What Is A Real Estate Brand?

A common misconception within the Real Estate Market is that a logo constitutes a brand. So what is the difference, and why is Real Estate brand building so important.

Logo vs. Corporate Identity vs. Brand Identity

Firstly lets differentiate between the 3 vital elements that makes up an effective Real Estate Visual Marketing Strategy.

A Logo Type or Emblem is the representation of your Real Estate Company in its simplest form. It is the core element that enables the market to identify your Real Estate Brand.

A Corporate Identity is represented by all the different visual elements used when representing your Real Estate Company. These include your Corporate Stationery, For Sale Boards, Sales Office Signage, Corporate Clothing, etc. It should be seen as an extension of your logo and should be consistent throughout. If executed effectively over time your market will be able to recognise your company without necessarily being exposed to your logo.

Where Real Estate Logos and Corporate Identities are Visual tools used to Identify your company, the Real Estate Brand is all about how your market emotionally & psychologically perceives your company. It’s all about being liked by Buyers, Sellers, etc. Your logo, Corporate Identity and Brand Identity works together in the effort to ultimately have your market emotionally aligned to your brand.

Making your Real Estate Brand tangible to your market

As mentioned your Real Estate Branding efforts are all about getting your market to like and emotionally align themselves to your company. It requires a dedicated marketing budget in order to consistently over time expose your market to your brand building efforts. It is all about making them aware and having them experience your brand values, service offerings, etc. Ultimately it will result in a seller for example choosing your brand over your competitor’s.

There are many ways to expose the market to your brand experience, here are a few:

1. Visual & Verbal Marketing

The most basic tool is a Brand Message Campaign which involves coming up with a series of messages to communicate who you are, what you stand for and what your brand’s benefits are. This might be built around a slogan such as Nike’s “Just do it”.

If you are wanting to position yourself as a professional Real Estate Company then together with your Logo and Corporate Identity your Brand Messaging should be corporate and professional.                  

2. Sales Environment

Your Sales Office Environment should reflect this brand direction. If your messaging is telling your market that you are all about high level service delivery and a buyer walks into your reception to find it cluttered, out dated, etc. then what you are telling your market about yourself and what they are experiencing when dealing with your brand will not match up.

3. Agent & Admin Staff Interaction

Similarly if you have positioned yourself as a professional brand and your agent arrives at a viewing not dressed the part or greets the seller by saying “Howzit” then they are contradicting the brand experience you are wanting to achieve.

4. Service Delivery

You might have successfully positioned your brand in the market through effective brand messaging, a great sales environment and agents that live the brand, all of this can be undone if they are not experiencing this through your service delivery.

Co-ordinating these Brand Building Efforts effectively over time is key in achieving a Real Estate Brand that is respected and liked by the market you wish to target, this will ultimately result in more sales! Achieving the desired emotional response however involves commitment and consistency from your part. Put a budget together that is adequate and dedicate the time and effort it requires!