Partners Trust

ron 101: Branding Your Name and Knowing Your Market

“To thine own self be true.”  (Hamlet. Act 1, Scene 3)

As a real estate agent, your name is your business and the success of your business is dependent upon the reputation associated with your name.  In today’s market, many agents are trying to differentiate themselves, stand apart from the pack, by pursuing what they perceive as innovative branding methods.  Agents want to use a symbol to brand themselves, forgetting the importance of owning and promoting their actual name.

In the 1980s Prince was one of the biggest pop stars on the planet – everybody knew his name.  That is why it was so baffling that, following a series of hits, Prince changed his name to an unrecognizable symbol and started referring to himself as “The artist formally known as Prince”.

In giving up his name, Prince sacrificed so much of his celebrity – his fans and the world knew him as Prince – his name was his brand and the embodiment of everything he had worked for so it is not surprising that his career lay relatively dormant for years following this decision.  It was only when he changed his name back to Prince that he regained that notoriety associated with owning his name – with being Prince.

Though perhaps fun and “different”, a symbol or logo cannot achieve the level of respect and notoriety necessary in our business (and  in other businesses as well, as Prince would attest to).  At the end of the day, no one is going to do business with a logo.

In real estate, name recognition is essential – you achieve it with directional sign, on your voicemail message, your emails and website.  People see and hear your name, they associate it with your reputation and they commit it to memory.  This is how deals are done.

What do you think of branding in real estate?  Do you think a logo can be as effective as your name?  Please share your thoughts and leave your comments below.