In these troubled times, many experts will herald the death of luxury. If you are a true luxury purveyor, you will not flinch. You will do what true luxury purveyors have done for hundreds of years in up, and down, cycles: execute the fundamentals as inspired and defined by your customers' needs and desires, consistently and extraordinarily well. Men and women who achieve the best will always seek the best of everything. That is why luxury has brands that span centuries, while most other industries don't.

Milton PedrazaLuxury Institute

We at The Lilian Raji Agency are quite inspired by what is occurring on the world stage. Opportunity is ripe for authentic prestige brands – those of quality, refinement,innovation and legacy – to emerge triumphantly after an era run amok with excess and vulgarity. The journey for luxury to reclaim its luster has begun. We are here to help you navigate the course.

Vive la révolution!

anifesto

e once hailed the vast amount of wealth the US has seen over the past few years and the countless opportunities luxury brands had to fill their coffers. Times have changed, and the US is facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We've been asked our thoughts on this crisis and how luxury companies can survive. Our counsel has not changed - build relationships with your customers.

The challenges premium brands are currently facing were created by the very opportunities that originally fueled their growth. From the influx of overnight millionaires with demands for more, luxury companies increased their production and created brand extensions to meet every scale of luxury buyer – whether the $200 handbag luxury customers or customers defining luxury as a $75,000 wristwatch. The gilded age is over, and new values created by hard-learned economic lessons are now redefining what motivates a person to buy luxury.

This coming era produces a challenge for prestige goods companies previously captivated by the demand for more. Projections based on earlier sales are now unrealistic and portfolios are beleaguered by brand extensions that no longer move as quickly as before.

We believe prestige companies can weather the times if they embrace strategies to solidify relationships with existing customers while educating prospective customers on the history, authenticity, quality and value of a premium purchase. The tide will change, and purse strings will loosen once more. Yet only the companies who remained relevant to their customers’ emotional needs now will remain strong.

We are here to help those companies who wish to persevere in this time of uncertainty.

55 Pharr Road Suite A304Atlanta, Georgia 30305(404) 806-9948http://www.lilianraji.com

The Lilian Raji AgencyStrategic Marketing & Public Relations for the Luxury Lifestyle

Front cover image - Mathon Paris - Brooch Libellule

Lilian M RajiFounder & President

The Lilian Raji Agency

(404) 806-9948 x75(404) 434-3100, cell

lilian@lmrpr.com

he Lilian Raji Agency was inspired by firsthand witness of the emotions accompanying luxury goods purchases~ make no mistake about it – the pursuit of luxury is a passionate endeavor. The founder’s experience as a sales associate of Tourneau Watches Inc offered tremendous insight into the impetus behind spending tens of thousands of dollars on an instrument whose primary purpose is to tell time.

Premium goods companies know the luxury buyer isn’t like everyone else – but it goes a little deeper than this. During her time at Tourneau, Lilian observed how a person religious about cutting coupons before grocery shopping transforms into another persona in the presence of prestige items, especially when the history surrounding the product was compellingly told. After a sale, customers would return with their friends just to have Lilian tell their friends the legacy behind the watch.

Lilian saw the impact of well written articles in delivering passionate customers through the door, and how casually name-dropping an influential figure who happened to own a similar watch helped customers feel good about buying. What often closed a sale, however, was giving the customer an opportunity to experience ownership – whether through invitations to special events given by the watch company or by gentle suggestions to preen and pose with the watch before a mirror. Ultimately, regular application of these insights helped make Lilian one of the leading and youngest sales associate at Tourneau.

In creating The Lilian Raji Agency, Lilian recognized the contribution of each scenario in persuading customers to buy. The services offered by The Lilian Raji Agency are based on this fundamental understanding that emotions – whether created through a compelling story, a personal experience, or validation of one’s decisions reflected by a similar decision from a highly respected leader – are the secret to selling premium goods.

We extend to you strategic counsel, marketing and public relations services based on personal experiences selling premium goods to your customers.

With our understanding of luxury purchase motivators, we develop strategies to ensure customers ask for you by name. We remain current on buying habits of luxury consumers by communicating regularly with our friends in luxury retail sales and our “brain trust” of high net worth individuals who willingly share their insights.

remium Value

We are obsessively compulsive about delivering a return on investment – so much so that you’ll hear from us regularly. You’ll receive frequent updates about what we’re doing and recommendations on how you can best maximize our services. We come to you with ideas and treat your business as if it were our own.

Because we are a boutique agency, we won’t break your budget. Our Atlanta base allows for minimal overhead while our relationships and monthly travel to New York City assures the same advantages of a Manhattan address at a fraction of the cost.

There are six of us. While your communication will almost exclusively be with the agency founder, Lilian Raji, restassured there’s a team working behind the scenes to ensure your satisfaction is earned.

Dubey & Schaldenbrand - Coupe City

1. Tell them a story they can embrace.

What is the difference between your brand and your top four competitors? You know the answer, but your target customers may not. Given the abundance of choices today, customers will do their research before making an expensive buy. And despite some apprehension luxury companies have about the internet, please understand that a dialogue is being had about you online. You have the power to direct its tone.

Our Traditional and Social Media Relations Service ensures the information found about you is accurate and reflects your best light. Our relationships span the print, broadcast and online world, putting you in front of the editors, writers, producers and bloggers whose opinions can determine how your company is perceived.

The pen (or in this age, the key stroke) is truly mightier than the sword, and being able to inspire what a powerful pen writes determines how your brand is distinguished from your competitors.

Volna - National Jeweler

Mathon Paris - Couture International Jeweler

When your customer is complimented while wearing your product, does she just say “thank you” or does she go into the history of your company and why she made the purchase? The difference between the two is that a customer who goes into detail about the product is not only passionate about your brand, she has also embraced your legacy. She has become your ultimate brand advocate.

We can help you weave a story so involving, so compelling, that customers become moved to partake of the story by making your product their own. Our MarketingCommunications Service translates your story into a language for which customers become fluent. We then communicate this story through every point of contact between you and your customer, from development of your written materials to your website creation and beyond.

Dubey & Schaldenbrand - Upscale

2. Let them learn about you in their own way and at their own time.Volna - Elite Traveler

Mathon Paris - Robb Report

Philippe Tournaire - JQ International

ive Ways to Remain Relevantto the Luxury Customer

3. Give them an experience that speaks louder than words.

4. Show them the people they admire also admire you.

We believe the notion that two heads work better than one is not just sage advice, it’s also good business. Our Strategic Partnership Service helps you find your second head.

We look for other companies that don’t necessarily do the same thing as you, yet working with them will help you reach a larger, perhaps newer audience than before. We work with you in defining what your ideal partnership looks like, then embark on finding companies matching your qualifications, bringing both of you together to expand your individual market shares.

We all have our own unique style. Yet seeing someone we highly respect and admire wearing something that we also own, well, it’s hard to resist patting ourselves on the back for making a good purchase decision.

Opinion leaders – those who are often quoted in the media and have a loyal following of people who value their beliefs – can make your brand even more desirable simply through their association. Our Influencer Outreach Service delivers your brand into the radar of the world’s most respected pioneers.

5. Work with other companies that they like.

Pause for a moment to recall the best event you’ve ever attended. We’ll wait.

Now recall how you felt afterward.

Personal experiences are by far the single greatest determinant in making a decision to buy. Allowing customers to experience your brand, whether through involvement in or creation of a special event, will leave an indelible footprint in their minds that no amount of advertising can replicate.

Our Experiential Event Services engineer moments for your customers to develop personal relationships with your brand. We can design and execute a glamorously unique event or find established opportunities to integrate your brand. Whichever option you choose, we ensure your customers’ delight when recollecting the event - and your brand.

learly the marketing challenge today is not just finding an agency that can effectively communicate the value of a premium purchase, but also finding an agency that can unapologetically deliver a measurable return on investment. We at The Lilian Raji Agency pride ourselves on an obsessive attention to demonstrating ROI while initiating creative, innovative and cost effective strategies that persuade prospective customers to give your brand due diligence. Choosing The Lilian Raji Agency is a smart business decision that aligns your objectives with an agency fastidious about delivering results.

restige ServiceINNOVATIONWe hired Lilian Raji when one aspect of our sponsorship of UNICEF’s Designs of Hope was falling short of projection – our raffle ticket sales. With only six weeks before deadline, Lilian executed an aggressive, strategic marketing plan that catapulted raffle ticket sales from just under $1,000 to over $12,000. Her creativity and innate understanding of marketing challenges helped us succeed in an area we’re we had almost given up hope.

Autumn Murray Senior Community Affairs Director

InterContinental Hotels Group

I have known Lilian for over three years now. She is a very effective, creative and high integrity PR professional. She has a unique combi-nation of contemporary and proven traditional techniques for getting it done for her clients. Through Lilian's company, my venture achieved results beyond what I expected in a very short time.

Steve Aninye, PresidentAscend Systems

QUALITYLilian is an extremely energetic and creative individual who is dedicated to achieving her clients' objectives. She is detail-oriented and can be a very strong partner for public relations and branding.

Ed Cortese, Fashion DirectorRobb Report

I met Lilian Raji at a conference where she was being honored as International Emerging Leader of the Year, and subsequently hired her to manage media relations and launch for our new store opening in Atlanta. From beginning to end, Lilian and her team ensured everything was done correctly – from coming in under budget for the launch coordination, to ensuring premium media presence, to voluntarily preparing an ROI statement that validated our decision to hire her company.

Trenesa Danuser VP of Global Communications and Strategic Alliances

The Estee Lauder Companies, Origins and Ojon

Philippe Tournaire - Stylos Empire State

COSTLilian Raji is a passionate professional dedicated to excellence. Her primary focus is in providing exceptional service to her clients cost effectively.

Lucrezia Robinson, Project SpecialistAmerican Express

We came to The Lilian Raji Agency with a limited budget and a young brand that needed to be introduced to the American market. Lilian treated us like a global brand with a much larger budget, and delivered results as such without exceeding our financial plan.

Franck Albert Brafine VP of Operations, North America

Philippe Tournaire

SERVICELilian is a detailed PR person who brings energy and passion to each project she takes on. She is strategic in her approach and a great networker. It was a pleasure working with her, and I look forward to hiring her on future projects.

Jeff BealUltimate Life TV

Lilian is one of the most passionate and dynamic professionals I've ever worked with. Her dedication and level of service to her clients is truly amazing, and is well-matched by her intelligence and warmth. While her skills, experience, and knowledge of the luxury market got us working together initially, her personality, enthusi-asm, and problem-solving abilities will keep us collaborating for many years to come.

Cindy WoodBrand Stylist

VALUEThe Lilian Raji Agency coordinated our most highly regarded customer appreciation party, while spending the least amount possible to ensure satisfaction all around. Our vendor relationships were strengthened by Lilian bringing in editors and reporters that not only interviewed us, but also interviewed our vendors to discuss their newest watches. Our customer relationships were strength-ened by the gift bags Lilian’s team put together, valued at over $500 and filled with products from Hermes, Belisimi, Maurice Lacroix, Breitling, Tag Heuer and other companies, all secured at no cost to us. We were very impressed with Lilian’s work and highly recommend her services.

Ken Grazi, PartnerKENJO – the Store to Watch

I've worked with Lilian on several projects and her company has proven to be both highly creative and very professional. Her team goes the extra mile to ensure the clients' needs are met, and are never satisfied until they can show clients a ROI equal to three times their retainer. Lilian is truly a relationship specialist, openly sharing her contacts to help others advance their own needs. She is a generous and dedicated business leader for whom I have the greatest respect.

Jennifer Peterson, Marketing DirectorGalaxy Bright

ortfolioBEAUTY

The Estee Lauder Companies for OriginsProctor & Gamble for Olay*

FASHIONAscend Systems

Bakana Brazilian Jewelry, Purses & AccessoriesMark Edge Jewelry

IMPnow.com

HOSPITALITYEros World Tapas Bar

InterContinental Hotels GroupMilan Restaurant

The Palm Restaurant*Raffles International Hotels & Resorts*

Raffles L’Ermitage Beverly Hills*Teela Taqueria

JEWELRY & WATCHESAquanautic

ClercDubey & Schaldenbrand

French Trade Commission - Jewelry DivisionKENJO - The Store to Watch

Mathon ParisPhilippe Tournaire

PK Time GroupSolomon Brothers Fine Jewelry

ST DupontVolna

LUXURY SERVICESIntelligent Homes & Buildings

Meilin EhlkeMunson International

RMR - Real Estate Marketing ResultsThe Ultimate TV

Wes Moss

NONPROFITAmerican Cancer Society

American Heart AssociationCaptain Planet Foundation

Emory Ataxia Center at Emory University School of MedicineThe Goethe Institute

Hope-worldwide GeorgiaItalian Trade Commission

National Academy of Television, Arts & SciencesSouthern Center for International Studies

* services performed on behalf of another agency

55 Pharr Road Suite A304 | Atlanta, Georgia 30305(404) 806-9948 | http://www.lilianraji.com

The Lilian Raji AgencyStrategic Marketing & Public Relations for the Luxury Lifestyle