Creating Your Road to Recognition

Branding is critical to businesses survival, but the internet has transformed selling and a Realtor’s® branding needs to reflect this. Seth Price, vice president of marketing at Placester, says that in this new universe, a negative review can sink a brand instantly. To survive, Realtors® must proactively control spin and enhance trust.

This is tricky, Price says, because “individuals have 500 percent more reach on social media than a brand does. Eighty to 90 percent of the consumer’s journey now happens online; they want to connect with people, not brand names.”

In this plugged-in world where the lines of communication are more tangled than spaghetti, how do Realtors® get the consumer’s attention?

“We do not need more leads; we need better ways to stay in touch,” Price says. It’s critical to be authentically engaged with the client. Modern branding is about creating values and signals of trust all along the consumer journey. 

Today’s consumers don’t trust things without reviews, Price says, and it’s not just buyers. Sellers check reviews. They want proof that a Realtor® has successfully brought deals to closing. Price suggests getting a review from Zillow. Write “client provides review” into transactions, he says.

A good website is a Realtor’s® best advocate. It needs to advocate 24-7, speak well and show subject matter expertise.

It pays to connect on social media, Price adds.  To save time, he encourages avoiding extra tools. Ask yourself who your audience is and where they spend their time on social media. “Video is priceless,” Price says, because it conveys emotion. Videos should highlight experience and portray a nice, helpful, fun and trustworthy image. 

Before the Internet, Price says, the mantra was “always be closing;” now it’s “always be helping … always connect.”