iscover
In between finance approvals, legal logistics, endless inspections, and a revolving door of agents, I personally encountered the full-service spectrum: bias-riddled box-tickers, unsolicited mansplaining, eye-rolls… and, thankfully, a few who genuinely cared.
What stood out most wasn’t just price or product, it was people. I vividly remember a mortgage broker who was just starting out. He wasn’t the loudest in the room. He didn’t have the flashiest branding. But he worked with integrity, care, and clarity. His name still comes up in conversation long after I settled into my new postcode. That, right there, is personal brand equity at work.
My lawyer was the same. Not extravagant. Not flashy. But he promised to make the process less daunting, and he lived up to his word. In real estate and finance, that kind of service isn’t just nice-to-have. It’s everything. We’re living through one of the largest intergenerational wealth transfers in history. Women, Millennials, and Gen Z are increasingly stepping into the property market not only as buyers, but as investors and legacy builders.
They bring different expectations:
- Transparency over sales tactics.
- Personal connection over corporate polish.
- Reputation and reviews over your elevator pitch.
They research you before you even meet. Your digital footprint speaks before you do.
From the dawn of time, people have invested in people. If your focus is purely transactional, if you ghost after a deal, or are “too busy” to follow up, you’re not just losing one sale. You’re potentially losing five future referrals.
Word of mouth isn’t a bonus – it’s your most profitable channel, especially in the close-knit broker industry. Recent studies revealed that 88–90 per cent of consumers trust recommendations from people they know more than any form of advertising. In today’s hyperconnected world, digital trust is cumulative.
You may not know who the most influential voices are. It might not be your wealthiest clients. But one stellar experience can ripple through WhatsApp groups, neighbourhood barbecues, and professional networks faster than any paid campaign. On the flip side? One average experience can quietly haunt you and be much harder to redeem.
To avoid becoming just another cautionary tale or worse, a name dropped in a royal commission, building your brand is not a side hustle. It’s your most sustainable growth strategy. Here’s where to start:
1. Educate, simply and generously
When you help people understand complex decisions without making them feel small, you earn trust. You empower them. That’s partnership – not power play. My broker did this masterfully. It’s why I couldn’t stop talking about him.
2. Be curious – ask for their story
Every property transaction carries a deeply human subtext: a divorce, a dream, a new chapter. Come from a place of curiosity. Share your story. See it as a moment of connection, not just conversion.
3. Treat every client as a long-term partnership
Even if the deal isn’t high-value, the relationship might be. You’re supporting people through some of the most emotionally and financially significant decisions of their lives. They’ll remember how you made them feel. You have the power to make something overwhelming feel manageable. I still have real estate agent call me every year to check in, and I didn’t even buy from him, and I had another who had a coffee with me after I cried losing to an auction. A home is such a big part of our lives.
4. Create content that adds value, not noise
You don’t need to be a content machine – you need to be useful. A quick voice note post-auction. A plain-English explainer on interest rate shifts. A newsletter with actual insight. A LinkedIn story that shows your human side. Tiny touches create ripples of trust.
Plenty of people in the industry lead with their years in the game, company titles, auction results, average loan size. And while those credentials matter, they are not what earn you ongoing loyalty and work. Your personal brand is how you make people feel about themselves in your presence. Do they feel seen? Respected? Smarter for having worked with you? Or do they feel rushed, dismissed, and like just another number? That’s the real KPI.
Vinisha Rathod, author of The Briefcase Effect, is a personal branding specialist, adviser, and founder of P3 Studio.