While you are reviewing real estate templates for your next advertising campaign or your next push for an open house, consider whether you are doing enough to promote yourself. Marketing is not the same as branding, and in real estate, it is all about establishing a professional reputation and identity. Creating a brand can be the difference between a client seeking you out or you begging for clients. It is true that everyone starts somewhere, but in the real estate industry, or any industry for that matter, you should start with building your brand.
Defines Your Purpose and Intent
Why did you get into real estate? Granted, the career choice dictates that you sell homes, but is that the only reason you wanted the job? There has to be a motivating factor. For example, did your family struggle to secure a home, making it vital for you to help others find affordable housing? Find your reason for selecting your career path. When you know your intent, you can communicate your purpose to future clients, establishing a genuine connection and making them want to do business with you.
Shows Value to Clients
Establishing a purpose demonstrates part of a brand identity, but you must also show clients why they should work with you. What value do you bring to the table above other agents? For example, do you specialize in particular properties? Or do you have excellent negotiation and research skills? Know what you bring to the table and define yourself by those talents. However, be realistic or risk being deemed a fraud or phony.
Establishes a Reputation in the Industry
When you are honest with yourself, and you build your brand around that honesty, you build a reputation as a real estate agent. However, beyond establishing a trustworthy reputation among your clients, you will begin to see professional benefits as well. A real estate agent who knows how to manage their brand is an asset to brokers and other agents, meaning that businesses and people may want to work with you to borrow some of your credibility. Although, be careful about partnerships. Make sure the people you work with you trust or risk tarnishing your reputation.
Guides Future Advertising and Marketing Efforts
Another aspect of branding that is important to keep in mind is it guides future advertising and marketing efforts. Once you build a reputation, it is necessary to foster it and grow it. Therefore, if you are known for selling in a particular area and also known for selling specific types of homes or properties in that area, do not suddenly branch out into other regions or focus on different properties. Be an expert in your niche, and then grow slowly and consciously.
Creates Loyalty
The last reason to focus on branding as a real estate agent is it creates loyalty. Clients who are happy with your work will tell their friends, and if they ever need a new home, they will probably call you.
Marketing and advertising are only part of your job as a real estate agent. Sure, using those tools will get you business, but it is only when you create a personal brand and identity that you will begin seeing the real possibility of success and profitability. Contact a brand strategy firm for help.
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