Palos Verdes Lifestyle - Norma Toering's Palos Verdes Homes Blog

I have wondered about that.  I suppose you could have two brands depending on where your focus is for different clients and properties.  Keep your "equestrian estates and luxury coastal homes" brand and develop another for condos and less upscale properties.  Although I would keep all the marketing materials similar so they relate well together.

Good luck with expanding your appeal and expertise to include a larger market!

Good point.  Try branded and unbranded. 

Deborah - Thanks for your suggestions.

Kathryn - The buyer met me in my unbranded area, but she's obviously reading ads and seeing signs for properties in my branded area.  At least I know the brand is working!

Norma, you are right about that. In fact that's one of the main fears of the acting industry! Once Gilligan became Giligan, he was always Gilligan.

You'll be fine...try a secondary marketing plan to a whole new batch of people. You don't have to interrupt your current marketing just go for another. If done right...one won't dilute the other. Good luck!

Later in the rain~Deb

Norma, this is a really great post.  I think anyone reading it might have done the same thing I did:  Pause, think, ponder, and now review (for the rest of my life!!).  Thank you!

P.S. Speaking of branding, you did an awesome job with the "branding" of your title.  Brand - burn.  That was great!

I have thought about that when I see Realtors in my area who brand themselves as luxury home specialists. I'm sorry that you missed out on the listing, hopefully it won't happen again. Have a good one.

Debra - I'm adding a new mix to my marketing, and it won't mention luxury or equestrian because the new area is neither.  It will carry the same logo and style just target a different audience. 

Mark - Thanks for the compliment, and a review of our marketing material is always a good idea.

JL, it was a nice reminder to make sure my marketing is not too specific.

Norma

Thanks for making us think about what we are doing? I guess we have to market to everyone.

Gary - Yes, not too generic and not to0 specific.  Sort of a one size fits all approach.

Excellent point Norma. It's a difficult choice. I know there have been times when I've worried about focusing on such a small area of the market (my town) but as Seth Godin says, "small is the new big". I don't think it hurts to let others know even though that's your specialty, you work with all price ranges.

Colleen, I like that quote, and although I'm good at limiting my geographical area, I do sell everything from condos to country estates in my area!  I think I'll work on spreading that concept a bit better!

Norma, I've often wondered the same thing.  I try to be as specific as I can in my marketing, and it's difficult to try and cover all the ground.   I do try to make sure that it doesn't come back and burn me! 

I had a similar experience lately.  I ran into a woman I worked with years ago and she said she didn't think to call me to help her find a house since I was President of my board and she didn't think her under $100,000 purchase would matter to me.  Shocked me!

Ray - It's difficult to be all things to all people.  I think we have to watch our verbiage -- the prospective buyer I referred to in my blog thought I only sold equestrian and coastal properties.

Sandra - Funny how people do their own branding sometimes!

I don't think its a bad thing to have a specific niche.  I think a lot of people in this industry fail because they aren't specific enough.  I always worry that if I am not specific enough I will be labeled a jack of all trades and a master of none.  I would rather be considered the master of a certain niche, and risk missing out on a sale here and there.  You've probably earned way more business by being considered a specialist than you've lost from possibly alienating other areas of the market.  Just a thought... 

Ben - I like your thought, and I hope it is true! 

Norma,

 

Good point.  But your expertise has to fall into one or two areas of specialization. 

I think this will always be one of the pitfalls in our business. I think everyone has their own perception and many people make their own judgments without first asking the question. 

We try to cover all of the bases, talk up the business wherever we go...only to find your neighbor 2 houses down the street who has known you and talked to you for 5 years, puts their house up for sale with another Realtor.  Then they tell you, "Oh, I didn't know you could help me sell my house."  Often times it's so frustrating! I find that sometimes people have very short memories.

Sometimes, I think it's a matter of being in the right place at the right time!   

 

 

Sandy - I've always said everyone knows at least three real estate agents, and it's a matter of timing and a touch of luck as to which friend they will select--sometimes they select a stranger to avoid hurt feelings!