Commercial Real Estate Brokerage – Reputation Management Tips
In commercial real estate brokerage your reputation is everything. You have to build it and also protect it if you want more listings and clients.
Far too many agents ‘live’ inside the brokerage brand without making much of a brand for themselves in their location. Brand management and the marketing of the personal brand that you can bring to the property market are really important factors to work on.
Build Your Personal Plan
So how can you get this process underway or strengthen your personal profile that you currently have? I like to recommend that all brokers and agents set in place a ‘Strategic Reputation’ plan where they can build their profile across the target market segment and with the people that really matter. Over time the ‘reputation’ of any particular person as an industry professional is shaped and encouraged through a model or a basic plan.
To get this concept underway the following ideas will help:
- What are your real estate skills and strengths? – There is no point trying to be something that you are not. Understand the levels of property knowledge that you bring to the market and pick your strengths. Perhaps the best question to ask yourself is ‘What are you really good at in a property sense?’ When you know those facts you can specialise as you create your personal marketing model.
- How can you bring exceptional value to your clients? – Most clients like to work with the best agents and brokers for their area. They like to know and trust the people that they work with. Create a number of professional services that are unique and or of such high quality that it is hard for your competitors to replicate. In every communication with your clients, make sure that the information provided is in a format that is professional in every way. Make your information and communications better in every respect possible.
- How can you merge referrals into your contact model? – If you are successful in reaching out to a client in a business transaction then you have the opportunities to take up in referrals at the right time. Ask the questions of the people that you know. Who do they know locally that also has an interest in local property?
- Who are your targets? – Some clients are more valuable than others when you break down all the facts of property ownership and location. Spend some time by setting criteria on the clients and prospects that you would like to serve. Where are they geographically and how do they qualify to be served? How will you connect with them?
Commercial real estate brokerage is not complex when you break it all down. Any agent or broker can build a good business from knowing people and strengthening personal relationships across the market.