How to Leverage Modern Branding to Attract Your Dream Buyers or Sellers
This post originally aired as a podcast!
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We talk about branding a lot on the Ideas for Real Estate podcast for a reason.
Branding is the foundation of your marketing and a pathway to growing your business. So, it's no surprise that for many who are just starting in real estate and even for seasoned agents, the reminder, "you need to work on your branding," is something you hear time and time again.
But how exactly do you get started with a modern branding strategy that not only looks good but, more importantly, helps you attract customers?
In today's episode, I'm sharing three strategies that will set you up for success and move you forward in a way that produces results.
🎧 Listen to the show on Apple Podcasts | Spotify
I often get asked by podcast listeners if my trainings and courses are like my podcasts. And the first time someone asked me this, I had to pause and reflect. Because to be honest, when I first started training real estate agents on marketing (back in 2014!), I was not the best. I'd be so passionate about the topic that I'd talk quickly and breeze through challenging topics. While the info was good, my delivery could use some improvement. But I learned over time what works for me and my audience and got better. Sharing ideas and knowledge to empower others became my purpose and the core of Ideas for Real Estate.
So, today we're doing something a little bit different on the podcast. I'm replaying a live training session I did recently - "How to Leverage Modern Branding to Attract your Dream Buyers or Sellers." And as you'll see, my style - whether it's a podcast, course, training, or live event - is very methodical, step-by-step, and always filled with excitement for the topic!
So you can tune into this podcast episode on your favorite podcast app, watch the video replay below, or read through the transcript of the training underneath the video! I hope you enjoy!
Watch the training replay:
Today you're going to learn three strategies to successfully brand yourself as a real estate agent. We're talking about branding yourself in a way that's authentic to who you are, while still being very strategic.
And if you struggle with agent branding, I have to tell you right now, before we begin, that you are definitely not alone. There are so many popular roadblocks that stand in the way of success when it comes to branding.
But here are the three roadblocks that I hear most frequently from agents:
The first is just direction - you're not really sure what modern branding is. Or you might not be sure how to take modern branding and apply it to your business in a way that's impactful.
The next roadblock that stands in the way is just consistency. That's the one that's always getting in our way - consistency with your branding and having a hard time implementing branding throughout your entire marketing strategy.
And that third roadblock that I see is effectiveness. Maybe you've tried branding, but you just haven't gotten the results you're looking for.
So those three roadblocks are direction, consistency, and effectiveness. But I want you to know that branding, it doesn't have to be challenging. In fact, a branding strategy works to do so many things for your business.
Why Branding?
First, it helps you stand out in your market, among the competition, among other agents, and in your geographic area.
It enhances who you are and makes you more memorable. And great branding also highlights the value of working with you that makes you that logical choice for customers. This helps attract more people to you, which is exactly what we want, right?
We don't want to focus on pretty colors and all of those things that are aesthetic that don't actually move the needle in your business.
Because I believe that building your agent brand is actually one of the best investments you can make in your business. It's a great investment because it's not something you're going to do right now that generates quick leads and brings you business, but it's going to set you up for long-term success. And that's the difference there.
So I have a quick question for you, and I hope that this one is a no-brainer: would you rather show up authentically and form actual genuine, real connections with people? Or would you rather be shelling out money dollar after dollar to convince people to work with you?
Because that's a lot of modern advertising, let's just spend money and get as many eyes on us as possible. That's one way you can do it. Or you can be exactly who you are, and in doing that, start those relationships that lead to more business. So which one would you rather be?
When you build your brand, those customers know that you are the right agent for them. And when they know this, they want to work with you. But what exactly is a modern agent brand? And how do you build one? Well, you came to the right place today, because today's roadmap is going to take you through exactly that.
We're going to start with embracing modern branding - what is that exactly? Then we're going to get into that purposeful mindset, which is strategy number one. We're going to go into my customer-centric methods, strategy number two. We're going to go into the authentically you approach, strategy number three, and then wind it all up to build your brand.
So let's begin with embracing modern branding for real estate agents.
Before we can implement any kind of marketing strategy, we first have to make sure we understand what it is and how we can leverage it. And I like to start right here, because branding is actually the foundation of your marketing.
When you think about your marketing and all the different things you do, whether it's social media, it's flyers for a listing, or a video that you're filming, your branding is a part of all of that. And modern real estate branding extends so much further beyond logos and colors.
I went to college for marketing, and I remember sitting in one of those giant lecture hall classes learning about logos and how a logo makes somebody feel, and how we really manipulate people to get them to do business with us. Well, I have to tell you, those classes that I took well over a decade ago - that is not modern branding anymore. And it's a good thing because it works to your favor as a real estate agent.
So your agent branding today is essentially who you are. That's at the core of it, who you are both professionally and personally. Because as we know, real estate is a relationship business. But your branding is also how you make people feel throughout your marketing. If they're looking at a piece of your marketing material, do they trust you? Do they find that professionalism? But also how do you make people feel in the service you provide? How do you go above and beyond? That's something that's actually a part of your branding.
But it might not be something that you ever considered branding before. And what people think of you as an agent, your reputation, what they associate with you is your branding as well. And when we think about niche marketing, this makes a lot of sense to people - associating you with luxury marketing, with new construction marketing, with a particular area, community, neighborhood, or city. What people think of you - your reputation - that all goes into your branding.
And then ultimately, why does that ideal customer view you in that particular way? The interesting thing here is, we get to decide all of that. You get to decide who you are, how you make people feel, what people are thinking of you based on your reputation, everything you're putting out into the world, and why all of that comes together.
Because your agent branding, it's a choice. And you get to decide it.
So if you've already been working on it, kudos to you! You can keep building it. If it's something that's a new concept to you, you're in the right place, because you decide right from the beginning.
Your branding is an opportunity to really position yourself to reach those very specific business goals. I always say that your marketing and your branding support your business goals - we don't want to hop from one marketing strategy to the next without getting us to where we want to go in our business.
So our branding supports those business goals you already have. And to explain modern branding, I have a very simple but effective approach.
My branding philosophy is that branding is the intersection of you and your customer - where they meet in the middle.
So let's go over this in detail. On one side, you have your ideal customer - who is that dream customer, the people that you would love to work with? What are they? Who are they looking to connect with? What did they need help with? What are they like? We really need to get into the mind of your ideal customer. And then we look at who you are. Who are you personally? Who are you professionally? What do you want to be known for? Those are all decisions that you can make. And where those two things meet -that's your branding as an agent.
It's not logos and it's not colors. Those are visual things that do enhance our branding, but it's so much more. It's emotional, it has opportunity, and it's something that anybody can work on.
So if it's something that you're struggling with, just know, you can absolutely work on a strategy that's going to connect you with more customers. And when you use this two circle approach, it creates branding that's actually authentic to you, while at the same time being impactful to your next customer. And that's what we want it to be - impactful. Because remember, we're trying to attract customers to us. And if it's not impactful to them, it's not going to bring them to you.
So how do you get there? Well, that's where my three simple strategies come into place.
Strategy 1: The Purposeful Mindset Shift
The first strategy is the purposeful mindset shift you should adopt to build an agent brand. We want to build it successfully and authentically. But it starts with that mindset shift.
So now you know that logos, colors, and graphics aren't your brand. But you have to decide right now to stop thinking that those elements alone are your brand. I know it's so fun and easy to get caught up in the visuals, but you are your own brand - a personal brand - and there is nobody else like you. So your visual identity might be enhanced by those classic branding elements that we love, like logos and colors, but I don't want you to ever forget that you are your brand.
You might change and evolve and be different depending on the day or the week. But at the core of everything, you are that brand, and modern branding really requires that you consciously decide today to start representing yourself in a way that is a personal brand. And everything that you're doing is a reflection back on that brand.
So this really does change how you approach your business, just a simple mindset shift will change things. Because every customer you speak to, every email you send, everything you post on social - all of those are representations of your branding. If you think back to what I said earlier about your reputation, you are planting these images and these experiences in people's minds. And that attracts people to you. It's also an opportunity for that repeat and referral business, but you have to get in that mindset.
How you form connections and how you are remembered are components of your branding that 100% lead to more business. Because when we are making those emotional connections and being the best person that we can be, of course it makes sense that it's going to naturally lead you to more customers, and it's something that you can consciously focus on every single day if you just make that mindset shift.
So you have to embrace it and - I know it might seems silly, but - say to yourself: I am my own brand. And you need to be representing yourself in that way, and in a way that actually resonates with your ideal customer.
Strategy 2: The Customer-Centric Method
So that brings us to Strategy two, which is the customer-centric method you should leverage to connect with more buyers and sellers.
I have to tell you right now, this is something that agents struggle with, because your branding doesn't exist in a perfect bubble. It's not all about you.
And before we even get into talking about that more, I want to be very clear - this is something that I strongly believe, and I encourage you to think this way as well. Your branding is actually a business decision.
Yes, it can get very personal and it can be fun to work on. But at the end of the day, it is a business decision. And it's a business decision that's going to work when done properly and effectively, to attract more customers to you, so that you have more closings and live the life you want to live.
It all starts by recognizing that it's a business decision. And when we know that, we also have to realize that our branding is not just about you. Because if you think about it that way, you're going to be missing out on a key opportunity for connection.
So to attract more buyers and sellers, your branding must hit these things: it must be focused on your customer, you are really thinking about what they would be attracted to, and what matters to them. It is customer-centric, so it has to appeal to exactly who they're looking for.
And if you think about this in real-life terms, that makes a lot of sense. Let's say somebody owns a really expensive home - a luxury property on the water. Are they going to be attracted to an agent that doesn't have that professionalism that doesn't have that luxury persona?
Or let's flip the switch. Maybe you have a customer who is really a first-time homebuyer and they're looking to work with somebody who's very approachable and who can educate them, guide them, and be there to support them. Well, your branding has to demonstrate that.
It also has to work in your local market because, of course, real estate is local, and our real estate choices are impacted by our geography.
So sometimes this is very clear. I'm here in Florida, so coastal branding is very popular with people who have those beachfront waterfront markets. You want your branding to make sense with your geographic area, and we think about all of those things, in addition to how your branding represents you (which we are going to get to). But it's so important that you are focused on your customer, the type of agent they're looking for, and what they would be attracted to. Because remember, the whole point of today's training is to attract customers to us.
So your branding formula, at the end of the day, is taking a deep dive and analysis of the ideal customer and the areas you serve. And then combining it with your own personal branding discovery, what makes you unique who you are. From there, you'll have your branding guidelines that you can implement and follow.
So to achieve the customer-centric method, you have to figure out who those ideal customers are. I have gotten so much pushback from agents over the years about really refining and defining who an ideal customer is. But if you are trying to market to everybody, if you're trying to brand yourself to appeal to everybody, you're not appealing to anybody. So figure out your ideal customers, what they are struggling with, and what is important to them. Those answers will impact how you present yourself and what your branding is like.
Once you know exactly who your customer is and what they need, then you're able to tailor your branding in a way that's going to bring those home buyers and sellers to you. But if you don't know and you're just trying to reach everybody, it's going to be very hard to get specific and impactful with your own branding. Click here to download my Realtor Branding Worksheet to get clarity & help establish your unique brand!
Strategy 3: The Authentically You Approach
Then we head into Strategy three, which is the "authentically you approach." That's not only true to you, right? It's authentically you. But it also attracts your ideal customers.
So we've talked about your customers, and now we're going to talk about you because you are the brand, and there is no other agent in this entire world exactly like You. We can tend to get so caught up in comparison traps. Maybe this agent has so many more followers on Instagram, or this agent has been in the business so much longer than I have, or I'm not good at this, or this makes me nervous. So we forget to step back and say, I am special, I'm unique, and people will want to work with me.
So I just want to remind you that there is nobody in your market, no matter how saturated it is, that is exactly like you. And those other agents might have more experience, and they might have sold more homes, but you have an advantage. They're not you. They're not doing things exactly the way you do them, and they are not following a strategy that's going to work for you. You have to create the strategy that's going to work for you. And that's where you have the advantage, you get to decide. All of this is actually very exciting!
So to achieve the "authentically you approach," you have to step back a little bit and take an objective look at all you have to offer. And what you have to offer can be professional or it can be personal, because all of that ties back into your brand as an agent. Remember, your branding is who you are, so show off who you are.
Some ways that you can do this is get on social and be yourself. Maybe you film videos, if you're on Instagram, you do Instagram Reels, you do stories, you give people glimpses into your life, both in and out of real estate, so people know exactly what it's like to work with you. They know how genuine you are, how much you care, and all the knowledge, experience, and dedication you bring to all of your transactions.
You can also build your brand and be authentically you by just leaving those lasting impressions on your customers. So if we're going to leave lasting impressions, that doesn't end at the closing table, right? It's how you continue to foster those relationships, do special things go above and beyond for your customers that show off who you are, and it helps build your brand. From there, once you've really focused on highlighting yourself and making sure that you are providing superior customer service, then we can dive into creating consistency in your visual effects aesthetic.
And I have to say that's one of the places that I love to start, because it makes a big difference. But you can show off who you are right now. You can take a selfie with your phone right here in today's training, share it on social, and let people know how dedicated you are to your business and how you are constantly leveling up being a better agent. Because you're taking the time to be here today to learn new strategies, and how those strategies actually help your customers.
So I encourage you when you hop off of this, I know it's not a social media training, but take a picture of yourself - maybe a picture of yourself with this training in the background - and share it. Because that helps build your brand. Because people want to work with and get to know the real you. So if something is holding you back from getting out there, I don't want you to be shy about sharing who you are. Because sharing who you builds your brand. And it brings more customers to you.
When you embrace and really showcase who you are, I have to say, something really magical happens. You gain confidence, you put those blinders up, and you stop comparing yourself to others to other agents.
From there, you can thrive in a business that you're proud of. Wouldn't that be such a game-changer right now? So definitely embrace who you are. Don't be afraid to get out there and show it off. And when you do, you become that clear beacon in your market that's going to draw those buyers and sellers to you. Because remember, we started this with that customer-centric approach. You're being true to who you are, but at the same time, you're being strategic and putting out information. You're branding yourself in a way that's going to attract those buyers and sellers. So they're going to see you from a distance, they're going to come forward, they're going to get to know you better, and then they're going to want to do business with you.
Building a Brand that Produces Results
But how exactly do you build that brand moving forward in a way that produces results? And I know this is a short training and you might be thinking, how do I exactly do this?
Well, in all honesty, it all starts by following these three strategies. So start right now with strategy one, which is your mindset. Do you want to be a personal brand? Because as a real estate agent, I'm going to tell you right now, you are a personal brand. If you're a real estate team, you're definitely a brand. And all of the team members are personal brands, as well, that combine to that overall brand.
And you have to decide, Hey, I am my own personal brand, I'm going to embrace that, and I'm going to use that to my advantage to grow my business. From there, it is so important that you take the time to really get in your ideal customers' head. What are those things that they're struggling with? What type of agents would they be attracted to? What type of branding choices would they be attracted to? What exactly are they looking for? It cannot just be all about you to draw people.
Then, of course, we have to take the time to really highlight who you are, and the experience of working with you. I might not have met you personally, but I know there are so many things that make you special, that make you unique, and that you do differently to really make an impact for your customers.
So whatever that is, I want you to be able to share that message with the world - and that will start building your brand. And these strategies are things that anybody can do. You don't have to go out there and work with other people to make marketing collateral for you. You can do that eventually, and I encourage you to invest in professional marketing, but you have to start here. And we can all make that mindset shift right now.
I would also tell you to recognize that branding is a process and is an ongoing evolution. Many agents get afraid of making a decision because they're going to be stuck in that decision. Well, your branding might change and evolve as you grow as you change as the market changes - we definitely see that a lot. It's fluid, because it is a part of you.
I know that branding can be a high-level concept, and staying at a high level isn't going to move you forward in your business. You need to roll up your sleeves and get into your own business. So, to help you brand yourself and figure out your strategy, I have a Realtor Branding Worksheet that you can download for free at https://ideasforrealestate.com/branding. I highly encourage you to set aside an hour, fill it out, and you'll be surprised at how much clarity and direction this worksheet will give you.
Because branding is an investment in yourself that will continue to work for you and for your business!
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