KGCI: Real Estate on Air - Stop Blending In: Build a Real Estate Brand That Owns Your Micro Market

Starting point is 00:00:01 Your brand is who you are, not who you aspire to be. So I think it's just kind of getting clear who you are and then just letting the world know that in a cohesive, consistent way with the look and feel of your brain. This is KGCI Real Estate on air live, your weekly deep dive into the strategies, trends, and tools shaping the real estate industry from market updates to actionable strategies and exclusive interviews with top agents.

Starting point is 00:00:31 We are here to unlock your full potential and help you thrive. thousands of agents trust KGCI every week. Now it's your turn. Let's go live. Here's Ian Wheatley. Hey, good morning. Well, most agents are thinking that branding is all about being everywhere. But the agents that are getting referrals on autopilot,

Starting point is 00:00:50 they're not going wide. What they're doing is they're going deep. And maybe you're thinking, Ian, if I niche down, won't I be leaving deals on the table? Well, the truth is, as a matter of fact, You're leaving way more deals on the table by trying to serve everyone and standing out to absolutely no one. That's why this week on the Friday focus here on KGCI Real Estate on air, we are going to be walking through how to determine one micro market with one message to attract the right people,

Starting point is 00:01:21 convert more consistently, and build a brand that compounds over time with no fluff, no guesswork, just niche branding that works for real agents in real markets. like you. And today we're going to be getting a branding 101 session from the host of Unleash your inner legend Holly Kitchens streaming right here on KGCI Real Estate on Air. So consider this the can't miss primer to get the most out of this Friday's deep dive. But before we go there, it's been an interesting week at do. It's time for housing headlines here on real estate on air live. I'm Ian Wheatley. All right, bear with me, friends. I've got a bit of a cold. I got two kids here at home, as they say, it's that time of year. So what the heck happened with those mortgage rates last

Starting point is 00:02:09 week? Well, weren't they supposed to be going down? Well, no, the Fed did cut their rate, but mortgage rates went up because they're based on bond markets, and the bond market didn't love what Jerome Powell had to say. He's the Federal Reserve Chairman about inflation. In the near term, risks to inflation are tilted to the upside and risks to employment to the downside. a challenging situation. We remain well positioned to respond in a timely way to potential economic developments. We will continue to determine the appropriate stance of monetary policy based on the incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks.

Starting point is 00:02:46 Now, mortgage rates rise or fall based on expectations, not headlines, but the expectation is currently unclear and that lack of clarity is why the rates went higher. But what this means is that the real rate direction, is now hinging on that October 4th, Jaws report. Until then, brace yourself because it's going to be a rain in Fed speakers this week. The markets are going to be absolutely flooded with speeches from the Fed officials, so expect mixed messaging and rate whiplash headlines, but remember, the talk is cheap. The jobs data is what's going to be decisive. So where are we at today? Well, it would seem that rates are holding steady since that little hit higher last week. So we are.

Starting point is 00:03:31 still hovering near those 11-month lows and a touch higher from where we were about this time last week. So that's a second chance for those rate-sensitive buyers. So agents, nobody knows where rates are going next. All right. It would be audacious to say that we did. But lenders are jittery, and the economic data is flipping the script overnight every other night. So keep your head up. don't overread the data this week. And if the payment pencils out for a customer or a client, advise them not to gamble with the volatility. And let's check your housing headlines here on Real Estate on Air Live.

Starting point is 00:04:08 I mean Wheatley. All right. So if we're honest about this, building a brand as a real estate agent is one of the most important things, but it is often one of the most daunting things that an agent can dive into on their own. But if you're going to be doing it, you got to do it big. and you got a brand like you mean it.

Starting point is 00:04:31 So that way you stop blending in and you start standing out. And I'm joined by none other than Holly Kitchens, the host of the Unleash Your Inner Legend podcast streaming right here on KGCI Real Estate on Air. Find her on Instagram at Holly Kitchens. Holly, thanks for popping by to Real Estate on Air Live. Oh my gosh. I am so thrilled to be here. Always a pleasure of chatting with you.

Starting point is 00:04:52 So thank you for having me. The pleasure is always mine, man. The pleasure's always mine. So Holly, let's talk a little bit about the big myth. Most agents think branding is just colors, logos, and having maybe that premium Canva account. But why is that such a big miss? It is because I think people get so focused on maybe the aesthetics.

Starting point is 00:05:14 Because we're saying, oh, what's a brand? Oh, it's a logo. It's colors. Okay, cool. Let's see what that looks like. What looks good together, what feels good together. But they really miss the key element of what makes me different and unique as an individual.

Starting point is 00:05:25 and then also who is it that I am trying to reach and serve that I want to connect with. So it's like it's more than just logos. It's more than just color schemes. It's more than just a mood board. It is your brand personality. It's your avatar. It's so many things that you really need to consider when launching a brand because the key is, is to nail it the first time.

Starting point is 00:05:49 Of course, brands will always be evolving in, you know, there's going to be a point where you might rebrand. But out the gate, we want to be. cohesive and consistent. And yeah, that's kind of a long answer to your question. But yeah, hopefully that answers it. I think it's a perfect answer because, you know, you also work with a ton of agents. What is that most common branding trap that you see them falling into? So a lot of times the branding trap that I see a lot of agents falling into is they either find somebody that they like the brand look and feel and they just try to be them. So they almost try to take on an identity.

Starting point is 00:06:25 not theirs and especially a well-known person, a public figure that everyone else knows, right? So then they do the whole, like they portray themselves as a wannabe instead of actually being themselves online and maybe taking some inspiration versus, you know, mimicking that person directly. So that's one mistake. And then another mistake is, you know, the agents don't ever really dive into the mind of who their dream client is. So they're just kind of all over the board and they're putting out content or they're putting out messages that aren't necessarily aligned with who they like to work with and therefore they're not going to be known as an expert for their ideal client. I know when I was getting started in radio, I remember a couple of focus

Starting point is 00:07:12 meetings over the course of a couple of weeks. There was a list of the target audience of the radio station I was working for at the time. Their core values, the radio station, core values and then we spent time generating a list of all about Ian Wheatley the good, the bad, the ugly, my now wife was consulted and my parents were consulted, close friends and family, like they wanted to paint a nice little pretty picture of me. And from there, we drew direct connections of me authentically to the core brand of the radio station and the target audience. is there something like a process that an agent, if they've never done this before,

Starting point is 00:07:57 could do that similar so that they can develop their brand? Oh my gosh. And you were like literally, I was waiting for like this is where I messed up, but you literally did that perfect on, you know, taking it and really putting some effort into it, right? Because at the end of the day, this is our brand. It's not like it's, you know,

Starting point is 00:08:13 us just doing something just to do something. It's something establishing a brand and really with intention. So I always say, as far as, you know, if you're looking to start a brand, or maybe you've been in the business even for years, you never really put time, energy, and effort into focusing in your own personal brand. I always have people start with the avatar exercise, which is like your client persona, whatever you want to call it. But, you know, as real estate agents, especially those who have been in the business for quite some time, there are clients that we absolutely love working with.

Starting point is 00:08:42 And then there's clients that were like, oh, man, that probably would have been best served as a referral because this is not my jam or this is not what I enjoy doing. So I always have people go through the into avatar exercise. And on that avatar exercise, we create this buyer persona, this seller persona, whatever the case may be. And let's just say you absolutely love working with first-time homeowners. And that first-time homeowner, you're going to go through it and create an avatar. So we're going to talk about where are they hanging out online. What information do they consume online?

Starting point is 00:09:13 What TV shows do they watch? What podcast do they enjoy listening to? Where do they live? do they have kids? Do they, you know, if they do, how many kids? Are they married or what's their marital status? And then we even give them a name too. Like we say, okay, what's their age? What's their name? Because we bring that, when you put a name on an avatar, you bring that avatar to life. So now whenever you're working on your, whether it be your brand or content, you can say, okay, is this something that, let's just say we called her Jessica. Is this something that

Starting point is 00:09:40 Jessica would relate to? Or is this something Jessica would enjoy consuming? Is this something Jessica would find helpful? The answer is no. Then that's a piece of content we probably don't need to work on or create. So I would always say take, you know, take it down the path of the avatar exercise. You know, if you want to do seller focus, go down and identify a seller that you love working with. And once you have that in hand and you say, okay, so this is, I'm going to get inside the mind or the brain of my dream client. Now let's talk about ourselves, right? Because talking about ourselves is going to be easy because we know our, we know ourselves. So at least hopefully you all out there know who you are. So, you know, reviewing your brand personality type. So going through and

Starting point is 00:10:17 saying, okay, is my brand personally type excitement? Is it sincerity? Is it ruggedness? Is it competence? Is it sophistication? Because all of those brands, brand personalities will also showcase through with your brand in itself. So I'll give you some quick examples. So excitement, think about brands like Tesla. Think about brands like MTV. Think about Browns like Red Bull, right? They project that theme of youthfulness, a carefree attitude, free spiritedness. If your brand personality sincerity, it's more wholesomeness, transparency, cheerfulness. So think about brands like Disney, Coca-Cola, Hallmark. If your brand personality's ruggedness, think about brands that are rough, tough, outdoorsy, like Timberland, Jeep, Harley Davidson.

Starting point is 00:11:04 Competence is the next brand personality. So those are the ones that showcase expertise, experience, and they can deliver over time. and they also gain trust from audience. So think about Volvo, Verizon. Sophistication is like the last brand personality I always like to highlight, which is sophistication. And that is going to be high in luxury. You know, think about brands like Gucci, Apple, Rolex.

Starting point is 00:11:31 So if that's your brand personality type, you obviously want to have that showcasing your branding. And then, of course, taking in your dream client too during that process as well. So that kind of has the elements of who am I. am I going to, I don't want to say who am I going to be because it's already who you are, but how am I going to dress yourself? Think about your brand as like your clothing, right? Like you wouldn't wear a nightclub outfit for a parent-teacher conference. So how are we going to dress to present ourselves in business to our dream avatar while also showcasing our own

Starting point is 00:12:02 brand personality type? That makes sense. So once you kind of go through that exercise and identify that, then it's like, okay, so now let's focus on the aesthetics. Now let's focus on the color schemes. Let's talk about, you know, the psychology of colors. Let's talk about the style of logos. So you want like a classic, you want like a classic themed logo, which would be think about brands like Tiffany and Company, success. Would you like the modern theme, which is cleanliness, minimal design? Think about logos like Facebook, Netflix, Google. Maybe you want an elegant design. Think about brands like Johnson & Johnson, Cadillac, Ford, even Instagram, right? So those those logos have stood the test of time with their elegant logos.

Starting point is 00:12:47 And then there's another style, which is like the handwritten. So it's a fun choice if you want to be playful, youthful. Think about brand logos like Virgin, Sharpie, Nicole Miller. So having all of those elements coming together to really create a unique brand because, again, no agent is just like you. So they're not going to have the exact same brand personality. They're not going to have the exact same avatar. are they're not going to have all of those styles put to place when it comes to your logo or

Starting point is 00:13:15 when it comes to identifying your color scheme with the with the with the with the with the with the with the with with the with with the with with the with with the with the with the with the with the with the things put together really will form a solid foundation of establishing of solid brand and then from there you still got homework to do right so I love what you talked about like gathering you know insights and consulting with other people because you know now that we have these things now we need to reach, we need to reach our dream avatar. So how do we do that? I mean, the, the oldest method of all time is storytelling, right? So now we've got to go and say, okay, so I have my avatar in mind. Now how do I convey my story to, to resonate and to connect with them? Of course,

Starting point is 00:13:56 I always say so many times like a broken record, what I love the quote of is, you know, always have to be ordinary and extraordinary. So how am I going to be ordinary in the sense of I'm be approachable and relatable, but also how am I going to be extraordinary in my story so that people say, okay, wow, I can relate to her, but I also aspire to be like her. I admire her for her extraordinaryness, if that's a word. Or, you know, like, wow, she, she's really, you know, she's really something and I really want to work with her. So I think those are kind of really some great elements to start out the gate for establishing a solid brand. That branding genius talking right now is Holly Kitchens, host of the Unleash Your Interlegent podcast stream here on

Starting point is 00:14:34 KGCI real estate on air. We're talking about how to brand like you mean it. So you as an agent, stop blending in and start standing out. And I, there are so many little different things to kind of start picking apart in that whole process. But it is a very important process, especially as we're trying to build, build that visibility. You know, you said the goal before is to be recognized, is to be recognized, to be visible, to be still relatable.

Starting point is 00:15:10 How can we communicate that as agents while still honoring our brand? Yeah, so one way, I always like to tell people is like, you know, if you were to text your friends or your parents or family and say, hey, if you would describe me in three words, what would it be?

Starting point is 00:15:29 and kind of see what's that reoccurring theme there, right? Is it like, oh, you're so caring or, oh, you're so fun, or, wow, you were just a wild card and I don't even know what's going to happen next. So really kind of lay into what people are saying about you that kind of draws you into them. Also, another way to gather that intel is, you know, pay attention after you get done closing a deal with the client or even showing them houses. How are they going to say, are they going to say, wow, that was so much fun working with you. or while your expertise is out this window,

Starting point is 00:16:00 like you are so professional. Like, what are those keywords that kind of people associate with you? And there'll be some recurring ones. You'll definitely take note and see and say, okay, wow, people really think I'm fun. So it's like, okay, cool. I'm going to really lay into the funness and kind of lay into that and build that rapport and be that person, right?

Starting point is 00:16:16 And, you know, we all have those times where people, you know, you always might have a down day or something like that, but it's really leaning into those admirable traits that people like about us and just being consistent. And with that being said, you know, that is the key, especially when you're first establishing a brand. You know, I hear people even talk about like, oh, you've got to do nine posts a day. Well, that's that's a little excessive. I know we all still have to work. So I wouldn't necessarily say, let's do nine posts a day.

Starting point is 00:16:46 But I would say, you know, aim at least once a day, aim at least three times a week. whatever is like, you know, manageable that you can consistently show up with, especially when you're just trying to establish that brand. And you have to be consistent in that. So once you dial in your, your color scheme, your font styles, your brand look and feel, be consistently showing up with that exact same look and feel. Because what's going to happen is over time. And again, it's not a sprint. It's a marathon. So over time, people are going to start seeing that over and over and over again. and they're going to recognize you, your content, before they even look up to see who posted it.

Starting point is 00:17:23 They're already going to know who posted, and that's going to be you. You know, I'm chuckling to myself because I remember when I went through this process myself, like a decade ago, it was funny because I was like, I feel like I'm pretty boring, right? Maybe I am.

Starting point is 00:17:41 Maybe I am, Holly. I don't think so. I think you're fun. I think you're exciting. But for those ages that think they're boring, they're boring like how do how do they how do they get started how do they get over that hurdle you know it's it's easy because i feel like we're all our own like we'll criticize ourselves the worst right like we're always like oh i'm boring well what's your definition of boring what is it about you that's

Starting point is 00:18:05 boring is it because you stay at home all the time okay let's just say it's that okay well what do you do at home well i like to play i don't know let's say dungeon and dragons well that's pretty that's pretty interesting right so like kind of identify us like so taking that and spinning it. So, okay, so this is boring, why is it boring? And then saying, okay, well, is it boring just because I'm saying so, is it boring because I'm so used to doing that mundane thing over and over again? And really lay into it.

Starting point is 00:18:31 There's always going to be something. And I always tell people, you know, going back on your social media, scrolling through your post and seeing what posts got the most reaction, what post got the most love, what posts got the most comments on it, that's going to be the type of stuff that people are going to gravitate towards you. And if, you know, the beauty of personal brand. is it doesn't necessarily need to be business, right? So it doesn't need to be like, oh, well, I, you know, I sold a thousand homes over the course of my career. Or is it, you know, something else

Starting point is 00:19:00 that's, you know, you like to do as a hobby or a pastime? Maybe that's something that draws people in. Really kind of taking that and amplifying that. And kind of think about yourself as a Netflix TV show, like your brand's a Netflix TV show and you are the main character. What does that main character do that keeps people coming back to watch the next episode or making sure that they don't miss, you know, they don't miss the next episode because they don't see spoilers. And really heavily lay into that to connect with your audience. You know, you bring up an excellent point because when I was on the air,

Starting point is 00:19:37 I was a conscious decision where, you know, I'm just going to kind of live my life on the air. The ugly stuff never got shared. But the good and the bad certainly did. What's the line for an agent? What don't they share? And I mean, is there anything that they shouldn't share? Yeah, I would say, you know, again, going back to your avatar, going back to who that person is that you love working with.

Starting point is 00:20:03 And of course, I always want to say keep in mind of all, like, fair housing and everything else. You don't want to put something out there that's going to, you know. Amen. Be it to you in trouble, which, you know, we wouldn't do that anyways, right? But, you know, as far as like what not to share us, you know, don't share anything you're not comfortable with. Let's just say you're a private person and you don't want to share much about your family or anything like that.

Starting point is 00:20:25 That's something sacred. And that's fine. That's totally fine. Like find something else to lay into, right? Because at the end of the day, the content and the brand is all about your consumer or your client. It's not necessarily about you. You're just a key part of establishing that trust, building that rapport and showing your expertise.

Starting point is 00:20:43 So I'd say, you know, just don't share things that you're not comfortable with, right? So that's number one. And, you know, some things, too, is you always want to make sure, too, is like, how would I feel if this was sent to my broker? How would I feel if this was, that's always a good kind of gut check, too. If you're putting out there with your brand and your real estate and it's kind of a little, it's kind of a little too far out there. And then also, again, like I said, just always keep your avatar in mind.

Starting point is 00:21:09 And if it's, you know, if it's an avatar that is, you know, certain way or they've used certain things, certain way, maybe you just. just putting something maybe that's controversial that might disagree with, maybe put that on your personal page and not on your business page. So it's kind of, you know, that fine line of, you know, I want to make sure I'm fun. Well, not fun, but I want to make sure I'm entertaining, right? Because there's different ways we can be entertaining.

Starting point is 00:21:34 But I also want to make sure, too, that my avatar is going to stick around. They're not going to unfollow me because I have a post I make. My mental image when I was on the air was, would this, prompt a soccer mom to turn off the station. See, there you go. Absolutely. So yeah, if you're Avatar's families and you're talking about a wild weekend at the club and all the shenanigans that went down, might not be the best piece of content to put out, right? But if you are trying to track families and you're talking about the Fourth of July celebration you just went to or the one that you're about to go

Starting point is 00:22:08 to, that might be something interesting that they might want to hear about. Maybe they're going to say, hey, if this person that I admire online likes it, maybe I should change. check it out too. And that and just, you know, and it can be something silly. It can be like, you know, something visual and real. Like if this prompts the avatar to take the adverse action, right, paint that whole scenario in your mind and kind of run it through because, you know, none of us as agents, we're, on all likelihood, we're not doing necessarily anything really live in front of, you know, stadium's worth of an audience, right? So you don't need to necessarily do those mental gymnastics on the fly.

Starting point is 00:22:51 It can all be predetermined and there's pretty low risk. A thousand percent. A thousand percent. And being super intentional too, because the goal is you always want to, you want to, first off, attract them as a follower. Let's just say it. We'll just say it as a follower. You always want to attract them as a follower. You want to retain them as a follower, right?

Starting point is 00:23:10 So first off you got to put stuff out there that's going to say, oh, wow, I like this. I'm going to follow this person because they have a content I enjoy. Then that you want to keep them following you by putting out the stuff that they like seeing and consuming. Then also, too, you want to create them at, you want to get them to share your content, to invite their friends that are just like them to enjoy your content as well. And then that's really kind of like that ripple effect. Because, I mean, I don't know what you guys, but I do all the time. Like, if I see somebody I like, I see a couple of times, I like, I like this.

Starting point is 00:23:39 Facebook's going to pick up like, oh, okay, Holly, you like that. I don't want to send you a little bit more of their reals. And then I start following them. So what happens? I say them even more. And then whenever they post something, let's just say it's funny. And I will send it to a friend. And then I will say, hey, did you see that real essence to you?

Starting point is 00:23:53 That's really funny. You should follow them. So kind of think about, too, is like, what are you putting out there that's going to, you know, grab that attention? What's going to retain them? What's going to make them love you so much that they want to share you with their friends and family? You know, drilling down a little bit further with Holly Kitchens, host of the Unleash Your Interlegent podcast stream in here on KGCI, Real Estate on Air. find her at Holly Kitchen on Instagram. And you have a very recognizable personal brand online,

Starting point is 00:24:23 to say the least, right? How does Holly Kitchens decide what to share and what to leave out? So I guess I'm kind of a wild card in the sense of, you know, you have the Michael Jordans, you have the Scotty Pittman's, and then you have the Dennis Rodman's. And I feel like I've always been like a Dennis Rodman. Like I've always been like, hey, I'm going to show up. I might have green hair. I really want you guys. Don't worry. Green's not my color. But, you know, like, it's just kind of sporadic. So it's for me, like, I don't know. I just, I think that's what's kind of drawn people in to, to like me or consume content is they're just like, I don't know what you're going to do next. Like, where are you? I've been seeing you everywhere. I've been seeing you do this. I've been seeing you do that. So to me, I'm like, I'm probably not the best example to say this. But again, this is me being authentically me. I'm just kind of like, hey, let's just do it. And let's just do it. And let's just. just post something, right? Obviously, nothing that's going to be offensive or anything crazy. But just, you know, it's just, I don't know, just being myself and putting out weird stuff that maybe people might find funny or fascinating. I don't know. But it's authentically you at the end of the

Starting point is 00:25:28 day, you know, and I think that's the important part. If you, if you are not trying to, if you're not trying to be a copycat or a rip off, if you're being authentically you online, then it is very easy to do that. What advice would you give to an agent who may be, maybe afraid to be either too niche or maybe too personal in that brand voice? Yeah, I would say, you know, if that's a great question. I'm kind of like, well, I'm kind of stumped. What would I say to somebody who's too? You know, I would just say at the end of the day, we're all real estate agents, right? So if you have a fear of saying, well, I really like working with luxury clients, but I also don't want to teach your, you know, somebody who might be looking for.

Starting point is 00:26:12 their first home or their second home or wherever the case may be, I would say, you know, still be consistent and post around that because people are going to see that you are in real estate. They're going to see that you are an expert. And if you've done a great job of, of course, being ordinary and extraordinary, you're still going to be approachable to where they'll feel comfortable either sending you a DM or giving you that phone call that says, hey, I saw you online or, hey, I saw you had posted this house.

Starting point is 00:26:35 I know you're in real estate. I just wanted to see if you could help me. So it's really being approachable and being consistent with letting people know. who we are and what we do without, you know, shoving it down their throats. You can totally do that in fun, unique ways, like behind the scenes, right? So let's just say you're doing it open house and it poured down rain. So like, you know, people like to see the ugly stuff too. So it's like if your hair is soaking wet and you look like, you know, you just like a little, I don't, I'm trying to think of some analogy to say to it. But like if you look a little crazy and you're like,

Starting point is 00:27:05 oh my gosh, you guys, open house. Here's a hack. If your hair is soaking wet, always grab an extra ponytail and put into a polished bun. or something like that, right? So it's like, you know, you're not saying, hey, come buy a house with me. You're saying, hey, I'm a real estate agent without saying, hey, I'm a real estate agent. So finding you those unique ways

Starting point is 00:27:21 to connect with an audience and showcase, you know, snippets of your life because you guys might think you're boring, but I'm telling you this, that there's something about you that makes you unique because there's something about anybody that makes somebody unique to want people to keep consuming their content,

Starting point is 00:27:36 you know, watching them, if you will. Even if you play Dungeons and Dragons, I've never met anybody who is in on Dungeons and Dragons that is like low passion on that. Correct. There's an avenue for someone to come in and be the Dungeons and Dragons real estate agent and just own that, own that market. Can I can we dive into some rapid fire real quick? Let's do it. All righty.

Starting point is 00:28:04 So generic headshots or a branded lifestyle photo. Generic headshots for consistent marketing pieces like your signs and billboards. You always want to have that same recognizable face and you want to have it obviously, hey, this is my professional image. Lifestyle shoot for social media and social content. Thinking about sometimes text-laden image posts, should I be posting people's quotes that I agree with or can I? Am I okay to post my own opinion?

Starting point is 00:28:40 Yeah, you know, there's a couple ways you can definitely do that, right? You can just do the classic. I'm going to put a slap a quote on a graphic and post that and call it a day. Those kind of get some feedback. I would say, you know, a good twist to it would be either, you know, doing like a real or a live or something and saying, hey, like, you know, I saw this quote today. And this is how I agree with it. This is I don't agree with it. What do you guys think?

Starting point is 00:29:05 So including them, of course, asking them, it's like, hey, do you guys like this? Can you guys resonate with this? I think there's fun ways to do it, but I think the one thing you want to stare away from is, hey, I see this awesome quote. I'm going to say this exact same image and upload it on my Instagram. And now you just look like everybody else is uploading the exact same image. Is helping buyers and sellers since 2016 a positioning statement? I think so.

Starting point is 00:29:32 Absolutely. I mean, you've been helping them since 2016. That's almost 10 years, which is crazy. It feels like 2016. 16 shouldn't be 10 years ago. But yeah, I mean, absolutely. It's a great way. It shows experience and it shows that you have,

Starting point is 00:29:46 you have survived the real estate career path. The tumult, the tumult that happens and the turnover that happens in this industry. Last one for you. Should I try to sound professional or should I just sound like myself? Yeah, I think we're in a day and age where I would aim for both, right? Like, you don't want to be so corporate cold where people are like, oh like that's you know because we live in a life where people are consuming rules or youtube shorts all the time they wouldn't be entertained quick if you were stale stagnant and boring you're probably not going to

Starting point is 00:30:18 get much traction um so but also too at the same time you want to have some kind of professionalism right like you're not trying to you know post reels of you doing something crazy so splash of both uh i would say more so on the you bring your more personal brand into it versus professionalism right So like you always want to be yourself, but also make sure to say, hey, remember my clients are consuming this information. Let's, let's keep it on a leash. Let's, you know, put those fun times in a cage, if you will. That's Holly Kitchens, Hosey, Unleash Your Interlegent podcast, Dreaming here on KGCI, Real Estate on Air Finder on Instagram at Holly Kitchens. Holly, last one for you.

Starting point is 00:30:57 If someone wants to build a brand that is unmistakingly, unmistaken, it's them. Right? It's truly them. Yeah. What's that first move that they should make after they hear this conversation? You know, the first move, if you want to build a brand that's unmistakling you, I would say like, you know, first off, familiarizing yourself with who you are, right? So like getting clear of like who you are, what you stand for, you know, what does that feel? What are those words that people associate with you as an individual?

Starting point is 00:31:28 Are you fun? Are you outgoing? Are you very smart? Are you, you know, whatever the case, maybe are you reliable? taking that, you know, I always tell people to pop into your closet, see what colors of clothes you always wear. That's probably going to be your brand colors. That's if you enjoy wearing them so much, you're probably going to enjoy wearing them online too as your logo, right? So I would say, you know, just start there, start with getting to say, what are those words that people associate

Starting point is 00:31:50 with me? Were the words I associate with myself, right? So, and one thing, too, is to keep in mind is your brand is who you are, not who you aspire to be. I think that's another mistake a lot of people can make is like, hey, I want to, you know, volunteer 30 hours a month and I want to do this. Like, that's great. But is that who you are right now? No, but maybe you just value, you know, helping out people. Great. That could be a part of it, but not necessarily, you know, doing the last, the first part that I talked about.

Starting point is 00:32:20 So I think it's just kind of getting clear of who you are, not who you aspire to be. And then just letting the world know that in a cohesive, consistent way with the look and feel of your brand. Holly, this has been incredible. Thanks for joining us today on Real Estate on Air Live. Thank you so much. And coming off that conversation with Holly Kitchens, it is clear that branding isn't about being louder.

Starting point is 00:32:43 It's about being clearer, especially when you're owning a niche. And that's exactly where we're heading this Friday here on KGCI Real Estate on Air. When I brand myself, it's not that I'm wearing a shirt or wearing a hat or I'm being who I am, but it exudes out of me.

Starting point is 00:33:01 Anybody who I'm talking to, you can tell I love what I do. I love my clients. I love my deals. I love my company. It, again, feels really natural. I think people can pick up on something that feels forced. So have it connect to something, some part of this industry. You have to connect to something that feels like you.

Starting point is 00:33:23 And that's how you have your brand. This week's Friday Focus, we are showing you how to dominate one micro-marker market, one message and one dream client at a time. The real strategies, real examples, and real agent branding that actually converts. You can catch it live inside of the always free KGCI, Real Estate on Air mobile app for iPhone and Android. Just search KGCI or tune in wherever you're getting your podcasts. And thinking ahead to Friday, these were my top five takeaways from that conversation with Holly Kitchens that you just heard right here on real estate on air live. At number one, your brand is how you dress for the job, literally, right? Branding isn't just

Starting point is 00:33:59 your message. It's your outfit, your vibe, your presence. It'd be something silly if I did it. But as Holly put it, would you wear the nightclub heels to a listing appointment? Then don't dress your brand like one either. You got to match the visuals with the value. Number two, if it doesn't resonate with, as we named her Jessica, delete it. Once you define your dream client avatar, every piece of content should be running through that filter. Would Jessica care about this? If the answer is no, skip the post. All right.

Starting point is 00:34:33 Number three, personality type isn't optional. It's strategy, excitement, sincerity, ruggedness, competence, sophistication, right? Your brand must lean into one of them. And if your IG looks like Red Bull, but you're over here acting like Rolex, you're going to be confusing everyone, including yourself. Number four, in that feed, you got to stop selling the homes and you got to start storytelling. because real branding is powered by story not sales. If your feed is reading like a flyer rack, it's time to interject a little bit of plot in there, okay?

Starting point is 00:35:08 Ordinary makes you relatable. Extraordinary is what makes you aspirational, and the great brands out there are able to do both of those things. And at number five, don't confuse privacy with invisibility, okay? You don't have to share your family, your politics, or your private life, but you do have to show up. Agents who are hiding behind listings and templates never build that recognizable brand. Okay?

Starting point is 00:35:36 Share something or get mistaken for someone else. And if you're taking this shotgun approach to the market down range, you're not going to hit a thing, right? Dial in, switch to the right tool, and tune in Friday all day here on KGCI real estate on air. All right. It is time for some fun. This is Real Estate Confessions. These are your stories of maybe what not to do in this wild world or real estate, but before we dive in, we have to get one thing straight.

Starting point is 00:36:07 Real Estate Confessions features stories from the wild world of real estate. Names and details may have been changed to protect the innocent, and occasionally the not-so-innocent. All confessions are shared in good humor and do not reflect the opinions of KGCI Real Estate on air, its hosts, or officials. affiliates. No agent's licenses were harmed in the making of this segment. Enjoy responsibly. Alrighty, it's time for real estate confessions because in real estate, truth is stranger than fiction. Spent six hours making my brand mood board, fonts, colors, vibes. Forgot to include me anywhere in the strategy. Had my avatar dialed in, gave her a name, a favorite wine, even her eneogram, forgot to post anything she'd actually care about.

Starting point is 00:37:00 Built an entire brand around hashtag Lake Life. Turns out I hate boats, barely swim, and get sunburned in under three minutes. Tried to brand myself as the pet-friendly condo queen. Only problem? I'm deathly allergic to cats. First client showed up with two. By the end, my bloodshot eyes gave it all away. Oh, those are some branding fails.

Starting point is 00:37:26 you've got a real estate confession or your own, be sure to drop us a DM on Facebook and Instagram, and these are your stories. And without your participation here, well, needless to say, it's going to be a whole hell of a lot less fun around here on Real Estate on Air Live. And if you are ready to stop blending in and start standing out, I hope that this is the episode that you can start to use

Starting point is 00:37:46 to build your brand from the inside out and make sure that you use it to dial it in beginning Friday with our weekly Friday focus here on KGCI Real Estate on Air all day. Inside that always free. Real Estate on Air mobile app for iPhone and Android. Just search KGCI in the Apple App Store and on Google Play. And if you're watching this on YouTube, we will have all of these episodes through the weekend for you to catch up on as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, IHeartle, wherever you're already subscribed to KGCI, Real Estate on Air. And if this episode has gotten you thinking, don't keep it to yourself.

Starting point is 00:38:17 Please share it with your team, drop it into group chat and make sure that your niche branding actually gets seen. I'm Ian Wheatley. This is Real Estate On Air Live. Be good.

KGCI: Real Estate on Air - Stop Blending In: Build a Real Estate Brand That Owns Your Micro Market

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