How to build your own luxury marketing media channel

Use the Wisdom of the Crowds

How many times have you questioned the utility of twitter or your presence on facebook?

I’m asked about it often. Often, I question it, also. But there are tremendous powers in these tools. Their instant connectivity. The long tail of search. The list goes on.

If you don’t understand what these tools can do for your business—whether you’re brokering a luxury property or have a luxury watch storefront—it’s ok. But, it’s best not to forsake them. They may be a black hole for employees to waste time, but they are also a marketer’s—a savvy and good marketer’s—dream.

And, by the way: If you have an employee on facebook all day and they’re chatting with their friends, my advice would be to fire them.

But if you have employees who are using these tools to create, connect and communicate… you have an extremely valuable employee/leader. These platforms (in some form or another) are the future. I find myself looking less and less at my Outlook Express and more and more at my Gmail and facebook accounts for business.

You’ve heard it before: people judge you by the company you keep. This is abundantly clear in the ‘social media’ world. Here’s an example:

If your twitter stream is awash with MLM pay-per-click scams, rickrollers, and irrelevant opportunists, then twitter ceases to be relevant. If, however, your twitter stream, your facebook fan page, your blog is theplace to get ideas, news, information, you, all of the sudden have yourself a media channel! Because that is where the leaders in your industry are. Is that not valuable?

All I can say, is if you don’t do it, someone else will.

There are plenty of blogs out there that can teach you how to use these tools to your advantage. Seth Godin writes a blog that you can do a search right on about social media. Chris Brogan does the same thing, so does Liz Strauss

I just wanted to point this out—again—because social marketing is technologically based, and there is a steep learning curve if you weren’t an early adopter. Thus, it takes time. And it takes EVERYONE in the organization to adapt.

This is important if you are in marketing—luxury or not— It is especially important in the real estate profession for a (slew of other reasons):

• Everyone must be on board.
• Everyone must participate.
• There is no one expert.
• social media is not a numbers game.
• You have to earn followers.

Anyone can get a linkbaiting scam to follow them on twitter. But not everyone can build the trust and social equity to make a difference.

To do this you have to prove to the wisdom of the crowds why you are there, and why people should follow you.

I’m busy. You’re busy. Why should I follow you? This blog links here: @dupontluxury