Leads vs. Brand: 3 Ways to Align Agent and Broker Marketing Goals

How do brokers and agents differ in their marketing priorities? A recent REAL Trends study analyzed the strategies that both groups use to market their business.

The study, co-commissioned by Adwerx, revealed that agents' marketing was driven by immediate lead generation needs, whereas brokerages aim for long-term goals like branding and community awareness.

Today, we'll explore how brokerage and agent marketing goals differ, where they overlap, and how brokers can work to better align with what their agents need.

An Overlap in Marketing Strategy

While the REAL Trends study points out that agents are client-driven and brokerages are brand-driven, there is a surprising amount of overlap in their marketing strategies. In fact, the study found that the top four responses to "What do you invest in to market your brand?" was identical among both agent and brokers:

1. Websites
2. Social media
3. Yard signs
4. Listing portals

Agents said that their next two priorities were open houses and direct mail--two lead-focused tactics. Brokers, on the other hand, next identified brand-driven strategies like community involvement and print advertising as their top marketing methods.

The branding/lead divide persists through the rest of the study in responses to questions about spending priorities and the success of individual tactics. However, while agent and broker answers differed, "social media" was listed as a top successful strategy by both groups.

Aligning Marketing Priorities

The study makes it clear that agents have a lead-driven marketing focus. Knowing this, how can brokers support agents in their marketing goals while still serving the branding needs of the brokerage?

Here are a few ideas:

1. Co-branded Agent Websites

A challenge that brokers commonly face is keeping brand representation consistent across all of their agents' marketing.

Real estate websites, the number one marketing strategy for both agents and brokers, are a prime example. Messaging on an agent's website may not align with the brokerage's, the broker's logo on the agent's website may be outdated, or the branding of the two may clash aesthetically.

One solution to this problem is to deploy co-branded websites for all of your agents. A typical co-branded agent site displays your logo and brand colors, while focusing on the agent and their services. The shared design elements and site structure reinforce that the agent is one part of a larger whole--your brokerage. And by linking all co-branded agent sites back to the brokerage's site, you can even boost the SEO of your firm's main website.

2. Automated Marketing

Brokers can further ensure the consistency of their brand by automating much of the marketing that their agents need. You can use your listing data to power much of this process. A listing input into your system can trigger the creation of listing flyers, postcards, virtual tours, and more. RE/MAX's Marketing Center is a famous example of this kind of automation.

New listings can also trigger the creation of digital ad campaigns, too. Companies like Windermere, Alain Pinel, and RE/MAX automate the creation of digital listing ads through Adwerx Enterprise. The ads feature the the brokerage's branding, but sport the agent's contact information so leads can contact them directly. And, bonus, when campaigns are extended by agents, the brokerage's brand exposure more than doubles.

3. Social Media

Social media was listed as a top three "most successful marketing strategy" for both agents and brokers. When looking at paid social media marketing tactics, brokerages can sponsor listing ads on social platforms like Facebook and Instagram for their agents. This gives brokers control over the ad's branding, while sending leads to their agents. Brokers can create the ads themselves, or use a platform like Adwerx to generate and distribute the ads for them.

As for organic social media marketing, the key is in engaging followers. If you have a graphic designer or marketing department, lean on them to create eye-catching infographics with market data, for example, or home buying tips--and, of course, your logo in the corner. Post the images on your social media channels, and encourage your agents to share them. Your agents get great information to share, and you get to expand your brand's reach.

To learn more about agent and broker marketing priorities, download the full study here. Learn more about branded digital ads from Adwerx here.