Most Common Mistakes Made When Branding a Real Estate Company

A brand is a keystone to the success of any business. A brand's purpose "is to make a product or service stand out from its competitors and make it more desirable" (Business Dictionary, brand). It builds credibility and instills trust in your target audience, acting as a guarantee that you will fulfill what you promise.

When brand identity is designed correctly, it creates brand recognition. When it is brand recognition that already exists, brand identity enhances brand equity. This helps consumers to recognize your brand and understand what you do - be it selling real estate or something completely different.

A brand is essential to the growth of any business in the 21st century. It offers consumers an insight into the brand's history, its character, and the basis of what it does. Knowing this information can help consumers to decide whether or not they want to use your brand in the future, be it for real estate services or something else entirely.

With this in mind, here are some tips on the most common mistakes made when branding a real estate company:

1. Choosing a brand name that is too generic.

A brand name should be unique and help to set your brand apart from others. By choosing a brand name that is not specific to what you do, it could make your brand indistinguishable from others operating in the same industry. If you were trying to attract customers who are looking for real estate for sale by brand names, for example, they might be more likely to mistake your brand for one that is completely different. This could mean the difference between having a successful brand that has brand recognition and equity or creating brand confusion among consumers who do not know whether or not you are providing real estate services or something entirely different.

2. Choosing colors or a logo that does not fit your brand or brand identity.

Brands should be cohesive in their brand identity, colors, logo, and even fonts used. This means any brand you create should have a logo that expresses what the brand is about while keeping the overall branding consistent through color palettes, fonts, and other design elements to attract consumers who are looking for what the brand offers.

For example, you might choose a red brand color and a brand logo that is in the shape of a rectangle. If you were to use these elements throughout your brand identity, it would create brand recognition and equity among consumers who are familiar with your brand's logo design and color scheme. This means they would be more likely to recognize your brand logo, brand color scheme, or brand font. It also helps them understand what you do, which helps them conclude that they would need your brand's products or services if they are already familiar with your brand identity.

3. Using a brand name that does not reflect the company's values.

Your brand should be an accurate reflection of what you do and who you are as a brand. This includes your logo, colors, fonts, story, slogan, or even values.

For example, Starbucks Coffee is known for its brand name that reflects its commitment to providing consumers with high-quality coffee. "Starbucks" evokes ideas of fresh coffee and having a desire to reach higher levels. This brand name is an accurate reflection of what the brand offers to consumers.

4. Not including brand identity in your marketing strategy.

Brands rely on brand awareness and brand recognition for success; this means that brand identities need to be included in your marketing strategies and website or any other brand communication tools.

For example, brand identities should be part of the brand story or slogan in your marketing strategy and website so that they can be recognized by consumers who visit your brand's website and see your brand logo design, brand color scheme, brand font, or style of imagery used. They should also know what you do once they are familiar with your brand logo design, brand color scheme, brand font, or brand style of imagery used.

5. Not including social media in brand identity.

If you are looking to increase brand awareness and create brand equity among consumers, then you will want to utilize social media as a brand communication tool where they can get to know what your brand is all about. By not including social media in your brand identity, you are missing out on one of the best ways to gain brand awareness and create brand equity among consumers who rely on social media for brand information.

For example, small real estate brokerages will want to brand their social media profiles with their brand logo design, brand color scheme, brand font, brand story, or brand slogan. This way consumers who follow them on social media will become familiar with what they do and be able to recognize their brand logo design, brand color scheme, brand font, or brand style of imagery used when they visit their website or see them in person.

6. Focusing too much on brand identity and not brand positioning.

Although brand identities need to be included in your brand story and marketing strategy, you also need to ensure that brand identities are not overshadowing what you do and how you deliver brand value to consumers.

For example, brand identities are important to brand equity and brand awareness, but you also need to ensure that brand positioning is included in your brand story and marketing strategy. This establishes why you are the best brand for the consumer by demonstrating how consumers will benefit from working with you.

7. Using a brand logo design that does not match brand identity.

Your brand logo is a part of brand identity and brand equity; it reflects brand values, brand story, brand slogan, and brand personality. When designing your logo, you should ensure that they reflect what you do and how you do it to gain brand awareness and create brand equity among consumers who already know about your brand and brand logo design.

For example, real estate brokerages should ensure that their brand logos reflect the brand identity they want to convey such as professionalism, trustworthiness, and high-quality service. This will aid in brand recognition and establish brand awareness among consumers who know about your brand logo design and what you do once they see your brand logo design.

8. Not using brand logo design correctly to convey brand identity.

Your brand logo can do more than just help brand recognition; it can also be used to establish brand values, brand story, brand slogan, and brand personality that you want consumers to know about when they see your brand logo design.

For example, real estate logo designs should be used to establish brand equity among homeowners, brand awareness among consumers who are looking for a realtor to buy or sell their home, brand commitment to high-quality service, brand competitive edge over other real estate brokerages in the area, brand excellence that is recognized by consumers as being one of the best real estate brokerages in your area, brand individuality that appeals to consumers who desire a brand that is different than the brand their friends and family use, and brand commitment to providing high-quality customer service.

9. Not updating your brand story and brand logo design as business changes and grows over time.

As you continue to grow your real estate brokerage brand by adding team members or changing how you brand your brand, brand logo design may need to be updated and brand story may also need to be updated to reflect what you do and how you do it differently than other real estate brokerages.

For example, your brand logo design should be used in all brand marketing materials such as business cards, letterheads, social media pages, signage, and brand marketing materials such as brochures or brand product packaging. This will establish brand recognition among consumers who see your brand logo design and may lead to brand equity if it is consistently used in all brand marketing materials to show you deliver the same values across all brand touchpoints.

10. Not implementing a brand style guide

A brand style guide ensures consistency across all brand touchpoints by establishing guidelines for how to use brand logo designs, brand colors, brand fonts, brand language, brand voice, brand personality, brand associations (such as using particular logo designs for brand product packaging), brand tone of voice (how you communicate with consumers), and other items that make up your brand style.

For example, real estate brokerages should ensure that their brand logo design is used in all brand marketing materials such as business cards, letterheads, social media pages, signage, and brand marketing materials such as brochures to establish brand recognition among consumers who see your branded logo and content and may lead to brand equity if it is consistently used.

In this blog post, we’ve provided a list of the most common mistakes made when branding a real estate company. As you read through them, think about which ones apply to your business and what steps you can take to avoid these pitfalls next time around. If any of these points seem daunting or confusing, don't hesitate to contact us for help! We specialize in developing branding strategies and creating SEO-friendly websites that increase traffic and sales while also helping businesses create an appealing brand image. Whether it's website design or marketing strategy consulting services that are needed, our team is here to help! Which mistake do you feel applies most closely to your current situation?