What is a “personal brand”? Just like company or product branding, it’s built around imaging and messaging that is designed to create a feeling. Your personal brand influences how you want others to feel about you.

From photos to other branding elements, and even content, there is a lot that goes into creating your unique brand. Displayed correctly and consistently across all marketing platforms, a well-defined brand can elevate agent recognition and help to establish credibility and authority. However, when executed incorrectly, the effects are lackluster at best — and harmful at worst. To help you avoid the pitfalls of personal branding, here’s a list of what we consider the seven deadliest sins.

Number One: You Don’t Differentiate Yourself
Branding is not about being known for your profession; it’s about being known for being different in your profession. If all agents were the same, how would consumers know which one to choose? What makes you uniquely positioned to serve your customers’ needs? Or, just as important, what makes other agents unsuitable to serve their needs? Your personal brand should reflect a combination of your ideal customer’s needs and your unique point of differentiation.

Number Two: You Lack Focus on Who You Want to Serve
The natural instinct is to serve everyone, but frankly, that’s how many companies and individuals fail.  The most successful people focus on superior service toward a specific type of customer; in other words, they develop a specialty. At first, you may feel like you’re excluding the rest of the world and, therefore, missing out on a large amount of money you could be making. However, focusing on one specific type of customer will help you develop a defined brand and will bring more business. This doesn’t mean you never conduct business outside of your specific focus, but over time, you will do more and more of the exact kind of business you want.

Number Three: You’re Not Being Authentic
Your brand is an extension of you, and it should be based on the qualities you’re known for among your sphere of influence. You should be able to “breathe your brand” in everything you do without feeling as though it’s a facade. There is a tremendous amount of confidence that comes with knowing that you are who you portray yourself to be and that you have the habits, inspiration, and knowledge to back it up.

Number Four: Your Brand Isn’t Consistent
You can have a recognizable and memorable brand, but if you don’t display the branding elements —your logo, tagline, messaging, and imagery — consistently across all marketing platforms, it does you little good. Repetitiveness in marketing is not only a good thing, it’s also essential for retention. We recommend choosing no more than four photos and background images to use consistently so people can become familiar with your branding. When you and those who live and work with you daily begin to get sick and tired of seeing them, you’ll know that it’s beginning to take root with your customers.

Number Five: You’re Not Backing Up Your Brand With Content
The ultimate goal of personal branding is to become known as an authority in your chosen niche. That means that you must demonstrate the knowledge, expertise, and experience to back up your position. In today’s instant-information world, this means producing content. There are several types of content, such as photos, quotes, e-books, video shorts, and podcast recordings. Choosing what you’re most comfortable producing is key to keeping it simple. Great content shows your authority and helps your customers at the same time. In addition, it helps with SEO and attracting prospects online.

Number Six: You Don’t Have a Call to Action
You’re spending money on almost every marketing platform, so why not take the opportunity to extend an invitation to your prospects to engage with you? Your call to action can be simple, such as “call me first,” or more specific, like “contact me for a free home-staging assessment.” Your call to action may change with different marketing channels or purposes, but you should always have one. If you want people to do something, tell them what you’d like them to do.

Number Seven: You’re Not Following Through
Your brand is your bond; it’s your handshake. When you say you’ll do something, how can people truly trust you if you don’t follow through on your promise? This is often the element that people forget altogether. And, in fact, in our communication with hundreds of agents, follow-through is at the top of the list when it comes to customer complaints. You must live up to your brand’s standards with every customer and transaction.

View our similar article on REALTOR® Magazine Online.  We are contributing authors.

Over the last twelve months, we’ve personally interviewed over 80 Realtors throughout the U.S. and Canada.  Each conversation has lasted at least 45 minutes.  We’ve discussed their challenges, frustrations, dreams and goals.  It’s been an enlightening and educational process for us, and we couldn’t help but notice one trait that many of them had in common.  Over 67% of the Realtors we interviewed cited ‘lack of confidence’ as a significant challenge to business growth.   They used descriptors such as inferior, less knowledgeable, less accomplished and unprepared to describe themselves.  While that many stun some of you readers, it was no surprise to us.  It’s part of human nature and perhaps the main indicator of your personal star power.

So, what do you do if you’re one of the sixty-seven percent?   Is it possible to attain the confidence necessary to make you feel genuinely unstoppable?  To consistently out-shine your competitors?  To finally get your act together and head down a clear path to success?  Well, we aren’t therapists, but we’d like to take a shot at some solid advice which can lead you in the right direction.  Here are some tips to help you kill the four offenders to self-confidence.

Inferior:  The word inferior is commonly defined as ‘lower in rank, status or quality’.  It’s generally a feeling we assign to ourselves when we feel that someone else has authority in a given situation.  Our former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, has my favorite quote on this subject, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”  The cure for this is to clearly define who you are professionally.  Carve out a niche for yourself.  This takes you from feeling ‘inferior’ to being recognized for how you’re ‘different’.  Those two things are worlds apart.  If you lay claim to one specific attribute, accomplishment or business segment, you’ve taken the most important step to gaining tremendous confidence.  There’s something very powerful about that ‘suit of armor’ called differentiation.

Less Knowledgeable:  This is perhaps the easiest offender to eradicate.  Education is at our fingertips literally everywhere.  If we know we’re deficient in an area of expertise, we should do something about it.  Depending upon the type of knowledge desired, you can reach out to a mentor, enroll in a class, watch YouTube videos, attend webinars, etc.  The only thing standing between you and someone else’s level of knowledge is simply the time and effort you’re willing to put forth to equal the playing field.

Less Accomplished:  This is perhaps the most common of the offenders among the agents we interviewed.  When prospects ask them questions like, “How many homes have you sold? Have you sold many in this neighborhood? Do you have experience selling homes this expensive?” they often draw a blank.  There are two ways to handle this situation.  First, lean on the stats of your brokerage.  Their track record and expertise is at your disposal.  Say, “We’ve sold 42 properties in this area this year alone” or “We’ve been specializing in luxury homes the last 37 years.”  Second, get honest and make it personal.  “I’m new to this career/area/etc., but I’m confident that no other Realtor will work harder to get you what you want without letting anything fall through the cracks. I’ll return your calls, texts and emails promptly and communicate clearly about every step of the process. I have just completed the most up-to-date and rigorous training available in real estate today.  What sets me apart is my ability/willingness to ______.  I’m the one you want.”  Take no prisoners.  Define your own accomplishments.

Unprepared:  This differs slightly from the less knowledgeable offender.  Based on feedback from the agents, this usually means their marketing platforms and materials are either lacking or do not adequately represent the image they wish to portray.  Therefore, they feel unprepared to ‘put themselves out there’.  [Word of caution:  It’s very difficult to properly prepare marketing materials without first defining your brand and position.  Tackle that step first.]  When you have a library of clearly defined brand messaging and images to choose from, you can then begin to establish and display your unique brand consistently across all of your marketing platforms.  When this happens, you will no doubt see the effect of a strong brand.  You’ll begin to attract your ideal customer, get questions about your area of expertise and become recognized for what makes you different.  This kind of preparation works on your behalf even while you sleep.

The Realtors we have interviewed began that process by taking the time to watch our 48 minute webinar for agents…and then made an additional commitment to book a follow-up phone call to discuss a strategy for their own personal brand.   They chose to invest that time in themselves.  We’ve found that they are some of the most dedicated professionals in their industry, who are seeking ways to become better, stand out…and deliver unparalleled service to their customers.  Our point being, yes, even Realtors of that caliber suffer from lack of confidence.   We hope these tips will help you realize that you—and only you—can define your authority, expertise and power.  You don’t need anyone else’s permission to be a star.

The New Year has begun.  Resolutions have been made.  You’re ready to hit the ground running.  But are you, really?  Is your brand and position defined?  If not, it’s like leaving the house each day without clothing.  And while some would argue that this would certainly gain attention, I don’t believe it’s the kind of attention you had in mind when you set out to become #1 in your market. Continue reading

Article by Michael Carr:

I’ve been investing in residential real estate since I was 20 years old. I have watched the suburbs of Atlanta grow and change with each decade and season. Atlanta is an incredible city full of rich resources and growth potential. Lawrenceville is an area that has certainly seen its share of growth. In the mid 1990’s it was the county seat for Gwinnett, the fastest growing county for several years in a row. Now, Lawrenceville is a hot bed for investment in residential real estate, and Auction.com has a fairly dominant hold on the investment market there. Continue reading

Trust.  It’s a small word and a huge responsibility.  Zig Ziglar once said, “If people like you, they will listen to you.  But if they trust you, they’ll do business with you”.

I feel honored every time one of my clients calls to ask my opinion about something. I consider that a result of the trust factor.

You probably think this article is about how admitting your mistakes can build trust.  While that is absolutely true (and worthy of an entire book) I’m taking a slightly different direction here.

Throughout my years of consulting, I’ve sometimes been criticized by my peers for doing (gasp!) too much for my clients!  Many wise entrepreneurs consider over-delivering a business mistake.  I say the mistake occurs with the degree to which you over-deliver.  If you’re washing your client’s car and picking up their dry cleaning, that’s a little much (way too much).  But if your idea of over-delivering is texting on a weekend with a unique idea or sending photos of a billboard you know they would appreciate, that’s just good business to me.

I’m constantly thinking, doing, breathing ‘marketing’.  Bad ads, good ads, clever twists, what-ifs.  I relish the thought of helping my clients out-market their competitors with an idea that no one has thought of, let alone executed. Guerrilla marketing tactics turn me into a mad scientist in search of the perfect potion.  I’ve spent countless hours to craft a poignant biography or search for the perfect images that best describe and display a client’s personal brand.  I think through the pros and cons of every situation in an attempt to jump three steps ahead or perhaps just avoid wrong turns.  I’ve extended contracts beyond their deadline at no additional cost when I felt our work wasn’t completed to my satisfaction.

I’ve always delivered more than my agreements dictate.  And yes, at times I have done so for people who are unappreciative.  Those are the mistakes I have learned from the most.  But I always remember what my high school basketball coach used to say.  “If you aren’t making mistakes, you aren’t hustling”.

I can understand the practicality of those who believe that over-delivery is a mistake. After all, time is one of our most precious commodities.  But I believe we would be remiss to say that it trumps delivering your very best every time.  More often than not, the fruits of our labor are proof enough.  And that’s a mistake I’m willing to live with.

Are you ‘Doing Business As YOU’ on your personal Facebook page? In other words, are you posting your business content from your personal page?

Yesterday a REALTOR® asked us, “Why should I bother with a company Facebook page? Can’t I just post everything from my profile page?” Continue reading

It’s the question I always get as a Marketing Agent. And frankly, it’s one a client should always ask. “When will my new brand start producing a return on investment?”

The short answer is…as soon as you put it out there.
The long answer (rather, the ‘how’) provides a better explanation.

Here are five different ways your brand can turn meetings into money.

ATTRACTION: One of the toughest jobs in marketing is reaching the right audience with the right message. We’ve all no doubt launched [what we thought were] incredible, creative campaigns, only to find that either they didn’t reach the intended prospect—or the message just didn’t resonate. If you’ve established and communicated a message that is clearly different and meaningful to your ideal customer, your brand will actually ATTRACT the RIGHT customers. Everything about your photo, branding images, tagline, messaging, call to action, etc. should clearly communicate who you help—and why. When you can do this, you eliminate much of the waste in marketing, thus not only making more money with the right targets, but saving money with the wrong ones. Here’s the truth about awareness in marketing.

 “You don’t just need people to know you exist. You need the RIGHT people to know WHY you exist”.

COMPETITION: The world is full of competitors, in every field. Many of your competitors will be worthy. Some will not. But the one with the strongest brand often wins. If your brand and message is different and concise, you’ll begin the 100 yard dash at least 50 yards ahead of any competitor. In fact, if you’ve done a good job with your marketing, your brand actually walks in the room before you do, which brings me to my next point.

 “Your brand actually walks in the room before you do.”

ARRIVAL: This goes back to the idea of ‘cold calling’. I don’t believe in it (hang tight, sales geeks—explanation coming). That doesn’t mean that you should never approach someone you don’t know. It simply means that you should never walk into a room where they don’t know YOU. There are way too many creative, clever and yes, even downright simple marketing tools available today to get you and your message in front of prospects before you walk in the room. Never arrive unannounced. And when you can get a current customer to do the announcement for you, those meetings turn into money even faster.

AUTHORITY: When your brand is strong, you become a sought after AUTHORITY. People want to work with you. In fact, they can’t imagine not working with you. Chances are, before the very first meeting with you, they’ve already told at least five people about the upcoming meeting. And after the meeting (if your brand is authentic), they’ll tell ten more how excited they are to be working with you. It’s because the message that attracted them to you in the first place has now been verified by your expertise and authenticity.

INVITATION: You can’t expect guests at your party without sending out invitations. Put your message out there. Work with an expert to help you determine who your ideal customer is and where they spend their time. Then put your message in front of them consistently, concisely and helpfully. This is the part where they learn about you before you walk into the room.

Now, back to the short answer. When will your new brand start to pay dividends? Now. Today. And with every ideal customer who is exposed to you and your message. It starts with, “great new photos”, “I didn’t realize you were [insert your personal tagline]”, “I see you everywhere these days”. The truth is, they don’t see you everywhere. They just see a much more defined, memorable YOU. You’ll no doubt begin to hear those and many other comments, both direct and subtle, to let you know your brand is resonating.   And that, my friends, turns meetings into money.

A lot of people ask me if they need a personal tagline, a phrase that acts as your unique identifier.  The answer is…yes.  Every entrepreneur, business leader or sales professional that goes through my BrandFace® training receives a personal tagline.  That tagline focuses on either who they are or what they do.  For instance, mine is Agent to Business Stars.  At a glance, it tells someone that I am an Agent (a word that most often applies to the Hollywood set) and that I work with people in the Business world…who are Stars (the best of the best).  Those four little words say a lot, right?

The first thing I do when working with any BrandFace® is to position them in the marketplace (versus their competition).  In other words, we look carefully at their point of differentiation which should be based on their ideal customer’s needs mixed with their own unique knowledge and skillset.  Once we determine their position, we move forward to create the image and messaging that will be used consistently across multiple marketing platforms to bring their brand to life.

I thought you might enjoy a few positioning and tagline examples from our current BrandFace® for Real Estate Professionals workshop.

Ken Gordon (Melbourne, FL) found that many prospects were concerned about horror stories with regard to the real estate process, including delayed or botched closings.  His unique skillset was in knowing several secrets to getting to the closing table faster.  He is positioned as Secret Agent Ken Gordon and his tagline is Secret Agent of Smooth Transactions.  In his recent photo shoot, he focused on a James Bond type of theme, fully embracing his new BrandFace® position and character.

Kristin Mango (Alexandria, VA) has a Master’s Degree in Literature and has written for high profile real estate and construction magazines.  Her intense interest in the history of homes and the families that have lived in them is what’s truly unique.  To Kristin and her clients, a home is more than just the walls…it’s about the story of both the past and the future.  She is positioned by what she does rather than who she is, and her tagline is The Story Behind the Home.   She finds suitable, meaningful homes for people who want a true real estate partner, not just a transaction.

Tony Guy (San Antonio, TX) loves the townhome and condo lifestyle, and has decided to focus on that sector of real estate in his area.  He feels this provides a wise alternative for those who enjoy the independence, flexibility, amenities and the community aspects that townhomes and condos can provide.  Tony is positioned as the Home Wise Guy, which can provide a clever double entendre.  He is truly Home Wise…and he can also be a Wise Guy (and have a little fun with his position)…and let’s not forget that his last name is Guy.  A perfect position and tagline for Tony!

When it comes to great branding and positioning, “You don’t just need people to know that you exist.  You need [the right] people to know WHY you exist.”  (Please feel free to tweet that quote! @brandfacestar)  Your point of differentiation dictates your position, which determines the brand that will be communicated effortlessly through your imaging (including your logo & tagline) and messaging.  Your personal tagline is an extension of you and a very powerful part of your overall brand.