Savvy Brand Marketing: Is Your Marketing Remarkable or Ho-Hum?

Pictured above is packaging for coffee that I spotted on this Monday morning, while shopping a Trader Joe's. I was impressed by the packaging, the colors and the graphics that went into selling coffee beans. There is nothing ho-hum about this packaging. Note the red color on the side of the bags, as well as the gold lettering!

And here is the full display of the vignette they took time to create and build. Given the price of each bag is $9.99, the packaging is worthy of beans priced at $19.99. This may not be your taste in color, however, you cannot deny that it is remarkable!

Being at the top of your game as a real estate marketing professional regardless of your niche requires being consistently remarkable.  After all, you are selling one of the largest investments your clients may make in their lives.

Your marketing materials are your silent brand messengers.  This includes your web site, your marketing message, as well as any printed material you share with the public as well as other agents, such as postcards, presentation folder, and handouts at broker opens or open houses. 

These need to stand out and communicate your identity and its congruency with your target market.  And they will communicate to your intended market your savvy in brand marketing!

Are your marketing materials remarkable or ho-hum?

Savvy Brand Marketing: How Potent is Your Message?

Do you keep repeating the same marketing message without satisfactory results? Perhaps it is time to create a better message that distills your value proposition to its essence.  

The key is to condense your marketing message so that it is both instantly appealing and memorable.  When crafting a brand strategy for any niche of a real estate marketing professional or company our job to distill our client’s extraordinary promise of value into a very brief message.  

The discipline is very much like writing haiku, the Japanese poems of just seventeen syllables, in three lines of five, seven and five traditionally evoking images of the natural world.

Trust us when we say that trying to come up with this potent, concentrated message on your own is not easy. Often people opt out for copying slogans of other agents in different geographical markets.

But, when you nail it, it is like hearing a clear radio signal without any static. In just four words,  Fed Ex said what it stood for, "The World on Time!"

Distilling your brand message to its essence helps spark word-of-mouth advertising.  If the message truly resonates with your target market it can “go viral” and spread quickly like a quote from a famous person that you keep hearing even after the person is no longer alive. 

Pictured above is Albert Einstein who said,

““The definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result”.”

So, if you find yourself repeating the same marketing strategies and not getting the results you deserve, it may be time to change your message. 

Clarify your unique promise of value and then go into the operating room.  Or, give us a call. Happy to help.

Does Your Message Distill Your Value Proposition To Its Essence?

Branding Moment: Branding Explained in a Nutshell of a Quote!

"The rose is without 'why'; it blooms simply because it blooms. It pays no attention to itself, nor does it ask whether anyone sees it." 

~ Angelus Silesius

Angelus Silesius, born Johann Scheffler and also known as Johann Angelus Silesius, was a German Catholic priest and physician, known as a mystic and religious poet. Born and raised a Lutheran, he adopted the name Angelus and the epithet Silesius on converting to Catholicism in 1653. Wikipedia

This quote describes perfectly what makes a brand stand out.  I happen to find it as I was looking for rose quotes as this rose photo pictured above caught my attention.  A good brand is obvious, and needs no hoopla, explanation or justification for its existence... 

It is daunting task for many to reach this goal, as one our recent commenters stated. It is doable.  It may be difficult for some,  because one has to shed all the preconceived notions, opinions and inculcations of many well-meaning souls. 

Happy Wednesday!

Branding Moment: Three Choices, Which One Would You Choose?

Many events happen in Santa Barbara County. Recently as we are driving on errands and appointements, we have been noticing different vendors on the freeways. Pictured above is the first one, Town & Country we noticed.

The next one pictured above is Theoni. They serve Napa, Beverly Hills & "Beyond".

The third one is a local brand called Bright Event Rental.  their trucks come in various rainbow colors.  The event rental part in bright yellow on the door, and this is the best angle of the photo I could get while Ron was driving.  The link goes to the company video. 

All three are candidates for a big event rental.  On first impression, which one would you choose?  I have included their websites, if you care to delve further.   

I will share my impressions, after I read yours and the reasons behind them, in my next post.

Savvy Marketing: Co-Marketing Dole Pineapple & Disney's Pixar!

We noticed this unusual co-marketing while shopping in the fruit aisle.  We both were intrigued by the tag attached to a Dole pineapple.  And we wondered why Disney's Pixar is co-marketing with Dole.  

We turned the tag over (pictured above), and there was a vague explanation (both in English and in French). It was an invitation to visit their website.

On the website, you will find digital downloads of Dole and Pixar stickers.  You can make your own chef's hat, download a ratatouille place-mat, and view easy to make recipe videos.  Additional recipes can be printed.

We were impressed by this video.  It was well done and easy to follow.  The idea behind it was to engage the adults and children to have a good time being together (especially during this of health crisis) and include cooking together.  This also incorporates the message of healthy eating, and they even included a vegan recipe.  

And of course, it was about keeping the Disney brand alive and visible while the parks are closed. In our opinion this was very well done.  Bravo to both!

Branding Moment: Perfect Branding & Slogan!

It is always a delight for us to discover perfect branding with a perfect slogan.  Pictured above is an example of a place we frequent. This is definitely a place that the gardeners and landscapers in the area frequent.   

You have to know where it is because it is easy to miss as one drives along Milpas Avenue.   You enter via a driveway, and drive out the alley behind the store.

Since we had planned to move our dwarf Meyer lemon trees to bigger pots, we asked them if they could recommend soil that would enhance the life of our trees, (organic preferably).  Pictured above is the potting soil that they keep re-ordering to keep it in stock, because all the local pro gardeners and landscapers love it.

And service was impeccable.  We drove in yesterday and today for more soil, we popped our trunk open and they loaded our car.  Ron went in to pay with his phone.  Within minutes we were on our way home.

The brand and slogan are perfect.  A three word brand tells you who they are and what they do.  And the slogan attracts people like us who enjoy gardening and growing like pros!

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.

Instead of Just Fishing, Go Where the Fish Are Biting...

On our beach walks, we meet fishermen and women who fish.   When we ask how do they determine where to cast their lines, their response is:  " Look where the birds are in the distance! That is where the fish are!"  And sure enough, as we look in the distance, we can see flocks of pelicans, cormorants  and other sea birds enjoying their meal!

On a whale watch in the Santa Barbara channel, the naturalist mentioned that the whales on their migration to Alaska follow the dolphins to feed. Like the birds,  the dolphins know were the fish are. And the moment the lookouts see the dolphins, they steer the boat in that direction!  It is one way to spot the whales.

In real estate, take the time to become objective and analyze the sales statistics of your marketplace. Exactly what is selling and where? The first key is to discover where the fish are biting. Then go fishing there.

But, you better have a clear sense of how you can serve this faster paced market segment better than your competition.  Your unique value proposition must be superior and it must be communicated explicitly through your personal or company brand.

We say, when you get your branding  spot on you actually do not have to go fishing for prospects, the fish will start jumping in your boat.  If you are able to clearly articulate your distinct promise of value to your target market sales should become irrelevant because you are succinctly letting them know, with certainty, that you can resolve their most pressing challenges.

While others are fighting for the prestige that comes with winning a fewer number of trophy listings, you could be out-thinking them by selling a higher volume of mid-range properties. 

One of the mother and daughter teams we worked with had settled on working in a super exclusive area.  When together we analyzed the market place, it was obvious that were rarely a fish in this market place. One or two homes a year sold there.

The hot market was elsewhere.  It was in the mid-range condominiums, that were being built in the downtown area. The daughter was on the board of the city redevelopment group as the downtown area was being spiffed up.  This became their fishing ground, and once in a while they listed one of the ultra luxury properties.

This price range, as a niche, is often overlooked by those vying for the big fish and can thus become under-served.  Develop an outrageous and extraordinary promise of value. Bowl them over with service that makes you stand out and you will have a winning formula for success.

Branding Moment: Does This Brand Resonate with You ?

We spotted this delivery truck not long ago at the Santa Barbara harbor. The look was interesting and the message intriguing. “To the misfits, black sheep and skrewballs.”

The dictionary defines “screwball” as: “an eccentric, impulsively whimsical, or irrational person” which may explain the use of the letter “K” in its spelling.. Black sheep is defined as:: ”the outcast of the family because they choose to do other things than live up to their parents' standards”. Misfits “ refer to those who are unable to adjust to one's environment or circumstances or are considered to be awkwardly different from others.”.

Does this brand resonate with you?

Branding Moment: A Remarkable Brand Presentation via Zoom!

Being at the top of your game in the realm of marketing luxury products or services requires being consistently remarkable, especially with your presentation materials.  To stand out everything you present must communicate your core identity, be congruency and fully engage your your target market. Here is an example:

Pictured above is the invitation to a zoom meeting by Dom Pérignon’s Chef de Cave (Cellar Master and Head Winemaker). This package was sent just to Private Clients of Dom Pérignon who were invited to this exclusive tasting event. A bottle of 2010 Champagne was rated with 100 points by wine experts and two glasses were part of this box.. This included the instructions for the meeting.

Brand Story: Telling Your Brand Story From Three Perspectives

In the art of marketing YOU or your business, we like to emphasize that telling your story should have three perspectives: Stories of LOVE, stories to INSPIRE, and stories of SOUL.  If we were to tell the story of the beach/ocean we love, here is one way we would say it.  Pictured above is a view of the ocean and the sea wall that protects the homes above it from the winter high tides.

The next photo is of the colors of boulders in the sea wall which also illustrates the power of the ocean as it lodges large pieces of driftwood between the boulders. From our viewpoint, it INSPIRES the appreciation of Nature's artistic hand.

The picture above represents the SOUL of the ocean. The ocean waves and winds carved a pool in the rock. That tiny pool that is generating new life. Mussels are growing, along with sea moss and other shells.  

A well told brand story from these three perspectives creates an instantaneous bond between you/your company and your intended target market. They can relate to you because your story resonates witth their perspectives.

Does your brand tell a story?

Branding Moment: Do You Need a Brand?

Do you need a brand for your luxury real estate marketing business?  You need a brand if you are in pursuit of market leadership in your chosen niche. A clearly articulated brand facilitates referrals and decision-making on both sides (sellers/buyers) of the real estate game. 

Like it or not, we are branded from the moment we are born.  We are branded by gender. Brands are labels; they are a shortcut and a time saver for the mind.  They are so obvious that we take them for granted. They become invisible. 

The moment we look at someone, our mind’s computer begins to assess and pigeonhole. The more we are pressed for time the more we rely on snap judgments.  

With products and services, once we pigeonhole a product or service in a category we equate the category and the brand. And, we only have room for a few products or services in each category, at least from the standpoint of being able to readily recall the brand name. The goal of branding is to achieve top-of-mind status in that short list of products or services within any given category.

To stand out and reach the top of the list you have to make it easy for others to communicate about your brand to others.  That is the challenge of branding. It is all about making a compelling case to be at the top of the mental list, in your category, for your target market.  If they are convinced that you should be at the top of their list, you must empower them to convince others.

Think of a brand that you like.  What would you tell someone about it?  How did that brand get to the top of your list? Getting to the point where one wants to refer you requires a continuous strategy and marketing plan that secures your brand recognition and your dominance in the marketplace. 

Do You Need a Brand?

Savvy Marketing: Creative, Eye Catching, & A Win-Win Solution!

Pictured above is the front side of an 8 1/2" by 11" postcard.  We received this card from the Rubicon Theatre Company who due to our present health crisis cannot resume live theatre.  We loved their creative solution.  The Ventura County Fairgrounds which also canceled their annual event has become the Rubicon Theatre's stage for plays, and musical performances.

Rubicon Goes Retro is their theme for their Summer Season.  What is meant by that is we the people, who are mandated to social distance can enjoy live theatre and concert series. From the safety of our cars, we can enjoy 75 minute concerts presented on an elevated stage.  Here is the exact excerpt from their website,

Think Drive-In Movie Meets Live Concert

Every couple of weeks, we’ll offer a 75-minute concert in the parking lot at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. Drivers will park in every other space to ensure plenty of safe distance between cars. Concerts are presented on an elevated stage with a live video feed to large screens. Gates open at 6:30 p.m.; be sure to pack a picnic or pick up a meal from your favorite local restaurant. We start at 8:00 p.m. – around sunset – so you can enjoy the lighting effects and multimedia, and sound is broadcast through an FM frequency.

This is creative and eye catching marketing.  The Win-Win is the best part of the story.  The Ventura Fairgrounds will have an income for the summer, the audience will have live entertainment, where they can actually go somewhere (canoodle in the car), and the performers will be able to do what they love to do and earn money.

We salute the Rubicon Theatre Company for their creative solution.  As Albert Einstein said, "Creativity is contagious, pass it on!"  And we just did to all of you!

Branding Moment: Chocolate & Zucchini!

One way of coming up with a brand name is to describe what you do is to find a way that cleverly expresses one's range of services and products.  Here is an example of this concept in branding:

In her Alphabet mysteries, Sue Grafton immortalized Santa Barbara (Santa Theresa) with her ace detective heroine, Kinsey Mullhone. She planned to write the series ending with Z, and sadly passed away in 2017.  Her first book was A for Alibi, and her last book was Y for Yesterday.  Rumor has it that Z was for Zero....The Alphabet concept was a great brand.  When you heard the words, Alphabet mysteries, that was synonymous with Sue Grafton, who prior to writing books was a script writer in Hollywood.

Years ago, when we were doing research on the idea of blogging, we came upon this odd name for a blog, "Chocolate & Zucchini".  The tag line accompanying it, is, "Simple recipes from my Paris kitchen."  It illustrated perfectly who the author was and her reasons for blogging.

In the words of the author, Clotilde Dusoulier, when asked Why Chocolate & Zucchini? 

It is a good metaphor for my cooking style: the zucchini illustrates my focus on healthy and natural foods: fresh produce, artisanal goods, organic and local ingredients. And the chocolate represents my decidedly marked taste for desserts in general, and chocolate in particular. I even belong to a French chocolate tasting society". 

Clotilde left the Bay area (San Francisco working in tech) to pursue her dreams of becoming a food writer, and moved back to her native France. She accomplished  her dream by writing her blog for 17 years, and writing for a variety of food publications.. In our opinion, this is a wonderful brand!

Branding Moment: Should You Use Your Name As Your Brand?

Coco Chanel 1928 

Should use your name as your personal brand in all branches of  real estate marketing?  The best test to determine this is to ask yourself, “Am Iready to achieve celebrity status in my marketplace?”  If you are prepared to have your name stand for a particular market niche that you can dominate, we say, “Go for it!”

Think of some of the most recognizable personal brands:  Seal, Sting, Cher, Oprah, Ellen, Coco.  What category of celebrity comes to mind for each? 

Chanel to this day remains as one of the most famous fashion design houses. Some of the original and iconic styles (shoes, purses, suit styles) that Coco created remain part of the line to this day in 2020.  Although there have been numerous knockoffs, they pale next to the original. She was the master of what she termed "expensive simplicity."  She wanted her clothes and her design to stand out with their impeccable standards.

The company founder, Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel, was one of the most highly recognized personal brands in her time. In fact, she was the only person to be named in the field of fashion on the Time [Magazine] Top 100: The Most Important People of the [20th] Century.  

Clearly, Coco enjoyed top-of-mind status in the field of high fashion as a personal brand, a status that extends to the company brand as well, to this day.  Top-of-mind is the goal of any real estate marketing professional  aiming for market leadership and celebrity status. 

Are you ready for celebrity status in your luxury or any other real estate marketplace? If not, you might want to consider a different tact when approaching your personal branding, other than using your name as your brand.  

Branding Moment: How to Stretch Your Marketing Dollars!

There is no doubt that a well created brand does not need to outspend the competition to market themselves, if they understand what branding really is. So many mistake a logo or color as a brand they can identify with. These just represent the harmonious aesthetics, rather than the heart of a brand.

The aim of branding for real estate agents, companies and all other professions is to communicate in an instant, the essence of the brand's personality, the core values of the brand, and why someone should do business with this brand instead of your competition.

Successful communication occurs when the ideal clients recognize that your brand represents someone they can trust. Your clients/target market can easily convey to others why they chose your brand for the job in a few words.

If you get the message right you can spark word-of-mouth advertising or buzz marketing which is the best way to stretch your marketing dollar. The right message triggers an emotional response by quickly establishing your professionalism and your likability. 

It also compels people to do business with you because it transmits your unique selling proposition, your promise of value to them, in a nutshell. The ultimate message gets people talking about you, and sending you business.

Marketing Savvy: Spring Cleaning and the Eiffel Tower!

Since many of the various real estate sectors have slowed down with the current global conditions, this a great time to do some spring cleaning, and take a look as to how you can improve or innovate your marketing.

We have been reviewing our website, removing broken links, updating our photo and our elevator video.  We bought a new elevator. This was a decision we made because the last frame of the video had a shot of the Eiffel tower.  The new elevator is the one you will see at the Eiffel tower!  We felt it made for a better video and demonstrated our attention to detail and congruency!

Happy Tuesday, Happy Spring Cleaning!

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?