Tips For Making A Name For Yourself Online

For marketing purposes, branding can be defined as the ongoing exposure of a product, service, or company name to an audience, which results in recognition of that product, service, and company when the brand is seen or heard. When you think of Coca Cola, Tide or Kodak, you can immediately recall the products or services they represent. That is high-level brand name recognition, achieved through consistent, long-term exposure and investment of marketing dollars over long periods.

Most real estate professionals are independent contractors.

They market the companies they work for and also themselves (their name). They do this on all their marketing materials, business cards, flyers, signs, calendars, vehicle plates, magnets, pens, fly swatters and all those items real estate professionals are known for giving away. What name do you want the homeowners in your farm area to think about when they hear the words real estate? How about yours? Most successful real estate professionals today promote their names (brand) everywhere they can. How much money have you spent over the years getting your brand, your name, out into the public? Add it all up and, depending on how long you have been in the business, it can be a considerable amount. 

To take your brand to the Internet, you should become YourBrand.com – this requires the purchase of your own Second Level Domain. Marketing yourself on the Internet begins with a very simple step, acquiring your personal Second Level Domain.

Be sure to follow the rules of the franchisor if you are using the franchise name in your domain. 

If you plan to use the Federally registered trademark REALTOR® in a domain, make sure you follow the NAR terms of use. You would not want to spend money on a domain name you are ultimately told (by NAR) you cannot use. Use of the term REALTOR® with your name is permitted, but using REALTOR® with a geographic location or descriptive term is prohibited. 

Incorrect Usage: 

•  Example of misuse: SanDiegoREALTOR.com 
• Example of misuse: YourREALTOR4Life.com 
• Example of misuse: BestREALTOR@AOL.com 

Proper Use: 

• Example of proper use: JohnReillyREALTOR.com 
• Example of proper use: REALTORSaulKlein.com  

Use your domain for both your e-mail address and your web address. 

This will keep a consistent Internet Marketing Presence. Notice you can use both lower and upper case.

• Web Address: http://YourBrand.com 
• E-mail Address: You@YourBrand.com