Consumers today know what they want, know how to look for information and want to feel a genuine human connection when deciding on their next purchase. In short, the new consumer is market-savvy. The customer wants to buy from businesses or people they know, understand, like and trust. They want the full P2P (person to person) experience.
In this article, we will cover the following:
- How to build a real estate brand
- What are real estate branding ideas that work
- How to choose real estate brand names
- Best real estate branding examples
Buyers value brands and here is where real estate branding comes into the picture. They value quality, integrity, knowledge and strong, efficient communication. In this industry, this means that you, as a realtor, must demonstrate integrity and knowledge, put effective communication practices in place, provide consistent quality services and have a unified, coherent public image.
How to build a real estate brand?
Building a powerful brand is about being forward-thinking. Real estate branding is long-term, it evolves continuously and it adapts to industry trends, but its main focus is consistency.
However, as the number and variety of mediums to manage have grown, planning your branding strategy has become increasingly difficult.
Start building your brand by putting some of these ideas into practice:
- Create a complete online presence – this includes creating your own website, your social media profiles on the major platforms (including a profile on a video platform), your personal account on real estate platforms. Work on creating content for these online platforms, as this is the main way you will interact with prospects and clients.
- Create a real estate branding design – think about the colors, the logo, your email signature, the layout for your photos, your outdoor signs and anything that may make you stand out.
- Create marketing materials – focus on both online and offline marketing materials, how your adds will look, how your copy will read and so on.
- Be consistent – branding is an on-going process. It never stops and you have to be focused on being consistent every day. Your website and social media profiles must always be updated, pay attention to how your listings look, how you interact with people and how you answer to their queries.
What are real estate branding ideas that work?
Commercial real estate branding is all about bringing value, being informative and provide inspiration to your future prospects and existing clients.
Publishing photos and videos are very important, but may not be enough if you want to really boost your brand and dominate your industry. Here are some ideas that will help you reach your branding goals:
- Tell a story – photos are amazing ways to showcase a property, but what if you can actually help your clients see themselves living there? What if you tell a story about the neighborhood, the unique amenities and features of the community? Or if you talk about the lifestyle or business opportunities this area can provide? Try to paint the complete picture: ask the residents, conduct interviews, produce a feature on restaurants, stores or schools. Help your prospects truly understand the community and see what makes them tick.
- Be knowledgeable – this will give you a head-start when talking with a potential client. It helps build trust and makes you look professional. If you have the answers to all the possible questions, you can better understand what your clients are looking for. Plus, you will be able to steer away from the “too salesy” approach that so many realtors focus on. You will be seen as someone who provides real value and answers, as opposed to someone who only wants to make the sale and get the commission.
- Build the dream team – your agents should be part of your branding efforts and you should have them contribute to your brand. Engage with them and try to come up with new ideas, have brainstorming sessions and include them in the content creation process. Create presentation videos with your team, discussions, Q&As or live videos.
- Invest in video – video is huge in marketing and branding, and you should use it for its amazing benefits. Use video to make yourself look more professional, but also agreeable and friendly. Live videos, series and behind the scene videos are great ways to create a more personable, but professional brand.
To add the ideas above, you may want to check our other post about creative marketing ideas for real estate agents to come up with a wide-range plan for your brand.
How to choose real estate brand names?
Choosing the right name for your business is one of the most important elements in your real estate branding strategy. It’s the forefront of your business, the first thing your prospects come into contact with. It should represent you as a brand, be professional and easily marketable.
Here’s a quick guide on how to choose the best name for your business:
- your name or not your name? – for most realtors, using a variation of their name for their business works fine. For example, “John Adams Realtors” or “Brian Johnson Team” is excellent if you work with a small team and your business is working locally. There are some drawbacks, however. If you choose this type of name, you are the business, so if you decide on selling it, or hiring someone else to run it, you may encounter challenges. An alternative is naming your business neutrally, such as “Success Team” or “The Inspired Realtors”, which can overcome these potential issues.
- Avoid string of numbers and letters – don’t choose names like “123Realtors” or “999ABCRealtors”. It will just show you are unprofessional and superficial.
- Local names – only use local names if you want to work in a specific geographical area. If you want to expand in the future, this might be a challenge, so pay attention to this detail.
- Keywords – including related keywords is a good idea, but it may look unprofessional if you go overboard. Try to use only one keyword (e.g. The Boutique, The Experts and so on)
After choosing your brand name, you need to come up with marketing strategies for your business.
Best real estate branding examples
Raj Qsar – The Boutique Group
Raj Qsar is one of the leaders of video marketing in the industry. Often dubbed as the King of Real Estate Video, their videos have become a trademark of their agency and are consistently ranked high in Southern California.
Hawaii Life
Matt Beall’s agency is a branding success mainly thanks to the aptly named video series “Hawaii Life”, where he frequently presents the lifestyle, attractions and features of the area.
The Jills
Miami-based Jill Hertzberg and Jill Eber have capitalized immensely on their similar first names and built an excellent brand for their company. Working in one of the hottest real estate markets in the country, the dynamic duo is instantly recognizable as a professional, yet friendly team of agents.
