By Gerri Leventhal - New Jersey Real Estate Broker
We usually hire a REALTOR who one of our friends, neighbors or workmates recommended to us. Or we search online and call a Local Agent that has gotten great business reviews and a few FIVE STAR ratings.
A Realtor’s Brand has a lot to do with the firm or Brokerage’s image for whom the Real Estate Agent works for. The Realtor can get some clients if the brokerage has a great standing within the community.
Top Area Agents, which is what you want to be, have a brand of their own too that is separate from the broker’s umbrella under which they operate their consulting business. Top Agents build up their own fan base that they serve.
I’m not advocating that you leave your Broker but you should know that when or if you ever do change firms you bring your fan base with you.
Realtors should view their brand as simply being their own reputation.
Your brand is what people, the general public and colleagues think of you.
Let’s Talk About Charisma
Realtors do a lot of talking. We are constantly meeting people for the very first time. Nice first impressions can equate to more business leads and important introductions to new clients and career changing networking partners.
Do people describe you as charming? If not then you have some work to do! Boring and dull Real Estate Agents have a rough go in this industry.
You can work on your aura. Your appeal can be cultivated.
Yes, some people do seem to have been born with a magical magnetism still, we can definitely improve how others view us.
As a Pro, you have to be pleasant and polite but that does not mean you cannot be interesting and fun too. Remember, most people hire professionals that they like.
Your career relies on you having a likeable personality.
Start keeping your negative feelings and doubts to yourself and work on projecting positivity and optimism when around others. Complainers are a bummer. As a realtor you want people to be happy to see you, not trying their best to avoid bumping into you.
Smile, smile, smile… Always have a kind word to share.
A big part of being charismatic starts with your confidence.
People who carry themselves as if they are sure of them-self exude trust. Boldness and spunk makes us pay attention. As a Realtor, you are giving your clients advice. They have to believe that you know what you are pushing.
Speak with authority.
Make and keep eye contact.
Pay attention to others. Listen and make them feel appreciated.
Be aware of your body language. Control your expressions.
Your looks, behavior, attitude and ideas can make you either attractive to others or repulsive to them.
The first job of a Realtor is to sell you.
5 Tips to building a Realtor Brand
You have to pick an identity to portray: Know who you wish to assist. Narrow down your Real Estate Specialty. Are you going to be the Realtor who caters to the ultra-rich, wealthy and famous or the budget, best price, property deal provider?
Differentiate yourself and your services from the rest of the Realtors working your same territory. A big part of having a successful brand Image is being at least somewhat unique from all your competitors. You do not want to be saying, “Hey, you need a Realtor!” You should be claiming. “You need to hire me!” and “I’m a different kind of Realtor. I’m much better because…!”
Your Firm has developed and put a lot of time into promoting their logo, a tagline sometimes a slogan and maybe even a jingle. You need to use all of your brokerage’s identifying symbols as much as possible so that you get your piece of the incoming business the firm is generating. Every Realtor working under the firm’s branding deserves some company generated leads and clients but you should be making it clear as to the specific types of clients you want sent your way. You want to claim a sector of the market in your firm. Stake your claim to some type of preferred niche client so all those clients are directed to you. Just be prepared to pass on the other client leads you get that are not in your niche of expertise. One hand washes the other hand. If you expect referrals and prospects from your co-agents then you need to pass on referrals to them.
Branding your services means having a special style that potential new clients identify immediately with you. All your marketing should have a recognizable look and feel to it. Your firm has chosen a color for their lawn signs because that color stands out. You too need to stand out and that takes operating in a certain distinct manner that says who you are. Dress the part of your desired brand image. Speak a certain way to show what you are made of. Communicate your values. Walk the walk! When one of your radio ads starts broadcasting, we should know it is your ad well before your name is ever mentioned. Branding is about doing things consistently so there is no misunderstanding about what your business philosophy is.
The best way to build a powerful brand is thru your writings. Today, digitally and physically a professional’s writing represents who they are. The stuff you publish, especially online, has a far reach and long life. People will judge you by your emails, text messages, articles, newsletters, blog posts and social media commenting. If you are not a great writer or you do not like writing much or you just find yourself far too busy to keep up on the popular social media platforms, you may have to pay someone to do your internet messaging for you. Nothing says who you are and what you stand for more than your writing. Any Realtor can quickly gain a fine persona of being the local expert on their niche topic of Realty by writing and publishing how-to guidance, sharing tips and freely posting valuable advice that your preferred clients need. You build your brand by showing off your knowledge in as many, many places as possible.
TIP: It is very important that you know what your online and offline reputations are. I am not talking about what you think people are saying about you or what you want them to soon be saying about you but what they are actually saying…
A Realtor has to set time aside for managing their online reputation as well as their offline persona when out in the streets of the communities that they seek to serve.
Your Online Reputation requires you to be aware of who is mentioning you in digital communications anywhere on the internet. Bad business reviews, for one example, have to be dealt with and refuted fast before they can do you and your brand long term damage.
Offline you have to get out and in the field and mix and mingle at local professional gatherings and business events. You have to meet and greet others who work and live in the neighborhoods you consult on.
Online you have to flatter the local social media influencers and court those who run the popular local blogs. These are big audiences who need to know about you and your Realty Services.
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