What’s the secret of success in the luxury goods business? That’s a key question many young marketing professionals in the sector are asking these days. In our view, you need passion if you're going to succeed. It's the only thing that will last. Passion is also linked to creativity which is an invaluable quality in life.
As a lecturer and consultant specializing in luxury and marketing, I am often asked by young, aspiring hoteliers and marketing professionals in the luxury goods business, what is the secret of success? In my view, you need passion if you're going to succeed. It's the only thing that will last. Passion is also linked to creativity which is an invaluable quality in life.
All luxury goods businesses, as well as luxury hospitality, sell a dream. To do so, they need to focus on the brand's DNA – and, of course, the passion. Without passion, the extraordinary becomes the mundane, the ordinary. And who wants to be mediocre?
Companies are using the same approach in the search for talent as their brand managers are looking for people with passion.
The luxury goods and hospitality sectors both work in almost the same way – as a quasi-religion. First of all, customers – and employees – have to be true believers. Second, one has to practice the faith by manifesting that belief in daily life.
The luxury goods and hospitality business is hard work, physically and emotionally, and it can wear you down fast. In practice, it can be very challenging to manage clients and satisfy customers. However, if you are a true believer in luxury, you believe in the dream you are selling, are passionate in how you provide customer service, and take pleasure in transmitting the dream to others.
You own the process and continually seek new ways of improving that process, with results which are creative. In turn, you become the dream and part of the family yourself.
If you want to advance your career in this sector, you need to find your passion and let it guide you in how you perform your role. It is not about what you do, but rather why you do it.