Play Offense

Marketer Peter DeLorenzo offers useful advice to automotive marketers:

I sense an overreaction on the part of Detroit marketers right now, especially at General Motors, and it's not a good look. Any more whining and it will start drowning out the message, which is exactly what Detroit automakers can't afford. Rather than discussing the "winding down" of their marketing options, or rationalizing how they will still get their message across while abandoning marketing opportunities left and right, Detroit automakers should be upping their marketing presence and going on the offensive. American consumers aren't going to find out about Detroit's most competitive offerings - the ones that merit serious consideration - by osmosis, are they?

As if right on cue, a perfectly-timed demonstration of how it should be done is the insert Audi placed in several national newspapers yesterday (Audi also sponsored special network news broadcasts of the inaugural with limited commercial interruption), which was, for all intents and purposes, a "State of the Union" message for the company, reminding everyone of who they are, what they stand for, and how they go about the business of building great cars, all revolving around the word "Progress." Here's an excerpt:

"To us, it's taking what seems undoable and then doing it. It's discovering what no one else has bothered to discover. It's turning skeptics into believers. And it's taking the thinking that won on the racetrack and putting it on the road.

And it's why now is the time for the company with four rings. Progress moves things forward. Progress changes the category. Progress leaves the others behind.

Progress is Beautiful."

What opportunities exist for real estate brokers to play offense?

• Automate as many aspects of your business as possible. Brand everything you do in your image. Main Street by Virtual Properties is your automation platform. Redeploy staff to own your local online markets with:
• Your "Newspaper" Neighborhood and community blogs, RSS Feeds, eCards and eNewsletters. Include market information, embedded maps, media presentations
• Deep, local maps, including homes, schools, restaurants, healthcare, libraries and other community assets - all for one fixed price.
• Targeted internet advertising featuring your listings, brand and services. All traffic is driven to your website - not a third party.

Do these things and your broker value equation rises significantly with customers, agents and staff.