Branding and Marketing for New Development

When new condo and rental buildings are developed, tons of effort and attention is given to creating a brand for the new residence and building an in-depth marketing strategy – and in order to achieve the goal of successfully selling or renting units at the desired price point, there are a variety of marketing KPIs that need to be established first. Let’s talk about 4 success factors for creating a strong brand and impactful marketing campaign. 

  1. Fit in.

The overall goal of the brand is to give potential customers a first impression of what it would be like to live in your building. This includes not only the features of the building and all the amenities that come with it, but also the neighborhood, lifestyle, and way of life in the new development. Fundamental research is needed to gain insight about lifestyle trends, the vibe of the neighborhood, and of course your target audience. For example, if your new development is set in a very young and vibrant community like the East Village, you’ll want to make sure that the brand you’re creating is an extension of the lifestyle that people are seeking to embody in this area. 

     2. Stand out.

New York City is without any doubt one of the most competitive real estate markets in the world. The budgets spent on branding and marketing new developments are extremely high since their outcome can be as well when done effectively. As a result, potential customers are hit with a lot of different marketing when looking for an apartment. New developments compete – not only with the features and amenities they offer but also with their brand experience. Buildings that intend to claim a unique and modern living experience need to stand out with their brand in order to connect with potential customers. 

    3. Get creative.

In order to catch the attention of potential clients and connect with them on an emotional level, not only does the brand need to stand out, your marketing messages do too. We’ve passed the time where you only see a sign saying “now selling, contact the agent.” Nowadays, we have virtual stagings, video tours, mockups, email blasts, elaborate events, and so on. 

Even with all the modern forms of communication that digitalization has to offer, you need to find creative and unique ways to use them. Let’s say you want to create a video tour of your recently finished model unit in your building. In order to rise above the wave of Instagram posts, get liked, and get shared, you need to do something special; use the beautiful kitchen to cook dinner, park the Mercedes in the garage, pop a bottle of champagne on the balcony, or use your child to host the tour. But most importantly: don’t forget your brand values and identity that will capture the right client.

   4. Orchestrate your campaign.

In New York City’s fast-moving real estate market, timing is everything, so don’t come up with a marketing strategy when your development is almost finished. Start before breaking ground. Begin early by creating social accounts. Post content about the neighborhood if there’s nothing much to show about the building itself yet. Use Google and Facebook analytics to track potential customers and try to provide them with a customer journey that features multiple touchpoints. 

When planning your campaign, orchestrate the different communication channels so that messages complement each other. Set up a point in your timeline where your campaign needs to provide the highest possible output. In most cases, this is the point where you want your potential customers to take action. Your campaign should be coordinated theatrically, with a denouement after a series of events where customers are inspired to take action (and visit your open house).

Want to learn more? We’re here to help – contact REIGN today!

Why is content creation important (and why is every marketer talking about it)?

Content creation is one of the most important marketing practices. Through your content, you can attract potential customers to your website, as you are providing free and useful information, as well as continue engaging with existing customers. Not only that, content creation can help boost your website, decreasing your bounce rate because you are providing content for your customers to engage with and improving your SEO (consequently making your website rank higher). Google will see your website as a valuable source of information for your customers.

Don’t believe us? Here are some numbers of how content creation can improve your business*:

· Content marketing can bring 3X as many leads as traditional marketing.
· Businesses that use content marketing get 126% more leads than those that don’t.
· 61% of online purchases are the direct result of a customer reading a blog.
· Companies that publish 16+ blog posts per month get 3.5X more traffic than those that post four or fewer posts per month.

Now that we’ve convinced you that content creation is important, you’re probably wondering how to start and what to write about. Don’t worry – we have 5 content creation strategies to help you out:

Get inspiration from your competitors

If you’re not sure what to create off the bat, go to your competitors’ websites and analyze what they’re doing. Compile a list of 10 favorite blog posts and discuss with your colleagues what subjects would be more suitable for your business.

Interview someone you find inspiring

As a businessperson, you will certainly know many interesting people who you can interview and get some good information from. Putting together a blog using a Q&A format is easier as you will have all the content in hand, plus you’ll learn from experts in the process.

Invite a guest writer

Sometimes creating content can be extremely time consuming, and we know some marketers don’t always have time to sit down and write a blog. But, fortunately, you can ask someone else to write blogs for you. Get in touch with smaller blogs that would appreciate getting some extra publicity and ask if they would be interested in writing something for you.

Review something

Pick a product or service, write about what you like and dislike about it, and explain why. Let your audience know if you would recommend it or not.

Repost older posts

This last one couldn’t get any easier. Choose some older posts that didn’t get a lot of attention in the past, then share with your new readers. You can also add some updates about the subject to make it fresh. Recycling is always a good idea!

Now that you are convinced content creation is important and you’ve learned how to start creating your own, here’s our final and most important tip: Get cozy with the numbers. Yes, you need to analyze your content, making sure you are tracking what content is getting more engagement and which are not attracting traffic. Make sure you are setting goals for your posts, whether that’s page views, conversions, or bounce rate. This will help you understand if your content is generating the results you want – and if it’s not, it’s time to sit down and analyze if what you are writing about is targeted to your audience.

The REIGN team includes content creation experts that can write engaging blogs targeted to your audience to boost your business. Contact us!

How Emerging Technologies Are Influencing Real Estate Branding

In today’s competitive world, many industries have not only adopted marketing and branding into their value but view these as the most important aspects of their business as well. The real estate industry, on the contrary, has been plodding to prioritize branding and marketing – and doesn’t seem to spend real money on it yet. Are real estate companies afraid of losing money on unsuccessful campaigns? Or are they unfamiliar with all the technological marketing tools available?

With loads of modern technologies within an easy reach, it’s hard to believe that there’s still a lack of effective branding in real estate. When attempting to boost this, it’s essential to explore how technology can be used in a real estate company’s branding strategy. Here are some innovative examples of how technology can help to build and maintain a real estate brand.    

Branding Visuals

Real estate branding should make a statement about a company’s integrity and the services they offer. The power of branding visuals is often overlooked in the real estate industry – even though colors, shapes, and text can be used intentionally to develop customer recognition and trust for your brand, leading to increased customer retention. Creating a powerful real estate logo is the first step in successful branding, and in our logo design blog, we tell you more about this

An example of combining visuals and technology is the adaptation of the “For Sale” sign by real estate company Compass. The new sign includes the same information but has a brand new appearance, including lights, to make the info readable at night and a QR-code that can be scanned to direct you to the particular listing. Technological innovations like this one have a substantial impact on the way we know and use visuals in real estate. By changing such a traditional real estate branding visual, you can make your company stand out from the rest.

Smart Marketing

Another important aspect of branding is aligning your marketing projects with your brand’s personality to achieve that your marketing reflects your brand. Whenever a brand is going to be influenced by technology, so is its marketing. 

This can be realized in a number of ways, but one example – which is becoming more popular day by day – is the use of virtual reality in real estate. Forward-thinking brokers advertise their ability to deliver 3D virtual tours, often via their websites. Virtual tours allow prospective buyers and renters to take a look at a property at any time at any place, which puts control in the hands of the viewer. 

Social Media And Web Representation

Real estate companies have long been using the internet to facilitate their customers. But apart from their official websites, there’s much more a company can do online. Many real estate brands have turned to social media – which is considered a great tool for building a brand – to interact with their clients and to build and maintain relationships. 

Although social media is not exactly a new technology, it has kept changing and adapting over time, meaning that a company needs to adapt to these changes as well in order to obtain the best outcomes. Social media, and in particular, Instagram, is a fantastic tool to let your clients know more about your brand personality. By using social media posts that contain photos and videos, you can give your clients insight into what the company has to offer in order to give the best representation of your brand. In our previous blog, you can read much more about the importance of social media in the real estate industry.

Keep in mind that branding is only successful when it’s created with a goal in mind. Every aspect should be thoughtful and responsive, from the physical and visual, to marketing and client interaction. Technology can help in these various branding aspects, and at REIGN, we know exactly how. Reach out to us for more info!

Is Social Media Important in Real Estate and Hospitality?

Yes. Marketing has already been redesigned and digital efforts are as important as ads on billboards and newspapers were 40 years ago. Marketers have to be where people are, and those people are on social networking platforms now more than ever. 

Let’s talk numbers. There are 7.5 billion people living in the world and, according to the latest We Are Social Digital in 2019 Global Overview report, social media reaches 3.1 billion of those people (which increases each year by almost 400 million). In the US 70% of the population are active social media users and that number is growing 7% annually.

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The US has the second largest number of active Facebook users in the world and the largest number of active Instagram users (and no, they’re not just teenagers). Surprisingly, the audience that presented the largest growth in the US from 2016 to 2018 was 55+ y/o on Facebook and 25-34 y/o on Instagram, according to a Pew Research Internet Survey.  

Let’s get specific. With the information above in mind, it’s no surprise that social media marketing is increasing its importance in a company’s strategy significantly year over year. We’re not talking about just advertising and selling on these channels, but also creating a brand image, reputation, and, above all, a relationship with potential clients / users. Social media is not just about posting pretty pictures – it’s about building your brand identity and gaining your audience’s trust.

Social media plays an important role in the customer journey, as it’s a fantastic tool to connect to new customers and let them know more about your brand organically. If your content is relevant, users will engage and follow your site, making it show up in their networks’ feeds and keeping it top of mind

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Source: Gaurav Agarwal

According to the National Association of Realtors, 51% of the total buyers said they found their home online, and 99% of millennials said they begin their research online. This is extremely important to keep in mind since they’re the biggest home buyer pool. 

According to an interview done by PwC, 45% of users said that reviews, comments and feedback are the main source that influence their purchase behavior. This means that, as a real estate agency, testimonials and content showcasing customer satisfaction (like sharing clients posts mentioning your company) is crucial to increase credibility and trustworthiness, along with content that creates a sense of community and places you as an expert on both the city and everything real estate related (buying / renting / selling). Buyers are persuaded by a sense of authenticity

In real estate and hospitality, especially in NYC – you don’t sell houses, apartments or hotels – You sell lifestyles. Social media, especially Instagram, is the king (or queen?) of lifestyle aspiration. Giving your audience and potential clients an insight into what their life would be like or what the area has to offer is key. Showing compelling visuals (photography, video, virtual staging, and virtual tours) of the area and the building itself is as important as connecting your potential buyer to the community. Going out of the way and interviewing local shop owners or featuring restaurants, parks, and everything that is nearby a listing for rent or sale, will also increase your audience interest significantly. 

Overall, creating a master content plan, with specific goals and based on a long-term strategy is not only important but necessary. Want to know how? Reach out to us for more info!

 

Why should digital marketing be a priority in your business and what are the benefits an online strategy can deliver?

You may have realized by now how much the internet has changed the way we market and the way we’re marketed to, creating a more seamless experience for both businesses and consumers. Consumers can find precisely what they need (and save money in the process), and companies can do the same since advertising can be more targeted and cost-effective. Check out our top four reasons to get in the game:

Connecting with your customer

One of the main reasons why digital marketing is currently implemented by the companies more than any other traditional marketing is the interactivity with their end-consumer. The focus is no longer on the product but rather the user experience in their buying journey. Companies can run campaigns, social publications, activations, the list goes on –  and on the other side of the screen, consumers can interact, comment, and share with a friend in just one click, increasing engagement with the brands they love.

Analyzing every bit of data

Imagine the world in the 1960s when marketing and advertising agencies were starting to take off, but there weren’t tons of methods to measure the success and impressions of their campaigns. We can safely say today that a lot of money spent on those initiatives was wasted because of lack of information. But when it comes to online marketing, obtaining and analyzing data is a fundamental step for the continuous improvement of your strategy.

Fortunately, metrics such as return on investment (ROI) and cost of customer acquisition (CAC) can (and should!) be analyzed in real-time. That way, companies can identify failures quickly and work on improvements right away! 

More opportunities for small companies

Reducing the actual distance between businesses and customers has helped a lot. After all, today, even small companies can impact consumers all across the globe. Consumers can easily find businesses that meet their specific needs, and companies can create a proper online positioning which will increase their sales opportunities through various channels.

Advertising for the right person

After reading the above you may be thinking, “Wow, I’ll be able to reach millions of people” – and yes, that’s true, and it’s amazing! But one of the great advantages of digital marketing is that companies can now target and engage with the right people, instead of throwing out an enormous net. That means that now a company can talk directly with the person (or group) that has their ideal customer profile. 

Targeting will not only save you money, but you’ll also stop spending money specifically with people that have no interest in your product. Through segmentation you’ll also be able to get to know your audience better, which can help develop and grow your business.

Hooked yet? Reach out to us to see how we can make digital marketing work for your business.

Take flight: five creative takeaways for real estate from the travel industry

Think back to your last flight. From the food service to the flight attendants, culture plays an important role when designing for an airline. So what can the airlines teach us about marketing in other sectors?
Here are five creative takeaways from the travel industry —   

  1. Know your passengers

Where are they coming from and where are they going? 

In flight, there is always a point of departure and point of arrival. Each traveler has an inherent culture, but what drives them forward might be vastly different from their own. Take for example Hawaiian airlines, a company that caters to those escaping the cold. Its branding employs a pink and purple gradient that gives off the warmth of a perfect sunset. Contrast this palette with the cool, blue hues of Alaska Air.  

  1. Understand what they value

Do they want more leg room? Better food? Cheaper fares?

Like in real estate, every space has a unique combination of amenities. Some customers are looking for value, while others need luxury. easyJet has a clear vision of their client and it shows through in their visual identity. The company name is set in a simple, yet bold typeface with soft serifs. The message comes through — easyJet provides straightforward ticket prices without sacrificing comfort. 

  1. Translate across mediums

A brand should encompass multiple touch points

Always be on the lookout for ways to extend your brand. Virgin America was one of the first airlines to put their own spin on the traditional safety video. They took a moment that we take for granted and made it memorable. This is reiterated in their brand. A complex wing shape with multiple sides recalls the many touchpoints at which they reach their customers.  

 

  1. Create an experience

Luxury equates with a lifestyle

There’s nothing more luxurious than a Paris getaway. Air France brings its interiors front and center with a wing logo that doubles as a reclining chair, a clever and deliberate visual that’s reiterated in the letter “R”. From ordering your meal in advance to choosing between four different cabins, Air France communicates comfort and relaxation in every aspect of their brand. 

  1. Get them there on time

Make customer service a part of your identity

Delta’s dynamic brand reiterates their emphasis on speed and responsiveness. The logo, divided into two shapes, demonstrates stroboscopic movement. In other words, we can perceive them both as the same form, except in two different positions. The visual mirrors a plane taking flight. Delta itself stands for change and transformation.

When branding any physical space, think of its inhabitants as travelers. What is their inherent culture and what are they searching for in their point of arrival? Where can we reach them and how can we make their voyage memorable? If taken into consideration in this way, they are sure to enjoy the ride.

Logo Design 101

New York City is known for being one of the most fast-paced cities in the world – and in the age of short attention spans, first impressions are more important than ever. Graphic design for real estate needs to be as concise as an elevator pitch. Rock solid branding tells clients who you are and what you’re about instantly. To do this, you need a bold yet flexible logo to get your voice out there. 

As a starting point for branding, you will need to think about a few things:

  • What imagery can be associated with your company
  • What color scheme expresses the vibe you’re going for
  • Influential shapes used as a design element
  • Taglines and mission statements

Good Design Makes A Good Impression
A sloppy brand suggests that a business is disorganized and unreliable. If they don’t care about their logo and identity, they aren’t likely to care about their clients and deliver quality service. Complicated or busy logos are equally destructive because they frustrate people and cause them to quickly lose interest.

Keeping it simple is vital. But at the same time, you don’t want to be that company whose logo looks like they typed it into a word document.

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A great example is the development at 100 Barrow in NYC that embodies the elegance of the West Village with a clean design that is easily carried through to other collateral.
https://www.pentagram.com/work/100-barrow?rel=sector&rel-id=16

Color Is Key
We’ve all heard that color influences people’s moods at this point, and we can tell you it’s absolutely true.

  • Blue feels calming 
  • Yellow represents happiness or caution 
  • Red is intense and passionate
  • Orange has an energetic and enthusiastic quality
  • Black is sexy and powerful 
  • White conveys purity and cleanliness

Paying attention to color combinations puts you ahead of the game when deciding your identifier. The way your company’s color scheme makes your clients feel affects their decisions. Color combinations should make clients feel something and reinforce your company’s values.

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Many real estate brokerages use dark blue in their identities as it comes off as professional and reassuring. The brands that use non-traditional colors are often startups or attempting to portray a youthful vitality. The orange in NextHome’s logo gives the company a modern, friendly approach, whereas Red Oak’s red (obviously) reinforces their bold and energetic values.
https://www.pentagram.com/work/nexthome?rel=sector&rel-id=16
https://1000watt.net/when-fine-isnt-good-enough/#

The Influence of Shape
Similar to colors, shapes can represent values or feelings.

  • Circles are comforting and they express a connection
  • Triangles convey structure and energy
  • Squares represent organization and protection

Symmetrical designs are balanced and appealing to the human brain. While asymmetry is an excellent way to be dynamic, use caution when including it in your logo.

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The Greenwich Lane is a residence in the West Village that used rectangular shapes to create an abstract rendering of the building. The shape portrays the general concept that the condominiums are very modern and sophisticated.
https://www.pentagram.com/work/the-greenwich-lane?rel=sector&rel-id=16

Your Visuals Should Highlight Your Niche
In real estate especially, visuals can be related to your neighborhood or representative of the type of property you’re selling. It can also be a mark that creates the vibe of the property you are selling using shapes, as mentioned previously.

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This logo for Urban Strategies cleverly captures what the company is about by turning skyscrapers into chess pieces. Without knowing anything about the business, you can easily deduce that they’re involved with city building planning based on the chess pieces that represent the strategy element.

Read This, If Nothing Else
Real estate branding should make a statement about a company’s integrity and the services they offer. Colors, shapes and text can be used intentionally to express these sentiments, and at REIGN we know exactly how to combine these together to create a beautiful identity system. Contact us to get going on yours.