The Basics Principles of Image and Branding in Business
People often look to build businesses but forget about the number one thing: their brand. I’ve been able to achieve success in real estate branding, but I’ve done it intentionally.
What do I mean by that? I studied other people doing the same. Business owners usually make the same mistakes both in public and online because they don’t understand the importance of image.
Perception matters, and in today’s world of social media and media as a whole, it takes one small mistake to wreck your brand. It could be anything from a tweet you liked to a picture you shared on Instagram.
To grow your brand, you must know how to take care of it.
First Impression Matters
The first step to building a brand is to master the art of first impressions. When you are trying to get someone to associate with your brand, you’re asking them to trust you.
It can be through a partnership or buying a product or service you’re offering. You need to think about what you’re putting out there because that’s what you’re manifesting back.
People tend to forget this very important detail and that it comes with consequences. We all make mistakes, but you need to forge a brand that can withstand even the smallest of them.
The goal is to build a solid image that isn’t easily shaken. If you fail to allocate enough time and resources to create a strong brand, you’re setting yourself.
The ABCs of Real Estate Branding
Without a doubt, building a brand whether in real estate or any other industry doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and lots of hard work. The good news is, you can get started without much difficulty. All you need is to go back to the basics.
Here are the three simple tips on how you can start building your real estate brand.
Appearance
What do people see when they first see you? What do they associate you with? People often gravitate to those who ooze class and status. Everyone wants to be around people with power and influence, and the same school of thought applies to business.
It all depends on your target audience’s taste. For some, it could be luxury, gaming, or fast fashion. Understand that they connect with you if your message or culture resonates with them.
What do people see when they see you? How are your mannerisms and body language? Are you upbeat, head held high, or are you always looking down and avoiding eye contact?
What energy do you give off? Are you full of excitement and ready to conquer the day, or are you unsure and hesitant?
Behavior
The second most important thing is behavior. What does your behavior look like? Are you opening up doors? Are you saying thank you or please? You don’t have to be extra courteous to get things done your way, or” kissing butt,” as they say.
If you’re naturally a well-behaved person, then it won’t feel forced. You won’t have to put on an act or behave in a particular type of way to get favors. The world is a very volatile place full of ups and downs, and we all go through them.
It depends on your mindset. What you think, you become. So if you wake up in the morning feeling like a winner, then you’re definitely going to be a winner that day. The same applies to days when you wake up feeling deflated and burnt out.
If you want a million dollars, you have to act like you’re already a million-dollar person. Similarly, if you’re going to be a successful real estate investor, you have to start acting like one.
Recruit people who share the same vision as you. The goal is to get people you can walk with to the top and those who lose sight of what’s important get left behind. So you have to believe and act as if you are already there.
You might think this logic applies to everyone, but it isn’t always so. I’m sure you’ve seen instances where people get into it on social network sites. They go back and forth, airing out all their dirty laundry.
Situations might trigger you but remember, everything rides on how you react. How you choose to respond determines whether you’re a champion or a benchwarmer.
If you’re great or if you’re simply average. Train yourself to control your emotions, not always to be swayed by how you feel. Think first before you act. Analyze the situation and potential outcomes.
Communication
C stands for Communication. It’s not what we say; instead, it’s how we say it. I can vouch for this because what I say is relevant and sensible a lot of the time. However, if I don’t use the right tone, that leaves room for misunderstandings.
Everybody hears things differently. Think about a random sentence like, “How are you doing today?” it’s all about how you say it, or type it if it’s via text message.
Texting doesn’t always accurately convey the intended tone. It’s the reason why phone calls are still a reliable means of Communication.
Verbal Communication allows the other person to infer the tone of the conversation because they can lean on cues like mannerisms, intonation, and pitch.
As for texting, applications like Grammarly make it easier to check on punctuation and spelling. You no longer have to check spellings manually, thanks to auto-correct.
All in all, make sure that you are always mindful of how you communicate with other people. Never forget that people are always watching you. They want to associate with a brand that’s upper-level status.
Bottom Line
Your credibility is everything. Clients will look at the ABCs of your brand before they decide to do business with you. They’ll want to see how you communicate, what image you portray, and even how you behave among colleagues and subordinates.
More importantly, they’ll be looking at what actions you’re taking. So if you’re a new business owner looking to create a brand, start with these tips. Be intentional with the relationships you cultivate.
These tips can also help you land deals, meet and connect potential business partners. If you’d like to discuss further the basics of branding, shoot me a message on my socials. Remember, in the dream, we trust, but we must take action on those dreams.
