PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES AND YOU
A Lesson in Marketing
Hi, Everyone!
OMG…once again, Pumpkin Spice Everything is EVERYWHERE (yuck). There seem to be two distinct Pumpkin Spice camps: those who love it and live for it and those who cannot stand it for another minute. Regardless of which camp you find yourself in, let this be a lesson to us all: something as inane as pie spice can become an unforgettable social object. Who started the pumpkin spice craze? Was it Starbucks? Was it some little-known, one-person pumpkin lobbyist? Does it matter?
The answer is: no. It doesn’t matter who started it. What matters is that it’s everywhere you look, just like you want to be everywhere your clients look. Think of ways to be memorable to your clients every day, all year long.
NOTE: Sometimes I go down a rabbit hole – this is one of those times. Read my extended musings on the PSL (pumpkin spice latte, for those not in the know) here.
ACTION ITEM – Content Creation
Over and over, I hear that a big marketing challenge for agents is writer’s block — running out of ideas for content creation for our websites, which can also populate client newsletters, Facebook posts, Instagram content, and more. Here are 50 real estate content prompts to light your writing fire…and next month, we’ll have more for you!
What I’m reading – While we’re on the pumpkin spice topic (and since it is October), this seemed like an appropriate read to revisit. Starbucks founder Howard Schultz’s Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time is a great read for anyone looking to add passion to their branding. While it doesn’t discuss social objects specifically, it’s full of great lessons that ultimately circle back to answering the question: What do I want people to think of when they think of me?
What I’m pondering this month – That rabbit hole I mentioned? It led me to do a lot of thinking about our marketing — from the genius of the pumpkin spice latte to using our senses and emotions to nostalgia marketing. Here are a few of my thoughts on using nostalgia as a marketing hook and how it can help you to sell your listings.
Article I’m pondering – Every time I teach a marketing or social media class, I get asked these questions: How do I brand myself? Where can I get a logo made? Your brand is not your logo; your brand is you. In many ways, your brand is the relationships you forge and maintain. “Build Your Brand as a Relationship” from the Harvard Business Review is a fantastic read about personal branding. “The way we think about brands needs to change.”
What I’m (Not) Drinking Right Now – Can’t you guess? LOL! But if you’re a fan of the PSL, I won’t judge (much). There appear to be many copycat recipes for those who don’t feel like spending $4+ on Starbucks’ iconic fall beverage. Here’s one option from a cooking site I love called Kitchn.
What are some of your goals and to-dos, challenges, and questions for the remainder of 2019? I’d love to hear about them and how I can help you reach them! Email me and let me help to keep you accountable!
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Thanks for reading – see you next month!
