Why Every Agent Needs To Build Their Personal Brand
Is it time to launch (or refresh) your Personal Brand?
Personal branding has morphed into an all-time buzz-word in business circles worldwide and now more than ever, career focussed women and men are turning to branding agencies to help them curate a personal brand they can showcase to the world. It seems like everywhere you turn, (social media especially), professionals are stepping out as the face of their business via a carefully curated visual identity and messaging statement. — The process we have come to know as personal branding.
(And I’m all for it by the way!)
But why is personal branding becoming such an integral part of business (and real estate life) and in particular, why is there so much focus on individuals to build a personal brand?
Why agents need a personal brand.
When creating a personal brand, most of us liken the process to simply the identity part - how things look. But the true power of brand extends well beyond getting the look, feel and colour palette right, and THIS is why you need to pay attention.
When the visual aesthetics are communicated alongside personal values, work ethic and ethos, you start to create a unique identity that serves as the personal backbone of your business. — Who you are, who you serve, and what you stand for as an individual professional. It is these key elements when combined and marketed strategically that will determine the success of the brand and the person behind it.
In other words.
Understand your values. Create your brand. Market it effectively. Stay consistent. And watch the eyeballs move in your direction.
It sounds like a LOT OF WORK and so the question remains… is it all worth it?
An Investment in You.
Is it worth it? The short answer is YES.
If you’re serious about your career you need to get serious about your personal brand.
It demonstrates your commitment to what you do and your offering as a professional. Your brand serves to build trust within your audience and community - whether it’s your clients, co-workers, current employer, future employer or potential clients. When it comes to business, these people matter and you never know who is watching (and making a split-second assumption about you from a-far).
A strategically crafted and well-positioned personal brand could be your ticket to that next big client, a new business or even a leverage point to ask for more money.
Even if you don’t operate your own business, every agent should invest in a Personal Brand.
Taking the time to understand who you are as a professional, what you stand for and how you want to be perceived in your field of expertise is an investment that I guarantee will pay dividends - both emotionally and financially.
You’ll be surprised at how new doors begin to open when you put yourself out there purposefully. Confidence increases and so does your status as a professional.
Unpacking the WENDYRUSSELL® brand.
My own personal brand has evolved over the years and I can honestly attribute a fair chunk of my success as Wendy Russell Buyer’s Agent, to that of creating an honest, authentic and consistent personal brand - one that has attracted some of my best clients from around the world. I’m talking high-profile CEO’s, 8-figure business owners, medical specialists, celebrities and even acclaimed creatives (one of my favourite clients is an international film director).
Specific Guidelines I set for my Brand.
I’m no professional branding expert, but it’s clear I’ve done a few things right when it comes to my brand. I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today if I had ignored this part of my business.
With that said, there are a few guidelines I have religiously stuck to over the years to ensure my personal brand is consistently building equity and attracting my ideal client.
The following 4 criteria have undoubtedly played a part in the success of my personal brand and business to date.
1 / Consistency
It takes around 3 months of consistent messaging to set a tone for your brand. You need to show up to your audience in a regular and consistent manner so they can form an idea of who you are, what you stand for, and what you offer. This needs to happen before any amount of trust can be established. Note to self - consistency is key!
2 / Authenticity
You need to be real. You need to be You. Sounds simple right? Just like the word “brand”, the term “authenticity” also falls into the buzz-word category, but again, I cannot emphasise enough how important it is for a personal brand to be an authentic representation of the person behind it. Most people can see straight through a person who is trying to be someone they are not. So don’t be a copy-cat just because you like the look of someone else’s brand. It isn’t You. Inauthenticity stands out like a sore thumb in today’s world and people can spot a copy quickly, so be sure to show up and align your brand image and personality with the real You.
3 / Clear Message
A personal brand needs to establish a tone and a clear message. What do you want your target market (or ideal client) to know about you? What do you stand for and how can you communicate this clearly? What is your particular style? Are you sharp and to the point, or more of a conversationalist in your messaging? PS - it’s all about the messaging!
4 / Aesthetic
Finally, you need to assign a colour palette and develop a style guide for your brand. Copious amounts of research has been undertaken in an attempt to understand how different types of people emotionally engage with certain colours but to keep it simple in the beginning, I chose colours and a style based on my own preferences. Whether this was the right move or not is debatable by the experts but I think what was more important was making sure I used the colours consistently across all of my social accounts and branding touch points.
How I can help you create a personal brand that attracts your ideal clients.
This post merely scratches the surface of the power behind personal branding, and when done right, how it can leverage and lift your profile as a professional.
You can learn more about personal branding for real estate agents in my Masterclass for Women in Real Estate. This course, along with the Buyer’s Agent Blueprint (specifically for Buyer’s Agents) explains step by step how to create and position your personal brand so you attract your ideal clients and showcase a professional image that is authentic to You, and most importantly, feels right and becomes one of your biggest bankable assets.
How To Lift Your Reputation Through Personal Branding
The below podcast episode explores the do’s and don’ts when it comes to your personal brand and what I’ve learned about building my own brand to drive my business as an independent real estate agent and buyer’s agent.
Courses for real estate agents and buyer’s agents :
Masterclass for Women in Real Estate - The Polished Professional - level-up to become a high-value agent who attracts A-class clientele.
The WENDYRUSSELL Buyer’s Agent Blueprint - learn the systems, processes and skillset to become an independent buyer’s agent.
JOIN THE JOURNEY
To subscribe to posts like this and access my journal — become a member of the WENDYRUSSELL Institute.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Wendy Russell is a Luxury Buyer’s Agent, social introvert and self-made businesswoman on a mission to help career women step into their power as high-value professionals. It starts here.
Steal my systems and processes and learn how to start a buyer’s agency business.
Step into your power and earn more as a high-value agent.
What the participants are saying …
“Your mentoring has been absolutely outstanding. Together with The Polished Professional Masterclass, I definitely have all the tools, confidence and good practices in place to deliver new services to investors wanting to dive into the Darwin region property market. Thank you. You are truly amazing, super professional, fun and such an inspiration.” — LINA PASELLI-KRUSE - LPK Luxury Home Hosting | Darwin
“A fantastic investment for anyone looking to enhance their career prospects and refine their professional presence.” — LOUISE NASH Base Buyer’s Agency
“The Polished Professional Masterclass has been a transformative and empowering experience for me as a woman in real estate.” — TINA JAMES Independent Buyer’s Agent | Brisbane
“Wendy’s approach goes far beyond just real estate. She dives deep into building a strong personal brand, setting clear goals, and learning how to prioritise yourself and your financial future.” — GIBBY ODLUM Bookkeeper at JLH Finance | Brisbane
