How to Define Your Personal Branding
The benefits of having a successful personal brand are pretty obvious. People trust you from the start. They actually CALL you. There’s less friction during the process. And the list goes on and on.
Basically, well-established personal branding makes everything easier. So… how do you get there?
To me, there are seven crucial questions you need to ask yourself to help define your personal branding and differentiate yourself from the competition.
Let’s look at what they are…
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Personal Brand-Building Question No. 1
The very first question you need to answer is this:
Who are my clients/prospects?
If you’re not starting from the perspective of who you want to serve, you’re already off track.
The more clearly, precisely, and narrowly you’re able to identify your ideal client, the more successful you can be in tailoring your brand to that persona.
Personal Brand-Building Question No. 2
What are my clients’ pain points/ambitions/fears/desires?
This next question forces you to dive deeper into understanding what your clients are facing.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to consumers and conduct your own research. Having that “voice of the customer” data can play a huge role in gaining empathy for their position and seeing things from their point of view – so you can frame your brand around solutions consumers actually need and want.
Personal Brand-Building Question No. 3
How can I help them get what they want?
Your brand consists of more than a personal logo and color scheme. It also includes how you do things and how you communicate your difference to consumers.
So if your research tells you consumers want a smoother real estate experience, it’s your job to figure out how to not only provide it, but communicate it as well.
What barriers in the process can you remove? What common pitfalls can you handle proactively to deliver a seamless experience?
I encourage you to devote sufficient time and energy to answering this question, because when you do it right, people will love what you do and tell everyone they know about you.
Personal Brand-Building Question No. 4
After three questions about the consumers you serve, it’s time to look inward:
Who am I?
What are my unique, quirky or interesting or meaningful qualities, history or attributes?
There’s a tendency among bad real estate marketing for everyone to try to look like everyone else. In reality, the objective should be the exact opposite… to differentiate yourself based on the unique qualities that make you, YOU!
So embrace your individuality. Tell your story. Don’t be afraid to reveal some of the human elements and experiences that have shaped you into the person you are today. This doesn’t have to be strictly business-related, either.
Remember… People want to do business with people they like and they can relate to.
So open up… reveal your hobbies or your history or some unique aspect that makes you memorable, and then shape your brand around those attributes.
Personal Brand-Building Question No. 5
What specialty skills or insights do I bring to the table?
If you can provide consumers with a benefit or differentiator that others cannot, highlight it and run with it!
(And I’m not talking about the empty platitude of “Well, I truly believe I provide better service.”)
Maybe it’s a skill from your life prior to real estate that you can integrate into your service. Maybe it’s a special area of expertise you possess. Maybe it’s your rich history and connections to the area you serve.
Take the time to look inside yourself and figure out what makes you different and what you can deliver that others cannot.
Personal Brand-Building Question No. 6
What market do I serve and how well do I know it?
The real question here is this… Is there a gap between what you actually know about your market and what you could know about your market?
If yes, close that gap. Study your market. Learn the different neighborhoods and subdivisions. Study the MLS every single day to identify trends. Get out and about to make sure you’re informed about new offerings and amenities – restaurants, places to go, things to do, etc.
The more you can embody your market – and convey that in your brand – the more successful you’ll be as a real estate professional.
Personal Brand-Building Question No. 7
How will I bring all of this to market?
If you know me, you should know my answer here… Video.
Quite simply, you’ve got to use video to stand out and compete in today’s market.
In addition, you should have your social media dialed in (both organic and paid), consider direct mail to a geographic farm, outdoor advertising (billboards, bus benches, grocery carts, etc.). TV and/or radio also should be considered, depending on your market and affordability and ability to target your desired market.
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