The Real Estate Sales Professional Brand – Does What You Know Really Matter?

This is an interesting topic. We have previously blogged on the topic of the real estate sales professional brand in connection with their brokerage’s brand, but what about perception of the real estate sales professional’s brand as a profession.

Some have written on this topic and whether industry best practices have begun to craft what one would represent as a brand in simply being a real estate sales professional.

Seth Godden offers our favourite definition of a brand in the context of professional branding: “A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another. If the consumer (whether it’s a business, a buyer, a voter or a donor) doesn’t pay a premium, make a selection or spread the word, then no brand value exists for that consumer.” http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/12/define-brand.html

Not only is that a great definition of what a brand is, it also highlights how brand perception can make or break an individual’s success.

An industry where professionals are not organized, aligned or following best practices is likely to establish a negative brand perception for the industry as a whole. There are many examples of industries where consistent business practices across the board have led the consumer to have a pre-conceived notion of what their experience will be before even picking up the phone.

Fortunately, most real estate sales professionals in Ontario conduct themselves with the highest in ethics and professional standards. OREA, RECO and other membership bodies have done a lot to support and shape what could be the perception of the real estate sales professional’s brand.

What would you like the public’s perception of the real estate sales professional as a profession to be? We don’t mean good or bad - we are talking attributes. We look forward to your thoughts.