You hear the word “branding” thrown around a lot in business circles, so much so that its meaning has almost become diluted. That can minimize the importance of true branding for many people when they create their marketing strategy—but branding your brokerage is crucial to building a business that will withstand changes in the market.
Here’s what you should know about branding and how to take the first steps toward building a strong brand in your niche or location.
1. Create long-form audio or video content.
In many ways, our phones have replaced our televisions, which is great news for your brokerage. Gone are the days where you will have to spend thousands of dollars on a TV commercial to get your name out there. Now, with social media, you can get in front of customers for free. And one of the best ways to do this is with long-form audio or video content.
First, create a video or episode of a podcast that tells first-time homebuyers what to expect when buying their first home, or explain some of the common faux pas sellers make when selling in a hot market. People will appreciate this free advice and see you as the hardworking expert that you are.
2. Publish content across all social media platforms.
Once you’ve created your long-form content, use it to create all your social media posts for the next day or week across a variety of channels, such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or your blog.
You can post the full-length version on YouTube or whichever podcasting platform you use, then chop it up and post bite-sized clips on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook throughout the week. You can also transcribe it to create a written blog post that can be posted on LinkedIn or your website. Try breaking up your content into enough pieces that you have something to post each day.
3. Follow up and be patient.
Set aside some time each day to follow up on every comment across all of your platforms. You can use these comments as another opportunity to showcase your expertise and let your fans and followers know that you care about their questions or concerns.
It’s important to remember that branding is a long game. Chances are you aren’t going to “go viral” overnight, but with some time and consistency, your brand can become more highly sought-after in your market.
Real Estate Express is the nation’s premier online real estate school, providing pre- and post-licensing courses, continuing education courses, and professional development to hundreds of thousands of real estate agents across the country. RealEstateExpress, along with its sister schools McKissock Learning, Superior School of Real Estate, Allied Schools, The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing and Hondros Education Group, helps real estate professionals achieve sustainable success throughout each stage of their real estate career.
