In the increasingly competitive world of real estate, marketing has become a crucial tool for new agents looking to make a name for themselves and established agents aiming to maintain their foothold in the market. Marketing not only helps agents reach a wider audience of prospective buyers, but it also allows them to tell their unique stories in a way that sets them apart from the competition.

However, marketing trends have shifted dramatically in recent times, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has brought about a greater emphasis on health and wellness, leading to an increased demand for products that promote well-being. 

Sustainability and ethical practices have also become significant factors in consumer decision-making, with buyers opting for brands that prioritise social responsibility. Consumer's inclination towards personalised experiences has led to a rise in personalised marketing efforts. 

These shifts in marketing trends require constant adaptation by brands to remain relevant in the real estate industry.

HERE ARE THE TOP TRENDS IN REAL ESTATE MARKETING THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

1. Selling a wholesome lifestyle

Gated communities offer an exclusive lifestyle with all amenities within a self-contained environment, not just security and convenience. With features like fitness centers, sports facilities, and entertainment options, residents can enjoy a complete and luxurious living experience.

These exclusive communities have become a symbol of status and luxury, marketed as a haven of exclusivity, where residents can escape the hustle and bustle of city life and enjoy a luxurious and relaxed environment. It's no wonder that gated communities have become increasingly popular, with more and more buyers looking for a complete lifestyle that offers everything they need in one place.

2. Virtual Tour of Properties

Virtual tours have rapidly increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, with many potential buyers wanting to view properties online before visiting in person. These tours help consumers gauge their interest and get a sense of high-end residential or commercial properties, including stores, eateries, and corporate settings. Many real estate developers now offer 3D walkthroughs, which have proven to be a profitable option in the industry.

3. Long-term Influencer-Brand Relationships

One of the top marketing strategies is word-of-mouth marketing. Influencer marketing can be a powerful tool in real estate, as social media influencers can help increase brand awareness and attract new clients. 

By partnering with the right influencer, real estate agents can tap into their audience and leverage their credibility and influence to reach a wider audience.

4. Live streaming and hosting webinars

Host a webinar or live stream to engage potential clients with valuable insights about the world of real estate. Co-host with a local business or another agent, or go solo to share tips and answer questions. Use contact details to follow up with attendees and build relationships. 

Live streaming enables face-to-face engagement through the internet, allowing interaction with your audience directly and establishing yourself as an expert while building your brand.

5. Engaging Site Barricades

In recent years, real estate marketers have been using site barricades as a canvas to showcase their projects and engage potential customers. Site barricades are an effective way to create buzz around the project and help build anticipation. By featuring visuals such as project renders, lifestyle images, and key project features, site barricades serve as an effective marketing tool to capture the attention of passers-by and create a lasting impression.

6. Projection Mapping On-site

This is a relatively new marketing trend in the real estate industry that involves using technology to project images, videos, and other graphics onto buildings and structures. The use of projection mapping is becoming increasingly popular as it offers a unique and engaging way to showcase a project. 

Real estate developers can use projection mapping to bring the project to life, highlight key features and amenities, and create a memorable and immersive experience for potential buyers.

7. Drone Shows

Drone shows are becoming increasingly popular in the real estate industry as a way to showcase a property in a unique and engaging way. Drones can capture high-quality aerial footage of a property and create a visually stunning showcase of the project. By using drones, real estate marketers can create an unforgettable experience for potential buyers and showcase the property's unique features and location.

8. Experience Centre

Experience centres are a game-changer in real estate marketing! They provide a unique opportunity for potential buyers to immerse themselves in a project before it is even built. 

Featuring fully furnished show homes, interactive displays, and even virtual reality experiences, experience centres allow buyers to envision their future residence like never before. It's no wonder this trend is taking off in the real estate industry - this captivating approach helps buyers make informed decisions and creates a truly memorable experience.

9. AI for better trendspotting

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in real estate to help identify trends and patterns that would otherwise be difficult to spot. With access to large amounts of data and the

ability to quickly analyse it, AI algorithms can provide valuable insights into market trends, buyer preferences, and other factors that can affect the real estate market. This allows real estate professionals to make better-informed decisions and stay ahead of the competition.

10. Multitouch Immersive Experiences

Touch environments create a direct physical immersion into the brand and its offering. Whether it is a sales gallery or for exhibitions, events, reception, and waiting lounges, these environments are bound to create an impact in both multi-user as well as private engagement platforms. Spill-proof, scratch-proof, and designed to work in all kinds of lighting conditions, these can be packaged as kiosks, tables, and wall units.

These are just a few potential trends that could continue to shape real estate marketing in the coming years. However, it's important to note that the real estate industry is constantly evolving, and new trends could emerge as technology advances and consumer preferences change.

Artificial Intelligence, A Vedanta Perspective

 

YOU THINK THEREFORE YOU ARE?

OR 

YOU ARE THEREFORE YOU THINK?

Cogito, ergo sum, or, “I think, therefore I am”, said the French mathematician and philosopher René Descartes.

But Vedanta, the ancient Indian spiritual thought, has always maintained that “You ARE, therefore, you think”. That it is your consciousness that illumines thought and the mind essentially, belongs to the world of matter - the Panchakosha, or the five layers of your bodily existence ranging from the subtle, which is the manas, or mind and to the gross, which is the physical body. And it firmly tell us that the Soul stands apart from the mind, as a witness and the Illuminor of the world. It also says that the ultimate goal of the soul is to be liberated from its identification with the mind as well as the body.

Of course, western philosophy, so influenced by those such as Descartes have vigorously opposed this thought. And science has not quite inquired about what someone called “The Hard Problem of Consciousness.”

And then comes along AI. Fooling around with AI and specifically ChatGPT, I realized that it is actually doing what your mind is supposed to do. Which is to research, analyse, conclude and articulate a point of view!

AND, it is entirely created from matter. AI is like a robot brain, made up of physical parts that follow the laws of physics, using purely physical components and algorithms. Yet, it can do many of the things we thought only the human mind could do.

The fact that AI systems are made of matter and operate according to physical laws is compelling evidence that the mind is indeed a product of matter.

So, what does all this mean? Well, for starters, we can study it like any other part of the body, with science and technology leading the way. And as Vedanta philosophy says, the mind is just another part of the physical world, like the air we breathe and the ground we walk on. So, the next time you see an AI robot, give it a high-five and thank it for helping us understand our own minds a little better. And remember, whether you're a human or an AI, we're all made up of the same stuff, and that's a pretty cool connection to ponder.

But jokes apart, it sure builds a case for what Adi Shankaracharya says, “mano buddhi ahankara chittani naaham, na cha shrotravjihve na cha ghraana netre, na cha vyoma bhumir na tejo na vaayuhu, chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham “

I am not the mind, the intellect, the ego or the memory, I am not the five senses, I am not space, not earth, not fire, water or wind, I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am the eternal Shiva...

Oh! And the illustration is, of course, made using AI! 

To dive deeper into our proprietary process, Designomics, visit our website: https://www.vgc.in/

 

SOME END-OF-THE-YEAR GYAAN, GRATITUDE AND GOODBYES TO 2022

It was one of the rockiest and scariest times in my long career as a branding Designer. However VGC, which I founded 26 years ago has not just survived but am proud to say, emerged a stronger, wiser and smarter version of itself. A shout out to my amazing team that showed so much commitment, resilience and a can-do attitude that sailed us through, clocking in some amazing project wins and launches that made our clients happy and lining up for more. We were just so busy working that even forgot to celebrate our 25th anniversary!

  

So what is VGC’s mojo, that consistently makes us tide over tumultuous times? it’s our approach to raising the IQ of brands using Design as an enabler and a management tool. Design in its purest sense is intelligence at work. You may add layers of craft and technology, contextualise it to environmental, social and corporate aspirations. But at the core, good Design is the truth that is rooted in Intelligence.

 

Designomics, our proprietary process, uses Design intelligence, combining awareness, enquiry, empathy, uninhibited creativity, humility and superlative craftsmanship.

 

AWARENESS:

To be effective Designers, you need to be aware of the shifting trends, politics, culture, arts, science, tech, the planet, and of course, the people. I call it raising your Design Consciousness, without judgement. Only awareness. This then becomes your field of inspiration and helps you take an informed position in your Design project.

 

ENQUIRY:

A research based attitude helps give an unbiased view and the interesting insights that popup can be just amazing.

EMPATHY:

It is viewing a situation from the vantage point of your TG. Getting inside their heads gives you a deeper understanding of what they want from their lives and the universe.

UNINHIBITED CREATIVITY:

it's time to let lose the magnificent beasts of ideas that prowl around in your head. The fresh ideas that pop out may just be the miracle design solution you need! 

SUPERLATIVE CRAFTSMANSHIP:

Craftsmanship is a religion you worship daily at the altar in your heads, hearts and Macs. If that slight misalignment, oversight of kerning, or a differentiated colour, doesn’t bother you, then there is no hope for you.

 

Staying true to our Designomics DNA to raise Brand IQs helped not just to sail past Covid, but also to stay on top of our game for 26 years!

 

#vgc #branding #marketing #brandingagency #designagency #designomics #creativeagency  #brands #brandstrategy #branddesign #designideas #advertisingagency  #businessofbrands #brandleaders #designeducation #designthinking #design #businesseducation #brandmanagement #brandingtips #brandstrategists #principlesofdesign #graphicdesign 

Preeti Vyas: Guest of Honour at Vijaybhoomi University

Looking back at an exciting weekend at Vijaybhoomi University where our founder, Preeti Vyas shared a glimpse into the rapidly evolving world and how it's the "most exciting as well as challenging times in history of the planet."

Read the entire speech below-

First of all, thank you Sanjay for having me here today. I am honoured to be here on Founders day, sharing the stage with dignitaries and of course, meeting all of you. By the way, I am here not just as a speaker today, but also as your neighbour. I have a farm just a few minutes away and this also gives me the opportunity to invite you all over for chai when I come here from Mumbai, which is almost every weekend. 

 

But coming back to the event of the day. I want to say that as students, these are exciting times.

 

Looking back, when I was your age, I had just started as a student of the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad. And THAT was an amazing time for all of us there. A beautiful campus and an evolved curriculum which not just put us in touch with our Indian design roots, but also exposed us to immense possibilities through exposure of what was the best in the world. It infused us with a sense of purpose and a comprehension of the power of Design and how it could benefit the lives of people in a new post-Independence India. There was an awakening amongst the young Designers of being change agents and the roles and responsibilities that it would entail. It was indeed, a thrilling time. 

 

And here you are today, students in the most amazing and perhaps the most exciting as well as challenging times in the history of the planet. We have seen the incredible disruption, or perhaps I should say creative disruption brought about by Covid and all its variants. It has forced change upon us unlike any other event in recent history. It has created new socio - economic structures, new life style patterns, new value systems, new learning opportunities and so on. And this churn isn’t over yet. We have seen only the beginning of what could be a world of new and visionary opportunities.

 

And now, we are entering into a whole new digital paradigm; into the Metaverse and it will be you, who will invent, create pathbreaking ideas and seize amazing opportunities as you navigate towards an incredibly exciting horizon that you will be the architects of. 

 

In the last ten years, we’ve seen traditional banking go online, and online banking further evolve, with crypto currency now entering the financial stage. We are seeing artists starting to cash in on the digital revolution, with NFTs becoming new streams of revenue & recognition. We’ve seen big companies dismiss, then slowly embrace the power of design thinking, using tools from the designer’s toolkit to solve complex business problems. And, through the pandemic, we’ve seen a plethora of entrepreneurs and the birth of unicorns seizing opportunities through innovations in technology, healthcare, transportation, sustainability and more…

 

Who would have thought that a vaccine for a pandemic could have been developed and delivered in just over a year, when before Covid, this process has generally taken close to a decade. We are fast forwarding across all traditional timelines. And the future is here and now. The future is online and offline. The future is both in the metaverse and in the real world. It’s up to you to make the most of it, to make the most of the access to information & knowledge that you will gain here. 

 

As students of this University, think of the immense new business ideas which would have never found a place before in the world.

 

As lawyers, you will be at the forefront of new legal scenarios you have never yet visualized.

 

As Designers, the world of design and design thinking just got enlarged to include new ways of living, communicating and consuming.

 

As musicians, you will create, invent and engineer new instruments, and music for a generation hungry for new sounds. 

 

As data scientists, you will see & decipher patterns in numbers, and help influence, innovate and inform.

 

More importantly, as young leaders, you will inspire the next generation to follow their passions and chase their dreams, leading by example. The future is in your hands and it’s up to you to shape it.

 

I envy you for being at the epicentre of a new renaissance that all of you have the potential to create. And I wish you all the best.

Design Thinking

What is Design Thinking, and how can it help a brand/business?

Design Thinking is a management tool that persistently helps evolve, innovate and outpace change to cruise across choppy business scenarios. It is a human-centric way of solving business problems using the power of design. Think of it as an easy way to solve complex business problems. 

            Why Design Thinking is the best way forward?

• 10% of the Fortune 500 has stated that design is their No. 1 priority. -CMO.com
• 78% of design-led companies have defined a process for coming up with new digital customer experience ideas. - Adobe
• 50% of design-led companies report more loyal customers as a benefit to having advanced design practices. -Adobe

           What does it involve?

• Empathize – It all starts by learning how we can empathize with the human beings at the core of our challenge. They may be customers, employees or any other stakeholders.
• Define – Next we need to clearly define and articulate all the challenges, needs, and wants.
• Ideate – Once our challenge areas are defined, we can now explore different approaches to come up with solutions for the problem at hand.
• Prototype – Once we have a great idea, it is now time to prototype our solution and bring it to life.   
• Test – Before we implement the solution, it is important to test it and then revisit any of the earlier mentioned steps as per what we learn from every step.

            How does it help a Brand or Business?

•  It can help a company boost innovation across all departments
•  It can help enhance your culture.
• It gives you the opportunity to view problems from different perspectives to determine its root cause.
• It is an ideal process to developing deep empathy for our users to create a solution that will best match their needs.

           What is Designomics?

Designomics is VGC’s proprietary process where design thinking is used to create solutions for complex problems as a branding agency. Apart from being a knowledge and an award platform, today Designomics also forms the foundation for any strategic exercise that VGC, as a marketing agency in Mumbai and Bangalore undertakes. It also endorses the value of strategic integration of Design in Business. It started as an initiative to showcase the effectiveness of design in and for business.

Learn how you can use the power of design thinking through the Designomics workshops. Get in touch today to learn more.