Outstanding packaging is an important way to express your superior level of attention to detail. For many high net worth individuals this is an indication of the level of quality service they can expect when they do business with you as a luxury real estate marketing professional.

In the arena of competition for market leadership the differences between the #1 and #2 competitor is sometimes marginal in terms of volume of business.  Each one claims they have the most in-depth market knowledge, that they have integrity, the best negotiation skills and that they offer excellent service.  If they both essentially have the same set of benefits, including their companies’ benefits, on what basis does the consumer make his or her choice to begin a new business relationship given that  a referral was not the basis of the introduction?

You have heard the expression, “you cannot judge a book by its cover”. But, more often than you realize packaging is the basis of choice for consumers who are not introduced to a product or service by a trusted recommendation. Many consumers select their wines based solely on the aesthetics of the label and the cleverness of the name, i.e., the packaging.

That is why some wineries pay as much as $80,000 just for a label design.  In Napa Valley, there are many fine wines of the same varietal priced similarly. In fact, in a blind taste test,  they are difficult to tell apart except for those who have the most educated palates.  Which one should the uninformed consumer buy?

Aesthetics play a very big role in romancing consumers to purchase a product or to do business with a service professional.  Here is an example of how this plays out.

Most of us love chocolate cake.  Get the idea that two bakers use the finest fresh organic ingredients to create a great chocolate cake batter.  They use the exact same recipe and the same oven, at the same time to bake their cakes. In a blind taste test, consumers cannot tell the difference between the two. 

But, following this example, one baker used an inexpensive Bundt pan and the other used a top-of-the-line pinwheel designed pan that clearly made her cake stand out visually from the ordinary shaped caked.  This detail that only cost 1/3 more created a superior presentation that also sparked word-of-mouth advertising because it literally was “remarkable”.

In marketing luxury real estate pay attention to the details in your presentation of your personal brand and also in the properties you represent. That alone can tip the scales in your favor to win more clients and out-perform your closest competitor.  This goes to show that you have have your cake and eat it too!

 This blog posting has been provided by Ron and Alexandra Seigel, the Language of Luxury Community Founders and managing partners of Napa Consultants, International, the leading luxury real estate strategic marketing firm. They specialize in personal and company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing. Photos courtesy of Ron and Alexandra.