Real Estate Sales Professionals – Industry Brand vs. Individual Brand

There are thousands of real estate sales professionals in Ontario and it is no secret that the real estate industry is very competitive. Standing out and differentiating oneself is really important to compete. 

Although there are standards and practices that must be adhered to, and these do lend credibility to your name, are they enough to enhance your brand image? To ensure success, one of the most effective things that you can do is to develop and establish a brand that is you. 

Many organizations who serve the real estate community have projected the image that they believe the consumers should expect when conversing with real estate sales professionals.  

Many organizations are affected by stereotyping based on an individual’s misuse of the system or negative experience - the real estate sector is not exempt. Stereotyping can have a positive impact, but in most circumstances will have a negative impact on the organization. This is where differentiation becomes crucial, especially in respect to developing your own brand. While your procedure and objective is similar to the majority of other real estate sales professionals, it does not mean you are alike. 

The real estate sales professional brand – what does it need to look like? Again, this is a hard concept to grasp – but a few common things come to mind: professionalism, competency, level of knowledge, and sincerity.  

Your brand, needs to be developed according to your own standards, standards that you set for yourself and adhere to on a consistent basis. It should encompass all of your goals and markers for success, and needs to branch out from the typical way of doing things.  

Things to consider:

-        Where you sell and what you sell. This is an obvious one, but it is synonymous with brand image.  You can’t expect to reel in the major clients with a reputation that will not entice or attract.

-        Technology plays a major role in most industries nowadays, and real estate is no exception. Being behind the tech times can be extremely detrimental, especially since the younger generations are becoming the clients of today and will be the clients of tomorrow.

-        Another strong point of differential is ongoing and consistent training to maintain a solid grasp on emerging trends and popular advances in the real estate world. Perhaps more than just the annual conference or networking is required here.

-        Accessibility also plays a key factor. This goes hand-in-hand with embracing tech advances. Your clients need to be able to get in touch with you, and this doesn’t just mean over the phone.

What about an industry standard? Is it possible to set one? Is it feasible to create a set list of expectations and raise the bar in a way that is acceptable to all members? While it is simple to project that real estate sale professionals should be expected to perform at a certain level, everyone has a different perception of this level – and with very few measures in place to monitor this behaviour it is almost impossible to ensure that everyone is holding to those expectations. So does that mean it is a useless endeavour? We will put that to you. 

In the end, just remember: as a real estate sales professional, your success depends upon your ability to present your brand. Everything that you do, every action, and every communication, needs to be consistent and reflect well upon your brand. In an industry with standards and an almost innate general perception, the best thing that you can do for yourself is enhance your own reputation and image.  

For more about brand image and to find out about the tools to enhance it, please visit www.geowarehouse.ca.