The beginning of a new year can be very inspiring as it offers the opportunity to implement change. If you’re thinking through ways to really make your real estate business stand out in the coming year, there are a wide variety of ways to do so! From social media marketing, creating videos and a customized YouTube channel, real estate blogging, enhancing your website and networking; your options are nearly limitless!
Yet at the core of all of your marketing, and even at the core of your company, there needs to be a solid foundation of your brand. Defining the brand of your company forces you to think through questions such as:
- What is the mission of my company?
- How do I want others to view me and my services?
-What is most important to my clients?
- How do I want to run my company?
Using these questions as a jumping off point will help you discover your brand and establish a base for the new year and will be a building block for many years to come!
A recent article by John Williams, an advertising guru who’s created brand standards for Fortune 100 companies such a Mitsubishi, pointed out eight effective ways to build your brand. Of course, I tweaked them for real estate, but the basic points work in creating a top notch brand for any company.
1. Get a great logo- Place it everywhere. If you don’t yet have a logo, or you’d like a professionally designed logo customized to your business; let us know! Our design team would love to work with you to create a logo that’s uniquely yours and that helps you stand out!
2. Write down your brand messaging- What are the key messages you want to communicate about your brand? Every employee and agent in your company should be aware of your brand attributes so they can better portray them to clients.
3. Integrate your brand- Branding extends to every aspect of your business such as how you answer your phones, what you or your agents wear to meetings and open houses, your e-mail signature, everything.
4. Create a "voice" for your company that reflects your brand- This voice should be applied to all written communication and incorporated in the visual imagery of all materials, online and off. Is your brand friendly? Be conversational. Is it ritzy? Be more formal. You get the idea.
5. Develop a tagline- Write a memorable, meaningful and concise statement that captures the essence of your brand.
6. Design templates and create brand standards for your marketing materials- Use the same color scheme, logo placement, look and feel throughout. You don't need to be fancy, just consistent.
7. Be true to your brand- Clients won't return to you, or refer you to someone else, if you don't deliver on your brand promise.
8. Be consistent- This point is last only because it involves all of the above and is the most important tip. If you can't do this, your attempts at establishing a brand will fail.
Putting these eight rules for branding into practice for 2012 is a great way to build the foundation of your real estate business! Even if your company has been in existence for some time; if your brand has been pushed to the wayside, it’s time to create a fresh start!
As Real Estate Virtual Assistants, we’re here to help in any way we can! Feel free to contact us today to get started in creating your brand that will establish your company and act as the launching pad for years of success!
Allie Coyle
Blogging & Copywriting Coordinator
Comments(2)