How Do I Build a Real Estate Brand That Makes Leads Choose Me?

Today we break down our recent Real Estate Expert Insights masterclass with Andy Mulholland, who built and operated a real estate team in Minnesota before founding Simple Numbers, a real estate bookkeeping company. 

The topic: real estate branding, and how you can successfully craft your brand to attract more of the right customers online, and drastically increase your lead-to-customer ratio this year.

Talks like these are hosted live for Real Geeks customers as part of our ongoing coaching series. Interested in joining future Expert Insights Live sessions? Sign up here to learn more.

What does “real estate branding” actually mean?

Real estate branding is what people believe about you before they ever talk to you.

Most agents think branding is colors and fonts. It isn't. 

In other words, your logo isn't what's stopping you from attracting the right people. Your messaging might be.

Why do I keep getting low-quality leads who waste my time?

Because your brand is talking to everyone, including people who will never be a good fit.

Andy’s take is blunt: most agents think the problem is “I need more leads.” But the real issue is usually clarity. If your message is generic, you’ll get unqualified, price-shopping, time-wasting leads who don’t feel any reason to commit to you.

And the market rewards trust, not “more volume.” NAR’s 2023 profile highlights show 43% of buyers used an agent referred by a friend/neighbor/relative, and the top thing buyers want from an agent is help finding the right home (50%).

That’s not about you being loud. That’s about you being the right fit.

What’s the biggest branding mistake real estate agents make?

They lead with features instead of the client’s problem.

Features sound like:

• “I do great Open Houses.”
• “I communicate well.”
• “I’m a strong negotiator.”
• “I market aggressively.”
  
  

Clients don’t hire you for the feature list. They hire you for relief: a problem being solved for them.

Andy's one-liner is worth stealing: Features describe you. Problems describe them.

How do I pick a niche if I’m a newer agent and I “can’t afford” to say no?

You don’t need to reject business to build a niche. You need to aim your public message.

Andy’s advice for newer agents: pick “lower hanging fruit” where your positioning is obvious, like:

• FSBO sellers
• Expired listings
• First-time homebuyers
  
  

Example niche statement:

“I help for sale by owners shift from sitting to selling.”

You can still help your cousin’s friend buy a house. But your branding should target the people you want more of.

What should my real estate brand message include?

A clear brand message has three parts:

1. Who you serve

2. What problem they have

3. Your point of view (what you believe that most agents don’t say out loud)
   
   

If you want a template, here are three:

Template A (simple):

“I help [WHO] solve [PROBLEM].”

Template B (problem first):

“If you’re a [WHO] struggling with [PROBLEM], I help you [RESULT].”

Template C (point of view):

“Most people think [COMMON BELIEF], but in my experience [REAL ISSUE].”

How do I figure out my “who” if I feel torn between 10 audiences?

Picture a real person.

Andy literally tells agents to close their eyes and describe:

• demographics
• what they do for work
• what they’re afraid of
• what they’re saying at home about moving
  
  

If you can’t picture the person, you’ll never write messaging that feels like “this was made for me.”

This doesn't mean you can't expand in the future. But if you're reading this article, it probably means you're stuck attracting enough of the right people. 

Focus on them aggressively for a year. And once you've nailed that niche, you can consider moving horizontally. 

What does “solving a problem” look like in real life?

As mentioned before, people hire you to solve their problem. Andy gave multiple examples of how your real estate brand can appeal to that need, directly:

• Guaranteed sale: sellers fear their home won’t sell. He created a guarantee: “It sells in 59 days or I’ll buy it.”
• One-day listing agreement: sellers fear being stuck. He positioned a cancel-anytime agreement.
• Recruiting agents: new agents fear startup costs and income instability. He offered scholarships and temporary base pay.
  
  

None of those are “features.” They are problem-solvers turned into marketing.

How do I make sure my brand message actually sticks?

Repeat it everywhere.

Andy says your brand doesn’t get stronger because you say new things. It gets stronger because you repeat the right thing in the right places.

Do an “everywhere audit”:

• Zillow profile bio
• Instagram bio
• Facebook bio
• Website header
• Email signature
• Listing presentation
• Buyer consult intro
  
  

The litmus test: if someone hears you once, can they explain what you do to a friend? If not, simplify.

What if my niche doesn’t match the person I’m talking to?

You can still use it.

Andy gave a smart example: if you’re a first-time buyer specialist and you’re on a seller appointment, you can say:

“Your home is perfect for a first-time buyer. I work with first-time buyers constantly, so I know what they’re looking for and how to position this home for them.”

This way, your niche becomes a credibility advantage, not a limitation.

What tools can help with real estate brand building?

Branding falls apart when the follow-up is sloppy.

Real Geeks is built to make your brand consistent because it connects:

• your IDX website (where the message attracts the lead)
• your CRM (where the nurture builds trust)
• your database (the asset you own long-term)

So your brand isn’t just “a vibe" for Instagram. It becomes an integrated system, which is what Real Geeks specializes on.

What should I do this week to build my real estate agent brand?

Do Andy’s 30-day test:

1. Pick one message (who + problem + POV).

2. Put it in your bio and on your website.

3. Audit your last 10 posts: do they sound like any agent, or a specialist?

4. Repeat it for 30 days before changing anything.
   
   

If you get zero traction, don’t panic. Adjust the message and run the test again.

Clarity wins. Every time.

Remember, if you're looking for masterclasses like this one, join our community of real estate professionals, and make this the year you lock in and grow your business like never before