Beyond ‘Bus Bench’ Advertising: Broadcast Your Benefits with Your Brand

By Kurt Lynn

RISMEDIA, May 3, 2008-There’s a tendency in the real estate world to focus too much on the individual. It’s very common to see a Realtor’s photograph and name plastered on bus benches, newspapers and websites. The problem with this is that the photograph or name is not associated with any clear benefit.

It’s true that, often, the photo and name of the Realtor is the brand mark for their business. But a brand means nothing if it is not associated with a benefit. Example: Pepsi is a brand mark, the benefit is ‘cool refreshing beverage’. After years of advertising, when someone sees the word ‘Pepsi’, they understand that it means cool refreshing beverage’.

It’s the same in real estate branding-particularly on your website where you have to make a fast, punchy impression to retain a web visitor. The visitor to your site must be able – in the wink of an eye (or click of a mouse) – to quickly associate some benefit with your name and photograph.

Consider the difference in the impression that the following combinations make:

John Doe
John Doe, Realtor
John Doe, Your Best Realtor Choice for Downtown Condos
John Doe, Realty Experience and Expertise in Rural Cottages.

Each version makes an entirely different impression, yes? If you’re in the market for a condo, do you call John Doe? Or do you call John Doe, Your Best Realtor Choice for Downtown Condos?

Ideally, a good benefit statement will contain several components:

1. What you do
2. What’s good about that
3. Who your clients are
4. Your marketplace

An example that incorporates all four components might be: “Experienced real estate counsel for home buyers in Roslindale.”

This concept is important anywhere you put your name and photograph but it’s particularly important to put on your website. What your benefit statement says, is what will cause viewers to click through on your site.

For more information, please visit http://www.RealtySoft.com.

Kurt Lynn directs the marketing and communications activities at www.RealtySoft.com. He has a long, successful track record in the hi-tech industry and frequently is a prolific freelance writer both in and out of the real estate marketplace.

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