Category Archives: blog

The Golden Rule in Video Marketing: Know Thy Audience | Waccabuc Real Estate

In many ways, most of us would strangely qualify as video marketing experts; simply because companies spend billions of dollars per year trying to determine what types of advertising entices us.  Believe it or not, analysts examine almost every aspect of our daily lives to determine how we interpret the world around us and they’re desperate to learn things like:

  • What time of day are we most likely to make an impulse decision?
  • When are people the most relaxed, hungry, frustrated or motivated?
  • How does product placement in commercials influence buying patterns?
  • Which colors most accurately display a brand’s message?
  • What aspects of video marketing lead to the highest conversion rates?

The list goes on and on, to the point where humans are studied by marketing experts more than global warming, cancer research and all professional sports combined.   In other words, knowing who your producing a video for can actually be more important than the marketing itself.  We see it every day at Next Day Flyers and it never ceases to amaze us how far some corporations go to gain even the slightest of edges within the marketplace.

SEE ALSO: The Week’s Best Viral Videos & Marketing Lessons – Brands Rule Edition

So how do you really get to know your customers?  Here are three quick tips to get you started:

1. Target your Key Demographics

Many of you may be thinking, “Why would a major life insurance brand use 1970’s Peanuts characters to try and sell a product in 2013?”  If you can figure out the answer to that question, then you’ll be one step closer to really understanding your key demographics.  It’s no accident when a commercial that makes us fall out of our chair laughing or reminds us of a great childhood memory…because it was designed specifically for us.

The entire reason for creating an advertising campaign is to give viewers that split-second “Aha!” moment where they completely connect with your brand, and you have to know your ideal consumer to achieve that.  Think about specifics:

  • What would your ideal customer eat on their birthday?
  • Where would they hang out on a Friday night?
  • How long have they been married (or dating)?
  • What’s their annual income?

The more questions that you can think to answer, the better your marketing will target your ideal client specifically.

2. Never Be Afraid of Variety

Likewise, do not be afraid to test the market with several different video marketing approaches to see which ones generate the largest buzz among consumers.  One good example of diverse advertising would be GEICO; from “A Caveman Can Do It” to the lovable gecko lizard to their biker made of money, this company has never feared making specialized marketing ads that were focused only on a small portion of their demographics.

The bigger lesson to be learned here is that it’s never too late to change a company’s image.  If a video marketing campaign doesn’t seem to be working, then it’s better to start over now than to continue to feed an unpopular approach.  Major corporations are forced to do this every day so don’t let your ego get in the way of the bigger picture.



The Golden Rule in Video Marketing: Know Thy Audience.

Chelsea Handler and Ted Harbert’s Former Love Nest for Sale | Pound Ridge Real Estate

The pair snatched up the penthouse in the newly built Azzurra building in 2008, paying a nice $3.7 million for the modern pad.

By 2009 or 2010, depending on reports, the romance between Handler and Harbert fizzled, and the two parted ways, as well as real estate. According to property records, Handler sold her half of the penthouse to Harbert, and his name is currently on the deed.

Now with some growth in the real estate market, Harbert is ready to dump the property for more than he paid for back in ’08. The home at 13700 Marina Pointe Dr #1901, Marina del Rey CA 90292 is currently listed for $3.95 million.

The 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath place has what every penthouse should: loads of windows with panoramic views and plenty of space. Upgrades include an automated system for the lights and a sound system. The 3,319-square-foot home has a 400-square-foot wraparound terrace, steam shower and 100-gallon fish tank in the foyer.

 

Chelsea Handler and Ted Harbert’s Former Love Nest for Sale | Zillow Blog.

Mortgage Rate Rise Drives Sales | North Salem Real Estate

Pending home sales rose in May to the highest level since late 2006, possibly driven by buyer fears that mortgage rates will rise further.

The Pending Home Sales Index from the National Association of Realtors, based on contract signings, increased 6.7 percent to 112.3 in May from a downwardly revised 105.2 in April, and is 12.1 percent above May 2012 when it was 100.2; the data reflect contracts but not closings.

Contract activity is at the strongest pace since December 2006 when it reached 112.8; pending sales have been above year-ago levels for the past 25 months.

Existing-home sales are projected to increase 8.5 to 9.0 percent, reaching about 5.07 million in 2013, the highest in seven years; it would be slightly above the 5.03 million total recorded in 2007.

The PHSI in the Northeast was unchanged at 92.3 in May but is 14.3 percent above a year ago. In the Midwest the index jumped 10.2 percent to 115.5 in May and is 22.2 percent higher than May 2012. Pending home sales in the South rose 2.8 percent to an index of 121.8 in May and are 12.3 percent above a year ago. The index in the West jumped 16.0 percent in May to 109.7, but with limited inventory is only 1.1 percent above May 2012.

 

RealEstateEconomyWatch.com » Mortgage Rate Rise Drives Sales » Print.

Fourteen Major Markets Top Peak Prices | Mt Kisco Real Estat

Another measure of the strength of the housing recovery has found that April prices have pushed 14 major markets, including Omaha, Denver and Pittsburgh, over the peak prices they reached during the housing boom. Four, all in Texas, have reached new price levels twice as high as their previous peaks.

 

According to a new Rebound Report by Homes.com which is based on the site’s Local Market Index, a price performance summary on repeat sales of properties in the U.S. utilizing home pricing data from several sources.  The April Local Market Index found that single-family properties gained in all of the top 100 markets, improving from previous reporting periods.

 

The 14 markets that have made more than a 100 percent rebound are an increase from nine that topped their peak values in March.  With the exception of Denver and Pittsburgh, the markets that have exceeded their peak values are in the South, Southwest or Midwest.  All of the markets that have doubled their peak values are in Texas.  Most of them experiences price increases during the boom lower than the national median.

 

Price Percentage over Peak

 

1.San Antonio     233.11

 

2.Houston           223.49

 

3.Austin                   219.74

 

4.Dallas                   203.26

 

5.Oklahoma City    199.40

 

6.McAllen          184.12

 

7.Tulsa                  179.03

 

8.El Paso                  133.01

 

9.Omaha                  113.20

 

10.Little Rock          110.58

 

11.Pittsburgh          105.89

 

12.Wichita                  104.94

 

13.Baton Rouge  104.10

 

14.Denver                  101.72

“The latest round of report findings supports a growing confidence in the housing market. With home prices posting the strongest gains in seven years, the Rebound Report is another indicator of a positive turn. In one month alone, we have seen five new markets reach recovery,” said Brock MacLean, executive vice president of Homes.com. “Adding to that momentum, all top 100 markets recorded gains for the first time, indicating the recovery continues to build across the country.

 

RealEstateEconomyWatch.com » Fourteen Major Markets Top Peak Prices » Print.

NAHB to Critic: We’re Right for Wanting Lead-Paint Rule Reform | South Salem Real Estate

NAHB Remodelers chairman Bill Shaw sent the following to REMODELING today regarding a letter to the editor from Wayne Baruch that we entitled: “Why NAHB, Inhofe Are Wrong About Lead-Paint Rule.”

In response to Wayne Baruch’s letter published in this magazine on June 21, Mr. Baruch does not understand the reasonableness of the opt-out provision that the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) supports and I testified to Congress about. Since the regulatory process began, NAHB has been involved in making this workable for remodelers but most importantly crafting a rule that protects children and pregnant women from lead hazards.

The bills NAHB supports, S. 484 and H.R. 2093, would reinstate the opt-out, permit emergency renovations to help families after disasters, and allow remodelers to correct paperwork errors.

The removal of the opt-out provision dismantles everything that the EPA included in its original 2008 RRP rule to ensure that it would not be overly costly to small businesses and inadvertently places home owners and their families at risk of exposure to lead.

As the costs of complying with the rule without an accurate lead test are revealed, homeowners balk at the price and opt to do the work themselves or not at all – both of which increase the chances of lead exposure if lead paint is present.

As many professional remodelers who comply with the rule can attest, they are being underbid by ‘fly-by-night’ contractors who are not certified or properly trained. Consumers who hire these contractors are risking the health of their family. This serves neither those rule-abiding remodelers like the people who attend Mr. Baruch’s RRP classes nor the intent of the rule.

The unavailability of an accurate test kit, which EPA promised by September 2010, is a major problem. NAHB has urged EPA to support the introduction of an accurate test kit for years because the current EPA approved test kit has such a high percentage of false positives that many projects are being completed under the RRP guidelines when in fact no lead exists. This puts an additional and unnecessary financial burden on the consumer and contractor and leads to the risky scenario involving untrained, fly-by-night contractors or DIY demolition.

Under the rule, if a pre-1978 home is tested and the results indicate there is no presence of lead-based paint, the contractor can bypass RRP compliance. NAHB supports this reasonable component to the rule, but it also hinges on the existence of an accurate testing kit.

 

NAHB to Critic: We’re Right for Wanting Lead-Paint Rule Reform – Lead-Safe Practices, Legislation, Remodeling – Remodeling Magazine.

5 ways to exceed your ultrawealthy sellers’ expectations | Waccabuc Real Estate

You’re about to go on a listing appointment for a multimillion-dollar property. What expectations will the sellers have and how will you meet them?

Most luxury clients expect much more from their agent than just posting pretty pictures of their property on the MLS and on various online sites where you syndicate your listings. What will it take for you to win the listing and get it sold?

1. Move from closing the prospect to creating a unique customer experience

Luxury sales were once based on controlling the prospect and expertly telling them what to do. Closing is an essential part of any sales process. Today’s luxury clients are smarter, well researched and tech savvy. They expect to control the process. Your role first and foremost is to provide them with the specific information they will need to make the best decision regarding their sale or purchase.

Going beyond this minimum level of service will require you to do much more. Find out what matters to your client, and structure her customer experience around what matters to her.

For example, many ultrawealthy clients are collectors. If your client collects vintage dolls, spend an hour reading up on this topic. Then, if you are showing this client property, ask questions that focus on how well the rooms where the collectibles will be displayed fit the client’s needs. This type of detailed focus on your client’s personal interests will make you stand out from competitors and earn you plenty of referrals as well.

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/2013/07/01/5-ways-to-exceed-your-ultrawealthy-sellers-expectations/#sthash.OtEsf0hu.dpuf

 

5 ways to exceed your ultrawealthy sellers’ expectations | Inman News.

American Cities In Decline | Bedford Corners Real Estate

Even as the U.S. population steadily grows, some cities have seen drastic decreases in population.

Many of these cities relied on a particular industry — coal, steel, automotives — that has since left the area and taken away thousands of jobs. Suburbanization has also played a major role, as families fled in favor of suburbs with less crime and better schools.

Here’s a look at 11 American cities that have experienced some of the most drastic population decreases in the country, and what they looked like in better days.

New Orleans

Population at peak (1960): 627,525
Population in 2010: 343,829
Decline from peak: 45.2%

old new orleans

While Katrina helped relieved the city of 29% of its population between 2000 and 2010, the rise of Houston and the broader Texas Gulf Coast port and refinery complex had already put a dent into what was for much of the 19th century and early 20th century the most bustling port in the South.

Dayton

Population at peak (1960): 262,332
Population in 2010: 141,527
Decline from peak: 46.1%

old daytonDayton, Ohio’s population declined after major companies like Mead Paper and General Motors left. Manufacturing was also big in Dayton, and many of those jobs have since left the city.

Scranton

Population at peak (1930): 143,333
Population in 2010: 76,089
Decline from peak: 46.9%

scranton

Scranton, Pa. was the center of Pennsylvania’s coal industry in the first half of the 20th century. The population declined along with the coal industry in the second half of the century.

Niagara Falls

Population at peak (1960): 102,394
Population in 2010: 50,194
Decline from peak: 51%

old niagara

Niagara was never the same after a 1956 landslide destroyed part of the city’s largest hydroplant. The construction of the Robert Moses Parkway has also been blamed for the city’s decline as it allowed travelers to completely bypass the city on the way to Canada.

Buffalo

Population at peak (1950): 580,132
Population in 2010: 270,240
Decline from peak: 53.4%

old buffalo

Buffalo, N.Y. used to be a big transportation hub with the Erie Canal and the Buffalo Central Terminal, a major railroad station. The rise of Amtrak in the 1970s took trains away from the Buffalo Central Terminal and St. Lawrence Seaway that extended to Lake Erie created competition for the Erie Canal. In addition to all that, many manufacturing jobs went overseas.

Pittsburgh

Population at peak (1950): 676,806
Population in 2010: 305,704
Decline from peak: 54.8%

night pittsburgh

The Steel City is another town that has struggled with industrial decline and fleeing manufacturing jobs.

Gary

Population at peak (1960): 178,320
Population in 2010: 80,294
Decline from peak: 55%

gary indiana loc

Gary, Ind. took  a big hit when the steel industry collapsed. The city has deteriorated so badly over the past few decades that the city is now considering cutting off city services to about half its land and moving residents to more viable areas.

Cleveland

Population at peak (1950): 914,808
Population in 2010: 396,815
Decline from peak: 56.6%

old cleveland

Many large companies that once provided thousands of jobs to people in Cleveland, such as John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company, have since left the city. The country’s industrial decline over the past few decades along with the rise of suburbanization drove Cleveland’s drastic population decline.

Youngstown

Population at peak (1930): 170,002 
Population in 2010: 66,982
Decline from peak: 
60.6%

old youngstown

Youngstown has been accused of failing to diversify to stave off nationwide industrial decline. Many regard the shuttering of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company on September 19, 1977, aka “Black Monday,” as the death knell of the city.

Detroit

Population at peak (1950): 1,849,568
Population in 2010: 713,777
Decline from peak: 61.4%

old detroit

Detroit has lost more than a million people since its peak in the mid-20th century, and the population decline isn’t expected to end anytime soon. Known as Motor City, Detroit was the center of an auto industry boom after World War II. The boom has long since ended, however, and many manufacturing jobs have disappeared. Detroit’s population decline can also be attributed to middle-class families moving to the suburbs to avoid the high crime and plummeting property values in Detroit.

St. Louis

Population at peak (1950): 856,796
Population in 2010: 319,294
Decline from peak: 62.7%

loc st louis

St. Louis was once the continent’s railway hub, but as rails became less important, so did the city. Its problems were further compounded by disastrous urban renewal policies that sparked an intense wave of mid-century white flight. The city is now not even in the top 50.

 

 

American Cities In Decline – Business Insider.

Secluded Carriage House in Quiogue for $1.849M with Lovely Gardens | Chappaqua Real Estate

 

H16380.jpg

This 1890 carriage house has a lot of historic charm, but unlike many old houses, it has large, spacious rooms. Features include coffered ceilings,wide-plank floors, a fabulous granite kitchen with pro appliances, and a sunny porch. There are five bedrooms and three and a half baths in 3556sf. We like the soothing, summery neutral palette warmed up with antiques, too. Outside, specimen trees and formal gardens are on a lot of 1.3 acres. The setting is very private, with a long gated driveway, but Main Street shopping is a short walk away. There’s room for a pool and pool house.
· 478 Main St [Elliman]

 

Secluded Carriage House in Quiogue for $1.849M with Lovely Gardens – This charming house – Curbed Hamptons.

Surging home sales stir new housing bubble fears | Pound Ridge Real Estate

There are differences between this run-up in prices and the housing bubble that preceded the financial crisis, said Gary Thomas, theNational Association of Realtors president.

“The boom period was marked by easy credit and overbuilding, but today we have tight mortgage credit and widespread shortages of homes for sale,” Thomas said. The improved housing market and mortgage rates still near record lows, despite a recent rise in rates, is pulling buyers back in the market faster than it’s prompting sellers to put homes on the market. Buyer traffic 29% above a year ago, but the supply of homes for sale is actually down 10%, writes CNNMoney.

 

Surging home sales stir new housing bubble fears | HousingWire.

The Secret to Using Your Blog to Generate Sales | Pound Ridge Real Estate

You’ve probably been at a party where some fool is talking his face off at everyone he meets. He talks about his trip to Spain and how he is such an amazing photographer. He never asks, “What you do or what interests you?” He just blathers on and on about himself.

On a good day I silently chuckle at this guy’s lack of social common sense. On a bad day I snap and scream, “PLEASE listen to me for just 10 seconds!”

When all you do is talk about yourself, you send people running in the other direction. If you don’t care about other people they for sure won’t care about you.

This was how the old school way of marketing worked. Megaphone style.

Image by nem_youth

Many of you might not think of your blog as a business and I understand, but one day you might want to create a ebook, product or use your blog to leverage a new career. When you improve your engagement your blog it becomes a tool to help you level up your life and career.

Spray and Pray

Back in the day, companies used to spray and pray. They sprayed their message in as many places as possible (magazines, newspapers, TV, radio, etc) and prayed that they picked the right advertising spots. Larger companies could afford to pay for market research, so they were able to make sure most of their efforts paid off.

Smaller companies didn’t have this luxury. Straight out of college, I worked in the marketing department for a high pressure valve company. They grossed about 10 million a year in sales. Not too shabby, but nothing compared to the bigger players in the industry.

We had to carefully choose our national magazines and our marketing company told us who read the magazines and which ones we needed to advertise in. We had to believe them. We had nothing else to go on.

This style of marketing has been turned upside down due to blogging and social media. Every business has the opportunity to measure their engagement on their website, email and social media accounts. The problem with all these new tools is we have the wrong attitude toward them. Companies are afraid to be transparent and engage with their customers.

Why? Because it’s hard work.

Truly Listen

Mr. Blather Lips, from the introduction, had a great time at every party he went to because he didn’t have to gauge people’s emotions. He just blathered on until he found someone to listen or it was time to go home.

Now businesses actually have to listen to their customers because if they don’t, a social media storm comes crashing down upon them. Just ask Netflix if they wished they had a better plan for when they doubled their prices.

Listening to your readers isn’t just for dealing with social media storms. It’s also so you can anticipate them and avoid them before they even happen. Now, every business has the opportunity to do market research. You can ask specific customers if they would be willing to fill out an online survey. You can ask them direct questions on your blog or social media that help you figure out what they want from you.

You don’t have to guess what you think people need. You can ask them directly and find out. You can even include them in the process of creating your product.

Invitation to Join In 

Threadless created their million dollar t-shirt company from this idea. They have people send in t-shirt designs, have the users vote on which designs they would like to buy and print only the most popular ones. They already have a built in audience for their t-shirts. It’s a win-win for everyone.

The company prints the most popular, making some good cash and the buyers get a limited edition t-shirt that they are proud to wear. Even the winning t-shirt designs are helpful to the designers. They can add this accomplishment to their resume.

You probably knew that engaging your ideal people was wise, but now what?

Now you have to go out and find them and start a conversation, but before you do you need to find out where you can connect with them.

  1. Write a description of the ideal client for your product

You have to ask yourself some specific questions to help you gain clarity:

    • What does she look like?
    • What motivates her?
    • What does she do for fun?
    • What are her career goals?
    • Where does she hang out? (Facebook, conferences, Twitter, etc.)
    • How do you engage with her? (light banter, philosophically, monetarily, etc.)

    The hard part is making the mental switch from talker to engager.

    I’m not just talking about being a better listener. That’s a good start, but to engage with people you have to be listening and asking great questions. It’s part art and part science.

    If you want an example of someone who understands her community then visit Mayi Carles to see how she is creating content that engages and builds trust. You’ll notice that she creates content around branding and business building. All a perfect target market for her.

     

    The Secret to Using Your Blog to Generate Sales : @ProBlogger.