Business owners often talk about making a fresh start or getting a new image. The branding process will often revolve around designing a new logo, repainting the premises, and printing off new stationary. But is this really building a brand, or merely window dressing the existing brand ?

Your brand is how a client or customer perceives your organisation. Then when you have a number of clients or customers feeling the same way you will be on your way to developing some form of brand. It’s fair to say that the general public’s perception of real estate agents has been right up there with car salesman and politicians. It’s not about what a client says to your face, but rather what they say to others when you are not in the room.

The cornerstones of a real estate brand (or any business for that matter) are built around – reliability, trust, and performance. So where do you start to build your brand ?

1. Have a long hard look in the mirror.

- Who are you as a person ?

- How do clients see you and your business ?

2. Conduct a mystery shopper styled campaign

Get an independent 3rd party with no pre-conceived ideas about your  business to do this. And be prepared for the feedback, it may be quite sobering.

3. SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats)

SWOT your business and your market competitors to see where you stand in the marketplace.

4. Start at the End.

By this I mean don’t start by changing your logo, stationary, and office décor, go deeper – drill down on your operational structure, delivery systems, and your people. Look at everything people see.

Finally, how do you know if your branding strategies are working ?

I believe the key indicator is how your offices are performing. In real estate, that’s how many properties you are selling and managing. And the driver of your branding success will be dictated by probably your greatest asset of all – your people.