As a real estate agent, you offer a plethora of unique services that your competition does not. You go above and beyond for each and every one of your clients. Yet your competitors are thriving, and you are just barely keeping your head above water.
Does this sound like you?
Before you decide to change the services you offer or hang your hat for good, do some soul searching. It might simply be a case of great service, bad brand.
Perform a brand audit
For one thing, when you first became an agent (assuming this isn’t your first rodeo), you likely didn’t have the level of expertise you currently have, not to mention, you likely couldn’t offer the level of services you do now.
As your business improves, so do your services, and you can’t allow your brand to fall behind.
To begin, ask yourself whether you have a well-defined brand. Answering this question is best accomplished by performing a brand audit, so be sure to do so before reading on.
If the audit uncovers that your brand strategy isn’t reflected in your existing brand or marketing materials, you have a serious problem. That’s because your potential audience has no idea what sets you apart from the competition.
Although it’s not the best news, it’s still better than learning you need to pivot your entire business model or even shift careers. In other words, you don’t have to leave the business, you just have to pivot your brand.
Figure out who you are
Let’s start by taking a deep breath. Do it with me: breath in, hold for a count of three, and slowly breath out. Feeling calm?
Now that we got that out of the way, you can approach change with a level head. Remind yourself that your old brand and past marketing don’t have to tie you down.
Give yourself some room to explore new avenues and ways in which to communicate what you bring to the table. What you are doing now is likely completely different than what you did five years ago, and you have to make your target audience aware.
To really get started, focus on the key pieces that make you, as an agent, unique.
We know that you have the skills, but what is it that drives you? What is the deeper passion that lies within? Is it helping new couples find their first home? Is it offering financial knowledge to guide investors?
This is where your competitive edge should really take shape. Once you are absolutely clear on why you do what you do, you’ll be able to articulate it both visually and in writing.
If your mission and your sense of values have changed, don’t worry about alienating your audience. You can pivot your brand and still bring them along. This process will not simply mean tweaking your logo; it’s more than that.
Before you can chart out your course, you will need to know where you are going. You need a solid plan of action and a way to measure your success. Make sure you have this clearly defined before you take the necessary leap.
Take a good look at your visual identity
In order for your audience to resonate with your new direction, you’ll need to have a visual identity and messaging that clearly communicates it.
Is it easy for clients to see what makes you unique as a real estate agent? Look at all marketing materials, from your website to your mailers, and figure out if they are sending the correct message.
At this point in time, you may want to schedule a consultation with a brand strategist who can help to confirm your findings and also serve to guide you in the right direction. Choose wisely, as this will be the partner who brings your brand to life and gets you on the path to hitting your goals.
Once you’ve come to the undeniable conclusion that you need to pivot your brand or else risk losing your business, don’t be afraid to the communicate the upcoming changes to your existing audience.
This is the time to show enthusiasm and lay the foundation for the future. You’ll want to take the time to educate your audience on what this change means for them and get them excited by offering sneak peeks into your new look. Make sure you plan effectively and have a pre-launch strategy in place.
Although it can feel overwhelming, when done correctly, a brand pivot can be extremely rewarding.
Laura Ure is the CEO of Keenability, a marketing agency specializing in lifestyle marketing that targets the affluent buyer. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter.
