmony with their target market.  

Too many real estate marketing professionals are so busy trying to please others that they disregard their own very important personal perspective.  As a result they attract clients who are less than ideal.

What is amazing about this process of personal/company real estate branding is that there is always a way to articulate your personal brand signal so that is harmonious with your target market without compromising your DNA or your integrity. 

The key is to express yourself fully and have fun in the process.  Your ideal clients will have a much easier time finding you that way. And your brand will continue to build your reputation in your target market. And it will make you easier to refer. 

Branding Moment: Senryaku 戦 略 a.k.a. Brand Strategy

As we were waiting in line for Arigato, our favorite Japanese restaurant, to open their doors, the gentleman in front of us asked if waiting in line for the doors to open a common sight for this restaurant.  He told us this is common in Japan at famous sushi places.   Three minutes after we were seated at the bar, he and his companion sat next to us.   

Conversation flowed, and when he heard what we do, he asked if we knew how the word "strategy" as drawn in Chinese characters meant 戦 略.  He explained: The first word drawing means "effort", The second means "without".  Strategy means working without effort.

Simply stated brand strategy is defining how you are planning to communicate with your market, now that you have defined your brand.  This means marketing your brand, so that you are known for what your specialty is whether it is in real estate or any other business.  Here is an example of a brand strategy we created for a home health care company to achieve their goal in building their brand.  

When we asked the co-owners, who is their ideal client, they kept talking about their patients, young and old who needed in-home care.  They described their patients, the young man with a broken leg, old people who needed home visits for grocery shopping,  and making sure they were faring well. They kept describing their services, and the excellent trained staff they have which were all bonded.  

Finally, they realized that it was the parents of young and grown children of the old who were contacting them...Those who made the call were their target market.  The parents of the young man who broke a leg in the football game called them to give their son home care, while they were at work. The son or daughter of the aging parents were the ones inquiring and home health care for their loved ones, while they also were at work, or needed time off.

The brand strategy made marketing easier. They knew who to target, and they realized that they were selling time/relief for those who needed it.  They were now working without effort.  That focus created their brand strategy and their income stream.  Within 5 years, they sold their company and retired.

In real estate speak, this is why we harp on finding a niche or several niches as a brand strategy.  Instead of trying to serve all who have real estate needs, why not pick one or several that you can excel at and be good at?

Just make sure, that you will enjoy it, as well as the people you serve...In our opinion having a brand strategy in place makes work fun/without effort--with a strategy in place to build your business.  Do you have a brand strategy that does not involve effort?

Marketing Savvy: The Difference between Branding,Marketing & Selling!



As we read various posts, articles, and commentaries, we often see branding, marketing and selling used interchangeably.  Each is distinct and plays a vital role in brand loyalty. We are writing this post in order to shed clarity on these three important words.

Branding is a name or an image of a company.  This is a form of communication that occupies a place in a consumer's or target market's minds.  The brand is also seen as the answer to their target customer's prayer, and the solution for their problem or mindset.  This engenders customer loyalty to the brand. 

Marketing is the brand's presentation to the consumer or the target market. Marketing is matchmaking.  It requires concisely communicating the essence of your distinct promise of value to your ideal target market as you address their most pressing needs.  If your communication is clear your ideal prospects should instantly recognize that you, not your competition, are the right match.   

In this instance, the target market rules, because it represents your ideal client.  In other words, marketing looks at what the consumer needs and wants, and focuses on meeting those needs in their communication.  In other words, if the target market, still has the paper delivered to their homes, the smart thing to do is have ads in that publication. " Marketing done right makes sales irrelevant!" (Peter Drucker).  

Selling is trying to convince those prospects that are not really a match to you that they should work with you, or buy from you anyway.  The need to sell comes from the false notion that there is a scarcity of ideal clients out there. But, the truth is that the time you waste trying to win over non-ideal clients and slogging your way through difficult transactions distracts you from opportunities to meet and work with perfect matches.  

Selling may give you the immediate gratification of momentary wins, but it will burn you out in the long run.   Furthermore, selling will not engender brand loyalty, it may also give you a bad reputation...

Will Buying New Shoes Become Your Unfair/ Competitive Advantage?

An article about Nike's new shoes inspired this post.  Some athletes complained that wearing these shoes would give someone an unfair/competitive advantage!  They even enlisted the help of the Olympic Committee to ban them.  The Olympic committee ruled that shoes cannot win a race...It is the individual in the shoes that wins the race!  

This bit of news led us to a discussion yesterday morning in our mastermind. In order to differentiate yourself from the crowd of real estate agents or companies, you have to tap into that unfair/competitive advantage that you were born with, develop it and utilize it to the max and we would not advise you to buy the latest greatest shoes.  

Those who are critical of successful people are actually (in our opinion) apologizing for their failure to realize their potential.  We ask our clients, "what can you do better than anyone else?" Identify your unfair/competitive advantage and find a way to capitalize on it!  Here is an example.

One of our clients wanted to best #1 and #2 in her marketplace.  #1 was from an old well- known and beloved wealthy family. This person was admired by her circle of friends and was an excellent agent.  She would get together with her circle for high tea, and walk out with several listings.  Her unfair advantage was the best connections in the luxury real estate domain, where her sphere sold and bought.  

#2 's husband had a position of power in the city.  Since she was part of his campaign, they were connected politically to the shakers and movers.  Like #1, she is an excellent agent.  Those connections led to her success in the luxury market.

Our client had no connections to rely upon.  Like the other two she is an excellent agent. She could not get into the door of either sphere, even though she is as competent as they are.  As #3 she had a solid sold portfolio of luxury homes.  

What she could do better than anyone else is related to the new wealth and economy that was growing in the marketplace, and the areas where they wanted to live, which differed from her competitors.. She was a natural for those who fit that category.  They could easily relate to her on many levels! Remember, people like to do business with people like them!

Do You Know What Your Unfair/Competitive Advantage Is?

Please don't tell us that your unfair advantage is your competence, your integrity, your website ranking, your market reports, your blog, your CRM, your photos, your videos, your coach, and the shiny new things you recently bought. These are all nice shoes.

Remember, "It is the individual that wins the race, not the shoes"

Monday Musings: Where is the Beef or Differentiator?

One of the most important aspects an ad should emphasize especially when launching an a new product or service is the beef --- their differentiator. (Unique features and/or benefits of a product, or aspects of a brand, that set it apart from competing products or brands.) from their competitors.  

The ad is beautiful, well directed and you will no doubt be humming the song from Frozen, "Let it Go" after viewing the new Audi ad for their electric car. Their emphasis is on sustainablity via an electric car!  How do they differ from Tesla in the luxury market if that is their target market?  Tesla is all about sustainability, as are many electric or hybrid cars like the Prius which was ahead of its time many moons ago.

When creating a marketing campaign on line, video  or any other form, remember to include what sets you apart from your competition.  Other wise it is more same-o, same-o, oh, oh!!

Marketing Savvy: Two Strong Marketing Trends to Dial Into!

As we review the trends, we are noticing that two important trends which emerged in the last quarter of 2019, are making their mark on 2020.  The first is CX (Consumer Experience) and the second is UX ( User Experience on the web). Luxury is being redefined not as  acquiring the biggest, the best, and the most expensive stuff,  instead luxury is defined as both time and  the lifestyle of experiences.   How does that apply to luxury as well as any other branch of real estate?

CX/ Consumer/Client Experience

We all agree that buying and selling real estate is an emotional as well as a business experience.  Buyers and sellers want to be taken care of, and feel that in your hands whether you are selling or buying they are taken care and can spend time (the other luxury) doing what they want to be doing.  You communicate and stay in touch as the transaction evolves. Peace of mind is a luxury regardless of the price of a home, everyone who buys or sells a home deserves this.  

UX /User Experience

Web experience focused on pleasing the Google gods is not necessarily something that is exciting nor does it leave an elevated emotional experience for the onlooker.. Ron and I often study websites both real estate and other businesses.  

What makes a sticky site, is when your brand is translated into digital by emphasizing the identity with beautiful visuals of and for your target market. Simple and intuitive design focused  on user understanding is key.  The site should have great search or interactivity, and be technically reliable.  The visual can include motion graphics (pieces of animation or digital footage), which done right is a wow!  We have never been fans of signing in to view a real estate or any other website, it is so easy to click away and find another site in the same category.

 Both CX and UX are expressions of your personal or company brand. In both cases you need to focus on how your client feels about working with you.  If you elevate their experience into a pleasurable event both in person and on the web, this will spark word of mouth advertising, something money, SEO/SEM nor digital ads can buy!

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Maya Angelou

Savvy Marketing: Telling Twisted Tales or Trust and Truth?

Recently someone mentioned that they were uncomfortable marketing themselves.  They felt they would be boasting, and people would be turned off by their boasts.  That is true based on the definitiong of boasting: showing excessive pride and self-satisfaction in one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.  We would refer to boasting as "twisted tales" meaning there is an element of truth with a twist of boasting.

The two governing principles in running any successful company are trust and truth.  These principles are applicable to the business of real estate, if market leadership is your quest as a real estate marketing professionals.  

“When they trust you, you'll get truth. And if you get truth, you get speed. If you get speed, you're going to act. That's how it works.” Jack Welch, (former CEO at GE who during this 20 year tenure increased the company’s value from $14 billion to 500 billion).  

In your listing presentations, be sure that you can pass the “no-spin” test.  Twisted tales about market value, eyewash or any sugar coated facts will most definitely come back to haunt you.

Your relationships with other agents in your marketplace should also follow the same principles if you expect to be in the business for the long run.  Be accessible and insure that your trusted assistant helps to get things done ASAP.

What will be your choice? Telling Twisted Tales or Trust and Truth?

Brand Positioning: Becoming A Game Changer with What You Stand For!

Simply stated, brand positioning is the space that a given brand occupies in the mind of its customers or clients.  What does your personal or company brand stand for?  Where do you stand in the minds of their target market in relationship to your competition? 

This is your brand position. In the commoditized world of real estate marketing, your ability to clearly define and effectively communicate your brand position is the most powerful way accelerate the pace at which you grow your business and you become the game changer.

In the fiercely competitive beer market, this recent campaign by Miller Beer was in our opinion brilliant.  Created by DDB Chicago positions the age old slogan of Miller Beer "It's Miller Time!" as the original social media, is positioned as the antidote to  collective social media. 

The company’s research found that people will spend five and a half years of their lives on social media, and 50% of 21-to-27 year olds only meet up with their close friends a few times a month.  

Take time to view the following 3 videos (total time 2 minutes and 2 seconds) Each makes a clear statement as to the difference between a few thousand followers vs a few friends called "Followers". 

We also like this 16 second video called Swiping Left. It is takes as gentle poke at on line dating!

And we wish you lots of HahaHa moments with your friends with this additional 16 seconds video.

To add to the campaign's momentum, the brand is "complementing this notion with a promotion that will reward drinkers who unfollow Miller Lite on Facebook and Instagram with free beer. Just text a photo or screenshot to an SMS short code and include keyword “Unfollow,” and the brand will send you a link to upload a receipt from buying some Miller Lite, and the brand will credit your PayPal account. Miller Lite is also taking two weeks off from any social media of its own.

Whether you are selling beer or real estate, you have to stand out in the minds of your clients.  Taking command of how your personal or company brand is perceived in the minds of your target market is the essence of brand positioning. As a real estate marketing professional, if you do this right you can become the game changer in your marketplace.

What does Your Brand Stand For?

Branding Moment: A Fun Brand--We Egg To Differ!

Pictured above is Sir Kensington's brand of mayonnaise that describes what makes it unique and different. We were drawn to the fact that it has no GMO (Genetic Modified Organism). The rest of the ingredients were above and beyond reproach for our standards and taste.

And yes, it tastes really good, it reminded of the mayonnaise my mother used to make by hand--no mixer needed.  I really liked their video which summed their mission statement and what they stand for and how they are different from other brands.

How do you Egg  Beg to Differ?

Branding Moment: Mixed Messaging!

The clearer your marketing message is, the easier it is for your intended customer to respond and give you call.  When the message is baffling, very few will take the time to figure your message out, unless they are related to you.

As we were heading down to Salt Lake City from Park City, (pictured above) is a van that was in front of us.  Both Ron and I were were trying to understand the message.  What was  the relationship between the Serenity Spa by Westgate, and the Edge Steakhouse?  Why were they represented on the same truck?

And like many who are baffled by mixed messages, we chose to ignore after we took a picture for a branding moment post, passed the truck, and turned our attention elsewhere!  

Cultivating A Luxury Mindset: Do You Have An Open Mind?

This video was brought to our attention by our friend at Apple on New Year's Day.  Before they open the store each morning,, they have a meeting of all their employees of the day to discuss how to serve their customers better.  They viewed this video, which was their inspiration of the day. Our friend loved the video and was inspired by it.

This is the attitude to cultivate. An open mind will bring you more business and great connections! Take a moment to view this two minute video, and as I write this post it has been viewed over 4 million times.

In other words, see every individual you meet in a new unit of time. mindfully., Mindfully means without the baggage of pre-conceived notions and prejudices. Are you willing to act like human and not like a robot with canned answers ? Are you willing to at least try? Whether you are selling/listing a double wide or a $100 million mansion, every seller/buyer deserves to be treated with a luxury mindset!

What do you think?

LLLL: The Luxury of Life Long Learning!

We are both extremely passionate about learning something new every single day of our life.  It is a way to expand our perspective and enjoy the world we live in that much more.

Yesterday, we had signed up for an hour and a half tutorial at the Apple Store in order to learn more about the 11 Pro, which I recently bought by trading in my 10X.   The class was called video walk and how to create cinematic effects. 

Our teacher suggested the historic Arcada building in Santa Barbara as a great video subject.  We shot 16 minutes worth of film, which we reduced to under a minute . You can see what we came up with, and had fun doing as we watched the Oregon Ducks win the Rose Bowl...

We used stock music and sound effects that are part of iMovie app..   Ron was so pleased, since he found it so much easier to work with the App rather than with iMovie on the Mac.  And I am looking forward to applying the principles our teacher taught us in making a film/video, even though we have attended film classes at UCLA as taught by some of the great directors and cinematographers.

On our extended staff, one of the gentlemen we work with is a two time Emmy award winner.  I watched him film the entire sequence of the French Laundry truffle dinner on an 11Pro.  It looked just as good as the following sequence the video that was shot in Pebble Beach with his pro camera...

Our advice, if you on an iPhone regardless of which incarnation, sign up for their courses.  The photo session alone was an eye opener, and the classes are free!   Luxury is Life Long Learning!

Happy New Year!

Ron and wish all our readers a wonderful prosperous and very happy New Year.

A Remarkable Holiday Branding Moment: Communicating With Smart Design!

As we approach the end of the holiday season, we would be remiss in not mentioning how Nordstom communicated the spirit of the holiday with smart design. We were impressed with the Nordstrom's holiday themed bag!  Pictured above is one side of the bag. 

And, here is the other side.  From the day, they premiered this bag, we have asked many what their impression was.  Everyone we spoke to really liked it. This is the perfect example of communication with smart design.  The message is clear, no words are needed!

Merry Christmas & Merry Everything You Enjoy Celebrating!

Ron and I wish you an abundance of joy, and merry making this season.  Among all the decorations we have seen this year, none come close to the magnificent light displays we saw in Utah both in Salt Lake and Park City this past week.  

All  photos were taken as we were driving in to Park City from the Salt Lake City airport.

Here is another moving shot, we loved all the amazing colors!  The whole town was lit up!

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday celebration!  Cheers!

Monday Musings: Details Will Make or Break You!

Pictured above is the ceiling detail of a mixed use building is the downtown area in Santa Barbara.  In our opinion, this is just one of the reasons all the condos in the building sold out in record time.

In the successful organization, no detail is too small to escape close attention

Lou Holtz

We are firm believers in the importance of details, when it comes to presenting oneself in a selling situation.  Those little details will make or break you every time.  In selling or listing luxury real estate or any other type of real estate, you are being trusted to represent either the property or the buyer.  In order to that you are also representing yourself.  You cannot afford to be lackadaisical when it comes to details, if you want the job.  

At present we are working with a large company that is about to launch a new large luxury enterprise.  We are charged with the branding, the presentation,  the website development and choosing the right people for the job.

Ron has interviewed several web developers. We were down to two finalists.  Ron reviewed both websites.  The first website had a welcoming video with no sound.  Assuming that it may have a glitch on our side, he found the video on You-Tube, and there was no sound there either. 

Then he viewed the video by the CEO of the company.  It took the CEO ten minutes to get to the point of why one should choose his company for the job.  The first nine minutes were filled with too much personal information, which had no bearing on the company and was of no interest to us.

The second website was simple and to the point.  There were no glitches, and no personal opinions or information to distract from the purpose of this company's existence.  

Without saying a word about our impressions, we also had our real estate web developer meet face to face with both since they are in the same city, and his impressions were similar to ours.  

We have all our work proof read.  We are adamant about missing pixels, reject pictures of homes with trees blocking the view, getting the color right, as well as the grammar and spelling. We insist on double checking statistics, and avoiding glittering generalities like (top 1% or voted broker of the year, or dubious awards or designations for favorite nation). We verify, research and verify again.

The difference between something good and something great is attention to detail

Charles R. Swindoll

Although many may not notice that the pictures on a site are out of focus, over photo-shopped or are not in HDR mode, they will have a feeling as to why they don't like the site or its presentation.  It is details that lodge themselves in most peoples subconscious.

It is not necessarily about aesthetics because we all have style preferences it is about the details in the final product. You may not like the product, but you admire the intricate details.  We have taken many visitors to this building, some loved the architecture, some did not.  They all agreed that they loved the attention to the details and the details themselves.

To create something exceptional, your mindset must be relentlessly focused on the smallest detail.--Giorgio Armani

This is the bench on the side of the building, did you notice the Buddha under the bench!

Do your details need to be reviewed?