October is Luxury Month at Inman. All month, we’ll be talking to top producers from across the country, offering advice on how to join their ranks, and more. That all leads up to Luxury Connect at the Aria Hotel (Oct. 25-26, 2021, join us) and the live presentation of the Inman Golden I Club honorees for this year.
Every real estate agent should have a unique personal brand. Effective personal branding not only showcases your special combination of skills and experiences, but it can also help you stand out from the competition and build trust with clients.
Without formulating your brand, with a quick internet search, whatever comes up often becomes the first impression the public will have of you. With our industry becoming more and more digital, agents need to embrace personal branding and control their online presence.
Here are three secrets to nailing your brand.
1. Identify your personal brand
A personal brand is the unique combination of skills and experiences that make you who you are. It is how you present yourself to the world. Whether creating a personal brand or aiming to refine it, start by identifying your business goals.
Ask yourself where do you want to be in a decade? Do you want to be a team or continue as an individual? List out your personal goals, and see where they overlap in your real estate business.
It’s also essential to identify your mission. We’re in the business of helping people find their dream homes. Take time to think about what your long-term mission is. Consider how you impact people’s lives, the type of clients you aim to serve, and determine your niche. The clearer your task, the better.
This exercise not only aids with motivation, but it can also help form your real estate brand right before your eyes.
2. Communicate your value
The secret to developing your key message is all in how your brand is displayed. Start by writing one line that focuses on the value you provide as an agent. I recommend that you write out a few versions of these and select the one that resonates most.
After you’ve developed your one-sentence outline, create an “about me” segment that shares a few sentences about who you are and your specialties.
Many of our agents have utilized social media to showcase this type of content, including starting their own video segments and YouTube channels that specialize in certain areas and sectors of the market and the activity they’re seeing.
Finally, a key element of your brand should include how people can reach you and a call to action. Remember to reevaluate your key messaging every few months as your business expands or potentially pivots in a new direction.
3. Stay consistent
Your brand should have a clean, neat design and be easy to identify. You must replicate your well-thought-out message across all your print materials and digital platforms.
Take a look and see if the personal brand you are sharing across LinkedIn, Facebook and other social media sites is consistent. Make sure your logo, email templates, social media accounts and website reinforce the personal brand you envision.
Consistency is key. Your brand should be identical across all marketing materials; this will also help you further resonate with existing and new clients.
Although I’ve worked hard to develop both a unique personal brand and a corporate one for The Agency, I always encourage individual agents to establish their brand to enhance their business and help them stand out.
Although the brokerage you work with likely already has a strong brand presence, a robust personal brand provides more exposure for an individual agent. It can better distinguish them as leading professionals in the markets they serve.
Mauricio Umansky is the founder and CEO of The Agency in Los Angeles. Connect with him on Instagram.
