Is Your Real Estate Branding Memorable Or Forgettable?

May 22, 2009

Your branding of your real estate business is critically important to being top of mind with people in your farm area when the time comes to buy or sell.  So have you taken steps to develop a strong identity for your business that is memorable to your target audience?  This article will help you get there.

Research has shown that with the constant barrage of advertising we daily encounter, the human mind only remembers a finite number of brands: seven.  Now that number refers to brands of large companies who spend millions of dollars on advertising in mass mediums like television and national publications.  So the number of real estate professional brands the average person remembers is likely a lot lower, probably only 2.

This research matches what the National Association of Realtors’ research says.  According to NAR, 76 percent of sellers only contact one agent and only 16 percent contact two.  The statistics for buyers are similar: 59% of all buyers only interview one real estate professional and 22 percent only meet with two.  When these statistics are averaged out, it means about 86.5% of all buyers and sellers only remember one to two real estate professionals when it comes time to buy or sell.

So you really need to develop a brand whereby people will have a strong association with what they’re looking for and what you offer.  The best way of branding yourself is going with what your best at.  Do you have a knack for selling town homes in your neighborhood?  Make that identity central to your brand.  Have lots of articles on your website about town homes.  Get a website address that reflects this (eg. www.torontotownhomes.com).  Do most of your sales happen from a particular neighborhood?  Make yourself known as the specialist in your neighborhood.  Do direct mail pieces regularly to this neighborhood.  Have lots of information about this neighborhood on your website.  Make your website URL reflect this (eg. LibertyVillagehomes.com).  Remember that it’s always better to be a specialist and expert in one area rather than covering two or three areas and mastering none of them.

Having a very specific identity in your branding will also help boost your ranking in online search engines.  The more keywords on your website associated with your speciality (eg. Toronto condos), the higher your website will get ranked in search engines for people searching for these things, and the more prospect flow you’ll have.

“If you chase two rabbits, both will escape. ” – Russian Proverb

Filed under: Marketing Tips

Tags: brand, branding, marketing, personal branding, website training tips