Secrets to Successful Branding - The Law of Credentials
If, we, as the real estate community really understood the concept of branding and its importance, we would save a fortune by cutting the misplaced dollars we are spending in the name of "getting their name out there."
Most of us are re-treads - people who fell into this business and came from some other background. In 15 years of asking, I've only found one person who grew up wanting to be a real estate agent (and she is no longer in the business). I can't tell you how many people I've interviewed as a Broker that said the reason they wanted to be an agent was because they liked houses and people. If that is the sole reason they are here my advice to them has been - "Don't get started in this business because in 6 months you will hate them both."
Those that make it in this industry in today's world are those that approach it with an amount of business prowess. Unfortunately, that isn't taught in the "learn everything you need to know to become successful in real estate in two 
weeks" class. So, we throw the newbies to the vultures (vendors who sell BS products that do nothing but line the pockets of the vendors and serve as filler our nation's dumps). We let them sling mud on a wall and see what sticks and hope against hope that they will be one of the very few fortunate ones who will survive the first three years.
Over time, those that emerge as mega agents realize that to truly win in this you must realize that it is a business not a career (and there is a major difference) and start learning how to become the "RainMaker." Although we have dozens of proprietary campaigns to generate more leads, from time to time, we need to strip back to the basics and dive into the philosophy to align ourselves with the right thinking to launch our business to the next level. This week, it's all about how to brand effectively so that you may maximize your ROI in any marketing or advertising program your engage in. From Al Ries, a master of marketing and branding in the retail sector, we take the lessons and apply the fundamentals to our real estate businesses.
One Secret In Branding is the Law of Credentials
We as an industry make claims to different things all the time. It seems everywhere I look there is another #1 or area expert. So many, in fact, that the whole notion has been diluted to the common denominator of average. The crucial ingredient in the success of any brand is its claim to authenticity. Consumers are inherently suspicious and look for holes in our claims. We want to distinguish ourselves and become the expert in our primary claim and be able to 
support it.
One of the fallacies in real estate is that we sell houses. You don't sell houses. Let me say it again, you don't sell houses; especially if you want a successful marketing campaign. Yes, you may have made over $500,000 in GCI this last year, even closed 38 transactions, but you don't sell houses.
You sell your USP or Unique Selling Proposition. There are hundreds of thousands of agents in world today. If all you do is sell houses, then there are at least a few others that are willing to do the same thing. They may even deliver it with the same level of service and for a lower commission. What makes you better than any other? Why should a client hire you and pay you the commission that you are asking?
As an industry, we have been caught without enough distinction from one another which is why we face an ongoing war with "Commission Compression" - and before you get cocky on me and say "I'm not struggling with commissions" wait until the market swings back. If you thought it was bad before...
What is your USP? Is it that you return phone calls (which is become rare these days), or do you specialize in cash-flow oriented investors, or are you pet-friendly?
What are your strengths? What can and do you do better than anyone else? What are your values and if the truth be known, does your ideal client even know? What do you care about and hold most dear? What can you truly be an expert in?
Market around those things and you will find yourself in the rare air of those agents who make the rules about how the real estate game is played and who hold the top %1 who dominate the marketplace. And remember, the real power of credentials is not only self-proclaimed but acknowledged by others.
Carpe diem,
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