Today, if you want to be on the leading edge, luxury real estate marketing professionals need to morph into citizen journalists via blogging, video blogging, podcass, and article distribution.
Why? You need to reach people where they now hang out-on the internet and in social networks.
If customer loyalty is the goal (for referrals and word-of-mouth advertising especially) every successful professional and company in the world today needs to morph themselves into two-way communicators.
To stay competitive you must engage your customers and clients in a dialogue instead of a monologue of promotion.
Brand loyalty is up for grabs in every segment of our economy.
The companies who embrace social media as a means of facilitating two-way communication will be the big winners.
Two-way communication means LISTENING not just talking at customers and clients.
By listening to your clients, particularly your loyal fans, you can gain a tremendous competitive edge (while the competition is being complacent).
Most luxury real estate agents are flummoxed about what to write about in their blogs.
The key is to pick topics that are, what we call, "follow-worthy".
Here is an example of follow-worthy citizen journalism: Think of products or services that you like, offer feedback to the vendor or service provider and see if you get a response.
In the category of dish washing liquid Bright Green stands out with its natural citrus scent.
The product is clear (no phony rainbow colors) as is its container, and it is biodegradable.
The Bright Green brand stands for home products that are "safe, highly effective and soft on the environment".
It can makes you feel good about contributing to the environment when you wash dishes.
However, the container has a MAJOR design flaw.
It is next to impossible to grip with wet hands.
Now, how many other customers are having the same experience? Do you think Safeway, the manufacturer of the Bright Green wants to know? Will they listen?  Write a blog post about a product like Bright Green.
Then send the post to the company and see if they will listen.
Think of the public relations story you could tell your customers: SAFEWAY LISTENS! And, think of the competitive edge this would provide! Let your readers know the outcome in a subsequent post.
Now, that's follow-worthy citizen journalism!