Branding for Real Estate Agents (Pt 1)
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The most valuable aspect of your marketing isn't your social media following, your beautiful website, or even the next great lead gen funnel.
The most valuable aspect of your real estate marketing is your personal brand. And today, we're going to be going over the fundamentals of creating a memorable brand as a real estate agent. Because there is no better way to invest your time and resources than in developing your own brand.
So, let's kick off part one of our branding discussion by reimaging branding in a modern, authentic way. And don’t forget to grab a copy of my Agent Branding worksheet to get clarity and help define your agent brand!
Thank you for joining me on today's episode & blog, where we are talking all about branding for real estate. I wanted to do an entire series on branding because there are so many layers to it. The good news? Creating an impactful brand is entirely achievable for any agent regardless of experience, and the benefits are long-lasting!
You don't need a fancy marketing strategist or graphic designer to start creating your brand. With thought and dedication, you can develop your dream brand that attracts not only your next home buyer or seller but your ideal customer.
What is a Modern Real Estate Brand?
In the age of the social media influencer, personal branding is a concept that has taken off. You've heard of people who've created careers from promoting themselves solely on platforms like Instagram. Influencer marketing seemed like a crazy concept just a few years ago, but now it's a lucrative field. And those influencers are dedicated to crafting and perfecting their brand.
While the influencer concept has recently become mainstream, branding has always been the cornerstone of great marketing. Think of classic examples such as Coca Cola or Apple. Did their logos and products pop into your head? As a classically trained marketer (yes, this is what my degree is in!), we were taught that branding was "how people make choices, and how companies influence consumers to make those choices." This concept based on psychology is why I fell in love with marketing and eventually became a real estate marketer.
Branding is a choice. It's your choice as a real estate agent to develop a brand that's true to you.
A brand is no longer logos, colors, and catchy slogans. Your real estate brand is essentially who you are, how you make people feel, what people think of you, and why people think that way.
Branding is an emotional experience. It can also be a mirror where the brand and its attributes are reflected in the customer. You want your brand to represent you as much as it feels like the right fit for your ideal customer.
This concept makes perfect sense when you think of a luxury brand. You don't buy a Rolex watch or Louis Vuitton purse just for the quality. These items reflect the luxurious persona the customer wants to display as well.
Further expanding on emotional ties, brands are now creating communities to tell their stories. Peloton is a prime example of a company that took a product and gave it a feeling and their customers a sense of belonging. While at its core it's a spin bike with accompanying exercise classes, they've fostered community into their branding. Whether through their advertisements, community Facebook pages, or even the bike dashboard itself, they've elevated what they stand for and who they represent.
For your real estate branding, we'll talk about how you can create a similar experience that delights authentically.
Why Should You Focus on Your Real Estate Branding?
Branding for real estate was traditionally thought of as name recognition. You might have learned traditional techniques that relied on "getting your name out there" in as many ways as possible. While marketing is a part of your business strategy, branding based solely on "getting out there" is tiring.
By creating a brand, you are investing in yourself and future success as an agent. It empowers you to:
Attract new clients. Every customer you want to work with has a specific set of challenges they are facing. Whether it's buying a home for the first time or selling a lifestyle property, your branding positions you as the right agent for their specific needs.
Generate referrals. Branding doesn't have to stop at the closing table. You can provide a memorable experience and quality content for years to come that keeps people engaged with you and top of mind.
Reach your goals. Do you have a specific goal you are looking to accomplish this year? If you're trying to get more listings in a particular area or work with a specific type of buyer, your branding will set you up for success!
So, how do you get started?
So, how do you get started?
Step 1: Start Thinking of Yourself as a Real Estate Brand
Congratulations, you are now a brand! Everything you do, say, and post is part of your brand. Representing yourself as a brand might be a mental shift for some or even tricky for others. However, it would be best if you made this mental shift as soon as possible.
You are worthy of following, taking advice from, and doing business with.
What you do every day can make a difference in the lives of those you meet. But to get there, you need to start thinking like you are already there. Always portray yourself in a way that positively reflects your brand. I'd recommend you also read the following post: "Is Your Personal Facebook Impacting Your Real Estate Business?"
Step 2: Analysis
If there is one step you don't want to skip, make it this one!
Your brand cannot be impactful unless it clearly represents who you are while attracting your ideal customer.
To help you with this step, I've created an entire worksheet - "Your 10 Step Branding Analysis Worksheet." In it, you'll uncover not only the best qualities you can focus on but also the attributes your ideal home buyer or seller is looking for in their REALTOR.
There are opportunities in your local market and even your marketing that you might be missing because you haven't fully committed to analyzing your brand as a real estate agent.
Find what makes your brand unique - download the Agent Branding Worksheet!
Step 3: Visual Aesthetics
The visuals are the part everyone wants to dive into first when branding - we're talking colors, logos, and the "look" of your brand. While cohesion and consistency are integral to branding, you already are at a considerable advantage as a real estate agent. You are the brand!
Many companies have to rely on logos and slogans to give life to faceless corporations. You are the heart of your brand!
I'd recommend that you lean into showing up with more photos of yourself and invest in some lifestyle photos. I have an entire podcast all about this and a worksheet you can download.
In the resources above, I walk you through why lifestyle photos are key to great (local!) branding and how to take your photos without professional help!
When thinking about colors and logos, I want you to envision one of your favorite personalities (possibly a celebrity, influencer, podcaster, etc.). Do they have a rememberable logo that pops into your head, or is what that person represents the first thing that comes to your mind?
If you'd like to get a logo, make sure it is easy to read and follows any guidelines set by state & local real estate regulations or even your brokerage. Your colors should also be considered carefully. Choose colors that not only represent you but align with other aspects of your business as well. If your brokerage offers great marketing you want to use (don't reinvent the wheel!), it might be confusing and more work than it's worth to rebrand everything to match your colors. On the other hand, if your brokerage doesn't have a strong brand or you don't want to rely on theirs, the sky is the limit with the choices you make!
>Go to Part 2, where we go over the next four steps to creating your real estate brand!
{Click here to learn more & join my top-rated Instagram Course for Realtors: IG Unlocked!}
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I’m Heather Colby, host of the “Ideas for Real Estate Podcast.”
If you like what you read here today, I’d encourage you to take a listen to the episodes. :