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When you think about the Jersey Shore what comes to mind? Trashy twenty-somethings. Guidos and Guidettes. The Situation. You probably don’t think of stellar marketing advice. Yet, last week the Jersey Shore set an MTV record for season premieres with 8.8 million viewers for it’s 4th season debut. What makes the show so popular and what can you learn from it? Here are four marketing lessons you can learn from the Jersey Shore:

(1) Add the Wow Factor

Real estate marketing tends to look the same. Stock website templates, stock ad templates, even a lot of the same stock photography. If you want to get noticed and stand out from other real estate professionals in your market you have to add the WOW factor. This doesn’t mean you have to be outrageous (although you could), but it does mean you need to add some pizazz to your marketing to stand out from the pack. If no one else is doing it, maybe you should. If everyone else is doing it, maybe you shouldn’t. To add the wow factor to your marketing, make sure it:

• Captures attention
• Arouses emotion
• Inspires action

(2) Identify a niche

Some real estate professionals make the mistake of trying to be everything to everyone and they end up pleasing no one. Jersey Shores clearly demonstrates the importance of niche marketing- think guerilla guido juice head! Niche marketing can be cost effective and enables you to capture a larger market share for your niche. Whether you work juice heads, luxury, military, seniors or specific neighborhoods, niche marketing is a smart way to market. To work a niche effectively:

• Identify the needs of your market
• Assess your competition
• Develop and execute a plan to meet the unique needs of that niche

(3) Add Personality

Part of the popularity of Jersey Shore is in the likability of the characters. As outrageous and often ridiculous as Snooki is, she is also lovable, approachable and fun. The personality of the characters brings viewers back week after week. Most marketers make the mistake of eliminating their personality from their marketing. Adding personality doesn’t necessarily mean the inclusion of big pictures of you, but it does mean adding your voice and character to your marketing pieces whether it is on the web, a social network or an email newsletter. At the end of the day, real estate is still a people business and homebuyers and sellers want to work with someone they can relate to. To add personality to your writing:

• Read popular websites and newsletters that you like to find writing styles that appeal to you
• Mirror your favorite writers (but don’t copy- you are looking for YOUR voice)
• Read your copy out loud. If you can’t read it in a way that fits you, it probably needs to be revamped
• If you have staff that does your marketing copy, make sure you still give the content your voice The easiest way for a ghostwriter to pick up your voice is to read other pieces you have written.

(4) Stop Trying To Avoid the Situation

Mike, “The Situation”, always has things under control. He knows what he wants and he goes after it. As a real estate professional, you have to know what you want and you have to go after it. When things happen, you have to be able to adjust on the fly without giving up on your ultimate goal. You can’t avoid roadblocks so take charge of your marketing and you business and control the situation.

Whether you are a Jersey Shore fan or not, there are some lessons we can learn from the popularity of the show. Any other lessons you have learned?