Comments on: If a small midwestern brokerage can do it, you can too

By: Eric Robbins

Eric Robbins — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:15:55 +0000

Most videographers have not walked a mile in your shoes. Anytime you are dealing with a service provider like this – whose production has a significant impact on your reputation – be vigilant. Make yourself available throughout the storytelling process for brainstorming. Require a proof before going live. Maybe even float the proof by a few trusted colleagues to see what they think. There are private screening rooms available on the Internet for this purpose.

Don’t expect that the videographer can read your mind. Most of us just aren’t that zen.

By: Real Estate Roundup - Week 35

Real Estate Roundup - Week 35 — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:24:28 +0000

[...] If a small midwestern brokerage can do it, you can too by Marc Davison at 1000Watt Consulting [...]

By: Bart Davis

Bart Davis — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:12:57 +0000

Marc,

I think what many brokers encounter is a group of “independent contractors” that still believe it is “their business”. Very true to a point, but the brand itself is the broker’s business and something that needs to be guarded. We are an established broker that has brought on the 2nd generation of leadership and thinking. Our goal is simply to build on this strong brand and embrace the next generation of consumers. We are young, well some of us, and moving full steam ahead. One word that I really have never used is “passion”. Now I know why I haven’t used it before, because I finally have it.

This is just a small step in the right direction, but we are now watching each step we take. Real Estate is an industry that needs to be taken back by the broker to really provide the service that every client deserves.

Bart

By: Marc

Marc — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:27:35 +0000

Here’s a thought – Camilla, given your extensive branding background, would be great if you weigh in.

As a company that oversees and manages a host of real estate brands, we often remind our clients that while your core values serve to define how your brokerage should ACT in the world, your brand ideals define how your brokerage should think in the world.

And therefore, since thinking should come before acting, if you hone your brands ideals and really nail them, every single you make once held against those ideals will be simple and self explanatory and if guarded properly, mistakes will be few to none.

Something worth thinking about.

By: Keahi Pelayo

Keahi Pelayo — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:18:46 +0000

Really powerful question! Each bit of effort and dollar must support a clear and singular purpose.
Aloha,
Keahi

By: Camilla Sullivan

Camilla Sullivan — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:34:42 +0000

Yes and it would help if the link was correct!

Try this one

http://www.bhgrealestate.com/Views/MediaCenter/News.aspx?id=2085

By: Camilla Sullivan

Camilla Sullivan — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:25:37 +0000

Marc, I could not agree more. Branding is a 360 degree, 24/7, 3 dimensional concept that is both powerful and fragile at the same time. I think that because when someone commits a branding sin, it sometimes takes time to impact measurements or tangible outcome, they can have a false sense of security that they are ‘getting away with it’. Your example of the completely ill-matched soundtrack to something as powerful as a brand video is a great one. I think this happens too when there is not enough authority placed around brand stewardship – who signed off the video? Who aligned it with the brand architecture?

Anyway, I’ll never give up believing in branding as the key to long term success – and it always is great to have the measurements to back up the strategy – ours just came out today in the Wall Street Journal

http://www.bhgrealestate.com/Views/MediaCenter/News.aspx?id=1532

love your thought leadership Marc

cheers
Camilla

By: Links for Geeks – August 25th | GeekEstate Blog - Real Estate Technology News and Analysis for Real Estate Professionals

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:52:38 +0000

[...] If a small midwestern brokerage can do it, you can too [...]

By: Ian Greenleigh

Ian Greenleigh — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:25:15 +0000

It’s easy to get fooled into believing that because branding is a long-term strategy with benefits that are often hard to measure, the market will some how forgive hiccups or mistakes along the way. Brand identity might be evolving quickly, fluidly, but it still needs to remain consistent. The viral nature of branding is a huge part of its importance today, but it is just as easy to send the wrong message as the right one–and in the former case, things that reflect poorly on a company are circulated far quicker than things that reflect kindly.

By: Marc

Marc — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:02:55 +0000

@Tyler

We believe so. Without that, can the so called “brands” in real estate really be one? Perhaps they are well known names but brands? Not without being able to make promises you can consistently deliver upon.