On the heels of her promotion, our “Queen of Commercial Real Estate” Yudi Fernandez sits down with GlobeSt.com for an exclusive interview.
Yudi Fernandez was just promoted to vice president at Schwartz Media, a public relations and marketing firm that handles commercial real estate accounts for top firms in the region. Internally, she’s known as the “queen of commercial real estate.”
Cuban-born, Fernandez came to the United States on a small, crowded boat in 1994. Knowing she wanted to freely write and report on the news, she attended the University of Florida on a full scholarship, studied journalism and earned a degree in journalism and business.
After graduation, she became a reporter at Miami Today covering real estate and business before changing her career to public relations. She started at Schwartz Media Strategies in 2011 as a senior account executive and quickly rose the ranks to account director and now vice president where she runs campaigns for the firm’s commercial real estate, hospitality and financial clients.
GlobeSt.com caught up Fernandez to discuss how the commercial real estate industry is changing with the introduction of new digital media. She shares what professionals need to keep in mind in part one and two of this exclusive interview.
Part 1
GlobeSt.com: How is the evolving media landscape impacting the way real estate firms communicate with their audiences?
Fernandez: Real estate companies now have more channels for communicating their messages and engaging their audiences than ever before. While there may be fewer reporters and editors dedicated to covering breaking industry news, real estate firms can broadcast their story through corporate blogs, live streaming video, social media, and native advertising—and research shows consumers are increasingly gravitating toward this content. The rise of digital media has enabled businesses to target and analyze their audiences with greater precision, which has made communications more efficient.
GlobeSt.com: What are some key elements that real estate firms need to keep in mind when launching a public relations and digital marketing campaign?
Fernandez: Every winning campaign begins with identifying a defined audience, a clear message and a compelling story. From there, a company can create the right mix of tactics based on how their audiences consume news and information.
There’s no template or one-size-fits-all approach. What works for a residential developer targeting buyers may not be the right strategy for a commercial office broker whose audience consists of developers, asset managers and co-brokers. No matter the audience or tactic, all roads should lead back to content that’s capable of shaping opinions and sparking action.
GlobeSt.com: There’s been speculation about the South Florida real estate market slowing down, how can companies prepare from a communications stand point?
Fernandez: Now is a great time for real estate firms to invest in building their communications infrastructure, which might include a media relations campaign, social media platforms, a website optimized for mobile use and content sharing, and a crisis communications plan. We find that companies that have these tools up and running are in far better position to communicate with their audiences and get their message out during times of market volatility.
Part 2
GlobeSt.com: Is traditional media’s role changing too? If so, what does that mean for the real estate industry?
Fernandez: The credibility derived from earned media coverage is still the gold standard when it comes to raising awareness and enhancing credibility among key audiences, but the media landscape is changing. Publications are reinventing themselves as they adapt to a readership turning to social media and mobile technology to consume news.
Readers and consumers now expect their experiences to be on-demand, mobile and personalized, which threatens the old way of doing business. This puts added emphasis on the way businesses are leveraging earned media coverage through their digital and social channels.
GlobeSt.com: How are you adapting to the media’s changing role?
Fernandez: We’re helping real estate firms navigate these shifts by incorporating new channels for engagement into our campaigns—from optimizing websites for mobile use and launching social media campaigns, to creating native advertising on well-trafficked websites and producing viral videos for consumption online.
GlobeSt.com: What are some new technologies or new platforms available for real estate industry professionals?
Fernandez: It feels like there is a new digital platform popping up every week. Companies have so many valuable tools at their fingertips, that the possibilities to create content and reach a defined audience are endless. For example, we’re incorporating produced video, HTML e-blasts and social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram into our campaigns for JLL, Pipeline Workspaces and the Miami Downtown Development Authority.
Commercial and residential brokers are using Snapchat and live streaming video to show-off their properties. The use of drone video footage also allows companies to capture aerial footage that can be posted on websites, social media and easily shared as collateral material.
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