We hear the term “personal brand” and it’s easy to assume that’s just for influencers and CEOs (and maybe for your boss, or the salespeople in your office). Ellen Bathgate explains why everyone in real estate needs to be social media smart.
If you’re a property manager who doesn’t have any rent roll growth targets, you might think that there’s no point building a personal brand. Right?
Wrong!
If you can be found with a quick google search, you’ve got a personal brand.
And if you’ve got a personal brand, why wouldn’t you influence what it looks like, so you can shape how your marketplace and clients see you?
Personal branding, for property management, is about presenting yourself to the world, communicating who you are (as a person and a property manager) and showing how awesome you are (because you are, right?)
Put simply, your personal brand is what people think of when they hear your name. Which is important, even if you’re not involved in growing your rent roll.
I get it. Marketing in property management is usually all about growing the rent roll.
And yes, that’s important. But when you’re a property manager, personal branding isn’t just about getting your name out there (in order to sign up more landlords), it’s about building genuine connections with your landlord clients. Your current landlord clients.
When your existing clients see you as a real person (and not just another property manager), you’ll find that your relationships with them improve.
People want to work with someone they know, like, and trust.
This means that, when existing landlord clients feel like they know you, they’ll trust you and your recommendations more, and they’re more likely to stick around (maybe even send some referrals your way.)
I believe that there are three ways that personal branding can help you, as a Property Manager:
- It makes you human.
When you build a personal brand, you’re showing your clients that there’s more to you than just collecting rent and scheduling maintenance. Maybe you’re passionate about supporting a local charity, or you have a cute dog, or you play cricket with a local club. Whatever it is, letting your clients see your human side can make interactions more relational and less transactional. - It Balances Media Perception
The property management industry is the subject of some bad press right now. Between traditional media outlets and social media commentators, it can feel a little one-sided. Building your own personal brand helps to show the other side, the human side, and the “we’re truly doing our best in spite of the market conditions” side. - Trust and Credibility
You’re the expert, when it comes to property management. But sometimes your clients just need a little reminder of that. The more clients see you as an expert who’s got their best interests at heart, the more they’ll trust your judgement and advice. And trust me, when things get tricky (because they always do in property management), having that trust makes everything smoother. - Clear Expectations
When you’ve got a strong personal brand, your clients know what to expect from you. Whether it’s your communication style, your approach to problem-solving, or your attention to detail, see that consistency builds their confidence in you. And who doesn’t want a bunch of landlords that feel confident in their property manager? We all do!
Now even though you might not be responsible for rent roll growth, building a personal brand often results in a little growth along the way. This growth will generally come from two avenues:
- Existing client referrals
When your clients are impressed with your work and they also feel like they know you as a person, they’re more likely to refer you to their friends, family, and colleagues (or bring their other properties over to you.) A strong personal brand can turn your clients into your biggest referral partners.\ - Search Results, Tags and Recommendations
Everyone’s online these days. When potential landlords are searching for a property manager, your personal brand will start showing up. Whether it’s through social media, your personal brand website, or by being tagged and recommended in a Facebook group, a well-planned personal brand makes potential landlords discover you and think: “This is someone I want to work with.”
So where do you start?
I know that being a property manager is already a full time job, so you might not feel like you have time or capacity to build a personal brand.
So here’s my advice on how to do it in a manageable way.
Pick a platform. You don’t have to be on all the socials all the time. Just pick one that you’re comfortable using, and that your potential clients are also using.
Share your expertise. Each day, in your role as a property manager, you’re sharing advice, solving problems or “fixing things”.
Document this so you can share it. Maybe that means recording yourself when you’re on the phone or a Zoom with a landlord (don’t share anything personal from the landlord’s side, or without permission of course.)
Maybe you’re at an empty property and you’ve discovered a maintenance issue that most people would miss – write a post about it.
Have some fun. The only way to allow people to get to know you is to show YOU!
Of course you want to show your expertise, but you also want to allow people to get to know who you are, beyond being a property manager.
And remember, you don’t need to go viral to be remembered.
I get that personal branding might not feel like the norm for property managers, but trust me, it’s worth the effort.
By humanising your role, building trust, and consistently showing who you are, you’ll see it improve your existing client relationships, and you might even notice your rent roll growing too.
So, why not give it a go? You’ve got nothing to lose and so much to gain!
