If you’re not known for something, it’s hard to be known at all.
I always thought “David” was a boring name. Growing up, I knew so many others with that name. It’s a strong name perhaps, but also plain, common, and already been done. And then there was “Dave”, which just seemed like a lazy way to say the same thing.
Wanting to be memorable to some new acquaintances, I went out on a limb and introduced myself as “David, with two D’s…” There was a long pause, blank stares, and then… laughter. I just put some points up on the memorability chart.
Sometimes calling attention to something that’s right in front of us counts as much as something that is totally unique. Does two scoops of raisins ring a bell? To my knowledge, no consumer ever thought to count scoops of raisins. Yet, they made it into a thing to build their brand on.
The sooner you start making a claim to your uniqueness, the sooner you’ll get there. Just like a good reputation, a strong brand takes time to build. Where to start? It’s a big question. So I’ll go ahead and answer that question with even more questions.
- What specialized knowledge and experience do you bring with you? (e.g. construction, landscaping, educator, sports, investor, manager, … )
- How would you rank the main thrust of your work? (e.g. speed, thoroughness, education, negotiation, empathy, high-touch, autonomous, strategic, comforting, a fixer, good cop, bad cop, … )
- How do these things affect your services and value as an agent?
- What are a few words can you say about yourself with complete authenticity?
- Can you combine all of the above into 5-10 words?
The above process is a streamlined approach to developing your elevator pitch – a short statement that is positively, uniquely 100% you. That’s what I call “Brand You”. This is easier for some than others, but once you get it, you join the ranks of a memorable brand that works hard so you don’t have to.
If you want help with this process or building your brand in general, let’s have a conversation.
