Be Genuine. Be Distinctive. Be Transparent.

Be genuine. In today’s world, transparency is what people perceive it to be. Not necessarily what it is. We see this lack of transparency every day in the media world. Whether it be business, politics, entertainment or personalities that were generally accepted as well-respected and trusted – there have been numerous instances where things were not as they appeared to be.

Consequently, there’s an increased wariness and a weariness to what we see and hear, and how we are marketed to. It’s not naked distrust, but rather more of a desire to confirm that what we’re selling is true to the promise, and genuine in its messaging. It’s this transparency and genuine sell that will allow your product or service to rise above others. It appears to be such a simple concept, but it takes hard work to explore what is ‘genuine’ about your product or service. And in an effort to market it, many times it’s easier to simply mimic what has been successful for others in the industry. Which will not net the desired result.

To start, crafting a highly successful campaign and crafting a genuine message relies on you understanding the complex, ever evolving needs of your clients and customers. Delve into what they need and how they want to be perceived. With residential for sale or for lease, are the residences in your community being sold by individuals who are truly passionate and knowledgeable about the property and the developer / owner? Can they point out not only the lifestyle benefits of the community, but the health and wellness benefits, the sustainability quotient, and provide some brief background on why the company behind the community is special and unique in its marketspace? It goes far beyond simply touring the amenities and the available residences.

clients/residents can learn more about your company. What it believes in and what it stands for. Are those attributes also reflected in your community?

Backing this approach is research from more than 10,000 consumers from around the world. When surveyed in 2016, 78% said it is ‘Somewhat or very important for a company to be transparent’, backed by 70% who indicated that ‘These days I make it a point to know more about the companies I buy from’ (Havas, February, 2016)*.

Successful marketing also needs to elicit genuine emotional responses. Through all vehicles including websites, advertising, public relations, and experiences; and those emotional responses will differ depending upon the audience. If your audience skews on the younger end of the millennial spectrum, they are likely to respond more to a collaborative message; one that is succinct and compelling and engages immediately. If your target skews towards the older end of the millennial spectrum, there are different triggers for engagement and depending upon additional factors, could engage through something more intriguing, funny and exciting. And if we infuse this all into some form of story, be it an ad, film short or press coverage, consumer recall and motivation to act has proven to be much higher.

So take a deep look into all the ways consumers are experiencing your product and brand. Is it genuine? Is it transparent? Is it distinctive?