Smart Agent Branding Strategies from Some of Today's Top Agents

By Julie Escobar, Director of Corporate Marketing, ProspectsPLUS!

You may recall, in last month's article we started to dive into some of the unique ways top agents "Make a Name for Themselves." We shared the story of Short Sale Specialist Bob Daniel and his powerful approach to building and owning that niche in his market area. Before that, we learned from one of real estate's Top 50 REALTORS® on the Rise in 2008, Kathy Casarin, who shared her terrific strategies for marketing to FSBOs and Expireds. If you missed the February or March editions of our newsletter you can read them in the Newsletter section of the Resources area on our site, www.prospectsplus.com. Enjoy!

This month, we'll tap into the winning strategies taught by Karin Hill, an innovative and delightful Vice President and manager for Watson Realty. She's energetic, insightful and completely passionate about niche marketing. Not just ANY niche marketing - let's just call it ‘Niche - with a twist." While Karin appreciates the finer points of marketing to your farm area, FSBOs or First-time buyers, she is much more interested in empowering her agents to follow their hearts (and their careers) to find those markets that speak most to them.

"My specialty is the motorcycle community. I have a Harley Fatboy®, and like most bike community members, I am passionate about charity work. I've found that motorcycles are not just a great source of transportation - they open up a tremendous community of people and a powerful business network. You'll find riders in all shapes and sizes. Doctors and lawyers to everyday workers round out this unique market and have the ability to give your business real traction. I sponsor events, go to the rallies, put out flyers, link through all their sites to my sites and even have a Harley shirt with my web address on the back! There is literally a biker event every day of the week somewhere if you look - and I've looked!"

How important is it that agents choose a niche today? "I believe it's more critical than it's ever been. It allows you to set yourself apart from the rest. I also believe that if you choose a niche that you truly enjoy such as golf, fishing, or motorcycles - or something that speaks to your core interests such as our military, police or firemen, then it takes a lot of the "work" out of work. People want to do business with someone with whom they have a common interest. Having that common cause helps you create instant rapport."

Example: "We have an agent who is devoted to the American Sign Language community. Just recently, we helped her get a video phone. Now more than 80% of her business comes from this powerful niche. She works within the deaf community, schools, conferences and forums and sets herself apart with the unique ability to speak to her customers via video phone. It's wonderful!

Whatever you do, I encourage you to think "outside the box." It may help to talk it over with a manager or a mentor and really define who you are and what you enjoy. As agents, we know that if we don't enjoy it, it won't get done. By developing a niche market that runs in tandem with your core interests, it's less like work and more about building relationships with like-minded people. Then the business just comes to you. For example, I do a lot of charity work locally and at least once every six weeks, I help to sponsor events. We put the agents' pictures and contact information on all the flyers, they help distribute them, and without costing the agents a lot of money, they are actively networking in our community and gaining business ground, all while doing something worthwhile. So you may want to consider that. We've held events for the ASPCA, Second Harvest Food Bank, Muscular Dystrophy, collecting blankets and food for the shelters now that it's cold, and we're currently organizing a blood drive. As I said, the return is tremendous both in terms of business, and in helping your community.

Find new niche markets. "I would have to say be a marketing professional and not just a REALTOR®. Be a 'specialist' not just an agent. Develop a system to really master your market of choice, stay in touch with your book of business and feed that sphere by continually networking in your niche. Consider getting a designation that is significant to your community and near to your heart. Consider some of the green designations, or working with seniors, a specific disability group, or military professionals. Whatever you do, dive in. Find out what you believe in, what you're passionate about, then go find the events, meeting groups, and the whole network of people that represent that interest really get to know them. You'll build your sphere and have fun all at the same time!"

Many thanks to all three of our special guests in this series. It's been wonderful to learn from all their terrific ideas and career experience. I think we can definitely see a common theme amongst all three top producers that systems, smart tools and consistency are vital components of success. We learned, too, that taking the time to truly become GREAT at one niche before trying to be all things to all people is definitely the best course of action! I love the energy each of these talented people brings to their career, their clients and each day. You can sense the passion that they have for what they do, and I invite you to do the same in your career. Ignite your own passion by finding a niche that works for you, having fun along the way and experience, just as Kathy, Bob and Karin do, the joy and benefits of truly building these long term relationships.

Need some help finding and growing YOUR niche market? Contact me today at 866.405.3641. From niche market campaign automation and personal consulting to learning more about the ProspectsPLUS! system that helps keep Kathy on track, Bob has in his library of tools or the automated Just Listed/Just Sold postcard system that brings new business to Watson Realty agents every day, we have what you need to succeed. Call us. We can help.

Thanks for joining us each month and we'll see you in May!