Personal Branding: Tips to Build a Strong “Brand You”

Personal branding.

It’s something Realtors were doing long before social media and the internet made it hip. But being “brand you” goes deeper than your love of surfing or your wacky tie. It’s about knowing who you are and what you stand for.

It’s what you believe, and what you do.

And according to a new book titled “Shine: How To Survive And Thrive At Work,” motivational speaker Chris Baréz-Brown asserts that to stand out, you need to be “a consistent and reliable brand.”

You need to be clear about who you are and why you do what you do. And then, do exactly what you say you’re going to do, and do it when you promised.

When it comes to building your personal real estate brand around this concept, testimonials from your past clients, combined with your track record of successful transactions can speak volumes about the work you do. Effectively branding yourself takes time, but the payoff can be tremendous.

To help you get started, here are a few tips that can help get you going in the right direction:

• Live your brand through your actions. You are your brand, so make sure that everything you do is in line with your goals and objectives. Follow-up promptly. Deliver on your promises. Over-prepare for every appointment. Remember, you are your business, so every interaction you have with a person is a direct reflection of your brand. Make sure your interactions tie in tightly with your core beliefs.
• Make sure your marketing collateral reflects who you are. Your website, emails, online listings, print pieces, and even the signs you use – they’re all a representation of you and your brand – and all your stuff needs to sing from the same song sheet. Colors and logos are important – but what’s critical is that the message you deliver to the consumers you serve is clear and consistent. If you pride yourself on working with first-time buyers, or focus your efforts on the military community, make it apparent in the materials you produce. You can’t be all things to all people, so focus on what’s important to you and your business, and then beat a steady drum with messaging that supports it.
• Be consistent and predictable. People like knowing what to expect, and then having their expectations met. Consistency and predictability may be the most important thing you do to build your personal brand; think Starbucks or McDonald’s – whether it’s a location in Omaha or Washington, DC, the experience you have is going to be exactly the same. It’s one of the reasons these companies are so successful.
• Celebrate the successes of your clients more than your own. Making sure that your clients are celebrated can help ensure that you’ll get your shine as well. Focusing on their wants and needs, and then helping make their wishes come true is more powerful than any postcard or web advertisement that you create on your own. And once you’ve helped your clients, congratulate them, and get a testimonial that you can use to build your brand and story. Praise coming from people you’ve actually helped means a lot more than anything you can say about yourself. It’s genuine, real and supremely meaningful.

These are just a few quick tips that can help build your personal brand into something powerful and meaningful to the consumers you serve, and can really help create a strong “Brand You.”

Source: Deidre Woollard from Lockbox