Monday, June 28, 2010

A Brand Called You

When selling residential real estate, many individual agents spend more time trying to sell specific properties than they spend trying to sell themselves. Sadly their focus is misplaced. Selling residential real estate is more about reaching a specific group of customers and helping them understand the value of having you (the product) help them buy or sell real estate. To win the loyalties of the consumer, the individual sales person must understand the unique set of qualities and level of service they offer to their target group of consumers. Communicating that set of qualities and level of service to the group becomes the paramount activity in generating income within the real estate business.

Reflecting on other products to understand brand awareness is an important step in creating a personal brand. Many products target groups of consumers by identifying the characteristics of the group and then explain why their product is needed to reach the completeness of the personality of the group. A nearly ridiculous example of this can be found in the individual who has decided they need to exercise more perhaps by riding a bike, walking, or running. Even though all that is truly needed is the time to do the activity, many people first look at the specific clothing they feel is necessary to do the activity. Specifically, they buy new clothes to become more active. This happens because they have identified a certain set of characteristics with people who exercise. False or true, to become fit, you have to look the part.
The underlying question then is what are the characteristics of the personality or brand that you want to portray? This can be answered in many ways. In doing so creates the niche and target of the sales person. A niche is a specific defined set of characteristics that define a group of people, holding it separate from the whole. This can be determined by many different parameters including socio-economic or geographic location. The group may also be defined by hobbies or lifestyles.

The easiest group to define is a geographic area, set specifically by a boundary around an area like a subdivision but not limited to that at all. Instead, major streets may create boundaries. Target areas may also be defined by the groups of people an individual socializes or recreates with including children activity groups.
What activities do you do that define you as an individual? What are the characteristics of people who do this type of activity? Spend a few minutes outlining these characteristics. Be specific. In looking at the example above of the well dressed runner, why do runners run? As far as I can tell, when I see people running, they always appear to be in pain and near the point of exhaustion. The very characteristics that drive the runner to keep running are exactly what enable the sales person to be effective. In other words, how do these traits enable the runner to help others buy or sell real estate?

By answering these questions based truly on your niche or target group, you are beginning to create a set of features that you possess and the benefits the consumer receives when they buy you the product.


  1. Thanks - I DO miss running :)
    I need to revisit this when I am through reevaluating my time management

  2. I listened to a presenter once describe time management as activity management. His premise was you can't manage time. There are always 24 hours in a day. Just comes to mind, no hidden agenda with the comment.