What is the perception of your brand?
Creating a customer experience is the foundation of every business. Whether it is positive or negative, each transaction creates an experience that your clients remember. But in recent years something has changed.
The voice of the consumer is more powerful than ever before. Now not only do they experience your service but also they share it through a multitude of social channels. We want and need this powerful voice to be an advocate for your business and your brand, but how can your clients align to your business if you can’t define it?
A company is who you are; a brand is who you are perceived to be. A brand is what your clients think, factually and emotionally.
Major brands use taglines to evoke emotion, suggest a customer experience and increase their brand awareness. A great tagline suggests brand values and allows you to communicate in a memorable way. Take these brands and their taglines for example:
Apple Think Differently
L’Oreal Because you’re worth it
Tesco Every little helps
Kit Kat Take a break
I’m not suggesting you need a tagline but ask yourself, do you have a message that is memorable and defines your brand? Is your clients’ perception what you want it to be?
So what makes a good brand?
- Knowing and understanding your audience. This can be demonstrated through the content you produce, the way you market your company and most importantly the way you interact with your clients.
- U.S.P. A clear vision of what is unique about your estate agency and its strengths.
- Consistent and clear message. Underpinning everything you do with the same ‘voice’ gives clarity on who you are perceived to be.
- Buy-in from your team. You need to ensure that your brand values are part of your day-to-day operation and not just a document you all aspire to.
Would you say your estate agency understands it’s audience and U.S.P and is consistent with their message throughout their business? Where does your personal brand fit within the business?
Authenticity
Your Personal Brand is you, its your appearance, your business card, its how you interact with people online and offline, its your image as you are perceived to be.
A Personal Brand is all about influence. My advice when it comes to your personal brand is to be authentic. Stay true to yourself, your strengths, likes, all the quirky and unique features that make your brand, you. An authentic brand is a trustworthy brand, ‘faking it’ is not something you want to project or trust.
What is your USP? Being seen as ‘different’ will enable you to captivate your audience, without a USP you will only be seen as a follower rather than a leader.
One thing that can make or break you is how you show up online. Therefore you need to ensure that how you comment, blog and speak to people online is a reflection of your brand. Showcase your talents, make sure you highlight your achievements; this can encourage people to want to engage with you.
Everyone has a personal brand; it is how your industry peers, staff and clients see you. Is their perception correct?
The Brands Align
Your company brand needs you to deliver its brand values in and authentic way; this is why it is imperative that your company and personal brands align, but stay separate. Allow your company brand to reflect your estate agency core values and mission, whereas your personal brand provides authenticity.
Be Memorable.
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