How Real Estate Must Evolve Through Digital Branding

The real estate industry is going through changes; the world economy through turbulence, and not all real estate giants navigate successfully. Just look at industry veterans like Zillow, which lost around $1.5 billion in the last few years.

Digitally-agile real estate agents who adapted and leveraged social media and blogs–stayed on top because they understand self-branding is a key ingredient of entrepreneurship–and even the new stage in the employment economy. 

Bill Gassett, founder of Maximum Real Estate Exposure realized early on that in order to compete with big agencies converting clients outside their limited zip codes, he’ll have to digitally brand, and increase his reach: “Through proper digital marketing techniques, I’ve been able to get my real estate content out to a large audience. One of my favorite social media channels for distributing my content is Linkedin, where many years ago I started my own real estate group. Today,  it’s one of the most active on the platform–counting 115,000 members.”

To avoid being left behind, brand yourself digitally by following these steps:

If it’s your first plunge into this sort of thing — a good method will be finding patterns with those you helped most recently. For example:

• Where are they similar? 

• Did all of them face the same problem?

• Are they all within a certain age/income group?

Maybe, “coincidentally”, your last 15 transactions involved helping tech employees to relocate. Maybe half of them work from home now. These things are worth noticing.

After starting to understand your ICP (ideal customer persona), find more patterns. It will be easier now because when looking for a yellow car, you’ll find more yellow cars.

Maybe you’ll notice most of these tech workers are from the east coast–moving westward, or leaving a specific state which you can target. That’ll help you cater your content around their pains; adjust your outreach filter — and even your ads.

After knowing who you talk, help, and sell to–it’s time to look inward. Who are you, really?

You can start by asking yourself these questions:

• What are my values?

• How do I make the buying process easier for my clients?

• If the roles were reversed — why would I buy a home from me?

• Do I have experience in the tech industry (or maybe your partner is in tech)?

• Who am I, as a person? An introvert, ambivert, or extrovert? What are my hobbies?

• Why should these people choose me? (what makes you more suitable to help them)?

The more specific your answers, the more potential for value-aligned content – because at the highest levels of real estate – buyers choose agents based on their personality, vision, and values.

Next, it’s time for a mindset shift. The better you position yourself as the guide, helping the hero (your buyer/seller/tenant) reach their goal (sell/buy/lease/rent), the stronger your brand will be. If your website’s landing page, blog, and emails don’t communicate it–it’s a messaging problem. If they do, but it doesn’t resonate–it’s a targeting problem.