What Makes Real Estate Branding So Important

Branding sets you apart from the competition. You can have a name and a logo just for the sake of it, but then you would be missing out on the power of branding.

It’s an arduous process that requires research and modification to become effective. But it is effective.

CEO and cofounder Mauricio Umansky of Beverly Hills based The Agency says their unified agency’s marketing and creative is what sets their agents apart from others. They have done $12 billion in real estate transactions since they opened in 2011.

The Chief Creative at 1000Watt Marc Davison said:

“In the absence of branding, all you’re left with is marketing the same things your competitors have. When you do that, you will always be perceived as just like them. When you successfully create a brand, you will stand out. You will lead. You will develop fans. You will create clarity for your customers and help them understand and feel great about their place in the world.”

If you go into branding thinking that it’s all about you, you’ll miss the crucial components that make branding effective. Clients and agents need the clarity and assurance provided by your brand.

Real estate branding will impact both your clients and your agents

Clients gain confidence in an attractive brand, driving relationships and deals with your agents.

When you think of sports, you probably think of popular brands such as Nike and Gatorade. These masters of branding have dominated for decades in the United States and on a global scale for their industries. When it comes to real estate, you want to be the agency that potential clients think of first when looking to buy or sell.

Agents, on the other hand, are represented by your brand. In just four years, 200 agents and brokers joined successful real estate agency Hawaii Life as they expanded to 11 offices. Obviously, agents loved the brand Hawaii Life had and wanted a piece of the pie. Nobody wants to work for a company that they don’t value. Thus, your brand should not only be based off of what clients want, but also what local agents find important.

If your brand emphasizes something noble like empowering young buyers, agents will feel that motivation and drive. Young potential clients will flock to your calls. If your brand revolves around luxury, agents will seek to emulate that extravagant feeling when reaching out to clients. Now consider how those potential clients will be a much different segment than your average population.

Branding starts with knowing your clients

A luxury real estate agency seeks rich clients spending very large amounts, while more casual agencies have a larger number of clients that likely fit in the middle class. A smaller local agency focuses on the demographics of their region, while a global brand has to be malleable for widely diverse nations.

Look at where your clients are right now and what kind of buyers or sellers that they are. This geographic and demographic data will help you realize what kind of brand you can position yourself as.

Take into consideration how your business started, what growth you have seen since its beginning, and where you plan to be in the future. Perhaps the clients you have now aren’t what you hope to have in the future. Branding can help to either increase your foothold where you are or to reposition yourself in another market. Before making any rash decisions though, weigh the required effort to reposition yourself against the realistic benefits of doing so.

After doing your preliminary research, sift through it all to find what makes your company effective and unique. If you are struggling to figure out what might make your brand special, just remember that your agents probably have some of their own ideas. You can reach out to past clients to see what they appreciated most about your services or ask current clients why they chose you.

Essential elements of a brand

Determining the core message that you want to share with everyone will be your first priority.

That is the unique bit of special that you want to highlight from your company. You might also hear it called a strategy statement or company mission. Past that (in no particular order), you should develop the following:

• Company values
• Logo
• Color and font guide
• Tone and voice
• Tagline and/or slogan

These are the baseline elements of a brand that will be used in all future design and decision making.

If you are starting from square one and have not even thought about what your brand name should be then you should check out this post, how to create your brand name.

How to use your shiny new branding

You’ve discovered your brand and now it’s time to put it to use! The trick here is to get it out of the office and into the world.

Your brand will direct messaging, design, and processes. When solving problems, consider what impact your brand might have on that decision. Begin making promotions such as a brochure or find an easy flyer creator to show off your new brand. Redesign your website to reflect your changes. Add a professional email signature with your logo and fonts. Show your brand off everywhere.

Whether it’s video marketing or social media, keep your brand consistent across all channels. In large companies such as McDonalds or H&M, teams of lawyers write legal agreements for franchisees that prevent any changes being made to logos and designs without proper review and authority. Having a consistent brand across all communication channels and regions will inspire confidence and trust in your clients. It will also raise better awareness as people recognize your messages in different areas.

Having a brand also gives you the ability to hand out memorable promotional items.  Put your logo on items such as these 8 Real Estate Promotional Products; House-Shaped Stress Ball, Custom House Shaped Memo Clips, House Tag Keyholder, Light Up Logo Wifi Smart Plug With USB Output, Custom Fabric Phone Wallet, Custom Marble and Bamboo Cutting Board, Custom 8oz Soy Candle, Custom Coffee Mugs For Real Estate Companies

Email is probably one of your most-used forms of communication. From reaching out to clients to sending offers, this digital communication channel is a part of your everyday life.

Having a professional email signature will instantly provide your clients with some additional information without being too aggressive.

You can use it to promote your website, blog, social media channels, upcoming events, etc.  If you want to have a strong email game you need to work on an email signature that sells.

What Makes Real Estate Branding So Important Infographic

infographic made by Venngage (a visualization tool that facilitates the creation of infographics, posters, flyer maker, bar graphs and graphics).”

Make a little or big effort today

If you aren’t developing or promoting your brand now, others are doing it for you.

We subconsciously attach meanings to every logo and name we see. We judge brands based on the quality of their current efforts. We forget those names that don’t leave an impression.

The next time a buyer or seller in your area is looking for a realtor, make sure they think of you first. Make sure they trust you and feel confident that you’ll serve their needs. That comes from the most important part of your brand: the core message. Make it count.