When it comes to promoting your business you’ve probably heard a lot about creating a Facebook profile, tweeting or posting photos to Pinterest. It can be easy to jump on to one of these social networks and hope it will help market your work to potential clients. Any one of these platforms can be a great tool if you have a marketing plan in place and understand your brand.

It’s important to think about your image or brand because it’s actually the first step in figuring out how to effectively promote yourself. If you haven’t already, or if it’s been a while, set aside some time to define your brand.

What is a brand?

Seth Godin defines it as:

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. 

Defining your brand can feel a little overwhelming so here are a couple of steps to help you get started.

What do you offer?

Think about the services you offer and what makes you unique. Do you focus on a particular area or community? Do you target a certain demographic? Are you an expert in a particular area of your field? What do you offer a client that’s different than your competitors? What kind of positive comments do you get from your clients? Take some time to write down a list of your services and think about what makes you different or unique.

Your 30-second Bio

Develop a 15-30 second “elevator pitch.” You’re in an elevator with someone and they ask you what you do for a living. You have 30 seconds to answer and pique their interest. So, it would be great if you had an answer beyond, “I’m a realtor” or “I’m in real estate.” Use the list you’ve put together about your services and what makes you different to come up with a concise, interesting pitch.

Here are a couple of sample elevator pitches:

“You know how stressful buying a home can be? I manage that stress for my clients by being at their side every step of the way. I love to make the process as easy as possible. My goal is to create a fantastic experience for every one of my clients.”

“I love the Northeast area. I’m really involved with the neighborhood associations and I’m a market expert in five different neighborhoods. Anything you want to know about real estate in a Northeast neighborhood I can tell you.”

Once you’ve honed in on your strengths and expertise you will be in a much better position to figure out who your potential clients are and how to reach them.

Next up: How defining your brand helps you develop a marketing plan.

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