As a luxury real estate marketer, it can be strategically advantageous to anchor your location as an important component of your personal brand identity. Doing so can significantly increase the emotional appeal of your brand because it promotes the fact that you are an ambassador of goodwill in your market. Promote your market more than you demonstrate your marketing expertise and sell it in the process.
Here are examples of luxury brands incorporating geography into their marketing strategy and how it can be applied to personal branding for realtors:
Donna Karan New York-DKNY
DKNY produces men’s and women’s clothing aimed at the urban chic crowd. In a recent article in Magazine InterviewDonna Karan explains:
“When Donna Karan started, I didn’t like the name donna karan. I had a real problem with that. I was so used to designing under someone else’s name that I didn’t want to go out under my own. I’m sitting in the kitchen and I see the name “Maud Frizon/Paris, London” on a shoebox. I’m thinking, “That’s great. What about Donna Karan New York?” Because it won’t be about me. It will be about New York City. Why New York City? Because New York City tells the world. I wanted an international brand. Donna Karan is just another boring name. I want everything to be about the lives of the people of New York. I mean, everyone relates to New York as a bridge to the world. That’s how New York got in.”
Donald Pliner
Donald Pliner produces shoes aimed at the upper segment of the casual market: the company’s slogan, “Made in the mountains of Italy” (not just Made in Italy) connotes a relaxed place where shoes are well made, as opposed to an industrial place where high production quotas are more important than high quality.
Lindt Swiss Chocolate
Swiss chocolate evokes the feeling of the beautiful alpine mountains, the concept of precision and excellence, so you know the chocolate is going to be great!
The center crowns
Downtown Crowns, a mother-daughter luxury real estate team in downtown San Diego, are experts at promoting their market through their popular blog. The Downtown Crowns are very active participants in their community. They understand the principle of “promote your market more than you do.” And, your brand is a clear example of geographic branding applied to personal branding for real estate agents.
The United States is full of geographical gems. What is yours and how can you demonstrate your marketing expertise by promoting your market more than you?