What’s the Big Deal About Branding?
By Denise Lones
There are very few things I am as passionate about in business as branding. Brand Development is as critical in business as determining your business name, mission statement, your entity (such as S Corp, LLC, etc), and your processes.
However, there seems to be confusion about what your brand really is. Some think it is solely about the client experience – the feeling the client gets once the transaction is closed, the service you provide, etc. In my opinion, that works great for past and current clients, but what about those potential clients who haven’t yet completed a transaction…or those people you haven’t actually met yet?
That is where developing a visual brand comes in. You can think of a visual brand like a promise – a promise of service. A promise of experience. And a little about what makes you or your business model unique.
A visual brand can also stand in for you when you are not there. For example, a new potential buyer or seller may come across your website, Facebook page, an invitation to an open house, or a geographical farm mailer before they ever meet you in person. Good and solid content coupled with memorable visual brand can begin to build a relationship.
What makes up a visual brand?
A visual brand contains:
• Color palette
• Fonts
• Logo
• Other identifiable elements such as textures, graphics, photography
• A great photo of you – updated, in clothes a client would see you in, with a great smile.
• A consistent layout for all these elements.
I have a logo. Is that enough?
A logo is a great start, but you need a few more elements to make a complete brand. When an agent has a logo they like, we use that as a great starting point for establishing style, colors, and fonts that are used in the complete brand.
I use my company’s brand. It has a logo, color palette, and some graphics. Isn’t that enough?
Your company has probably invested thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, in their brand. However, in order to have the broadest appeal and be a tool that all the agents in your office would be comfortable using, it is probably more neutral than what we would create for an individual agent – and more neutral brands may be memorable for the company, but not necessarily for the agent.
Is developing a brand really worth the investment?
Yes, IF you work with a company that can not only develop your brand but apply it to all the tools and systems in your business. Your graphic skills are probably not as well-honed as your real estate skills and you don’t need to be battling with photo and text boxes when really all you need is to create a house flyer for a new listing. The agents with the most success have tools and processes that are at their fingertips, ready for your photos and content.
Consistency with your brand provides the type of confidence that gets you excited about marketing and making connections. Every agent I know who has developed a brand and used it consistently has paid for their investment time and time and time again!