Dramatic change occurring in real estate marketing.

Several years ago our firm was invited to present our experience and creative ideas to a leading commercial real estate services firm. The client began the meeting by asking about our real estate experience - which, up to that point, included my purchase of two homes in Northern New Jersey.

Despite the fact that we didn't have any commercial real estate experience, we won the business. Why? Because these are times of change, and today the "same old, same old" is no longer good enough.

It occurred to me during that meeting that for an industry - and individuals - that are constantly dealing with change, that if these firms were to ever really effectively utilize marketing and communications, they needed to adapt to change. New ideas, new approaches, alternative means of crafting an image and reputation, beyond what the traditional real estate communications firms had been doing for years, was going to be instrumental in helping this client build an image and reputation in this marketplace. For as much as the commercial real estate business has witnessed change over the last several years, so too has the marketing, communications and public relations industry experienced as dramatic a change as we've seen in the last several decades.

What Is It They Really Want? Or Better Yet, Really Need?

The fundamentals of marketing and public relations are still the same. Determine your audiences. Identify how you are perceived. How does this compare to our competitors? How can we position ourselves to be different and better? What competitor weaknesses can we exploit? What image and perception can really resonate with external audiences? Where can new business come from and how do we get it?

The process undertaken to determine this information remains pretty much the same as it has been, except it has become somewhat easier, with the advent of technology and the Internet, to find out more about competitors, current clients and potential business prospects. The real key lies in determining how to reach and influence these audiences. Traditionally, it has revolved around developing an aggressive, broadly targeted media relations campaign with the ultimate goal of generating press coverage for clients in key print and broadcast media outlets. In fact, in days gone by, when you thought of an excellent public relations practitioner, you thought of a press agent - someone who had great media contacts and worked the press like most commercial real estate brokers worked a new business prospect - from dusk to dawn.

In today's new world of commercial real estate - that's simply not good enough. The most effective and successful public relations firms have refocused efforts and, in effect, reinvented themselves to go beyond the role of media specialist. Those who have not, I fear, may someday be as obsolete as Beta, 8 track cassettes and Smith Corona typewriters.

Much More Than "Who Did What Deal?"

At our firm, we are business builders, a partner who truly understands the business, and more importantly, understands what it takes to win in the marketplace. How do you do that?

* Understand the importance of building a sustainable identity for clients, one that offers real substance over style, and one that both internal and external audiences are going to really care about;

* Throw out every traditional public relations program and start with a fresh piece of paper, without any limits or barriers on creativity, new ideas or different approaches;

* Learn the business, not just the media who cover the industry, but understand the real business, get inside the corridors of power within your clients firm and its competitors. You can no longer be a "casual observer" and effectively deliver consistent results and value to clients;

* You can't be afraid of "getting fired." This attitude is pervasive in every client service industry, and there's always the fine line one walks between "being honest," "telling clients what they what to hear," and not alienating the client from your firm. The truth is, if you're not honest, you'll end up getting fired anyway - it's just a question of when;

* Look for new, creative and alternative ways to build a sustainable identity and create a memorable image that resonates with all audiences. They may not all work, but if you limit yourself to only those that are tried and true in the real estate industry, you may get some press coverage, but it's doubtful you can really create a strong identity and image for clients.

One of the biggest challenges we all face as marketing and communications professionals working in the commercial real estate industry is "how much do external audiences really care about what you did?" Isn't it much more about "what you can do for me." This means that whether you're a real estate broker, a developer, a lender or a consultant, that while it's nice to get coverage on deals and transactions, your campaign needs to go way over and above this.

Where do you start? Understand it's more than just press relations, but ultimately designing a marketing public relations campaign that has an impact with internal and external audiences. Look for new ways to reach external audiences, beyond the press release. Study what's been done in the consumer marketing arena to stir creativity and find new means of reaching influentials. Understand technology and the role of the Internet, for example, and how it can be used to reach and influence audiences.

In other words, throw out everything you think you know about the commercial real estate industry, and start fresh. It not only will result in an effective public relations campaign that can break through the immense clutter in the marketplace, but it may also revive you as a marketing and communications professional. In the end, both you and the client will benefit.