How a Blog Looks to Wake Up CRE

The NKF blog recently went live with the stories one would expect from a commercial real estate blog: one on a $116 million multifamily deal, but other articles shine a light on diversity and inclusion at the firm.

NKF NorCal Spotlight’s bolder graphics look quite different than a typical CRE blog.

SAN FRANCISCO—Newmark Knight Frank has launched NKF NorCal Spotlight, a blog portal focusing on the local commercial  real estate scene. It also emphasizes the people and personalities within Newmark Knight Frank Northern California.

“Newmark Knight Frank is tremendously proud of the prolific brokerage activity that we are renowned for and naturally we will be touting our notable wins and transactions. However, we’re also proud of the individuality and uniqueness of our brokers and staff,” said Mark Bollozos, executive vice president and head of Northwest operations for Newmark Knight Frank.

The blog recently went live with the topics one would expect from a commercial real estate blog: one about a $116 million multifamily deal and another is a research-based thought leadership post on Bay Area life sciences.

Other articles highlight diversity and inclusion at Newmark Knight Frank. One example is Liz Hart who recently became the first women in NKF Northern California’s history to ascend to the title of vice chairman. There’s also an article about ELEVATE, an annual event which honors individuals and employers who are making a positive impact in today’s real estate industry.

“We intend to shine the spotlight both on our core business and the cast of characters whose diverse talents we champion each and every day,” said Mike Kirner, Newmark Knight Frank public relations and communications director who oversees the Northwest region.

One of the articles that is out of the norm is a short post by senior managing director Chip Wiser, a 30-year CRE veteran. Wiser offers a monthly guest blogger column titled “Words by Wiser,” where he reviews his favorite local restaurants.

“My friends and contacts already know what I do for a living. Sharing stories like this is a pure joy,” said Wiser.

Tom Poser, senior managing director, writes “3 Points by Poser,” a collection of business and life tips which incorporate his background in playing and coaching basketball throughout his long career.

“We’re trying to create more appealing, less stoic sounding online real estate stories to appeal to a wider base of readers and also encourage our brokers to break out of their shell, be creative and think of new ways to implement subtle self-promotion via the blogosphere,” Kirner tells GlobeSt.com.

Another article takes a tongue in cheek approach to the importance of engaging with LinkedIn: 23,396 Reasons Brokers Should Use Social Media.

“Giving people a vested interest in expressing themselves and their personal brand online and having a bit of fun while they’re at it is what this blog is all about. It not only encourages social sharing, but individuality and creative expression all wrapped up in one really cool CRE blog,” said Kirner.

Not only is the content different, the NKF NorCal Spotlight takes a departure from a typical CRE blog as far as design is concerned, GlobeSt.com learns.

Sales, blogging and telemarketing are the biggest sources of lead generation, according to Neil Patel, co-founder of Neil Patel Digital.


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