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Branding Moment: Should You Use Your Name As Your Brand?

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Services for Real Estate Pros with Napa Consultants DRE00893924

                 

Coco Chanel 1928 

Should use your name as your personal brand in all branches of  real estate marketing?  The best test to determine this is to ask yourself:  “Am I ready to achieve celebrity status in my marketplace?”  If you are prepared to have your name stand for a particular market niche that you can dominate, we say, “Go for it!”

 

Think of some of the most recognizable personal brands:  Seal, Sting, Cher, Oprah, Ellen, Coco.  What category of celebrity comes to mind for each?

 

Chanel to this day remains as one of the most famous fashion design houses. Some of the original and iconic styles (shoes, purses, suit styles) that Coco created remain part of the line to this day in 2020.  Although there have been numerous knockoffs, they pale next to the original. She was the master of what she termed "expensive simplicity."  She wanted her clothes and her design to stand out with their impeccable standards.

 

The company founder, Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel, was one of the most highly recognized personal brands in her time. In fact, she was the only person to be named in the field of fashion on the Time [Magazine] Top 100: The Most Important People of the [20th] Century.  

 

Clearly, Coco enjoyed top-of-mind status in the field of high fashion as a personal brand, a status that extends to the company brand as well, to this day.  Top-of-mind is the goal of any real estate marketing professional  aiming for market leadership and celebrity status. 

 

Are you ready for celebrity status in your luxury or any other real estate marketplace? If not, you might want to consider a different tact when approaching your personal branding, other than using your name as your brand.  

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Comments(37)

Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

This is an excellent example of successful personal branding.

I successfully branded my name on a regional basis for many years.

Apr 29, 2020 07:57 AM
Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543
Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055 - Downingtown, PA
Selling the Main Line & Chester County

In the antiques world our brand is often our name, ours has always stood for quality, and expertise, but erroneosly also for expensive, because many of the  items we carried were fairly unique. We had private clients tell us we were too expensive, then go to other dealers to buy pieces on Portobello Road who had bought them from us. As I read your title I though at once of Coco Chanel and love the background you give. 

Apr 29, 2020 09:01 AM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Hello A and Ron, great bl;og once again from you on branding.  I now wish I would of come up with another name for my company.

 

Apr 29, 2020 09:03 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

I'm retired now but having my name as my business name is probably not something I would do again. I'm not sure I'm cut out for celebrity status. LOL

I wasn't comfortable having the magnetic signs with my name on the side of my car, so that pretty much sums it up. LOL

Apr 29, 2020 11:46 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Nina Hollander When we lived in Los Angeles, we saw a play/quasi musical with Kathryn Hepburn playing Coco.  It was a fun play, and of course we loved Kathryn Hepburn.  A

Apr 29, 2020 12:09 PM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Roy Kelley I can see how your name was a benefit to you in your real estate practice, and your law degree was an impressive credential. A

Apr 29, 2020 12:10 PM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543 In the antique business your business is as good as your reputation.  It is evident especially when it comes to signed pieces, that are truly authentic.  At one point, I collected perfume bottles and I made sure they were truly authentic...Knockoffs abound in that business. Peace of mind for me is worth more than saving a few bucks.  LOL A

Apr 29, 2020 12:13 PM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Will Hamm coming up with your own brand is akin to doing brain surgery on yourself...even we sought the help of professionals...A

Apr 29, 2020 12:15 PM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Sharon Tara I understand.  In our commercial real estate practice, the only time you saw our names was a rider on a sign.  Happy Wednesday.  A

Apr 29, 2020 12:17 PM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

I suspect it would certainly make it easier to remember the name.  I kind of like that sort of branding.  My favorite is Ralph Lauren.  I like his products, and I especially love his house, which I saw in a documentary once!  I wouldn't use my own name as brand, however!

Apr 29, 2020 04:40 PM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

CONGRATULATIONS Ron and Alexandra, on having this blog FEATURED in the Old Farts Club group!  

Apr 29, 2020 04:41 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Ron and Alexandra- we must be channeling Chanel today. It's interesting how a handful of people can have their name as a brand. And I wonder if they had that as their intention?

Apr 29, 2020 06:37 PM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Kathy Streib I think that Chanel was very smart, and ahead of her time, I think she was given the advice.  A

Apr 29, 2020 07:58 PM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Myrl Jeffcoat I am with you when it comes to Ralph Lauren.  He was born Ralph Lifshitz and changed his last name for obvious reasons.  In our opinion he is the quintessential American designer and succeeded in having several brands with several pricelines, and yet maintained the quality of all the brands.  There was a house here in Montecito way up the mountains on an acre that we entertained buying. We referred to it as the Ralph Lauren house as it was decorated perfectly in his style, before he made furniture.  We passed because of winding roads to get there and the potential flooding issues.  We loved everything else.  A

Apr 30, 2020 06:25 AM
Janice Zaltman
United Realty Group - Boca Raton, FL
Energy Efficient And Eco-Friendly Homes in Florida

Marketing and Branding are super-important.  The biggest names in Real Estate that dominate a market usually dominate with their name and a community or niche.  That is how we have been taught.  Would be great to be the Nike in real estate without having to spend huge amount of marketing dollars.

Apr 30, 2020 07:56 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Janice Zaltman One does not have to spend huge amounts of money to dominate in real estate.  You have to spend on making yourself well known and well thought of. A

Apr 30, 2020 07:59 AM
Mary Hutchison, SRES, ABR
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate-Kansas City Homes - Kansas City, MO
Experienced Agent in Kansas City Metro area

I see some agents brand their names, and it can be successful--especially large teams that do a lot of advertising.  It can pay off in more business. It's not for me though, however I am strongly connected to my community so I guess that's a brand in a way--more a niche....--

Apr 30, 2020 08:24 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Mary,

We agree, and it does not work for everyone, it is what one is comfortable and at ease with.  A

Apr 30, 2020 08:37 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

I suspect there aren't too many people who haven't heard of Coco Chanel at some point, whether interested in the fashion industry or not. The brand has certainly been top of mind for decades.

May 02, 2020 05:32 PM
Keith McMullin
Port Aransas Realty - Port Aransas, TX
Port Aransas Real Estate

I have previously recommend a "Geo Naming" strategy involving your primary city, village, suburb, etc. since many more people will search for property online using search terms such as "Smithville homes for sale" or "Smithville real estate" than "John Doe Realtor."

May 03, 2020 03:04 PM