IS BRANDING THE

Is Branding the Way to Take Your Business to the Next Level?

Despite the importance of finding a Realtor® that is the best person to serve their needs, a lot of people only end up interviewing one Realtor® when they’re thinking about buying or selling a home. A lot of times people make that decision based on a referral, but why not do everything you can to be the name they think of when they make the decision to hire a real estate professional outside of referrals? Especially if you’re starting out and haven’t built up any repeat and referral business yet. When you want to make your name synonymous with real estate transaction success, you might want to consider branding yourself. Personal branding, long a staple of Corporate America, is also an invaluable tool for those in the real estate industry as well. Understanding branding and being consistent about it, is one way to insure you’ll have a successful and long-lasting business. It’s up to you to make consumers think that their success in real estate is dependent on finding the perfect agent—YOU.

Branding is a long term marketing strategy that builds your carefully crafted image over time through consistent repetition. A common misperception about branding is that it’s is the same thing as marketing. While the two go hand and hand in many ways, branding is specifically about creating and reinforcing the perception of not only who you are as a person, but what your business values are, and getting that out to the world in a consistent way Everything from your logo, to your website to your social media presence, should all line up and reinforce your brand. It’s that repetitiveness that will hammer home the perception you are trying to create. Your brand informs your marketing, while your marketing strengthens your brand. Of course then you have to do is make sure your service lives up to what you’re selling. Getting them in the door is one thing, but you’re in it for lifetime customers and referrals. Every brand is strengthened when it is built on a foundation of integrity and trust.

CREATING A BRAND

Although it might take time and money upfront to get it right, branding is almost guaranteed to pay off in the long run. But branding is more than just having a graphic designer come in and make a logo. Consider branding more of a promise to your clients and potential clients, succinctly stating the value and expertise working with you will afford them. There are clear, tried and true methods to creating your branding. Because you have to go all in on the way you want to brand yourself, it’s important to evaluate fully before you make the leap.

This all starts with an honest assessment of your business and where you want it to go, including how much time and money you’re willing to invest to get there. After that you may want to add focusing on a niche market to your branding. Regardless of whether or not you have a niche, another important part of branding is coming up with a memorable tagline that sells your brand or niche. All of your graphics, picture and information, should be consistent across all social media platforms, marketing materials, advertising and websites.

If you are interested in branding yourself, there are numerous books on the subject that will give you an in-depth tutorial on the process and the steps you need to take. But what it basically all comes down to is commitment. Find a brand that is true to you, one that you can commit to performing and then back it up by not only meeting, but exceeding what you promised. If done right, soon you’ll become an in-demand agent whose name is synonymous with success!

LACEY FERDERER

Lacey Ferderer began her real estate career in 2010, when she became the owner and licensed abstracter of Sargent County Abstract & Title. A few years later, in 2014, Lacey recalls, “I wanted to expand into something else related to real estate, so I began working as an agent with Fadness Realty & Appraisal.” In 2017, Lacey decided to open her own brokerage, and that’s how she became the broker and owner of Premium Home Realty Co. Lacey’s clients value her honesty, dedication, and the personal service she provides in helping them achieve their real estate goals.

Lacey serves the entire southeast corner of North Dakota, a predominantly rural and small-town area where she is able to develop strong relationships with her clients. About 70% of Lacey’s clients become repeat customers or provide referral business, an impressive feat that demonstrates the level of trust and loyalty she inspires.

“The biggest thing that keeps clients coming back is that I take care of as much as I can,” Lacey explains. “I make it as headache-free as possible for the buyer or seller. I tell my clients, I will do as much as I can on my own. If there’s an issue, I will figure out a solution before I even have to talk to you.” This total level of service puts clients at ease and ensures a stress-free experience. “If I’m listing a house, I take care of the listing all the way up until closing,” Lacey says. “My clients basically have to show up, and that’s it.” Lacey does a steady business of multiple homes each month.

Community involvement is important to Lacey, and she served on the local school board for three years. Lacey is also a member of the Renaissance Zone Committee for the city of Milnor, and she sponsors local events including school sports and an annual golf tournament to benefit the school. When she is not working or giving back, Lacey enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

In the future, Lacey plans to grow the territory her business covers, so she can help an even wider range of clients. “I like helping people,” Lacey says. “I don’t think a lot of people realize how complicated real estate is until you actually get into it, with all the paperwork that’s involved and the negotiation. I like being able to walk my clients through it all, step by step, and answering any questions they might have along the way. I love the feeling of getting them to the closing so they can sign and be on their way, hassle-free.”

When it comes to marketing her listings, Lacey uses a varied approach to cover all her bases. This includes advertising on Facebook, as well as Premium Home Realty’s website, local newspapers, the FargoMoorhead MLS, and the big home listing sites like Trulia, Zillow, and Realtor.com. As Lacey says, “When I market a listing, I get it out everywhere it can be in the area.” The results speak for themselves, and

To find out more about Lacey Ferderer, please call 701-680-2579, email laceyferderer@drtel.net, or visit www.zillow.com/profile/LaceyFerderer

TYLER GOLDSMITH

Tyler Goldsmith began his professional career in the banking industry. Though he was successful in the business, he didn’t feel it was challenging enough for him. “I’m a creative person, and I felt I couldn’t be my authentic self. I needed to make a change,” he says. Real estate seemed to be a logical step for him. “I had already been flipping houses and enjoyed that aspect of his life,” he recalls. “Plus, as a banker, I saw how well Realtors and brokers were doing, so I decided to pursue my license.” Tyler was licensed in 2014.

A full-time, independent agent since 2017, Tyler now represents the Goldsmith Realty Group with Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, he serves a 70-mile radius from his central locale. Tyler reports that his volume in eight months is at $9 million.

Tyler is a firm believer in hard work and commitment. “I spend three hours every morning making cold calls, anywhere from 100-300 calls per day,” he says. “A big reason for my success is due to my ability in getting comfortable with the word ‘no’ or any other other objection for that matter. Articulating conversations in a format that leads people to success isn’t easy, especially on most people’s largest asset. There is a lot that goes into account with that, including asking the right questions based on their personality types, having a strong emotional intelligence, and understanding the market position. When calling hundreds of people per day, these factors bring confidence further allowing me to persevere through difficult objective handling conversations. I look at it as a shepherd herding his sheep; there is a lot of pushback yet with persistence, you are eventually guiding people towards the right direction.”

It’s apparent that Tyler’s dedication has made a difference, as he receives stellar reviews. One client recently wrote: “Tyler was sooo amazing! He was so intuitive and made my first home buying experience seamless. I am thankful for the experience and would use him again and again!”

“Very few agents do what I do,” he explains. “It takes a skilled hunter to be successful at cold calling. It’s important to come across with integrity, and I want them to know that it’s my mission to lead them to a better place financially.

“To be successful in this business, I’ve realized top agents generally have four things. They are hungry and envision big dreams ahead; they are humble; they are emotionally intelligent in their ability to connect with all demographics and personality types; and lastly, they understand the housing market both on the macro and micro economic level.”

To stay in touch with past clients, Tyler makes frequent phone calls. He also utilizes Client Giant, a personal concierge service for real estate agents. “I’ll make sure to send out little gifts on birthdays and other special occasions. I also like to hand deliver gifts around the holidays,” he says.

In addition to posting on the MLS, Tyler markets his listings on social media as well as agent to agent. “Better Homes & Gardens has a proprietary system that blasts out my listings to thousands of clients. It’s incredible,” he notes.

What Tyler enjoys most about his work is taking the role as a market advisor. “For example, if a family of three is about to become a family of four and need to move, I must ensure that I get the most amount of money for the sale of their home. Then, I must get this family the best value in a new home that offers everything they want and need,” he explains. “I like to think I’m a bringer of happiness and success.”

When not working or giving back his time to his church, Tyler loves to focus on physical fitness and activity. “I’ve participated in physique competitions both on the state and national levels,” he says. He also considers flipping houses as one of his favorite hobbies.

As for the future, Tyler says he’d like to expand his business. He says, “I currently have nine active commercial listings with big future plans to extend my residential and commercial real estate realm.”

For more about Tyler Goldsmith, email tgoldsmith@paraclerealty.com, visit http://goldsmithrealestategroup.com, or call (704) 759-6639