Realtor Branding Online - How to Stand Out

Effective realtor branding online should position a real estate agent apart from the competition. Determining what makes a real estate agent different and communicating these attributes as benefits to consumers is essential to developing a strong online presence. The following process for creating unique realtor branding online can help any agent quickly develop a value proposition that attracts potential clients via social media, search engines, agent websites or any place within the internet’s reach. First, Laurie Weston Davis of The Geeky Girls reveals her strategies for establishing a realtor’s online brand in the following video:

1. Determine Your Personal Value

Fortunately you are already in possession of everything that you need to establish your benefit to potential clients. The formula for establishing your unique value proposition is hidden within your pre-existing attributes, knowledge, skills, experience and relationships. Examine your resume, life experiences and educational background to uncover the qualifications that compose your personal validity. Collect third party endorsements from people you’ve done business with to obtain their impressions of working with you to further develop your value. Some examples include:

The treasurer of a homeowner’s association has superior community knowledge with financial expertise.
A stay-at-home mom that raised three children has amazing negotiating, management & conflict resolution skills.
A telemarketer has extensive experience in promotions, marketing and technology.

2. Translate Value to Benefit

Once you’ve uncovered your particular set of attributes, the next step is to determine how these experiences are relevant to real estate. Ask yourself how these values can be of benefit to your future real estate clients? The key here is to convey exactly how your particular quality adds value to consumers by using the formula: Because of my (attribute) clients get (benefit). Some examples include:

My career in the Navy provides me with relationships to access thousands of military home buyers and sellers.
My ability to speak two languages opens your home to many home buyers overlooked by other agents.
Being raised in this community gives me local expertise and a wide network of potential home buyers and sellers.
Our large real estate company provides exposes your home to a maximum number of potential buyers.

3. Create a Unique Message

It’s important to remember that a value proposition can still be “unique” even if many other agents offer similar benefits. Uniqueness can also be achieved by using bold, clever or memorable wording that sticks in the minds of potential clients before you even meet them in person. Some examples might include:

- Sally Johnson’s 6-Step Guaranteed Sale Program
- John Jackson – Born & Raised with Seattle Knowledge
- Janet James – Chicago’s Premier Luxury Home Specialist
- Tony Keller the Home Seller

4. Position Your Branding Online

Once an agent has created a unique value proposition, its time to position it everywhere to begin gaining the “mind-share” of the public. Although the message should be included in all print marketing materials and an agent’s primary website, the placement doesn’t stop there. Since it has become well publicized that most home buyers begin their search online, it is essential to have a complete online presence to evidence the ability to market and locate property. The following is a compilation of the various mediums where agents should position their online brands to obtain maximum exposure:

- Social Media Networking: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Google+
- Websites & Blogs: WordPress, Active Rain or Tumblr
- Video: YouTube
- Personal Landing Page: About.me, Pixelhub or Flavors.me
- Email Signatures: Wisestamp.com
- Personalized Domain Names: GoDaddy.com or Domain.com
- Additional Niche Websites: Stealth, Geographic Farming and etc.