Do your customers recognize your brand? For many in the real estate community, this may be a strange question. The concept of branding involves more than simply creating a logo and a promotional brochure. It is a complex by-product of perception, nuance and perceived benefit through interaction and experience with a person, product or experience.
We have long associated branding with well known products of the marketplace such as Coke or Pepsi. But, do you understand that our contacts with our customers and clients over time have the power to build a powerful brand association?
What has emerged within the past decade is the concept of Personal Branding. Branding is increasingly a significant aspect of personal marketing for successful entrepreneurs.
For a brand to be successful, it must differentiate itself and provide a uniquely, identifiable experience or interaction with the consumer. While many real estate agents provide personalized service, few understand the mechanism by which they can create a brand to solidifiy client loyalty.
Diane Brady writes an interesting article in Business Week entitled "Creating Brand You." Brady highlights some excellent points which can be utilized by real estate agents to turn a transaction based module of real estate into an experience which customers and clients remember, relate to and want to replicate again!
- #1: Develop a Saying.
- This may seem really corny. After-all jingles are the stuff of television commercials. Precisely...and that's why they work! People remember them. Although you may not want to associate your "saying" to music, you can attach it to all your marketing materials, place it on your voice mail and on your e-mail. Make sure your phrase promotes a positive association with who you are and what you do. Eventually, people will begin to make the connection.
- #2: Hone a Distinctive Look
- The example Brady gives in the article "Creating Brand You" is Donald Trumps hair! The point is we all know exactly what that looks like regardless of whether we like the haircut or not. People gravitate towards brands because they know what to expect when they interact with the product. Brand name products represent less risk. Do your clients know what to expect when they meet with you? Are you well dressed on some days and on others frumpy and forlorn? To build your personal brand, strive to be consistent in your personal appearances and interpersonal interactions with clients.
- #3: Get A Cause.
- Get involved with something that has a higher purpose. Real Estate affords so many wonderful opportunities to be involved with our communities. Helping others through organizations like Habitat for Humanity or Fair Housing and other issues that are dear to your heart will not only make you a better person, they will provide a deeper dimension to your practise of real estate. When we demonstrate the ability to care deelply about something other than simply our own personal welfare, others can more easily trust that we care about them as well.
- #4: Link Up with Better Brands!
- Association is a very powerful thing. Brady's example about Trya Banks is very interesting. "Trya Banks was just a supermodel on TV until some dubbed her the next Oprah." Find out who is doing what you want to do well. And then express genuine interest and appreciation. One of the most powerful branding tools available to real estate professionals is blogging.
- Visit bloggers who you admire regularly. Learn from them and express your appreciation with a comment. Right now, most real estate blogs are being read by real estate professional, but consumers are rapidly developing a fascination with the inside information that a real estate blog can provide. Build your audience where you find it, learn how to cultivate their loyalty. Eventually, the wider market will come to recognize what your loyal following has always known to be true!
picture of the Coca Cola Mural is courtesy of Rockateer from Flickr.com
Copyright 2007 Audu Real Estate All Rights Reserved
Copyright 2007 Audu Real Estate All Rights Reserved
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Lola Audu, is the Designated Broker & Owner of Audu Real Estate. Our company specializes in helping people buy and sell homes in the greater Grand Rapids, West Michigan area. You can contact us via e-mail @ info@auduhomes.com or by phone at 616-791-0511. Thanks for visiting our blog. Here are links to some of our most popular posts for you to enjoy!
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Wow Lola who did you hire to write your blog??? Only kidding. You are so well written I say that with envy for your skills and obvious writing talent.
On branding... I am trying feverishly to get my team branded and a logo in place... if I wasn't so anal about the logo... photos and what the public is going to think.. it would have been done already.. I am still in a race against the clock. I do have a new team photo being shot next week so I guess its a step in the right direction.
The logo...... well that I don't even want to talk about... great post!!
Hi Desiree, Thanks for stopping by to read and comment. I would encourage you to go deeper than the logo and the new team photo. Many of us misunderstand the concept of branding as just the outward appearance. While the appearance is important, the experience is what gives a powerful brand its emotional resonance. And that's what ultimately counts.
We use brand name products because of what we perceive they will do for us or how we think they will make us feel! This gives a whole new dimension when you think about creating a personal brand for your real estate business. I'm glad you're thinking through this process. Best wishes.
Excellent article Lola
Klennex is also a great example of branding. Personal branding is a gret idea. Thanks for the reminder.
This is a very straightforward common sense post, but it surely does ring true! Sometimes I think it's the easiest concepts that we have a hard time implementing!!!
Thank you for the reminder. I will definitely take some inventory and make sure that I am keeping with the branding theme I started with.
Hi Lola,
Thank you for such a great post. I found it difficult to apply the straight forward marketing 101 principals to branding myself. It could be that corporate branding is easier understood or applied ( I used to consult for Fortune 500). When applied to real estate, I am finding it hard not to sound like others, or else how good is the brand?
THis is excellent. No wonder you are at the top of the list. I love your writings. Great tips. I have been working on this and will use some of your ideas to help me get it completely together. Thanks for the reminders and tips. Bookmarked.
Gave you a 5 - because marketing is a tool we all need to make sure is in place and top of the line.
Lola-
Great post that I have bookmarked for future review. Your points are simple yet powerful. I hope you will continue to post here so we can all learn from you.
Best,
Scott
Lola
Thank you so much for this helpful information.
It is hard to Brand yourself when in Real Estate you must use your Brokerage name in all the advertising. What happens if you move to another company, you have branded yourself with your former company.
Its not impossible to do but difficult!
Hi Kate, Thanks for your comment. I'm glad that you are finding the tips helpful.
Penny, One of the best things that proper branding does is that it reinforces the message. Repetition is a key element of effective marketing. People naturally gravitate towards things/people the recognize and are familiar with. Best wishes for success with implementing a more systematic approach to your marketing!
Thanks for your comment and compliment Rosemary.
Thank you for stopping by to read and comment Dionne.
Gita...top of mind is very important! That is mostly accomplished by consistently doing an excellent job. However, we can reinforce this with understanding how to communicate our message and services consistently and clearly. Branding works powerfully when the product being promoted is a good one! Thanks for your comment.
Hi Karen, Thanks you for reading and commenting.
Rolondo...You've got it! Thanks for sharing your insight.
Thank you Scott for a Warm Welcome. I appreciate the dialogue and look forward to the opportunity to grow and learn by participating in this forum.
Hi Julie, Thanks for stopping by to read and comment. I did visit your blog and your website. I appreciate the inspiring theme of "lifting hearts...building dreams." It was good to see this repeated in the banner of your website and at the bottom of your profile.
My suggestion to amplify this powerful message would be to use it on your home page not just as a saying but in a way that resonates with the emotion that makes this saying so powerful...perhaps even illustrating it through a simple story. This can also be very effective on a profile page. You may also want to view Sally Chestman's use of real estate shows (Active Rain ~ Hawaii) to highlight your areas beautiful scenery in an innovative way. Hope this is helpful.
Hi James, Thanks for sharing your insights. Personal Branding is somewhat different from corporate branding although there are obvious similarities. I would liken personal branding to a more intense application of the principles involved in building a solid reputation.
First of all, the solid work, ethics and integrity must be in place. All the money in the world does little to buy that. But, where personal branding can be very effective for entrepreneurs is in solidifying these elements and creating an attachment within the memory that reminds clients and/or potential clients about your unique service proposition or talents. By definition, personal branding does not necessarily need to be expensive, but it must be consistent and have a message that is relevant and resonates to your client base.
I agree with James and Lola on the branding issue. I hope everyone understands that the most important thing to a potential customer is them. After all it is there money and more than likely the biggest purchase that they will ever make.
James is absolutely correct when it comes to guarantees. I would rather people know me by the guarantee that I provide. I am the only one in our area who offers a 29 day guarantee and that is what people need to know. It guarantees a level of service to the customer. No customer will ever say "I want someone who doesn't have integrity who isn't honest". All customers want and deserve that as Lola points out. The way to differentiate yourself is exactly how James said which is to provide a guarantee and the bolder the better.
I have been working on an "image" for months and you're post is helping me narrow it down. Thanks for the advice, I always enjoy your posts.
Lexa
Hi Joseph, Thanks for stopping by and adding an enriching commentary to this discussion on marketing. I appreciate your insights.
Lexa, thanks for reading and commenting. I appreciate that!
Just a thought....it is important to brand yourself whether you are part of a nationally recognized company or an independant. WHY? IF you are part of a national brand, you will tend to blend. You need something that sets you apart. IF you are independent...you need something to establish that you are credible. Thanks for the info! Elizabeth